Empower Girls in India Through Sports

SELF academy has Gender and Technology as one of its themes. The theme interrogates the politics of gender, sexuality and technology, enables girls to understand access to tech, control and discrimination women and girls face through the technology or when it comes to using technology i.e. phone, social media and so on. Within this broader perspective the participants learn skills of computers, social media, self-expression, safety and security and explore the fun and pleasure of using technology. The concepts of choice and consent, importance of staying connected with others, developing online content, building self-confidence and understanding rights are the aspects SELF academy build during the 15 days of the training.

There is a huge gender gap when it comes to technology and there are a number of notions, taunts and norms that stereotype women and girls’ relationship with technology. A few examples are –

“They will not be able to handle or learn to use technology, it’s enough if they are even able to make round Rotis (Bread)”,

“They are not interested in tech; they are not tech savvy”

“They will press wrong buttons and device will be stop working, mobile balance will be gone”

“They won’t be able to dial numbers on mobile”

Majority of women have grown up listening to one or the other of these from the people they interact most with. Of course, with some context specific variations. Through SELF academy, CREA has been able to shake this thinking by analysing the politics together with the girls.

Today, we all are going through a difficult phase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, it is not the same for all, the most marginalized communities are also the most hit by the pandemic. With the spread of the coronavirus, the social inequalities are becoming more evident. It is impacting people especially women and girls in the most adverse ways; violence, abuse and burden of work has increased, they have restricted or no mobility, leading to limited or no social connection with others.  We all have been experiencing and reading about the increased mental health issues during the pandemic. The girls we work with are facing similar issues and challenges. A majority of them belong to the most marginalized communities including Tribal, Dalit, Other Backward Class (OBC) and Minority from states such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh in India. CREA has been working in these areas for more than a decade now, we have run 5 SELF Academies with more than 250 girls graduated so far. They have gone through a series of workshops on skills and leadership building during the academy including Sports, Gender and Technology, Grassroots Comics and Story-telling, Choice and Consent and Relationships are a few to mention.

A group of 45-50 young leaders located in different districts and villages across three states are emerging as the hope and energy especially during the pandemic. They are the ones who have access to phones and social media, and are using it to stay connected, coping with the situation, reaching out to others, sharing their thoughts, accessing information and having fun. Most of them use social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and know how to do their privacy settings, create strong passwords to ensure privacy and security. They are making videos, taking photos, editing and sharing them on social media platforms and with each other through their phones. A few are also reaching out to those who do not have access to phones; others are attending zoom meetings with support from their organizations to understand issues that are relevant to their lives. They are taking part in the meetings organized by CREA’s partner organizations and listening to the mobile based campaign content on various aspects of gender and COVID-19. 

Natasha (Name changed), age 18 year, a coach from Jharkhand is using her phone to take pictures of girls playing, editing those to create motivating videos for girls to join sports.

One of the trainers shared – They had learnt about social media and using Facebook in particular during the SELF academy. Girls have become confident to use machines and explore other social media platforms like TikTok video. Understanding the politics of gender and tech during the academy has an important role to play. They have even stated negotiating for phones with their parents.  

Clearly, it is not about the ability of women and girls to learn technology or any new skill but, as the examples above establishes, it’s about the opportunity, resources, encouragement, non-judgemental space, equal treatment and realization of one’s rights. 

SELF academy has Gender and Technology as one of its themes. The theme interrogates the politics of gender, sexuality and technology, enables girls to understand access to tech, control and discrimination women and girls face through the technology or when it comes to using technology i.e. phone, social media and so on. Within this broader perspective the participants learn skills of computers, social media, self-expression, safety and security and explore the fun and pleasure of using technology. The concepts of choice and consent, importance of staying connected with others, developing online content, building self-confidence and understanding rights are the aspects SELF academy build during the 15 days of the training.

There is a huge gender gap when it comes to technology and there are a number of notions, taunts and norms that stereotype women and girls’ relationship with technology. A few examples are –

“They will not be able to handle or learn to use technology, it’s enough if they are even able to make round Rotis (Bread)”,

“They are not interested in tech; they are not tech savvy”

“They will press wrong buttons and device will be stop working, mobile balance will be gone”

“They won’t be able to dial numbers on mobile”

Majority of women have grown up listening to one or the other of these from the people they interact most with. Of course, with some context specific variations. Through SELF academy, CREA has been able to shake this thinking by analysing the politics together with the girls.

Today, we all are going through a difficult phase due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, it is not the same for all, the most marginalized communities are also the most hit by the pandemic. With the spread of the coronavirus, the social inequalities are becoming more evident. It is impacting people especially women and girls in the most adverse ways; violence, abuse and burden of work has increased, they have restricted or no mobility, leading to limited or no social connection with others. We all have been experiencing and reading about the increased mental health issues during the pandemic. The girls we work with are facing similar issues and challenges. A majority of them belong to the most marginalized communities including Tribal, Dalit, Other Backward Class (OBC) and Minority from states such as Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh in India. CREA has been working in these areas for more than a decade now, we have run 5 SELF Academies with more than 250 girls graduated so far. They have gone through a series of workshops on skills and leadership building during the academy including Sports, Gender and Technology, Grassroots Comics and Story-telling, Choice and Consent and Relationships are a few to mention.

