ECONET houses Human and Institutional Development Program (HID). The idea behind initiating this program came from the core value of ECONET to empower people and institutions by building capacities of individuals and groups who ‘volunteered’ to join the processes of development and Learning spaces. The purpose of this program is to create, “Progressive, empowered relationships contributing to sustainable processes”.
Overview
Our work on the issues of Adivasi’s and nomads lent us many critical learning related to community building, mobilization and most importantly rooting alternatives in communities’ ethos. The most important among them are our experiences of development of these communities building content required to capacitate them to work for themselves. ECONET helped them understand their situations, issues and help them analyze it, explore alternatives and handheld them along with building skills and approach to address their issues. In this process, ECONET learned and has worked to build the capacities of the Adivasi’s and Nomads at the individual level, group level & community level and facilitate development of leaders and organization amongst them.Our work has also brought forth various capacity gaps found among the community leaders and organizations/community based organizations (CBO) working for these communities and Field Based Organizations. This is where ECONET donned the role of being facilitators by providing capacity building inputs to the leaders/organizations/CBO and general community.
Our experiences in the past 20 years as facilitators culminated in the formation of this vertical dedicated to capacity building of people and institutions.
Adivasi and Nomadic communities being its primary constituency, over years ECONET has engaged with other organizations working on health, trafficking, Dalit Rights, Water and other issues to support them on their needs of Human and Institutional Development. ECONET has pioneered many studies and researches on these two communities especially Nomadic communities for whom negligible amount of data/information exist. We have assisted in research design of other organizations.
Our Approach
Relying on our field experience and experience as trainers especially in behavioral trainings, HID have adopted a participatory and collaborative approach to capacity building. The thrust of our interventions with our partners and clients is to facilitate their growth by understanding them as an institution, their goals, context of their intervention and work. This helps in customizing each of our intervention/input with them making them contextual and practical.
Our Skills/Expertise
Our skill lay in two primary domains namely Organizational Development and Human development. The work on these two critical areas of organization leads to synergy and growth of any given organization/collective.
Organizational Development (OD)
As part of the OD process we undertake organizational analysis and thereafter strategic planning. This includes systems evaluation, development, redesigning/designing including preparation of tools, formats, reporting requirements etc, legal compliance and related aspects of organizations and systems. Further as part of strategic planning we also facilitate visioning, policy changes and positioning/repositioning of our clients for their growth as well as facilitate and orient them on internal structuring/restructuring. The latter often involves defining roles/responsibilities of the staff, divisions/units and the organization as a whole.
ECONET also works and engages with the Board/governance structure within the organization if any to strengthen them and improve their functioning.
Our experience in executing and supporting programmes, has built our knowledge on systems and organizations vis a vis individual growth. Our efforts are thus concentrated on bringing together the organizational synergy and the individual synergy together to contribute to the growth of both.
We facilitate and handhold the life and growth of the organization from its inception and place them in concurrent scenarios where they function independently. Therefore we work with registered/unregistered organizations as well as periodic institutions like networks and forums.
Human Development
Our skill in this domain lies in formulation of programmes/projects, its planning, monitoring and evaluations (PME). Especially in the planning stages, our role is of a trainer /facilitator rather than a doer to encourage ownership and thinking among our clients and help them see execution in planning.
As part of M&E, we Train and Develop skills of people as part building sustainable local resources and creation of Human Assets in Community Development. Our knowledge and experience of community participation, social structure, government policies and related ground realities, help us adapt our Handholding and M&E processes for each of our clients. Thus they are customized and looks at the programmes/projects in their local context helping us give practical and real suggestions/recommendations which are not binding on the client. Our processes are driven by the belief that M&E is not “policing” or “fault finding” assignments but facilitative processes leading to skill building and greater effectiveness, efficiency and capacity building.
We also facilitate Capacity Building Need Assessments (CBNA) for our clients which help us in modifying/adapting our interventions with them and include specific skill trainings for leadership at various levels.
Research & Studies: ECONET adopted action research as its core intervention method right from the initiation of its programmes designs. This method of implementation has not only stood the test of time but has also contributed in skill building. Our researches has been participatory in its method, which has not only led to qualitative findings and suggested interventions but also built the capacity of the communities who participated in these research. This in turn has negated the need for separate capacity building inputs for the community members on situational analysis.
Research has also build discipline of using statistical base for engaging with Government and other decision making stakeholders. It has helped communities to have better analytical approach when faced with external challenges.
In our participatory research we have derived immense learning from the communities and their way of management and decision making, which we learn to incorporate within our ways of engagement. Most ECONET research have been unique and pioneering documents in respective fields and has contributed to government taking notice of it.
Our Expertise to engage on
Geographical Coverage
We work across the country with our major engagements in Western India.
Nomad Resource Centre (NRC)
ECONET has been working with NTDNTs for past two decades on issues of human rights, social inclusion and sustainable development. Along with action research and advocacy efforts ECONET undertaken innovative steps to ensure NT/DNTs are able to resist discrimination in matters of their social, economic and political rights, and able to access & exercise their constitutional and legal rights.
