Engendering governance- Making Violence Against Women a Concern for Village level Elected bodies (gram panchayats)

The Gujarat state Panchayat Act lists 125 cr. Pc a civil law under which a panchayat has the responsibility of submitting a investigation report if the court directs them. By the same logic PWDVA , 2005 a civil law comes under similar provisions. In the current scenario 125 Cr. Pc ( provides for maintenace to wives,mothers, minor children and any other dependents) is an act most used by women and the PWDVA is an act that looks at violence free life as a womans right and accords a women immediate protection against all forms of domestic violence.

The sexual harassment bill 2005, which is awaiting clearance by the parliament specifically holds gram panchayats responsible for enforcement of preventive measures and rederessal systems. The panchayats would be made aware and accountable for their role under these acts.

The project will focus on activating gram Panchayats to play their role through publicly announcing their intent to not tolerate VAW and set up measures to monitor and prevent it at the level of the vaillage . It will work towards making Panchayats aware and enforcing the statutory role of the Panchayat in supporting women get protection and support against VAW.

The gram panchayats are highly patriarchal bodies, and to enable them to address the issue in a gender just approach it is important that they set up systems with women’s involvement and leadership at the level of the panchayat and the village and the block so that VAW is monitored and redressed in a gender just manner. It is also important that women are empowered to engage with these elected bodies and demand that they play a role in combating VAW

To achieve this project will actively and widely replicate in conjunction with working with village panchayats two best practices that we have already been implementing with proven impact.

a) Set up village level vigilance committees comprising of women and men of the village, panchayat members and active members of women’s Self help groups to aid gram panchayats to play their role; and
b) Build women’s leadership and capacities towards setting up alternate redress mechanism –in the form of Women’s Nyaya Samitis -the women justice committees, that are area level community based , women led forums that are trained to function in a socio-legal and gender just framework to help women seek redressal to combat VAW.

The basis of linking Women’s Nyaya Samitis to activating Gram Panchayats and men is in the fact that we recognizes that women are not single gendered and men’s subjectivity is central to gender domination. However the leadership and perspective to combat VAW has to be provided by women as it is only they who can question widen through dialogue the boundaries of Socio-cultural frames which justify male violence within the house hold as their right.

Panchayats ( electected bodies at the level of the village in-charge of self- rule and governance) like society have neglected the issue of VAW and reneged from their constitutional responsibility of equity and social justice for women . Patriarchal mindsets, acceptance of VAW and lack of awareness are mainly responsible for this.

we find that the governments are showcasing the laws as ( their) claim to women’s equality, without putting in place the implementation and monitoring mechanisms necessary for the law to become an operational reality for women.

Governments- state and national lack the political will and the motivation to allocate resources to ensure setting up of adequate infrastructure and mechanisms to ensure implementation of the laws.

The laws are often put in place in a top down manner without creating the enabling environment at society level by way of awareness and change in attitudes. Hence face cultural barriers to achievement of women’s Rights.

A corrupt, over burdened and sluggish law enforcement mechanism is a deterrent to women seeking enforcement of Rights this combined with women’s lack of resources , information has led to a situation where the intent of laws and policies for women’s equality is yet to make a substantive impact .

1. Increase the outreach of our work and place the issue of VAW on the agenda of grassroots level Womens federations : For the purpose of the initiatve SWATI has forged alliance with grassroots womens federation( colectives of self help groups) in suppporting them to take up this issue in their region as well as setting up support mechnaisms at the level of the federation in supporting – ( set up women justice committees) survivors of VAW through provision of counseling, legal aid and other support. Formal Memorandums of Understanding are being drawn up with the federations and their parent body ( if any)

2. Centre For Social Justice: Is the capacity building and training support agency and will be in charge of trainings for the vigilanece committees and Nyaya samiti members. CSJ has indepth expertise and rights law and Violence against Women.

3. Monitoring and Evaluation: Women's Health Training, Research and Advocacy Cell (WOHTRAC) of Women's Studies Research Centre at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda is the agency in-charge of monitoring and evaluation and documentation. The Cell consists of senior faculty members from social sciences including social work and has in-depth expertise in conducting evaluations and research.

4. The Panchayat Ministry: This is one key minisry at both state and national level that we would be liasing with towards forming an alliance.

• Violence against Women gains mainstream acceptance as a concern to be addressed by grassroots governance bodies of elected representatives.
• The Panchayat ministry will look at VAW as an important area for panchayats and make relevant recommendations to the state governments
• Violence against women will be introduced as a topic in panchayat training curricula.
• Women’s capacities and leadership in engaging with men to combat VAW emerge.
• Women seek redressal against VAW and community opinion against VAW emerges
• Community becomes aware of impact of VAW on women and society.
• Gram panchayats would become aware of laws and procedures that support VAW

• Governance will be engendered towards a gender just framework .
• The Panchayat ministry will look at VAW as an important area for panchayats and make relevant recommendations to the state governments
• Violence against women will be introduced as a topic in panchayat training curricula.
• Protocols would be developed on the role of gram panchayat in VAW
• Women’s Nyaya samitis would gain legitimacy in the justice delivery system in redressal of VAW
• PWDVA an important act based on CEDAW would be better implemented
• Panchayats would have publicly proclaimed their commitment to end VAW by putting up posters, slogans, and exhibits asking women to act against VAW.