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Engendering Communities & Institutions

Sensitizing and advocating for an enabling environment

Equipped with advocacy and amplification tools, our community leaders rally support to shift patriarchal attitudes through public events, dialogues, campaigns, and showcases. They work to build community investment in adolescent girls as a critical demographic dividend. Our holistic framework engages, sensitises and builds ownership amongst key stakeholders in the ecosystem, including community members, field workers (such as Asha and Anganwadi workers), educational institutions, local leaders, government officials, civil society organisations, foundations, funders, think tanks, police, media, and the private sector.

One of the key causes of VAWG is inequality of power and resources which is institutionalised through policies, laws, social norms and patriarchal beliefs that grant preferential rights to men while denying women their rights. By addressing its root and structural causes there is a chance to end it. This requires a multi- faceted intervention at various levels of society which goes beyond individuals and reaches families and communities.In India, lack of adequate representation of women in institutions and public decision making positions have resulted in institutions and public policy operating from a gender blind and patriarchal perspective.

Outlays for women continue to be miniscule and there is no commitment to gender budgeting. As a result, women continue to be marginalised. It is critical to engender institutions and make them answerable to women’s needs. By sensitising institutions and making them realise and acknowledge the gender impact of policies, change can happen.

CEQUIN started its work at the grassroots with marginalized minority communities, with its first project in 2009 in the heart of Jamia Nagar, the GRC. Part of the 80 NGO network, ‘Mission Convergence’ where the Delhi Government NCT and Women and Child Department aimed to build  synergy amongst all the gender related policies. Jamia Millia Islamia was onboarded as our partner, and the centre laid the foundation for a world where all the government schemes were anchored through the woman in a family. Various activities – from help desks to drive awareness about government schemes like pension, aadhaar, vocational training courses like tailoring, remedial classes for underprivileged students, legal training and support, health and nutrition camps and an OPD with doctor visits – the GRC reached out to over 10,000 households throughout the area. Over time, it evolved into a thriving community hub with a special focus on empowering women and girls. Through the GRC, CEQUIN honed its rights based approach, led mass awareness campaigns in and with the community, and built the path for the many programme like the Mahila panchayat, Kickstart Equality. It was the daughters of so many of our SHG and collective members who were the first girls to be part of CEQUIN’s football program in 2011.  It was also the early years of CEQUIN, where women’s collectives were built through initiatives like the Naari Adaalat, women’s livelihood groups producing together, small savings and a mass mobilisation through camps on access to quality health, public meetings or jan sunwais . The GRC became a safe community for thousands of women from under-resourced communities in Jamia Nagar, finding strength in understanding their rights and building their skills for dignified livelihood, united. This laid the foundation for our work, where engaging local stakeholders and building strategic partnerships became a core part of our programmes.

Supporters

Anu Aga Family Discretionary Trust | British Council| Delhi Government Women & Child Department | Delhi Government Mission Convergence | Direct Aid Programme - Australian Commision of India | District Administration, Nuh, Haryana | Hinduja Foundation| Ministry of Netherlands | MCKS Trust| Roop Automotives Ltd| TAP India Foundation| UNDP| UNFPA| BSES| Jamia Millia Islamia University

Key Features:

Engagement of local stakeholders – regular engagement of local stakeholder groups to engender spaces, enhancing accountability and their role to make communities gender equitable (community leaders, RWAs, police, panchayat/MLAs, asha, ANMs, school teachers, schools and colleges)

Building strategic partnerships with government representatives – district, state and national

Cultivating institutional collaborations – educational institutes, CSOs, funders, media, think tanks, police etc

Generating Awareness and Mass Engagement through Public Events & Action – campaigns, public meetings and hearings, safety walks, Nari ki Chaupals, local tournaments and community events

Capacity building for Gender based advocacy – with adolescents, youth, women, men and community groups

Community Help Desks – building access to critical information on government and welfare schemes

Highlights

An Overview

Testimonials

“ Today many people are sending their girls to play football without hesitation. Now girls are also interested in studies and many girls are studying regularly. Earlier, people used to think that girls should stay at home, so what would benefit them by studying or doing any sports? If girls leave the house, it will be a disgrace, but today there is a change in people’s thinking. Many boys bring their sisters to school, who bring football with them. Since CEQUIN is bringing football to the vicinity, people are also increasing girls’ participation in sports.

MoinPeer Educator and Alumni Mardon Wali Baat, Rajasthan

Whenever I go on rounds in Seemapuri – now I see many girls in football gear going and confidently playing in the public parks. I feel proud to see the change in my area.

Vinay YadavSHO, Police Seemapuri, Delhi

I want to congratulate CEQUIN for its multi-layered intervention in Jamia Nagar. Real issues like lack of proper health and safety issues, education, and gender sensitivity are being addressed and I will support their work in every possible capacity to make Okhla a safe space for women and girls.

