Zonal review meeting of ADHIKAR at RCDSS, Ajmer

Review meeting is a platform for cross learning and strategy formulation to overcome challenges through collective reflection and decide upon way forward. Caritas India had conducted a review cum planning workshop on 10-11^th December 2012 at RCDSS, Ajmer in which 11 ADHIKAR partners and 3 IDEA partners from Delhi, UKSVK and Bihar regions took part in the meeting. It was an amalgamation of sharing of work with special emphasis on Result Based Management, brainstorming and input sessions. Moreover, partners could strategise programmes in accordance with objective utilization of available resources for availing optimum outcomes under IDEA and ADHIKAR project.  

Rev. Fr. Cyril, Executive Director of UKSVK region addressed the gathering with sharing inspirational thoughts quoted from Catholic Social Teachings on commitment and dedication of staff in providing qualitative services which will bring improved changes in the lives of the poor and the marginalised. Rev. Fr. Amal Raj, Executive Director of Bihar Forum made a deliberation on recent advancement of ADHIKAR programme and its effort to realize various entitlements for marginalized under right to work and right to food. Mr. PU Francis, Zonal Manager-North Zone enlightened the participants on Micro planning which includes process, people’s participation, identifying issues etc. It was suggested that all partners should take concerted effort to mobilize community in obtaining their due entitlements through participate in Grama Sabha. Mr. Ashok Sinha, Consultant oriented the participants on Right to Education Act and its provisions.

Mr. Arun Kumawat, MNREGA practitioner associate with an NGO from Chittorgarh gave input session on MGNREGA.  He highlighted the origin of MGNREGA Act and its features and present situation of the MGNREGA work in Northern region.  He felt that the success of the MGNREGA program is connected with the awareness creation among the people in rural villages.  He advised the group to motivate the villagers to put in writing their demand for work in their area. The Zonal Manager along with Zonal team facilitated the group presentations and entire two days program.    The participants expressed their satisfaction over the two days program as the review provided an opportunity for mutual learning that helped them to intensify their understanding on various rights, concerned legislations and its application.  

 

In a brainstorming session, coordinators identified major challenges foresee and prepared strategies to combat the same in the near future.  The diocesan directors designed an action plan for capacitating staff as well as Community Based Organizations, better implementation and accompaniment of ADHIKAR program & Liasioning with Govt. officials and to facilitate the Micro planning in Grama Sabha meetings.

Role and functions of School Management Committee

• A school management committee shall be constituted in every school, other than unaided school, within its jurisdiction and reconstituted in every two years
• SMC shall consist of 15 members out of which 11 shall from among parents, guardian of children; provided that 50 % of members shall be women. 4 members shall be Ward member, ANM, Lekhpal and Head Master of school.
• SMC shall meet once in a month and minutes is recorded and made available to the public.
• SMC shall monitor the functioning of school, prepare and recommend School Development Plan
• Monitor the utilization of grants received from State Government or local authority
• Ensure the enrolment and continued attendance of all the children from the neighbourhood
• Bring to the notice of the local authorities any deviation from the rights of the child, in particular mental and physical harassment of children, denial of admission, and timely provision of free entitlement.
• Where a child above of six years has not been admitted in any school, for his/her age appropriate learning level, identify the needs, prepare a plan, and monitor the implementation of the special training.
• Monitor the implementation of the Mid Day meal programme in the school and ensure its enrichment
• Monitor the receipts and expenditure of the school
• Monitor the identification and enrolment of and facilities for education of children with disabilities, and ensure their participation in, and completion of elementary education
• The school management committee shall prepare a school development plan at least three months before the end of the financial year
• The school development plan shall be a three year plan comprising three year sub plans
• The school development plan shall be signed by the chairperson or the Vice- chairperson and member secretary of the school management committee and submit to the authorities concerned before the end of the financial year in which it is to be prepared. 

Village Health and Sanitation Committee

It is an undeniable fact that role of community in taking up leadership at local level, related to health issues could bring  tremendous changes in the execution of health programmes more effectively. Obviously, it will be possible only when the community is sufficiently empowered to take leadership in health matters. Moreover, involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions in the management of health system could be possible under the guidance and leadership of Grama Pradhan, PRI members, ANM, ASHA, AWW and community representatives.

