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DALIT WOMEN”S LIVELIHOOD
ACCOUNTABILITY INITIATIVE
GENDER AT WORK , SUPPORTED BY UN Women
28/006/2012 New Delhi
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DALIT WOMEN’s LIVELIHOOD
ACCOUNTABILITY INITIATIVE
Partnering with 4 organisations from
UTTAR PRADESH on an intensive
programme on Dalit women and
livelihood.
Lok Samiti (Varanasi)
Parmarth (Jalaun)
Sahajani Shiksha Kendra
(Lalitpur)
Vanangana (Chitrakoot, Banda)
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RATIONALE FOR PROJECT
To explore the three dimentions of gender and caste in the
context of the right to work. This could be explored through an
engagement with MGNREGA
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MAHATMA GANDHI NATIONAL RURAL
EMPLOYMENT GURANTEE ACT
(MGNREGA)
BRIEF HISTORY
The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act was enacted in 2005 after a
long struggle by trade unions, worker’s movements, women’s
organizations, civil society groups and was supported by left parties.
FEATURES:

100 days of work
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Unemployment benefits

33% reservation for women
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Equal wages for men and women
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PROJECT GOALS

Increasing Dalit women’s work participation rates within
MGNREGA (Increasing the number of work-days Dalit women
have access to by 30% (based on the baseline survey)
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Increasing Dalit women’s awareness levels regarding the
legislation and increasing access to other entitlements
(Increasing the number of job cards in the name of Dalit women;
Ensuring that Dalit women have bank accounts in their own
names; and Ensuring that work-site facilities (crèche, water,
shade and medical supplies) are provided)

Piloting innovative models of women’s engagement with
MGNREGA that challenge prevailing stereotypes around
women’s work (described below)
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Strengthening capacities of selected civil society organisations
to work in the area of women’s economic rights and gender, with
a specific focus on MGNREGA

Advocating for policy level changes with regard to women’s
access and engagement with MGNREGA at District and State
levels.
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PROGRAM DESIGN
Started where organisations/community were at
Built on existing strengths
Participatory practises
Peer Learning
Gender At Work Team as resource persons
Regular monitoring of processes
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BEST PRACTISES
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LOK SAMITI
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LOK SAMITI CHANGE PROJECT
Increased participation and leadership of Dalit women in the
Labour Union (NREGA Mazdoor Union)
Bringing Musahar and Muslim women into the workforce of
MGNREGA
RESULTS
50% Dalit women in leadership positions at present
2000 Dalit women members of the Union
Allocation of 700 job cards for Musahar families
Access of Muslim and Musahar women in the MGNREGA
workforce
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VANANGANA
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VANANGANA CHANGE PROJECT
Promote an all-women’s work-site
Social audit process to be carried out by Dalit women
RESULTS
An all-women worksite (pond) was implemented at Basila village, where
Dalit women were involved in the process from planning to
implementation of the process was carried out by Dalit women.
All the worksite facilities were provided at the work-site. A Dalit woman
site –supervisor (Mate) was appointed.
Work was carried out by 140 women over a 60 day period
Dalit women were trained in the Social Audit process, which they did
carried out across 5 villages.
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SAHAJANI SHIKSHA KENDRA
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SAHAJANI SHIKSHA KENDRA
CHANGE PROJECT
To prepare a module for Site Supervisors (Mates)
Test and finalise the same
RESULTS
Preparation of a training module for Mates with a perspective
on caste and gender
A total of 134 neo-literate women trained as Mates of which
….gained employment at work-sites
Led to advocacy efforts at the State level due to which 50 Dalit
women were given a formal appointment as Mates
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QUANTATIVE RESULTS
TURNING THE WHEEL, we forge ahead…
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LESSONS LEARNT

ENGANGEMENT WITH PANCHAYATS PROVES TO BE A CHALLENGE,
REQUIRES MORE INTENSIVE WORK
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SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BARRIERS COMEN IN THE WAY OF ESTABLISHING
WORKSITE FACILITIES, SPECIALLY CRECHE AT WORKSITES
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DEEP CULTURAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS WORK AGAINST ESTABLISHMENT
OF WOMEN MATES (SITE SUPERVISORS) AND INSTITUTIONALSE THEM
THROUGH STATE POLICIES
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QUANTATIVE LEADERSHIP OF DALIT WOMEN ESTABLISED STILL A LONG
WAY FOR QUALITATIVE LEADERSHIP
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WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDES AT THE BLOCK, DISTRICT AND STATE
LEVEL TO ENSURE SPACE FOR DALIT WOMEN TO BREAK BARRIERS THAT
KEEP THEM FROM ACCESSING OTHER THAN MANUAL LABOUR
OPPORTUNITIES UNDER MGNREGS
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G@W Framework for Mapping
Gender Equality
Individual
Change
Women’s
and men’s
consciousness
Informa
l
Women’s
access to
resources &
opportunities
Formal
Informal cultural
norms and
exclusionary
practices
Formal
laws, policies,
etc.
Institutional/Systemic
change