Gender Equality India Project #32174

Raise 300 boys in India to be gender-equitable

by Equal Community Foundation

Raise 300 boys in India to be gender-equitable

Project Report | Mar 7, 2019
Action for Equality Progress Update March 2019

By Swarnima Tamang | Development Manager

AfE participant receives FP graduation certificate

Thank you for your continued support and contribution to ECF’s Action for Equality (AfE) programme committed to raise Gender Equitable Boys in Pune, India.

At ECF, during the period December 2018 to February 2019, we have completed implementing cycle 22 - Foundation Programme and have started with cycle 23 - Action Programme. Leadership Programme has also been simultaneously being implemented in both the cycles.

During this period:

AfE Foundation Programme (FP): This is the first stage of the AfE programme. ECF team reached out and enrolled 274 new boys across 20 communities in Pune. Out of the 274 boys a total of 185 boys have graduated from the programme.
AfE Action Programme (AP): A total of 188 FP graduates are currently enrolled in the second stage. We have started with the training sessions with the boys in the communities.

Action Programme aims to build on the FP curriculum to enhance participants knowledge and skills enabling them to take actions. Some of the themes covered under AP are: gender norms, gender socialisation, influence of patriarchy, protectionist approach, victim blaming and learning from women's experiences.

AfE Leadership Programme (LP): This is the third and final stage of the AfE Programme. Currently 172 boys from 18 communities are enrolled in LP.

Leadership Programme seeks to achieve change in community gender practice through three approaches: focus on issues relevant to the communities, harness the power of the communities and use tools at hand.

It offers a skill based approach to working with young boys, developing their skills such as public speaking, critical thinking, research, problem solving and campaigning. The approach of leadership development goes beyond a prevention model of working i.e. one that not only aims to support boys to act in gender equitable ways individually, but also collectively as gender advocates in communities who can organise and influence others to act in more gender equitable ways.

Few of the key programme highlights during this period are as below:

Foundation Programme - Action Events:

Action events mark the completion of the AfE programmes. Hence, action events were conducted by the participants across 20 communities to mark the completion of cycle 22 Foundation Programme.
Participants chose various methods to share information on identified priority areas, such as: gender discrimination and exploitation of women's rights, street sexual harassment, women's safety and Human Rights for All.
Methods such as poster presentations in the busy lanes of the communities, discussions and quiz with community members, messages through singing local songs were used by the particpants to conduct the action events.

Big Meet and Greet event (BMG)

A total of 154 graduates out of 185 FP graduates attended the cluster BMG event on January 6th, 2019.
The objective of this BMG event was to facilitate networking amongst programme graduates from different communities. Most importantly, engage boys in discussions, activities and critically reflect on the effects of gender roles and gender norms based on their experience.
Also, to motivate boys to continue participating in Action for Equality programme.

AfE Longitudinal Evaluation Study

Our Research, Development and Evaluation (RDE) team has started with the AfE Programme Longitudinal evaluation study.
The study aims to understand the sustainability of the programme outcomes i.e. attitudes, behaviours, knowledge and skills among participants who graduate from the Action for Equality (AfE) programme and provide recommendations for further development.
As a part of this study, interviews with LP graduates who have completed all the three stages of AfE programme were conducted.

As of February 2019, together with your support, ECF has been able to successfully reach out and enroll 5339 boys to Action for Equality programme. A total of 3037 adolescent boys have graduated and pledged to become allies with women to support gender equality in the communities.

We thank you for your contribution and supporting our mission, to raise every boy in India to be Gender Equitable.

Action event to advance Human Rights

Boys discuss about AfE with local police officer

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Dec 10, 2018
Action for Equality Progress Update December 2018

By Swarnima Tamang | Development Manager

AfE programme session in the community with boys

Thank you for your continued support and contribution to ECF’s Action for Equality programme committed to raise Gender Equitable Boys in India.

At ECF, during the period September 2018 - November 2018, we have been implementing Action for Equality (AfE) programme cycle 22. Each programme cycle lasts for 4 months or 15 weeks. In this programme cycle 22, we implemented AfE Foundation Programme and Leadership Programme.

ECF team reached out and enrolled 274 new boys across 20 communities in the first stage of AfE programme i.e Foundation Programme.
Similary, a total of 172 boys from 18 communities, graduates from cycle 21 Action Programme enrolled in the final -third stage, i.e. Leadership Programme.
AfE cycle 22 will be completed at the end of December 2018. We will share an update on the graduates in the next progress report.

Few of the key programme highlights during this period are as below:

New project communities: ECF has taken up two new communities in Pune, India and also started the AfE intervention from this cycle 22. We therefore have enrollment from all 20 project communities from this cycle.

