savitribai phule mahila mandal annual report 2007 â€“ 2008

Savitribai Phule Mahila Mandal

Annual Report

2007 – 2008

Chief Functionary’s Desk:

Savitribai Phule Mahila Mandal was initiated by those women who faced violence and subjugation on the name of caste, gender and class. Acute poverty and discrimination at all levels enabled them to choose path shown by social revolutionary Savitribai Phule.

SPMM Annual report 2007 - 2008 2

Taking inspiration form Adv. Eknath Awad- National President Campaign Human Rights, women started intervening in all sphere of life. Beed district is famous for feudalism in Maharashtra. Nonetheless women are subjected to face violence at three levels – caste, gender and class. Roots of discrimination are found in abhorring caste system. SPMM decided to deal with gender

discrimination issue and tried to understand interplay of caste, gender and class. SPMM is convinced that class struggle is incomplete without the caste annihilation struggle. SPMM reached out to women from 100 villages. Self Help Group is used as mean to discuss their social problems. It was decided to create leadership of 200 women from these villages, which can be reality in near future. Women have started taking their own responsibility. It was not easy to ignite their mind. Though the focus was on Dalit women, so called upper caste women also motivated to join the movement. After forceful battle at social front, SPMM took economic angle. Women have started their agricultural and allied as well as non-agricultural business. Realization of women’s importance in the family life strengthens her side and also paved way for participation in decision making. Another factor was participation of children in decision making at school level. This experiment is implemented in operational area of Beed district. Girl children are returning back to school. Boys are also preferring education over migration and child labour. Parents are convinced about the importance of education and sending their children school in stead of work. Experiment of Bal Panchayat is quite successful. This next generation is learning to throw away old traditions and accepting idea of new society. Our staunch activists are leading this human rights struggle while risking their lives. These things are possible only with the support of Karuna Trust - UK, Swissaid India, Oxfam Intermon and MAVIM. I am thankful to all of them. But a real thanks giving is in results of social transformation, where SPMM is successful this year also. Next year will be full of optimism, less atrocities and more reach out to women for their self empowerment. Ms. Manisha Tokle Secretary SPMM, Beed.

Savitribai Phule Mahila Mandal (SPMM) was initiated by conscientized women from Dukadegaon village who experienced acute poverty and social discrimination through out their life. With the first-hand experiences of the plights of the marginalized communities, especially the backward classes, the founder members of SPMM initiated a process of empowerment in its own village. As they were able to help some of the individuals from the village, they decided to broaden their work, hence registered the organization in the year 1988. SPMM is run by all women board members and made it a point that women’s issues be core at every activity and programme. SPMM played a substantial and crucial role in disaster management in Latur earthquake 1993, plague in Beed district in 1994 and during the scarcity situation in 1995 in Marathwada region. SPMM organized and implemented major relief programmes in the Latur earthquake and the drought affected regions in Marathwada. The main thrust was to provide immediate relief and mobilizing government support to ensure that the benefits reach to needy population. When plague was detected in a few villages in Beed district, SPMM undertook a plague awareness drive, with a mobile unit giving information about the causes and treatment of plague. SPMM took up caste based bonded labour, sugar cane cutter bonded labour and created awareness about these issues in Beed district thus helping to liberate the several bonded labourers. It paved path for SPMM to make the first move to unemployment issue and it organized and conducted several trainings on the Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS) of the Maharashtra Government. Profound interaction with people shed light on interplay of caste, gender and class role in violence against women. Along with caste based atrocities domestic violence, sexual violence-abuse and rehabilitation of such victims are major areas of work. In all these activities, the role of SPMM remained that of providing legal advice and support to the victims. SPMM is also working for the ‘Quality and Equality in education’ for the rural children in Marathawada region of Maharashtra. SPMM is providing a model for development and encouraging women and poor to take up alternative means of livelihoods through encouraging leadership. A careful nurturing of these women, by providing them with a sound information base, and by incapacitating them to take on different responsibilities, will further empower them and allow for the development of a fertile ground for the creation of women leaders, and ultimately, a gender balanced society. In order to make the people independent SPMM very consciously and knowingly adopted a policy of encouraging people to help themselves, and not taking any decisions on their behalves. By giving the people the strength to merely question themselves regarding their situation, and by supporting them in their effort to struggle for their rights and demanding the respect accorded to a human being, SPMM has given a ray of hope for a better tomorrow. SPMM at present fighting for cause through following projects:

1. Asmita Project 2. Chingari Project 3. Samaj Shala 4. Ramai Sakhamikaran (Ramai Women’s Empowerment)


Asmita Project: Women in Marathwada are poor, voiceless, and powerless. The landlords and upper class, upper caste families exploit the lower class, lower caste ones. Women get no space to share, do not have control over self assertion and no involvement in decision making at home or in the village. Exploitation, violence at domestic level is also common. Women, especially from lower income group are always overburdened with domestic work as well as responsibility of earning. They are also victimized at work place – lower wages, sexual harassment has been very common.

