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ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007 www.anandiindia.net.in Estd. 1995 coming together for a new dawn Inspired by the traditional art form of India the new symbol of ANANDI has multiple layers of meanings. The figures coming together in a Fibonacci's spiral of life protect an embryo. The spiral that is formed from the logo is the symbol of growth. All life forms in nature grow in that particular spiral shape, be it a twig with leaves or a seashell. The embryo like the the identity title signifies – the new dawn for which we are collectively working towards. The triangles moving both inwards and outwards depict the way Anandi works. We come together with all out energies to spread it out further. The human figures joining hands show the symbiotic relationship we are all in, helping each other grow and prosper. The symbol signifies that we are a mix not a melting pot. Each of us come together with a varied backgrounds yet do not loose are individuality. In fact our individuality gets highlighted in a group, with multiple talents and capabilities joining force. The symbol speaks of our vitality and dynamism, the energy of which is felt in the collective struggle to bring a positive change. ANANDI GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS Ms. Jahnvi Andharia President, Director, ANANDI (Support Unit Baroda and Godhra) Ms. Shabnam Virmani Vice President Founder Drishti Media Collective, Film Maker Ms. Neeta Haridkar Secretary Director, ANANDI (Devgadh Baria Office) Ms. Sejal Dand Jt.Secretary (Ahmedabad Office) Director ANANDI Ms. Sumitra Thacker Treasurer (Rajkot Office) Director ANANDI Mr. Bhushan Oza Member (Gujarat high court lawyer) Mr. Lalubhai Desai Member, Director (Manav Kalyan Trust) Mr. Ashok Bhargav Member, Director (Ideal) Amitabh Mukhopadhyay Member (Indian Account Service) ANANDI | annual report 2006-2007 | 1 Content 1. Introduction 8. Integrating Peace Into Development Interventions 2. Empowering Women & Poor Communities 9. Using Media For The Development Agenda 3. Vulnerability Reduction 10. Conclusions 4. Strengthening Rural Democracy 11. Challenges 5. Tribal Women's Rights - Anti- witch hunting Campaign - Lobbying and Networking to Visibilise Tribal women's Leadership - Land Alienation and Tribal Women's Land rights - NREGS – Relevance for livelihoods of Tribal Communities 6. Entitlements Approach - Mahiti Kendra to Lok Adhikar Kendra - Health rights - Right to Safe and Adequate drinking water: - Networking and Lobbying for Health Rights - Right to food - Children's Rights 7. Promoting Economic Well Being Of Poor Families - SHG - Micro enterprise - On farm Enterprises - Salt Farming - Prawn Cultivation - Grain Banks and Tool Kit Centre Trust Reg. No. (Soc. Act) Guj/5189/Ahmedabad/1995 ANANDI | annual report 2006-2007 | 2 Introduction Area Networking and Development Initiatives academic institutions, government bodies on (ANANDI) is a voluntary organisation (VO) working in approaches and methods to mainstream gender rural and tribal areas of Gujarat since 1995. It adopts an concerns in development. empowerment and a rights-based approach. Founded This year is the twelfth year since ANANDI began its by five professional women with experience in the operations. In more ways than one the year signifies a development sector, ANANDI helps poor families of culmination of many ideas with which the founders the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, including began the work and it is in that context this annual the Tribals, Dalits, and Muslims to move out of poverty report is being presented. conditions. While there are significant gains at a macro level for a county like India in terms of growth, the bottom segment of the Indian society is getting further pushed into poverty and facing new vulnerabilities. Women from poor communities are doubly disadvantaged as they face gender discrimination at home, in the community and the society at large and have to struggle to make two ends meet. ANANDI's interventions therefore address gender discrimination and provide opportunities for economic upliftment while simultaneously trying to The initial sections of this report provide an overview reduce other vulnerabilities. The stated mission of the of how the organisation has given meaning to organisation is to bring rural women's concerns in the empowerment of women, a much used term in the centre of all development processes to establish a just, development sector and at the same time critiqued for equitable and peaceful society its nebulous character and lack of “verifiable objective Working area: ANANDI implements specific indicators”. grassroots focused program activities in150 villages The subsequent sections speak of strategies adopted spread across Gujarat, in four districts, viz; Bhavnagar to bring about changes in the