Leadership Programme Consultation with the Participants: In the previous cycle 22, ECF completed a pilot of 30 week Leadership Programme instead of a 15 week programme curriculum. A total of 13 Leadership Programme graduates from 8 communities participated in the consultation. The objective of this consultation was to discuss their experience of attending the 30 week programme, receive their feedback and suggestions on the sessions conducted by the mentors.Participants actively engaged in the discussion and shared their points with clarity and confidence. The final changes to the curriculum by the team is in progress.

AfE Foundation Programme: After the mobilisation activity in the communities were completed and 274 new boys were enrolled, Programme mentors started with the Foundation Programme training sessions across the project communities. Mentors and participants conducted open discussions in order to share their expectations from the programme.
During AfE FP training sesions, participants for the first time were able to learn, share and safely discuss their experiences and questions around the following themes: Human Rights, Gender, Power and Equality, Boyhood to Manhood, Sexuality, Relationships and Violence.

AfE Leadership Programme: Similarly, the 172 enrolled participants in the Leadership Programme attended sessions on developing and practicing their skills to take gender equitable actions. For example: Influencing, communication and campaigning skills.
During these training sessions, LP participants discussed various themes and started taking actions within their families and communities.Themes covered under influencing skills are: team building, dealing with opposition, conflict resolution and advocacy.

Action events conducted by the participants in their communities mark the completion of each programme cycle. These events are based on various themes on gender and to prevent gender based violence in the communities. Hence, the team is currently focussed on completing the final training sessions of both Foundation and Leadership Programme and support the participants in conducting the Action Events.

In this cycle, we encourage and look forward to our participants conducting Action events in the communities at the end of December 2018. Previously, ECF team would provide themes and specific actions to be conducted at the end of every module. From this cycle, we have encouraged the boys to plan and take actions by themselves and mentors have only guided them to complete them successfully.

Few examples of actions taken by the Foundation Programme participants at the end of each training modules are:

sharing information on gender based violence and discrimination with peers in school
holding informal discussions around peer pressure and toxic masculinity with their friends in communities, families and schools
willingness to discuss about sharing household chores with parents and taking responsibilities at home

We thank you for your contribution and supporting our mission, to raise every boy in India to be Gender Equitable.

Messages to prevent street sexual harassment

Awareness on gender based violence through posters

Participants discuss Human Rights through games

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Sep 10, 2018
Action for Equality Progress Update September 2018

By Swarnima Tamang | Development Manager

AfE programme session in Kashewadi community, Pune

Thank you for your continued support and contribution to ECF’s Action for Equality programme committed to raise Gender Equitable Boys in India.

We are glad to share that we have completed our Action for Equality (AfE) programme cycle 21 during the period April 2018 to August 2018. During this cycle we implemented AfE Action Programme (AP) and Leadership Programme (AP) across 19 communities in Pune, India.

Highlights from the cycle: Enrolment and Graduates

Action Programme: We received 81% graduation rate in Action Programme where 216 boys enrolled and 175 boys graduated across 19 communities in Pune.
Leadership Programme: Similarly, in Leadership Programme, 154 boys enrolled and 112 participants graduated from 19 communities.

Big Meet and Greet (BMG) event

BMG is a platform for AfE graduates from all 19 communities to come together to network, discuss and learn from each other.
During this period two BMGs were organised by the participants on the theme, “It’s NOT okay," The campaigns focussed on taking actions against Street Sexual Harassment faced by women and girls in the communities.
AfE Graduates came together in cluster communities, conducted discussions, shared their opinions and led activities such as poster rallies, signature campaigns, chalk the walk to spread awareness and stop sexual harassment and violence.

Group parents meetings

Conducted as a pilot in few of the project communities. Parents shared they are more aware about the issue of gender based violence and discrimination in their communities.
Parents have now started supporting the mentors in programme implementation activities
Most importantly parents have started supporting the boys while taking actions in their homes (share household chores in the family) .

Here are few of the examples of actions taken by AfE programme participants

One on one interviews with women and girls in their communities to identify various forms of violence and discrimination faced by them
Signature campaign in FWC community in Pune urging community members to take a stand against sexual harassment of women and break the silence around it. A total of 1600 signatures and supporters were received.
Dialogues with local police and community stakeholders on steps that can be taken collectively to address safety issues of women and girls in the community.

We are now implementing cycle 22 (September - December 2018) of the Action for Equality programme.

We thank you for your contribution and supporting our mission, to raise every boy in India to be Gender Equitable.

Participants draw "It's not okay" messages for BMG

Poster rallies against Street Sexual Harassment

Pledge,take a stand against gender based violence

Messages on the streets to stop harassment

Listening to the voices of women

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