Due to lack of awareness and secondary status in society, ignorance on health grounds is common. Women have poor access to and control over means of livelihoods like land, property and animal wealth. Also, there is poor awareness of legal rights and issues.

Considering the situation the present project aimed at Creating and Enabling Social Equality through Gender Justice and Scaling up passion of radical activists by training and capacity building of a group of 30 animators to empower 200 community leaders at the grass root level. It is being implemented in 100 villages of 10 tehsils (namely, Patoda, Shirur, Gevrai, Beed, Majalgaon, Wadvani, Dharur, Ambejogai and Kaij) of Beed District of Marathwada region of Maharashtra state, India. To ensure the sustained social action, there was need to strengthen soft structure. SPMM built 30 women animators across 100 villages through following training programmes –

1. Team building and management 2. Detailed baseline survey of 100 villages 3. Capacity building and strengthening village level structures 4. Focusing on the economic activities of women’s groups for building confidence 5. Addressing the issue of violence 6. Awareness generation programmes 7. Advocacy

The main criteria of selecting team were commitment with society and leadership qualities. After team selection a Project guidance pocket book was prepared in Marathi language. A strategic Organizational Planning workshop was conducted with them and also discussed methodology of working in the community. ToT and gender sensitization workshops gave them insight to strategies of working in the society. The baseline survey was carried out to understand present situation of women. A sample data of 10 villages of 10 tehsils were collected. The baseline revealed following problems of women


a) Superstitions b) health problems c) Participation of women in decision making process d) Economic problems of women e) Women’s position in family f) Participation of women in village Panchayat

SPMM then selected 40 women animators and trained them in leadership as well as gender issues. Besides two women per village were selected as Village Level Women Leaders, which became contact point for 100 villages. With the help of these animators and leaders SPMM initiated Self Help Groups in the 100 villages. During the year 175 groups were already formed and 100 SHGs are in process.

Constant interactions lead women to see social systems minutely. They started analyzing secondary citizenship and secondary status given to them by patriarchy. Their participation in the group and discussion revealed the interplay of caste, gender and caste based discrimination. This realization helped them to start a fresh life with new zeal. Though in many places process it was not easy to throw away traditions so easily. Mind transformation is slow for most the women and their families. But this was sign of empowerment that they want to come tout of age old traditions and choose egalitarian form of living. The new build confidence enabled them to start new means of livelihood. Women have started to take responsibilities of going to the bank for their monthly transactions independently. The 65 have started activities such as tailoring, dairy, goat farming and poultry. 58 have taken the responsibility for providing nutritious meal to the Aanganwadi.


To deal with violence against women a mechanism called ‘Flying Squad’ was formed by SPMM last year. This Squad imparted training to about gender and law as well as procedural part of handling the cases. This knowledge empowered women to deal their own issues. Women have started dealing violence issues either independently or collectively to get the justice. A Mahila Melawa (Women’s Convention) was organized at Latur on 14th October 2007 on the occasion of Dhammachakra Pravartan Divas. Prof. Usha Wagh, Mrs. Vsantalabai Darade (Member of Maharasthra Legislative Assembly), Mrs. Kusumtai Balsaraf (Managing Director Women’s Financial Development Corporation, Gov. of Maharashtra), Adv. Eknath Avhad and Mrs. Manisha Takole were the speaker of the convention. Chingari Project: The project aimed at Campaign for Human Right’s (CHR) core leadership and village level cadre who will reflects, internalizes and challenges patriarchal perspectives, attitudes and values within themselves, their organization and their programmes and work towards gender mainstreaming CHR and its programme, thus leading to actualization of gender equality and women’s and girls’ human rights. 100 villages are selected from five talukas in Beed district. Selection of the villages was based on the basis of work strength of the committees established by CHR in the villages. From these 100 villages 70 most participative and where the committees are most efficient are selected (i.e. 14 villages from each taluka). These villages are from Majalgaon, Wadwani, Beed, Dharur and Kaij Talukas. The process of gender sensitization is initialized in all 100 villages and consistently promoted through regular meetings, discussions with people, while campaigning against domestic violence and sex selective abortions, by addressing the gender issues at conventions, commemorating the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, Mahatma Phule, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar to magnify the gender related thoughts of these leaders. The educational and information material has been developed in the forms of posters , leaflets ,slogans for mass mobilizations and awareness on gender issues , prevention of domestic violence act, preventive law orders for sexual exploitation of women at working places. Samaj Shala (Social School): It is aimed to create a Multidimensional Approach for Educational Excellence in Rural Maharashtra, India. To achieve this, communities are empowered to have more effective say and better participation in the management of schools. Besides through this project, key aspects demonstration of the Samajshala model will be given in 20 primary schools in Maharashtra that contributes to the curricular, co-curricular and psychomotor development of each individual student. During the year, a Village Survey was conducted to assess the present situation of the school and education system in the village. It is found that teacher student ratio is very pathetic i.e. 1 teacher – 4 classes i.e. more than 120 students per teacher. It not only affects the quality education of children but also a blot on education system as a whole. It loses all the aims of education.