Role of the VHSC

o   The VHSC will be responsible for overall health of the village. It will take into consideration of the problems of the community and the health and nutrition care providers and suggest mechanism to solve it.

o   Creation of public awareness about the essentials of  health programmes, with focus on people’s knowledge of entitlements to enable their involvement in the monitoring.

o   Discussion and development of  village health plan based on an assessment of the village situation and priorities identified by the village community.

o   Analyze key issues and problems related to village level health and nutrition activities, give feedback on these to the Medical Officer of the PHC.

o   Monitoring of all the health activities that are conducted in the village such as Village Health & Nutrition Day, mothers meeting etc.

o   VHSC along with the ANM will be responsible to conduct household survey in the village.

o   It will maintain village health register and the health information board. The health register and board will be put up at the most frequented section of the village and will have information about the mandated services in the Sub Centre/PHC. 

o   Ensure that the ANM visit the village on the fixed days and perform the stipulated activity as per the Sub Centre work plan; oversee the village health and nutrition functionaries like ANM.

o   The committee will monitor all the health activities that are conducted in the village such as Village Health & Nutrition Day, mothers meeting etc.

o   ANM will submit a bi monthly village report to the committee along with the plan for next two months. Formats and contents would be decided by the village health committee. Discuss the report submitted by ANM in the village level meeting and take appropriate action.

o   It will discuss every maternal or neonatal death that occurs in their village, analyze it and suggest necessary action to prevent such deaths. Get these deaths registered in the Panchayat.

o   The committee will organize regular monthly meeting to discuss various issues in the village and document the minutes of the meeting.

o   The committee shall ensure that Public Dialogue is organized at regular intervals (once in six month) in the presence of Medical Officer of the Primary Health Care Centre. The committee shall ensure that all the issues discussed are recorded and action taken on the issues discussed.

o   The VHSC will also play vital role for selecting and supporting the ASHA from the community

o   Other than health related issues VHSC will also be responsible for the development of the village.

o   The VHSC will also take care of the Sub Centre.

o   The VHSC will be responsible to inform the community about all the government schemes.

Village Education Committee- Roles and responsibilities

Village Education Committee (VEC) is a regulatory body that exists at school level in a village to ensure community participation in smooth functioning of the school. VECs have been formed as part of the decentralized management structures envisaged under District Primary Education Program (DPEP). A VEC consists of 6 to 14 members and is elected by  the Gram Sabha. It constitutes of individuals interested in promotion and development of education in the villages.  50% of the members must be female and representation of the deprived sections of society is ensured to mainstream them and enable their articipation in decisions affecting their interests. The Village Sarpanch is the Chairperson and school Headmaster is the Convener of VEC.VEC’s role is to establish a link between school and community and to create awareness about the importance of formal education. In addition, it is also expected to take up the task of management of school affairs along with school administration. VECs are considered vital for promoting enrolment and retention of children in school, especially of girls. It is the responsibility of VEC to ensure that every child in the age group of 6-14 years gets enrolled in schools and completes elementary education.

Roles and responsibilities of VECs are follows

 

Hume Mila Hamara Hak

Profile:

Name of Gram Panchayat:- Junsutty

Name of Villages:- Junsutty, Daniya Nagla, Seetanagala, and Radhe Nagala)

Block:- Mathura

District:- Mathura

State :- Uttar Pradesh

Junsutty Grama Panchayat is 15 K.M. away from Mathura block. The major sources of income of households are agriculture and livestock rearing. The  women are mostly house wives and involved in farming, rearing livestock (cow and buffalo) etc. Paddy & wheat crops are chiefly grown in these areas.  

