Workshop on Foot campaign, Social Audit, Public Hearing, Deliberations Camp , and Human Rights Mass Meeting  (Hakdari Maha Sabha)

Background

Continuous Drought, acute hunger conditions and spiraling corruption have brought the deprived communities of the entire Santhal Pargana to the brink of disaster in the last three to four years.

Last year, ten people died of hunger, an issue taken up by the local media and covered extensively in the newspapers.

Regular efforts have been made by the oppressed and exploited Adivasis, Paharias and other Tribal Communities through a collective approach and Gram Sabha Empowerment process for the amelioration of their problems.

Last year, a human rights campaign was organized on the same theme.  A cycle rally was organized that covered 8 locations facilitated by a social audit and public hearing.  In the past, the following were held.

Past Events:

• In January 2005, a meeting of the co-ordination committee of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan was called which debated seriously on existing problems and issues and evolved  a strategy to resolve them involving Gram Sabhas and community institutions.
• Consequently, a  meeting was held in March 2005 of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan involving Gram Sabhas and community institutions.   The consensus arrived at this meeting was to expand the scope of the activities undertaken in the year 2004.  It was decided to achieve this through programmes such as Pad Yatra (Foot Campaign), Social and Public Hearing, Deliberations and Human Rights  Campaign.
• It was then planned to have foot campaigns and social Audits in 17 locations covering 6 Districts of Santhal Pargana which would be followed by Public Hearings in the presence of Justice committee and Government officials. Later, a future strategy would be evolved based on the outcomes of these Social Audits and Public hearings through 2 days (29, 30 Oct, 2005), and  deliberations  participated by 1000 Pradhans (village Heads). This future strategy would be shared with 10, 000 villagers.

 Objectives of the Programme:

• Ensure a transparent and accountable administration.    
• Access and control of Gram Sabha on Government and Non-Government Programmes.  
• Access and control of local resources by Gram Sabhas.
• People’s awareness of their constitutional rights, provisions and defined duties.
• Community awareness to ensure the Right to Work, Right to Food, Right to Information and proper implementation of food and social security schemes in the state of Jharkhand.
• Ensure community feeling and solidarity.
• Forming alliances and networks for addressing above issues

 The following tasks were required needed to be taken up for the implementation of the mass programme . These include,

• Analysis simplification and publication of legal measures and directives.
• Ensure a widespread understanding and consensus of goals and agenda through Folders, Posters,  and Pamphlets.
• Preparing and training a cultural team to create a public opinion on goals and objectives
• Training for Social Audit.
• Thematic discussions with  federation leaders and gram sabha members
• Regional meetings of coalition networks
• Preparation and presentation of detailed budgets
• Formation of a preparatory committee for organizing the Mass Meeting

Preparatory Process:

A Pre-conference meeting was organized by the  Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and related community institutions to plan the tentative agenda, Programme schedule and related budgets.

Gram Sabhas and village Community institutions assumed responsibility for their own regional Programmes. As it was found necessary that a training, particularly on Social Audit of food for work Programme, Social Security Programmes and also on disability related programme should be done including the training of the culture team, a 3-day training programme was organized from 1st to 3rd  September, 2005 which was attended by 125 Participants of Gram Sabhas. In order to monitor and co-ordinate all the social audit Programmes and Public hearings at different locations with their follow ups, a team was formed  of 5 NGO leaders. The task of designing of posters / pamphlets / videography was  responsibilities of other leaders.

A Committee was formed to organize and  guide the Human Rights Mass Meeting, which was named as Santhal Pargana Hakdari Sabha. 

Detailed Program:

The following is the  detailed Programme Schedule of Foot Campaigns and Social  Audits at 17 Locations in 6 Districts of Santhal Pargana.

14 – 30 October,  2005

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