Secondly society was still apprehensive about girls’ education. Rural India has not yet made up its mind to give importance of education. It is also found that Child labour, Sugarcane cutters’


children are not yet in the school; and their drop out ratio is too high. Besides, there is no 100 % attendance in the school.

After building rapport with the communities, daily one thought is wrote on education was wrote n the village. During the school opening period a rally was organized to spread importance of education as well as convincing parent to send their child in the school. Street plays were organized to convey the importance of education.

SPMM established School Management Committee to keep updates and motto of education in the village. Free dress distribution programme was organized to provide uniforms to poor children, who should not stop their education just because of lack of dress.

An innovative approach was taken to form Bal-Panchayat i.e. Ministry of Children, which is governed and managed by children only. It was quite successful and helped to bring back children in the school or keep their educational interest.


Balak-Palak Melawa i.e. Children-Parents’ meeting was organized to curtail the migration of children.

Following were the outcomes noted at the end of this financial year.

o 100% attendance in the school. o Improvement in the percentage of English and Math subject. o School result is improved. o More girl children have started attending school. o Parents are taking personal care of their children. o Improved people’s participation in the school. o Women are taking part in the school programme. o Improvement in the School food. o Decrease the child migration. o Drop outs are joining back the school o Parents putting their attention towards school.

Ramai Sakhamikaran (Ramai Women’s Empowerment): It was aimed at building Self Help Groups of women and creating source of livelihood for economic empowerment. The major focus was on Dalit women. This project was limited to 40 SHGs. Total members were 476 women. The main trainings imparted were SHG concept,


leadership development, social development, book keeping, gender equity, monitoring and gradatation, inter collector.

Besides these trainings women were motivated for livelihood development. Out of 476 women 84 women started agricultural or allied livelihood viz. goat rearing, dairy, 91 women started non-agricultural livelihood viz. sewing machine, flour mill, food stall, broom making. As far as social issues are concern, focus was on violence against women and forbidding selective sex abortion. Economic empowerment with social issue discussion increased confidence of women. It helped to raise their status in home as well as in community. It paved way for participation in decision making in home and community level. ACHIEVEMENTS 2007 - 2008:

• Mr. Sharad Pawar, Agriculture Minister, GOI, noticed the issue of land right and assured to follow it up with local administration.

• 100 % enrolment of children with Samajshala approach was achieved in this year.


Audit Report 2008-2009:


Case Studies 2008 – 2009

Feudalism is specific characteristics of Marathwada region of so called progressive Maharashtra. Charata village, which is near 9 km from the Beed Dist, is not an exception. Women and Dalits were not allowed to participate in decision making process at village level. Campaign for Human Rights and Savitribai Phule Mahila Mandal (SPMM) are working in this village. Self Help Group formations become an instrument in reaching out to women. It was an opportunity to discuss women’s issue. Gender discrimination was honor for all community members. Mrs. Surekha Mane who belongs to shoe making community showed courage to come out of the apprehensions and fear of gender discrimination. She as well as her mother-in-law is members of SHGs. Her mother-in-law has also started flour-mill in the village. Surekha has one daughter. She was pregnant one more time and her in-laws and husband forced her for sex determination test. She unwillingly did it. But when her in-laws and husband were forcing her for abortion, she approached SPMM activist Ms. Asha Pawar. Asha paid home visit and counseled Surekha’s in-laws and husband. She explained complications of abortion and tried to sensitize at human level but at the same time she also informed about legal consequences of abortion. This gave an opportunity to Mane family to reflect back on their decision and finally agreed for not aborting the girl child and also warmly accepted the new born. Our Dedicated Team:

Ashok Tangade Rekha Sarawade

Santosh Jadhav Suwarna Misal

Kailas Veer Asha Pawar

Baliram Nade Archana Waghamare

Sunil Tangade Sunita Sonawane

Balu Awad Bismilla Pathan

Vishnu Awad Radhabai Surawase

Rajesh Ghode Meena Lokhande

Satyabhama Saundarmal. Kavita Mondekar

Kisan Lokhande Ganesh Bhole

Mahadeo Umap Savita Ghodake

Nandini Pawar Asha Sonavane

Nirmala Jadhav Bandu kamble

Sachin Shinde Parvati Vairale



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Near Old Nagar Naka,

Beed – 431122

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savitribai phule mahila mandal annual report 2007 â€“ 2008

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