Situation before intervention  

General public had scant knowledge on importance of job cards and its use, provisions etc. Both Pradhan and Rojgar sewak did not tried to motivate the people to avail job cards and obtaining job that would have been diminished poverty in rural families. It was observed that almost all job cards were partially filled with mandatory information such as Job card number, dates of work and so on. Majority of HHs were not getting work under MNREGA as they did not have knowledge on how to process application. Since people were not demanding jobs through written application, scope of corruption and favouritism arouse. Consequently, service providers exploited the situation maximum and given work for their well-wishers whereas job was credited into other job card holders. In addition, eligible people neither received even 30 days jobs nor stipulated wages on time. Due to lack of knowledge among community on MNREGA, Pradhan turned to be the custodian of job cards and did as he wishes. 

Intervention 

During base line survey, ADHIKAR team got firsthand information on status of MNREGA and how far it reaches to the real beneficiaries. As a result, ADHIKAR team decided to motivate the community to make use of their job cards and avail jobs under MNREGA. Street plays, corner meetings, awareness classes, celebration of Independence Day with special focus on right to work were organized in the villages where 300 people made aware of MNREGA and its provisions. Consequently, 5 villagers put RTI application to get the status of people own job cards. According to the block office, 369 job cards have been already issued and 300 people are not having job cards. In fact, 90% of issued job cards were holding Pradhan and 50 % of the community do not have job cards. As a result, literally, almost 80% villagers were not getting the benefit of Job cards and MNREGA provisions.

Turning Point

ADHIKAR project team along with 3 villagers met Block Development Officer and convinced him about the malfunctioning of MNREGA in Junsutty Grama Panchayat. BDO enquired about the matter to Pradhan over phone but he denied. Again BDO informed Pradhan on his visit to cross check MNREGA functioning as well as availability of job cards with beneficiaries. As a result, Pradhan had distributed all job cards to the beneficiaries within one night.

Challenges faced

Unfavourable attitude of Pradhan in materializing MNREGA in an infallible manner was a challenge.

How challenges were overcome

The project staff oriented the community again and briefed them by showing the reply of RTI filed by community. Also staff ensured the support of Block Development Officer in realizing MNRGEA in favour of needy.

Present status or changed situation

350 people could retrieve their job cards from Pradhan and they started to apply for job as per the norms. Also people who do not have job cards put application for obtaining the same. Since Government authorities are convinced on the malfunctioning of MNREGA, they have decided to hold a social audit in Junsutty.   

Courtesy: Agra Catholic Diocese Samaj Seva Sansta

Interface meeting in Ambedkar Nagar District, Uttar Pradesh

ADHIKAR project is being implemented in 15 villages of Jalalpur Block in Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Diocesan Development & Welfare Society, Allahabad has arranged an interface meeting with block officials, PRI members, various government officials and selected people representatives on 26^th October 2012 at Chitauna Kala Center, Ambedkar Nagar. Objectives, strategies, implementation plan, activities and role of organization in catering the need of the marginalized were emphatically shared by the coordinator among 200 people gathered from targeted area. Coordinator has presented the current situation of schools, MNREGA, agriculture with ample supported data. As a result, both service providers and people’s representatives could visualize some strategy to improve the present scenario for the betterment of realizing entitlements.

Mr. Arun Kumar Yadav-Khand Siksha Adhikari of Jalalpur Block motivated parents to send children to school, in his inspiring speech. He also mentioned certain entitlements from the government a child could get under “Right to Education”. Moreover, he urged the DDWS to conduct such type of discussion on regular basis which will resolve various issues and in those meetings various government officials should be invited as their presence is greatly needed in answering a lot of questions / problems raised by the people. Mr. K. Sharma (Agriculture Department) in his message promoted the idea of using organic fertilizers and promised to extend his support to the project and the farmers. In addition, he marked his gratitude and expressed his willingness to help the needy.

The Adolescent girls of Vocational Training Center, Chitaunakala presented a role play before the audience followed a few cultural programmes by the community members, Adolescents, children etc. The programme was witnessed by over 200 people including Gram Pradhans, Ward members, BDC members, SHG women, School teachers and government officials.

