INTRODUCTION

 

What makes Gender awareness inevitable? Why do we need to speak aloud that women are equal to men? Since time immemorial, we have witnessed how systematically women are not reaping the benefits even by following societal norms. We have seen how increasing rapes are the consequence of segregation of the genders, lack of respect of bodily autonomy of the other gender. We have been muke spectators when women are burnt for dowry. 

 

From the time of her birth, she is considered a liability, a property waiting to be transferred from the father to the husband. It is believed that parents would achieve “moksha” only after cremation rites are performed by the son. Only a son can bring laurels and he is the future of the family, his birth brings celebrations while on the other hand, female foeticide are increasing at an alarming level. Parents consider their son as their dependence for their old age whereas the girl child is “ paraya dhan” , therefore, her income doesn’t count in. 

This narrates how we as a society have attached innate importance to a gender, male gender, in the context of India, that we humiliate, degrade, burn and assassinate our women for not birthing a baby boy.

 

This has resulted into results like a sex ratio of 943 per 1000 male, child sex ratio of 919 per 1000 male. The National Crimes Record Bureau states that in 2015 as many as 7634 women died in the country as a result of Dowry Harassment. The female workforce participation rate, as per the census of 2011, is 25.01% and 30.02% for the urban and rural women respectively. This tells us that as much as 3 in every four women do not work in India.

 

AIMS/OBJECTIVES

 

• We at PARAS India, dream to empower women by creating opportunities of financial avenues for them.

• We aim to raise awareness on systematic large-scale gender discrimination and hence the need for gender equality.

• To promote girl education and digital literacy among women

• We pledge to support women and their dreams, via personality enhancement, to make them confident to face the outer world. 

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APPROACH WE FOLLOW

 

We follow the below given approaches to achieve our objectives-

 

• Formation of Kishori Group to create a safe space for girl students to discuss their day-to-day issues 

• Organize awareness programs on gender equality  

• Organize exposure visits to places of historical importance

• Interactive session with Parents of the girl child, community and other stakeholders

• Organize rallies on special days e.g. International Women’s Day, Environment Day, Independence Day etc.

• Providing livelihood opportunities for women

• Providing self defense training for their security

• Screening of motivational movies show 

• Gender equality capacity building workshop

• Counselling of various kinds, particularly for women, on Mental Healthcare, self love, domestic violence etc.

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METHODS

 

• Supply side interventions like providing tools and equipments and library facility for the students

• Interface between professionals and citizens, for guidance,particularly women.

• Distribution of IEC material like brochures, pamphlets and magazines.

• Street plays, workshops, training sessions have been an important medium of our program

• Personality enhancement via organizing games and extra-curricular activities for the girl child

• Digital Literacy by providing computers and teaching computer skills.

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TO SUM UP

 

• A large number of women have been able to earn money for themselves through our livelihood projects.

• Visible increase in the enrollment of Girl child in school after our counseling sessions.

• Increasing number of parents are willing to educate their daughters and make them financially independent rather than getting them married. 

• Many students have been given digital literacy classes for better future prospects.

• Improvement in the mental health of women, who have been victims of domestic violence by regular intervention of psychologists provided by our team.