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PRAGATI as a Resource Centre adopts a unique strategy of a Multi -Pronged Approach in its interventions - from designing modules to imparting trainings, material preparation, Advocacy and Lobbying, developing area and need-specific modules for many states and Institutions of the country.
1.Module Designing: Specially designed modules are prepared before the onset of any Training Programme keeping in mind, the needs and issues related to the Participants.
2.Trainings
a. Local Self-Governance: A triple-pronged approach - Pre Election intervention, During Election intervention and Post Election intervention is adopted, essentially keeping in mind the need of the Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) with a view to providing it lucidity and flexibility.
i. Pre-Election Intervention - This phase is essentially on-field where the community as a whole is mobilised and sensitised on its role as well as participation in the Electoral Process. Apart from dissemination of information, Mock elections are held for a better understanding.
ii. During Election Phase - In this phase, PRAGATI assists in Training and Guidance for Prospective Women Candidates, especially the ones who are fighting from unreserved seats. This includes assistance in procuring relevant documents, filing of nominations, campaigning and canvassing, checking irregularities during the process as well as counting of votes. The team also extends continued support to the elected local bodies at various levels to ensure accountability, transparency and smooth functioning.
iii. The Post-Election phase- (Three Phases)- Keeping the region and specific needs of the EWRs in mind, several integral components like their Roles and responsibilities as elected representatives, Health, Education, Human Rights, Legal rights of women, Micro-Planning, Networking and Disaster Management are converged through the Training programmes held in the Post-election stage.
b. Gender Training: To combat the Patriarchal force, which is predominant in the Indian society, PRAGATI organises in-house five-day Gender Training programmes for the participants. It is imperative that for an overall, steady development of women, a gradual transformation has to be brought around in their mindsets. This can be effectively achieved through various instructions cantered around gender-equity concerned knowledge. Therefore, Gender Training becomes a very important component of this programme.
c. Gender and Legal Literacy: The training focuses on raising women's knowledge and awareness about their Rights with respect to social, political, economic forces, Legal Rights of women, Human Rights, health, education, the law and the world around them.
d. Leadership and Communication: To develop leadership qualities and communication skills for taking up responsibilities in social spheres.
3.Voter Literacy: The community undergoes training for points like enrolment in the voters list, the importance of exercising the right to franchise, eligibility for contesting an election etc. The team also touches upon the manipulative tactics of political parties and remedial measures. The team uses posters with pictorial representation of important points, relating to basic voter literacy.
4. Material Preparation: Extensive IEC material has been developed keeping in mind the local content. Books, Pamphlets and posters for Trainings and information dissemination on Panchayat are developed in Colloquial Language containing local contents. Various posters and publications are prepared from time to time in order to disseminate information amongst the community.
5. Building Networks: For ensuring better communication between women groups, NGOs, Panchayat Raj Functionaries, Policy-makers and line Departments. This provides an expanded platform for increased flow of information, knowledge and experience sharing among women.
6.Women Groups: To give an impetus to the issues related to women's development that have been long ignored, PRAGATI has organised women groups with the objective of political empowerment. These groups not only work as pressure Lobbies to give collective strength to the Elected women Representatives but also work as breeding grounds for prospective Leadership. An innovative move of the team has been the creation of women groups with the objective to represent the interests, aspirations and grievances of Elected women Functionaries of entire Uttaranchal as a whole. These women groups act as watch-dogs in the local administration of their Panchayats. Our strategy has been to create them in areas where there is no woman Pradhan (Chairperson) of the Gram Panchayat, lack of women's participation and ignorance of women-centric issues.
Today, the impact of this has been a sea-change in their own perceptions about themselves and their capacities. Many women representatives from Tribal and Backward communities have won acclaim and laurels at the national level for their exemplary performances and achievements in the field of rural development.
Methods and Approaches
Participatory and Innovative methods are devised in the form of interactive discussions, role-plays, case studies, brainstorming sessions, participatory games, PLA and audio-visual tools to provide a holistic approach to the training programme.
Participants are encouraged to involve themselves in analysing and solving stimulating problems. This helps in enhancing the confidence and skills of women and prepares them to deal with actual problems as Elected Representatives at their place of work and home.