Gender equality lies at the core of all the work that DGVS does. Our aim is to bring a gender transformative change at the individual, household, and community levels. The Frontline workers are trained to encourage the survivors to be aware, provide them with psychosocial support and take a bold step against violence. Our on-ground programs feature a strong gender component that allows men and women, boys and girls, to live with mutual respect and equal opportunities. Behaviour change communication is the key element across all our projects to enhance awareness and strengthen the ability of women and their collectives to challenge and change unjust gender and social norms.
DGVS believes that Unless you put women at the centre of the development process and move aggressively towards gender equality, it’s not just that you are doing the wrong thing in terms of human rights, you are doing the wrong thing economically. If you want to grow economically, you’ve got to focus on gender equality. We couldn’t be more committed to this issue and we know this is an issue that is very important to India.”
Gender equality and women’s empowerment can only be brought about by changing the mind-set of people and breaking the societal norms to involve men in the process. Learning from the experiences of past interventions, DGVS adopted an innovative model of involving men in the communities where they work for creating an enabling environment for women. Under this, exclusive counselling sessions are held with men to encourage them to be more participative and actively involved towards the issues concerning maternal and child health. DGVS’s experiences as well as various research studies have demonstrated that men, when shown the way, take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive behaviour as well as their social and family roles.
Violence against women is one of the most pervasive human rights violations across the world and especially in India. It is rooted in gender inequality and discrimination against women. Any effort to eliminate such violence must focus on the achievement of substantive equality between women and men and on promotion and protection of women’s human rights. The involvement of men and boys in the struggle to transform gender relations and eliminate violence against women is essential. Ideas about manhood are deeply ingrained in our society. From an early age, boys are socialised into gender roles designed to keep men in power. And they grow up believing that dominant behaviour towards girls and women is part of being a man. Since gender stereotypes are pervasive and operate throughout a lifetime, a life cycle-based approach is required to transform the way men and boys socialise in their surroundings – home, education, workplace, economy, etc. Life cycle-based approach should start with early childhood education and care. Here, mothers have a crucial role in educating boys in how to treat their female partners.
Gender equality is very important for the development of society and is regarded as key to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. An empowered woman contributes to the productivity of her whole family, both economic and social. The astounding success story of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad is a classic example of harnessing the women’s strength in the economic realm. The brain child of seven semi-literate Gujarati housewives from Bombay, the enterprise was started with a seed capital of Rs. 80. Today, Lijjat has a turnover of Rs. 500 crore, providing dignity and employment to over 42,000 women.
HOW WE DO IT
- DGVS provides scholarships for education, training in life and technical skills, and job placement for socially and economically disadvantaged young women between the ages of 15 and 30.
- DGVS trains young men to become supporters of gender equality and take up personal and social action
- DGVS creates gender oriented educational material online certificate course on violence against women manuals and training material videos and documentaries provides a reference facility and reading room
- DGVS lobbies with the State
In the city, we lobby with the police for a better emergency helpline for women
With the Municipal bodies for open spaces and safety of women
With public transport authorities for the safety of women
Joins in networking with city based and national women’s and other groups for legislation and policies
OUR GOALS FOR GENDER EQUALITY
Enhance societal consciousness on gender inequality
Empowerment of women and youth
- Breaking the cycle of poverty, vulnerability and disempowerment of girls
Gender sensitive youth by initiating personal and social change
Prevent violence on women
Promoting gender inclusivity in three cities of India by 2020
Fostering partnerships for gender just laws and policies
We also utilize a variety of approaches in order to make this vision a reality. These approaches are:
- Information dissemination and participatory research
- Training and mobilization of youth and women
- Promoting solutions through lobbying with local authorities and institutions
- Mobilising public support through campaigns