Nomad Resource Centre (NRC) is a collaborative initiative which ECONET started with the local CBOs and NGOs working with NT/DNTS at taluka and district places. Currently the geographical focus is Maharashtra and NRCs are set up in Jamkhed (Ahmednanagar), Khatav (Satara) Hinglaspur (Amaravati), Umerga (Osmanabad) and Digraj (Yavatmal). By mid 2018 NRCS in Devrukh (Ratnagiri), Madha & Karmala (Solapur), Shirur (Pune), Vita (Sangli) and Umred (Nagpur) will be functioning.
Through the NRCS we aim to reach out to different NT/DNT communities namely, Pardhi, Phasepardhi, Dhangar, Wadar, Ramoshi, Kaikadi, Nandiwale, Kolhati, Kolhati Dombari, Laman/Banjara, Dombari, Beldar, Vaidu, Gondhali, Gosavi and Gavali.
The thematic focus of NRCs will be – Education, Livelihood, Employment access, Gender Equality, Human rights and protection of constitutional rights, access to justice & legal aid/legal remedy, Citizenship rights, Participation in the democratic & electoral processes, Health, Land rights and Entitlement and access to development schemes & programmes of central & state governments. ECONET and CBO hosting the NRC aim to build and demonstrate collaborative & collective leadership through the initiative. NT/DNT community hold important role in the running of NRCs. The paralegal workers and volunteers at these NRCs are identified and selected from the community, and they are expected to go through a phase-wise training & strict planning and monitoring process.
Collaboration and Collective Leadership is core to the NRCS
NRC will be collaborative work of ECONET with the local CBOs, volunteers and paralegals. Non-Discrimination, Social Inclusion and Sustainable Development being the core focus of these NRCS, this programme is expected to achieve following outcomes:
Empowered NT/DNTs in matters of their legal and constitutional rights
Increased participation of NT/DNTs in democratic processes (electoral & non-electoral), particularly, at the panchayat
Improved understanding within these communities on various welfare and development schemes, programmes and policies
Effective access and exercise by NT/DNTs of their right to seek economic justice – livelihood and employment opportunities
NRCs will motivate and mobilize other stakeholders including governmental and non-governmental/private towards securing human rights and sustainable development of NT/DNTs. It is hoped that the partnership between ECONET & CBOs for NRCs will build a network of volunteers, local lawyers, researchers, experts, social activists, academicians, police, community elders, government officials, elected representatives and others to ensure the NT/DNTs are no longer remain outside of fringes of development and justice – social, political and economic.
NRC Trainings
ECONET conducts conceptual and practical training those involved in setting up and running of NRCs. The key topics covered include Constitution of India, Right to Information, Right to Education, Domestic Violence law, MNREGA, Atrocity Act, human rights, police administration, Panchayat Raj, etc. This effort is made to enhance their capabilities and to develop leadership. Training is given in three different phases. Curriculum and design of the trainings is such so as to develop their perspective, knowledge and skills towards work as well as NT DNT communities.
Community Ownership is the key to the social change
No social change can take place without active participation and co-ownership of the community involved. NRCs are located in the community with an expectation that the community will see NRC as their own, and make efforts towards its strengthening and sustenance. That is why, community mobilization and empowerment is the first step on setting up of the NRCs
Nomad Women Leadership Program
CONTEXT
Nomad is isolated & vulnerable community in Maharashtra. Many of them are still struggling to fulfill their basic needs. Very few of them are getting opportunities & improved their life. Status of women is worst. Women face double discrimination being a nomad & within that being a woman. Since 2009 ECONET is working with the people of NT/ DNT community from different aspects & brought tremendous change. But specifically women were not the focus of ECONET. The action research on nomad women conducted by ECONET in 2014-15 was the most learning process for organization. It has brought in light data and information on livelihood, social experiences, health, education, and legal empowerment issues of nomad women. After that ECONET strongly felt the need to work with nomad women on different issues. And a full-fledged programme strategy to promote and build leadership within nomad women was designed. Ultimate goal is to identify nomad women in different regions of Maharashtra, and build their capacities to act as a change maker in the communities, particularly, on the human rights issues of women.
Nomad Women Leadership Programme is part of ECONET YUGADI (a new beginning) initiative that addresses Youth Gender and Development Initiative. It is designed for community women who have shown inclination and commitment to be the change maker for their community. Overall objective of the NT/DNT (Nomad) Women Leadership programme is ‘Strengthened capacities (perspective, knowledge and skills) of women change makers or leaders within the NT & DNT communities to address the gender discrimination and violations of women’s human rights in law and in practice’. Thirty nomad women change makers from different NT/DNT communities across Maharashtra were identified from areas where ECONET has its former partners and likeminded organizations working. They went through a careful selection process, conducted objectively and involving experts from the field. Of these 12 nomad women leaders from different NT/DNT communities are selected for ECONET’ Nomad Women Leadership Programme 2017-2020. They represent diverse socio-cultural and geographical contexts from rural areas in the districts of Nanded, Singhudurg, Ahmednagar, Raigad, Amaravati and Akola.