Courtesy: Mr Boniface George, ADHIKAR Coordinator- DDWS Allahabad

State level Review meeting - Bihar region

A step towards entitlements for all is started in Bihar through Adhikar Project. With the active participation of project frontline workers Bihar project review happened on 18-19 October 2012 at Sewa Kendra, Patna. All the 3 partners of respective districts Sheikhpura, Rohtas and West Champaran participated in this review workshop. The main theme of this review was ‘strengthening MNREGA implementation’ in their respective area. Case Studies from NACDOR, Development Alternative working on MNREGA & CBOs shared by their representatives.

The resource persons demystify the MNREGA provisions and gave detail information on grievance redressal mechanism. The Rohtas team will demonstrate the Model MNREGA implementation in their respective panchayats.  There will be facilitation centre at Block level in the respective blocks. This facilitation centre will provide services to bridge the gap between poor and marginalized families and Gov. Service providers.  These facilitation centres will be names as ‘SUVIDHA MANCH’. This facilitation centre will be equipped with a computer with internet services. The beneficiaries will avail the service initially free of cost and later minimum charges will be taken. The information regarding entitlements namely MNREGA, IAY, PDS, Pensions etc. will be provided to the poor and marginalized families. The services will be offered not only to the families belongs to project panchayats but also to the other panchayat families also.

2500 families targeted in Adhikar project by 3 partners in 3 Districts, 3 Blocks, 11 Panchayats and 50 villages. The community will be organized in the groups namely SHGs. In the long run these SHGs will be a mechanism at community level to track entitlement status of poor and marginalized. They will help those families in availing there due entitlements. These self-help groups will also do thrift and credit so that they become economically strong.

Significance of Liaising and Networking with Govt Departments

Liaising and networking with various government departments have a pivotal role in realizing ADHIKAR programme with envisaged results. Role of NGOs in materializing various government programmes is again showcases in Harakh Barabanki district of Lucknow. Smt. Indara Devi, Assistant Basic Shiksha Adhikari (ABSA) has been convinced the purpose and expected results of ADHIKAR programme and issued a letter to all school Head Teachers requesting to support Diocesan Social Work Society, Lucknow  for improving the education system in the targeted schools. 
 

“Nai Subah”- A Case Study on RTE

Profile of case

Name of child         :Kalawati

Age                       :13 Years old

Sex                       :Female

Mother’s Name        :Smt. Shiwani

Father’s Name         :Naththaram

Village                   :Dhiraikpurwa

Description of situation before intervention: Kalawati hails from a lower class family in which starvation is a close acquaintance. She had been attending schools regularly till 6^th Standard. Her father looks after family by doing daily labor and her mother engages in household chorus. Unfortunately both parents are illiterate and unaware on significance of education and prospective of education.  Consequently, parents did not give much emphasis on education of their child and she discontinued studies in the age of 11. Gradually, Kalawati has become a helper in household work with mother.

Intervention made: During the baseline survey, ADHIKAR animator Miss Neelam Devi identified this case and shared with all during monthly staff meeting. Then, some animators visited to Kalawati’s house and met with her parents. Staff made an attempt to orient parents on importance of education and its benefits. Fortunately, parents were motivated and convinced through frequent visits by animators. Later, Kalawati had taken to school, where she was studying, along with her parents and discussed on possibility of re enrolment of student under RTE act. Surprisingly, teachers were very cordial and congratulated the good work done by animators. Moreover, teacher has given the permission to re enroll Kalawati in VIII standard of Government Junior High School, Teergaw.

Challenges faced: In the initial stage, her parents were not in a position to even listen to animators, especially mother. Though her father was ready to send Kalawati to school, mother was a little ambiguous on re enrollment due to lack of knowledge and information on RTE.  

How challenges were overcome: Frequent visits of animator with inspiration led parents for a second thought. In addition, exposure of schools by parents made positive in sending their child to school.  

Present status or changed situation: Kalawati has been reenrolled to Government Junior high school , Teergaw in standard  VIII on 12/9/2012 . Now she is   going to school regularly and concentrating on her studies with more vigor and confidence. She has been able to bag many friends that helped her in studies. 

