>> Back To Events Index Demand Centrality of Women's Concerns in National Governance Agenda 'On the occasion of International Women's Day, over 5000 women across India have been linked by partners of Wada Na Todo Abhiyan to remind the government of it promise to end Poverty & Social Exclusion, and reinforce that this change will not be possible unless women's concerns and rights are mainstreamed in governance.    Report Release at Chennai, 8 March 2007 In keeping with this objective, the release of a Perspective Report titled "Gender & Governance: Reviewing the Women's Agenda in the National Common Minimum Programme" has been co-ordinated through 40 events across 10 states in India - of which 27 were held on March 8, 2007 alone , and 13 more are being organized across the month. A total of 12,145 people, primarily women, are being linked through this effort. The Report draws attention to the outcomes for women in relation to the National Common Minimum Program and its 3 flagship programs, namely the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). Authored by eminent activists and experts, the report draws attention to the need for additional efforts to be made to ensure that women are able to benefit from and participate in the national initiatives for livelihood, health and education. In this report, Amarjeet Kaur (All India Trade Union Congress) points out that although that although 96% of working women in India belong to the informal sector, the country still lacks social security legislation that can ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for millions of women. Annie Raja (National Federation of Indian Women) notes that despite the provision for 33% preference for women workers in NREGA, field audits show that women are prevented from taking up work through the scheme, and paid lower wages for their work. Abhijit Das (Centre for Health & Social Justice) and Jashodhara Dasgupta (Sahayog) adjudge that for the NRHM to achieve its intended objective, the explicit recognition of gender disparity as a determinant of health status and access to health care is imperative. Malini Ghose (Nirantar) draws attention to the adverse impact of privatization of education on women and girls, particularly from socially disadvantaged sections, and strongly recommends that the state should arrest its withdrawal from the education sector and the formal education system should be strengthened not downsized. These and other recommendations to strengthen the women's agenda in the National Common Minimum Programme have informed the discussions with women from village self-help groups, village panchayats, urban poor settlements, representatives of government, women's organizations, social activists and the media. Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (Keep Your Promise campaign) is a network of over 900 organizations, active in 15+ states of India. The campaign works to hold the government accountable to its promise to End Poverty & Social Exclusion – as promised in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, the National Development Goals and the National Common Minimum Program. >> Download the Report in English >> Download the Report in Hindi EVENTS MARKIING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY ACROSS 'Wada Na Todo Abhiyan' Chamba, Himachal Pradesh Date: 7 March 2007 Event: Consultation on Issues of Dalit Women & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 35 dalit rural women and activists Organizer: Dalit Women's Forum (RTDC) Simla, Himachal Pradesh Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Release of 'Gender & Governance' Perspective Report & a Status Report on Single Women by the Chief Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Participants: 51 representatives of government, media, social organizations Organizer: SUTRA Palampur, Himachal Pradesh Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Consultation on Issues of Dalit Women & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 68 dalit rural women and activists Organizer: Dalit Women's Forum (RTDC) Delhi Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Slums' Mahila Utsav (Women's Celeberation) & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 350 dalit women from slum communities and activists Organizer: CADAM & NACDOR Delhi Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Film Screening, Cultural Program & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 31 women from communities, media, writers and researchers Organizer: SAFAR Trust Ahmedabad, Gujarat Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Consultation on 'Women's Concerns in Gujarat – A Collective Articulation' & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 135 women representing women's organizations, disabled group and other networks across Gujarat Organizer: Mahila Swaraj Abhiyan Chennai, Tamil Nadu Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 100 social activists, government representatives and senior citizens Organizer: Probus Club of Chennai Chaksu-Phagi (Jaipur), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Niwai (Tonk), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 300 Organizer: CECOEDECON Malpura (Tonk), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 500 Organizer: CECOEDECON Baitu (Barmer), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Bali (Pali), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Baitu (Barmer), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Karauli (Baran), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Shahbad (Baran), Rajasthan Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Launch of campaign on Women's health, education, security & empowerment & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 Organizer: CECOEDECON Nagpur City, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 150 urban poor women, senior citizens, children Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Bhivapur, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 teachers, anganwadi workers, panchayat representatives, rural women Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Hingana, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 150 urban poor women, senior citizens, children Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Akola, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 women Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Amravati, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 women Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Bhandara, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 women Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Mumbai, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 100 women and young girls Organizer: YUVA & We Can Network Mumbai, Maharashtra Date: 9 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 400 women, social activists Organizer: YUVA Mumbai, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 155 women and young girls Organizer: Joy Social Group Sindhudurg, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 60 rural women and women panchayat representatives Organizer: Sewangan (Malvan) & We Can Network Satara, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 175 women social activists, teachers Organizer: Society of Human Liberty & We Can Network Nashik, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 125 rural women Organizer: Lok Vikas Samajik Sansthan & We Can Network Nanded, Maharashtra Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 125 rural women Organizer: P N Chauvan & We Can Network Hazaribagh, Jharkhand Date: 8 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 400 rural women Organizer: CCVS Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh Date: 9 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 100 grassroots women activists Organizer: UPVAN Satna, Madhya Pradesh Date: 10 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 2000 SHG and panchayat women leaders Organizer: SAMARTHAN Ranchi, Jharkhand Date: 10 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 50 social activists, lawyers and government representatives Organizer: Anupama Kumari Ajaygarh, Madhya Pradesh Date: 12 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants:: 600 village SHG and panchayat women leaders Organizer: SAMARTHAN Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh Date: 13 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 150 women elected representatives Organizer: UPVAN Garwha-Palamu, Jharkhand Date: 14 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 500 rural women and activists Organizer: CCVS Gumla, Jharkhand Date: 14 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 500 rural women and activists Organizer: CCVS Dhanbad, Jharkhand Date: 14 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 300 rural women and activists Organizer: CCVS Giridih, Jharkhand Date: 14 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 300 rural women and activists Organizer: CCVS Bhubaneshwar, Orissa Date: March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 200 representatives of social organizations, government and media Organizer: CYSD Chennai, Tamil Nadu Date: 24 March 2007 Event: Women's Day Celebration & Release of Perspective Report Participants: 2000 members of SHG groups Organizer: Presentation Sisters

Site Credits Kalki Media