Training Elected Women Representatives Trainings with women representatives build perspective on gender inclusive governance, and also build technical capacities - on roles, rights, responsibilities of elected panchayat representatives, and on the budgeting process in a panchayat.
The Sushasini programme started in 1998, to empower and create an enabling environment for elected women representatives of panchayats; to make their voices heard in the political process of local self-governance in Kutch. It works with both women sarpanches and women panchayat members. Gramshasini, a district/block level platform for women sarpanches, was formed in 2010. The impetus for this came from women sarpanches who felt that issues which mattered to them, were not reaching higher officials in the district.
The programme's vision is to create model inclusive villages, where safety of women and girls is integral to wholistic village development, and becomes a core part of the governance agenda across Kutch. So far, Sushasini has helped empower over 400 former and current women sarpanches. It is working in 60 villages spread over all 10 blocks of Kutch, directly with 150 panchayat members/sarpanches, and plans to double that reach to 300 elected women in 120 villages in 5 years.
After the 2021-22 Gram Panchayat elections in Kutch, KMVS conducted an in-depth study of the backgrounds, strengths and needs of newly elected women representatives. Rich with data and insights, based on direct interviews with 226 out of 279 women sarpanches in the district. The study has provided solid ground to take Sushasini's work forward.
Mapping Safe Spaces through Participatory Safety Audits Safety Audits, conducted collectively by adolescents, elected representatives and other women leaders in the village, map spaces in the villages which, they feel, are unsafe. The summary is presented in the Gram Sabha, for action to be taken. The KMVS team does periodic analysis of resolutions passed by the panchayat related to the safety of women and girls.
Supporting Block Level Panchayat Associations on Women's Issues Sushasini also supports block level associations of sarpanches, through quarterly trainings and discussions on a range of issues - social gender disparities to livelihoods generation; encouraging involvement of greater numbers of women in decision-making, so that they can advocate at the village level for women's issues.
Reluctance. Resistance. Acceptance. True pages from the election diary of an Indian Woman Sarpanch
Community speaks
Every eligible person should get widow pension. Only a woman understands how difficult it is to raise children without an income in the household or when the man of the house makes no money. This thought can only occur to a woman. What will the men's thoughts be? 'Bechari, she should tell us and beg for help. If she asks, we will give her money. Why should we beg?! Only a woman understands if there is pension for widows, they don't have to bow down to anyone. They will be able to live a dignified life. A woman sarpanch is able to think and take action on these things.
Deena Ben
Ex-Sarpanch in Mandvi, ex-Leader of Gram Shasini Manch (Collective supported by KMVS) and currently associated with the Sushasini as a social worker