Note: This case study has been emerged from Lucknow diocese

Progress towards realizing entitlements

ADHIKAR project has been implementing in the operational areas since May 2012. Agra, Allahabad, Bijnor, Jhansi, Lucknow and Gorakhpur dioceses have put utmost effort to reach targeted population for realizing entitlements which is guaranteed by the constitution of India. Baseline survey, community mobilization, sensitizing community on various entitlements, awareness generation on roles and responsibilities of service providers, rapport building with various Government Departments etc were the major interventions initiated by partners in targeted areas.

Major interventions under Right to Work

Activities	Achievements
Sensitization on MNREGA in 41 villages	Around 4000 people have been sensitized on MNREGA and its provisions through Street play/ Puppetry  , input sessions etc Output: ·         107 job card holders applied for job and received job ·         12 people applied for job cards
Motivational training on MNREGA group formation	13 MNREGA unions formed
Training on MNREGA for CBO members	83 CBO representatives from 2 villages were oriented on MNREGA and its provisions
Training for GP members on MNREGA	54 GP members made aware on MNREGA especially responsibilities of Grama Panchayat /Grama Sabha members, development plan preparation and works under MNREGA
Training on MNREGA for job card holders	48 job card holders who are not receiving full benefits under MNREGA were the participants
Interface meeting with block officials, GP members, beneficiaries etc	54 people took part in the meeting in which information on MNREGA, role of Block officials and GP representatives were discussed.

 

Major interventions under RTF

Activities	Achievement
Training on modern farming	121 farmers trained on soil testing, organic fertilizers, improving unproductive land, minimum land fertility etc. Also given information on various schemes under KVK, Cooperative society and rural banks
Village level sensitization on agriculture	326 people from 6 villages were sensitized on various schemes under KVK and agricultural department
Training on livestock management	82 people trained on vaccination, injections, symptoms & reasons of sickness, ways to improve quality and quantity of milk, post birth caring, balanced diet and medicines. Output: 6 vaccination camps organized through which 2265 animals vaccinated
Awareness creation on Social Security Schemes	129 people from 7 villages were  made aware on various social security schemes of government
Formation of Farmers’ group	4 groups formed
Formation of SHGs	20 SHGs have been formed
Formation of Mahila Mandals	15 Mahila Mandals formed

 

Major interventions under RTH

Activities	Achievements
Street play on Health	Around 2000 people from 10 villages were made aware on various health issues, importance of cleanliness etc
Health education to adolescent girls and women	124 adolescent girls and 175 women got awareness on basic health practices, safe motherhood and child survival Output: 90 children immunized (BCG, DPT I,II&III, measles and booster) in 4 villages 6 pregnant women immunized (TT1 & TT2) in 3 villages
Medical camps	1100 people from 8 villages benefited out of this programme.
Awareness of Government health schemes in 15 villages	People made aware on VHND Services and role of VHSC members, responsibilities of ASHA/AWW/ANM Output: ·         All pregnant women are being registered with ANM and ASHA worker in 15 villages ·         0 to 1 year children are being registered with AWW
Formation of adolescent groups	2 adolescent groups have been formed

Major interventions under RTE

Activities	Achievements
Village level sensitization meeting on RTE	873 people from 12 villages oriented on RTE through discussions/meetings
Formation of PTAs	Preliminary meeting conducted in 4 primary schools in Ambekarnagar. 8 PTAs formed in Barbanki
School Chalo Abhiyan	602 people took part in the programme including principals, teachers , children, community members and animators Output: 132 children enrolled into schools and 43 drop outs are re- enrolled into schools
Puppet shows on RTE	2 puppet shows conducted in 2 villages where around 650 people made aware on importance of education, why education and advantages of education
Quarterly meeting with parents	12 meetings done in which  568 parents  participated. Emphasis were given on •       Regular attendance in school •       Important of basic education •       Entitlements and facilities for children under RTE and SSA
Quarterly meeting with VEC members	Lucknow has organized 4 meeting at Panchayat level in which 63 members participated. Major discussions held on •       RTE Act •       Role and responsibility  of VEC members •       School Monitoring during class time. •       Preparation of plan for school development •       Enrolment of children between the age group of 6 and 14 years.