A group of 45-50 young leaders located in different districts and villages across three states are emerging as the hope and energy especially during the pandemic. They are the ones who have access to phones and social media, and are using it to stay connected, coping with the situation, reaching out to others, sharing their thoughts, accessing information and having fun. Most of them use social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and know how to do their privacy settings, create strong passwords to ensure privacy and security. They are making videos, taking photos, editing and sharing them on social media platforms and with each other through their phones. A few are also reaching out to those who do not have access to phones; others are attending zoom meetings with support from their organizations to understand issues that are relevant to their lives. They are taking part in the meetings organized by CREA’s partner organizations and listening to the mobile based campaign content on various aspects of gender and COVID-19.

Natasha (Name changed), age 18 year, a coach from Jharkhand is using her phone to take pictures of girls playing, editing those to create motivating videos for girls to join sports.

One of the trainers shared – They had learnt about social media and using Facebook in particular during the SELF academy. Girls have become confident to use machines and explore other social media platforms like TikTok video. Understanding the politics of gender and tech during the academy has an important role to play. They have even stated negotiating for phones with their parents.  

Clearly, it is not about the ability of women and girls to learn technology or any new skill but, as the examples above establishes, it’s about the opportunity, resources, encouragement, non-judgemental space, equal treatment and realization of one’s rights.

                                            Update for GlobalGiving

                                       November 2019- January 2020

It’s My Body (IMB): Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Adolescent Girls through Sports

“We are realizing that we can speak and express. We can have opinions and we can put them out in front of people. At least, I have always obeyed whatever my parents and elders say. Now, I see the need to be critical, to not just, obey, but to question. It is not easy. But didi (IMB Program trainer) has explained to us about patriarchy and gender roles, it is true, we are discriminated against, as girls” said a 16-year-old participant of the IMB program in Jharkhand.

The participant has been a part of this batch of the IMB program from Chhatra, the field where our partner, Lok Prerna Kendra (LPK) co-implements the program. As the pace has picked up for curriculum-based sessions, many discussions, joy, and realizations have become a part of this journey of learning and unlearning.

 “Before this, we have rarely come together to just talk about our issues. We would not speak only. We did not know that we could engage and discuss this. It is new, we are learning,” said the same participant.

The program, especially through its curriculum-based sessions, also tries to create a space where girls understand their lives closely, connect with each other and co-create a safe space for themselves. The very act of speaking about your wants, needs, and desires becomes an act of courage when obeying and conforming to the ideas of. “the good girl” that is the norm.

With these sessions, the young girls and women are able to recognize patterns of violence, everyday functioning, and the impact of Patriarchy and gender roles in their lives. As they start recognizing gender-based discrimination in their lives, the unfair distribution of household work bothers most of the girls and young women. The girls are also identifying how their brothers go to private schools for education and they are sent to government schools where they are not cared about.

“The girls when they came, had to play football, they wouldn’t touch the ball. The ball would roll towards them and they would get aside, almost as if the ball was something explosive.  They would always have a dupatta covering their breasts; they felt restricted and could not run freely. After 4 months of the sessions and playing; now, look at them, they tie their dupatta firmly around their waists now; to play without any problems is their aim now. It is improving…,” said one of the trainer's from Lok Prerna Kendra.

In Jamshedpur, where the program is co-implemented by our partner organization YUVA, the girls were also able to identify some issues, which they put in front of the State Representatives. One group of girls, as they completed around 8 sessions, understood the need and importance of being exposed to and knowing new things. The girls wrote a letter to the authorities asking for a library in their village where they can access books, which will help them know more.

In another Interface meeting with the Self Help Group (SHG) representatives, Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) and Health Service Providers (HSPs), the girls raised the issue of having safer spaces for playing. This led to a discussion around the issue of substance abuse and its gendered nature in the meeting as in the playing space; some boys and young men were engaged in substance abuse. Due to this, the girls were not being allowed to play there by themselves.  The participants in the meetings decided to further, take this issue up and start conversations about it with other groups in the village.

Through this phase, we also aim to work with young women between the age group of 17-19 years, on building their leadership and advocacy skills. The work with this group has just started in the month of January. The sessions with these girls will also lead to the girls doing an action project in their villages as a collective. CREA believes in the role of collectives for powerful and sustainable change. Through the program, the idea is also to build these strong collectives of young girls and women in all the villages. The work with the 17-19 years old young women and girls is yet another element for furthering this belief.