1. Kalpana Patil (Nathjogi) Nagothne (Sindhudurg)
2. Lata Sawant (Dawari Gosavi) Srigonda (Ahmednagar)
3. Satyavati Dornalikar (Scheduled Caste) Deglur (Nanded)
4. Chhaya Jadhav (Kaikadi) Murtijapur (Akola)
5. Gangasagnalikarar Sonkamble (Scheduled Caste) Mukhed (Nanded)
6. Sundar Bansode (Scheduled Caste),Mukhed (Nanded)
7. Manisha Raval (Hindu Raval) Sagamner (Ahmednagar)
8. Kajori Pawar (Pardhi) Karjat (Ahmednagar)
9. Nirmala Jadhav (Kashi Kapdi) Khopoli (Raigad)
10. Subhadra Pawar (Pardhi) Hinglazpur (Amaravati)
The selected Nomad Women Leaders went through a customized capacity building process spread over 6 months and in 4 training sessions. Key themes covered in these training session are:
Self discovery – as a woman and as a NT/DNT
Discrimination & gender equality- understanding gender and gender discrimination in family, community and in the society
Understanding different kinds of violence against women from feminist perspective- Domestic violence, Human trafficking, Sexual assault & abuse, Kidnapping, assault, acid throwing, Violence against women at work place, Violence against women with disability, Child sexual abuse, Discrimination to get access of good health & health services
Role of State – government institutions towards its citizens and women in particular
Panchayat governance and locating women/NT-DNT women it
Participation of NT/DNT women in loca democratic processes – women village assemblies/mahila gram sabhas, gender budgeting at panchayat level
Women Leadership building – Very basic understanding on the women leadership and its significance for grass root women leaders of nomad community
Leadership- definition, Qualities of leader and Leadership styles & its characteristics
Skill building assignments- village profile, survey, Documentation – need & importance in social sector, various types, innovative ways of documentation, Communication & media as an effective tool in social sector, Research- Need, importance, kinds of research, medium, Questionnaire as a tool of research, and developing a long terms work plan on specific issue affecting nomad women
Uniqueness of the Programme
Located in the lived realities of NT/DNT women
Issues for intervention identified by women themselves
Blending of Conceptual Clarity and Field Work
Leadership defined in the context women come from
Flexible approach to the leadership in action
Reaching out to the aspirations and individual strengths of women
It matters ……………………. accomplishments so far
Village profiles of 15 villages
Rapport building village level government officials – gram sevak, revenue officer, police patil, etc
Meetings with women – women village assembly/women sabhas
Information collection on village panchayat budget and utilization of percentage earmarked for women specific issues
Survey on issues facing NT/DNT women (360 women)
Village level campaign on Sexual Harassment of Women at work place and POSCO (child sexual abuse)
Women Leadership Program Data
1 Gangasagar Sonkambale
Issues to work upon- Women’s Health, RTE- Create awareness about implementation of health rights. To encourage parents to admit their children in primary school. To avail different schemes of Govt. for women and NT/DNT communities.
Field Area- Gadagebaba Nagar Mukhed, Hiparaga, Mangyal Tanda, Kaparwadi , Ta-Mukhed, Di- Nanded .
2 Chhaya Jadhav
Issues to work upon- Health, Education and water Crices. – Women Health and primary education of children is her focus along with this she will focus to resolve the water crises of village Dalambi.
Field Area- Dalambi, Ta.-Murtijapur, Dist- Akola.
3 Rajani Pawar
Issues to work upon- Health and Community hygiene- Community health and hygiene in a village Shirso is focal point of her work.
Field Area- Shirso, Ta-Murtijapur, Dist- Akola.
4 Rekha Karad
Issues to work upon- Primary education, women’s health and community health. – Encouraging kids towards Primary education creating awareness among parents, health of women during Pre and post delivery, care and hygiene along with the health of malnourished kids in is what her priority of work Hendaj and Goregaon villages ,
Field Area- Ta- Murtijapur,Dist- Akola.
5 Kajori Pawar
Issues to work upon- She is specifically addressing the issue of Child Marriage, Health and anti-social Customs and traditions in the community which are destroying the future of her Pardhi Community.
Field Area- Kuladharan , Ta- Karjat, Dist- Ahamadnagar.
6 Lata Savant
Issues to work upon- Community Health (Sanitation and Hygiene)-Creating awareness about having personal or community toilet in her Basti is centre point of her work. Implantation of Govt. scheme for construction of community toilet is her aim to achieve community toilet and women’s safety.
Field Area- Joshivasti, Dhokarai and Limpangaon, Ta- Shrigonda, Dist- Ahamadnagar.
7 Satyavati Dornalikar
Issues to work upon- Education and Health – Illiteracy is a root cause for degradation of quality life. Her core working areas therefore, are primary education of children of NT/DNT community and women’s health.
Field Area- Aamadapur and Sangavi (Karadkhed), Ta-Degloor, Dist- Nanded.
8 Sundar Bansode
Issues to work upon- Education and Health and implementation of Government schemes – Creating awareness among Vadar community about health and education and implantation of different govt. schemes in this regard for uplifment of better life of this community.
Field Area- Markhel, Ta- Degloor, Dist-Nanded.
