End Child Marriage, Educate Girl Students

Problem and Goal :-

COVID 19 pandemic outbreak showing its impact on all forms of people irrespective of caste, creed, country and continent. One of the most vulnerable groups is women and children besides those who are aged and are senile. In addition to the growing aggressive aftermath of the pandemic in terms of bitter socio-economic conditions on families, there are huge number of abuse and exploitation incidents also taking place against children and women. Kadapa is one of the highly affected red-zone districts in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In the COVID 19 backdrop, RAIDS youth advocates are taking the issues of different forms of violence against girls and young women in the district on priority to address and are initiating suitable interventions following the preventive measures and protocols of COVID 19. They observed that, the socio-economic fall down among families increasing vulnerability of families that in turn leading to increased Gender Based Violence against girls and young women. Hence, they realized that, raising awareness on prevention of COVID 19 among vulnerable communities is equally important as prevention of GBV among those families.

The youth advocates of RAIDS  in Kadapa district set-up a goal to address the increasing incidences of Gender Based Violence against girls and young women in the district in the wake of COVID 19 backdrop by influencing systemic stakeholders and creating robust awareness among vulnerable families and communities. 

RAIDS Youth Advocates from Kadapa district – Andhra Pradesh - India is actively participating in all the RAIDS programmes and activities both at district as well as state level. They trained in advocacy skills and other such capacities to sensitize the stakeholders on prevention of Gender Based Violence including Child Marriages and Child Trafficking.  During the lockdown period, They felt the need for an action to sensitize the community on Gender Based Violence and ill effects of COVID-19.

The situation is very critical and only the Government itself without public support cannot control the situation. Hence, RAIDS Youth Advocates having a sense of responsibility being a girl/young woman taken initiatives to address the emerging incidents of violence against the girls and young women in the wake of COVID 19 Lockdown in the district while supporting the Government mechanisms in creating awareness on preventive measures and protocols on COVID 19.

It is accepted truth that, because of fear and intensity of the pandemic spread in the district, nobody except very few actors from Non-Governmental agencies and volunteers come forward to act up on the emerging issues in the wake of COVID 19. But, They motivated their peer members and they together have step forward to act and support the Government mechanisms to address the issues within the possibility if not all.

Inputs were given to the Youth Advocates on issues and increasing scope of Gender Based Violence against girls and young women in the context of COVID 19. Facilitated the Youth Advocates with necessary knowledge and inputs on protocols of COVID 19 and also up dated situation with regard to vulnerabilities of communities in context of socio-economic distress of families and impact on children mainly girls and young women as well.

RAIDS Youth Advocates involved other peer group members also in the action for prevention of Gender Based Violence in the wake of COVID 19 pandemic outbreak in the district during April – May 2020.

For that, they prepared hand written posters along with their team on issues and ill effects of GBV and other forms of violence against children during lockdown, mobilization of resources for distribution of Food to the Vulnerable families in her locality, spreading the message on preventive measures and protocols of COVID 19.

The awareness among the stakeholders and community members will helps them in understanding the realizing the ill consequences of GBV against children in the wake of COVID 19 outbreak and hence the incidences get reported and decreased.

RAIDS youth advocates advocated with the departments to allow them to create awareness to the community on ill effects of COVID-19 in lockdown period and brought a change in the community. 

Prepared drawing posters on the issues and posting the same in the social media on Gender Based Violence.

Created awareness on COVID-19 by drawing rangolis (big size color drawings) on roads on public streets. 

The key line departments with whom RAIDS Youth Advocates advocated for their interventions are Civil Supplies (mobilizing rice and provisions for poor), Police Department and Municipalities.

GAA youth advocates advocated with the departments to allow them to create awareness to the community on ill effects of COVID-19 in lockdown period and brought a change in the community. 

Prepared drawing posters on the issues and posting the same in the social media on Gender Based Violence.

Created awareness on COVID-19 by drawing rangolis (big size color drawings) on roads on public streets. 

The key line departments with whom Rupa and team advocated for their interventions are Civil Supplies (mobilizing rice and provisions for poor), Police Department and Municipalities.

With the coordination of Civil Supplies department, they involved peer group members to distribute the free ration to the BPL families.

RAIDS Youth Advoactes collected groceries from peer groups and distributed to the poor families in their locality during lock down. 

Coordination with Sachivalayams staff and Ration Shops for distribution of free rice and groceries to the below poverty line families

Coordination with health department and distributed masks and sanitizers to the needy people and identify the high-risk places and assisting the municipal authorities for spraying the bleaching powder to prevent spread of corona virus. 

With the coordination of Police department, RAIDS Youth Advocates sensitized the community on Gender-Based Violence against children.

The Youth Advocates got confidence to advocate with government and other sectors at the time of crisis in the wake of COVID 19 lockdown.

The community people sensitized on Gender Based Violence against girls and young women and on ill effects of COVID-19.