Shoaib DanishWard Councilor, Zakir Nagar, Delhi

While there is value in ideas and causes, their true potential can only be realized through clarity of vision coupled with a dedicated and unrelenting approach. Over the past 10 years, CEQUIN has managed to bring all of these elements to the fore towards promoting discussions and action on gender issues. However, their biggest victory in my opinion has been spreading their spirit to all those around them, including our organization and others who are a part of the National Alliance for Women’s Football.

Ramit Singh ChimniCo-founder 8one Foundation

I did not realize that India had such a vast potential in women’s football. This is so refreshing and I am very impressed.... Look at the FIFA rankings of Indian Women. It’s 52 among 175 nations whereas the men are 169th among 209 countries. So the women are better than the men! And given the talent and enthusiasm that I’ve witnessed over the last five days of my stay here, the girls can go places! You need to provide them with the right kind of infrastructure.They need the FIFA recommendation and I will do that. I promise to do my best as I never expected such a huge base here in this part of the world. I am highly impressed and can see Indian Women’s football going forward.

Monika StabbsFIFA Consultant

The kickstart equality campaign is a welcome initiative that encourages young students to reflect, and build a voice against exclusion, discrimination and violence. UNFPA is pleased to partner with CEQUIN to join hands with the young students in strengthening the campaign for gender equality, in the march towards the world we want.

Frederika MeijerCountry Representative, UNFPA

It is time for campaigns such as these [Kickstart Equality] to be undertaken, to create a storm in the minds of people about what equality really means. By initiating this campaign, CEQUIN has done something innovative, as not only have they covered the issue of gender equality- which has been done by many- but they have gone one step further and uncovered it. This is the requirement of the hour.

Ritesh SharmaTeacher, Apeejay School, Saket, Delhi

The CEQUIN initiative on gender sensitivity is a great opportunity for students to look at spaces that women and young girls should occupy and then reclaim them with greater power and strength for the future. It is a climate for change for gender justice and freedom from violence. This is a critical time for promoting respect for women in society by nurturing a responsible mature citizenry and the change begins with the young.

Ameeta M. WattalPrincipal, Springdales, Pusa Road, Delhi

The staff and girls of CEQUIN added so much value, energy, perspective, and passion to our Goals for Girls Leadership Summit in Delhi. We absolutely loved having them participate, and learned so much from their staff regarding best practices. We look forward to having CEQUIN involved in all of our India-based Leadership Summits to come!

Jackie SkinnerDirector Operations, Goals for Girls

The energy among your youth was so amazing and I think our Civic Leadership Academy Fellows really enjoyed the experience of interacting and understanding perspectives from the ground.

Aditi ModyDeputy Director, University of Chicago

Having been an active volunteer at CEQUIN and conducting the Safety Audit over the years, I have realized that knowingly or unknowingly, somehow women in the community have accepted the problems we face as a normal part of our life. Each time I do the Audit, it is an eye-opener for me, and I see that same expression in the eyes of the women and even the men and families I talk to. Suddenly when asked the ‘right’ questions, we are forced to question what we consider as acceptable in our own lives and communities, why we tolerate this violation of our basic human and constitutional rights. The findings of these Audits also raises a question mark on state machinery and its effectiveness. It makes us want to claim our right to a dignified life.

IshratResident of Haji Colony & Member of Mahila Panchayat, Delhi

CEQUIN’s continuous engagement with the women of Jamia Nagar has given them a new outlook and perspective. They have become more aware about their constitutional as well as human rights. We as the police are happy to see such positive developments in our local community and really believe that we too have benefitted from our engagement and partnership with CEQUIN. We would definitely want to continue to work closely with CEQUIN in the long run.

Kailash ChandSub-Inspector, Jamia Nagar Police Station Sub-Inspector, Delhi

We would like to congratulate you and your entire team for the very successful organization of Community Career Mela at Community Centre, Batla House, Jamia Nagar. It goes without saying that your team is contributing, in a very significant manner, for the cause of Women Development and Empowerment. Your twin motives – Women Education and Women Self sufficient/ Economic Independence is, perfectly, aligning with the international goals for women development. This event gave us a great opportunity to reach out to the women belonging to the minority community, that too, coming from humble backgrounds. Interacting with such women and their families; who would, otherwise, not come into our contact, enabled us to take forward the mandate of IGNOU i.e. reaching out to the unreached.

Rajesh SharmaAssistant Regional Director, IGNOU

I appreciate the work done by CEQUIN for the betterment of the society by working on women’s rights. Through training these women and enhancing their skills in stitching and sewing, will help them become self-reliant.

Zakir HussainDeputy Sarpanch, Rojka, Haryana

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