lives of women in and Rajkot in Saurashtra or Western part of the state the past one year. and Dahod and Panchmahaals in the Eastern part The organisation offers training support and technical guidance to other voluntary organisations, ANANDI | annual report 2006-2007 | 3 Empowering Women & Poor Communities The founder members of ANANDI brought with them Ensuring that women's concerns take centre stage in a deep conviction in the empowering process as a non- the development processes, calls for a change in the negotiable in the development interventions. During a social power. Ms. Batliwala explained that social power review process, that ANANDI undertook in July- is about the differential capacity of individuals and August 2006 with Ms. Srilatha Batliwala a senior activist social groups to determine: and feminist researcher it emerged that the practices Who gets what that ANANDI followed on ground matched with the Who does what definitions put forward by Ms. Batliwala. Who decides what Who frames the agenda EMPOWERMENT IS: Through the empowerment process, the poor women About power, and changing the unequal distribution will gain a voice and an agency to determine their own of power in society. course of development based on equality and justice. A process and the result of a process About the redistribution of social power – i.e., the rights, resources, opportunities and responsibilities of individuals and social groups in relation to one another in a given society Aimed at creating both equality (sameness, as in law) and equity (equal access, such as to education or health) between individuals and social groups WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT IS: The process, and the results of the process, through which gender and social relations are transformed In favour of women; To create greater equality and equity between men and women within social groups; and to create greater equality and equity between women and men of different social groups At ANANDI, the translation of empowerment approach takes place through intense interaction - By Srilatha Batliwala with community women in rural and tribal areas. A combination of methods - training, regular dialogue ANANDI | annual report 2006-2007 | 4 and review and reflection with the team members, - Building and Strengthening people's organisations, and the local women and their leaders are deployed - Nurturing women's leadership as not just the outcome but the means are seen as - Livelihood promotion- land based for greater food significant aspects of facilitation and dialogue. security - Income generation though capacity building and ANANDI's interventions have emerged from sharing credit linkages of micro entrepreneur's. and reflection by women's own lived experiences and ·- Education of children followed their pace and capability to respond to the ·- Gender justice problems. Thus over the years the organisation's ·- Community Health program work has spread into several arenas. Although at times it seems to be pulling the organisation in all For this purpose it promotes Self-Help Groups directions, it is evident that as women's issues and (SHGs), supports local existing local NGOs, and rural concerns are interconnected there is no choice but women's' federations. During disasters, which have to engage with various facets of women's lives. Over repeatedly struck Gujarat, ANANDI has worked with the past 12 years the organisations has developed a communities affected by drought, earthquake, and holistic approach and has several insights and lessons communal carnage to mainstream gender concerns to offer on changing poor women's lives through a in relief, rehabilitation and long-term sustainable community based empowerment approach. development. In order to take the lessons learnt forward and to influence policy the organisation is This involves going beyond the merely looking at the involved in advocacy and activism at the local and cases of violence against women, or ensuring national level. women's participation in the electoral politics. It is about enabling he women to re-look - their reality With this overview, the next few sections locate and analyse it from the lens of gender justice and it is ANANDI's work during 2006-07 in the context of about asking the question “is there dignity for vulnerability reduction of the poor, livelihood women as human beings?”. If the answer is no, then promotion, strengthening democracy and assertion the women devise ways to changing the situation on of rights and entitlements. The combined effect of hand as well as to promote strategic interests for the these strategies leads to a transformative change in future. women's lives. Main programs: The organisations experience now consists of programmes that have developed around several aspects of women's role in development.

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