Tara’s Project: Short Shelter Home for Women

1. Tara’s Project: Short Shelter Home for Women Bhilwara, Rajasthan

2. Taraji Social activist based in Bhilwada dist, Rajasthan Working with women’s issues in this area since the past 25 yrs

3. Bhilwada • Name originated from the high population of Bhils (tribals) in the area • Predominantly agricultural, also famous for its textile industry • Caste-based society • Lack of education • Lack of awareness about basic rights

4. Women’s Issues Domestic Violence Female feticides Dowry problems Sexual harassment Unsafe schools for girls Rape Caste-based atrocities Witch-hunting

5. Taraji Based in Bhilwada for last 25 years Bachelors in Psychology and Masters in Social Work from Udaipur (specialization in labor welfare) Started working in 1986 with Women’s Development Program (WDP) Has been associated with Bal Evam Mahila Chetana Samiti since 1994

6. How she came to be involved with women’s issues….. WDP was a ~10 year (1986-95) UNICEF funded project This was a state-run program, with NGO participation Taraji worked in the NGO end Program mainly dealt with rural women – educating them about their basic rights, thus empowering them to stand up for themselves

7. Women’s Development Program (WDP) Gender sensitization Encouraging women to send their children to school Created awareness about Govt. schemes in the area that women could avail of Created strong female resource- “Saathin” in a number of zillas (6?) in Rajasthan-1 Saathin from each panchayat The Saathins were trained and empowered to help with women’s issues in their home community

8. WDP contd. Monthly bulletin – “Saathinro Kaagaz” to disseminate information among saathins Saathins were trained by Trainers during a month long training camp Trainers had undergone a 6 month training to prepare them to train the Saathins WDP was a huge success At the end of the 10 year funding cycle, UNICEF handed over funding responsibility to the State State plead financial constraints and stopped the project

9. Involvement after WDP After WDP stopped, women still kept approaching Taraji with their problems Paraphrasing Taraji “institutional relationships had changed to personal relationships” She felt responsible towards these women, and stayed connected with them in an individual capacity and via the Bal Evam Mahila Chetana Samiti Focus thus shifted from rural women-centric issues to more general women’s issues

10. Taraji’s involvement and strategies • Securing justice for victims with police, judicial and administrative means • Counseling families when women wanted compromise • Approached jati panchayats and got them to support women who were victims of caste based violence like witch hunting and natha- pratha (??) • Used village meetings as a form of pressure on families and communities • Used rallies and dharnas to pressurize the administration and police. • Rehabilitated several victims who wanted to live independently. • Several times, she has victims staying with her as temporary and immediate relief

11. Her work with women’s issues • Dowry, domestic violence victims • Sexual harassment victims • Work with “Witch-hunting” victims • Natha-pratha victims • Fight against female feticide • Shelter for women • Self-defense training for women

12. January 2009 Report • Self-defense training for girls in schools • Self-defense training for women on police force • Rally for PCPNDT act- close down clinics • Tribute to violence victims • Stopping child marriage

14. Short Stay Home “Short Stay home for women: In police records, Bhilwada stands out as a place where many women face violence. But this city does not have a short stay home to provide safe and short shelter for women. Working in this area, I always find this an issue. In the past I have provided shelter for women in my own home. I would like to run a short stay home and register as a service provider for Domestic Violence Act. “

15. Minimum budget

16. January 2009 Report • Sheltered  five to six women during last two months • Chandi Chipa- a rape victim, around sixty five years old.  A young man of 28 years has raped her. The rapist is in jail .We have helped her in judicial advocacy and rehabilated her she is working as a domestic maid. • Leela – A mother of three children . husband is attached with some other woman which is unbear able to her .For the same reason there is tension in the family he snached the children and kicked her out once he came with a sword and cut both the hands. Leela was injured and hospitalised for three months when she has no place to live she came to us . At present she is staying with us and recovering her health and has started working also

17. January 2009 Report (con’d) • Seema sen- Seemas husband is use to alcohol and not willing to work. Very often beating wife and small children . With the result many times they have to sleep hungry .Even he does not allow Seema to work anywhere . One night he came with two of his friends and forced his wife and the daughter to sleep with them. Ultimately Seema rushed and came to me. with the help of our NGO she could lodge FIR in the police thana. The case is under the process .She was staying here for twenty days. Now we have shifted her. She is earning of her own and living with her children .We have arranged some food grans for her. Children are also going to school. • Masum- she is a widow mother of three daughters all three are married .She adopted a son from her relation who has taken the custody of her house and kicked her out. She is a old worker of our WDP project. We have filed a case against him. Masum knows stitching so she is working

18. Our Questions/Her Answers • How many villages do you reach? 11 gram panchayats in Bhilwara district, sometimes women come from outside the district. • How many women expected at shelter per month? 3-5/month? Unpredictable. Rape victims need extra protection b/c perpetrators want to kill them- shelter provides safe place for them to hide. • Will women not be motivated to leave the shelter? That may be a problem, but she won’t leave them around doing nothing. Give them duties to keep the garden/grow food. They can pitch in to take care of the place. Taraji encourages women to work. Move and go on their own when they are ready. • Who will you employ at the short shelter? Do you have people in mind (like people you know and have worked with)? Taraji knows lots of people - has some volunteers to work. “Technically trained and sensitive people who have a vision as well as experience in the field whom I know for a long time. But once the home runs systematicallly  for a year or 2 then we can bring it to the notice of public also once the people know its working then they will come forward to help continue it”

19. Our Questions/Her Answers • What happens to the women long term? What is the rehabilitation plan/ what happens currently? One woman stayed with her for three years because she was thrown out of her own house… eventually Taraji got her married. Another went to school. Another got a job and then moved out. Taraji sees what they need/want and helps them get it. Case by case. Now several women want to live with her- no room. • Security issues with a rental as opposed to owning the building? Women not comfortable with urban situation. Knows a house near Bhilwara with someone she has worked with for many years, so she can trust him not to arbitrarily throw her out. Village atmosphere. Villagers also take care of the women. • Risk for violence at shelter? (By the women’s family and perpetrators of violence) 5 km outside city. She will go every day. Will ask police to recruit gunmen to stand at shelter. Has had security at her home. Police know her really well because she is always protesting rape cases at the police department.

20. Plans for future funding • A. Prepare a list of local sensitive donors who can donate certain amount to continue it • B. Put pressure on state govt also to help the center, but after a time only • C. Conduct some activity like a street play, puppet program, candle procession, as to raise awareness about victims of domestic violence, and the responsibilities of society towards children and women

21. Issues • FCRA clearance- fund through Saathiship? • Other chapters? (AID-Baton Rouge) • Long term commitment • What parts of budget? • Old NGO? Saathi responsibilties- find out from AID-Austin Economic empowerment- skills training, connection with other projects. Connection with Rajendra Singh Site visit report- get from AID-Austin