Samata Samachara

SAMATA samachara Leading political parties pledge support for girls’ education and Samata state-level conference, ‘Keeping discrimination. It is an instrument for Opposition in Karnataka Assembly A Girls in Secondary Schools: social change.” sought comparative data on girls’ Successes and Challenges’ held in education in North, Northeast and Sri Basavaraj Horatti, Member of Dharwad, Karnataka, from 20–21 South Karnataka for discussions in Legislative Council and former June 2015, by Karnataka Health the Assembly. Promotion Trust gathered support Minister of Education concurred for girls’ education and Samata. Sri that the age of compulsory education Over 300 participants from the Kimmane Ratnakar, Minister for under RTE need to be raised to Department of Education, senior Primary and Secondary Education, 18 years. He extended support to Karnataka Administrative Service Karnataka noted the low education Samata’s efforts in preventing child officers, civil society groups and levels of girls in north Karnataka, marriage in North Karnataka. Sri technical experts participated in and said, “…education levels in North Jagadish Shettar, Leader of the the event. Karnataka, especially those of girls, are very low. The Department of Education has to work together with the NGOs to Vijayapura DDPI commits to take action at the conference provide girls with a safe environment Influenced by the debates at the conference, S S Biradar, DDPI, Vijayapura and extensive opportunities.” pledged to take up various measures to further adolescent girls’ education, Sri Arvind Bellad, Member of such as: Legislative Assembly, said North • Filling up the vacant teacher posts as per the RTE guidelines that mandate Karnataka needed efforts such as a teacher student ratio of 1:30 Samata that addressed the link • Starting hostels for girls in areas where migration is prominent between HIV and education and • Opening seasonal schools and appointing separate teachers to these schools said, “Persuading the importance • Improving sanitation and running water facilities in schools of education upon girls and women • Organising community friendly programmes to improve community is key as education opens the door participation in girls’ education for employment and can reduce • Organising tuition classes for the academically weak girl students Issue No. 2 July 2015 Karnataka Health Promotion Trust 1 Adolescent girl leaders from Samata voice their concerns at the conference dolescent girl leaders from has there been no action to change shared her concerns, “The toilet facility ASamata raised pertinent this scenario?” Deepa from Hadagali in the school is not proper. There is no questions on education infrastructure village spoke about not getting water and it is very uncomfortable for and quality to officials at the event. her scholarship on time despite us. It is the only toilet in the school for Akshata from Tikota village asked, submitting the necessary documents boys and girls.” “Girls and boys who have passed school and asked what needs to be done are unable to read and write. Why next. Yashoda from Adagal village Hippargi boys stop teasing girls and support them to attend school Priya Pillai, Savitri Jagadaland, Mahadev Dunddappagor year ago, Hanumantha, an classes, but she can be independent and Each of the fourteen boys was eager to Aaffable, young adolescent boy at least, help her family.” say their bit. Kiran brooms his house, from Hippargi village thought it was Sangappa has stopped asking girls if All his friends around had a story fun and harmless to whistle at girls, they want a ride on his bike, Avinash of change to tell us. Sangmesh does sing songs or throw stones at the has stopped insulting his teachers, not take photos of girls anymore and water pots carried by them. Today, Prahlad and Abhishek do not lie helps his mother at home, changing he tells us about learning how teasing during games, Sagar follows rules of in the process the idea of household disrespects the girl, is not enjoyable for the game, Akash does not steal money chores being women’s work, “Earlier, her and of slowly realising the idea of and Ajay helps his mother at home. I never even thought of helping my ‘equal rights’ for girls.He is proud to They were happy about who they had mother or sister in their work. I bring talk about the change, “We live on the become. water if my mother is washing clothes, outskirts of the village, in the middle of cut vegetables for cooking and go to What about your girl friends at a field. My grandfather and father never the flourmill. I am even ready to wash school? Praveen spoke for the group allowed women in the family to study. vessels because I want to change the saying,“In schools, during the time for After coming to the classes by Samata, I thinking that washing vessels is only games, we used to tease girls saying convinced them to send my seven-year- done by women. But in my house they that ‘what can you play?’, ‘don’t use the old sister to school. We may not be able won’t allow me to do that.” ground’, ‘we play better’, ‘you cannot to let her continue studying till higher 2 Issue No. 2 July 2015 Karnataka Health Promotion Trust play for longer time’. We now think that girls can also play for equal time, can play any game and just as good as My voice boys. We have started supporting girls. We never used to give volleyball to “Girls should go to school, do well, girls but now we do.” and prove that they are as smart as boys. If I do well at school, then my How did the change happen? family will support me in achieving “We started playing Kabbadi together my dreams. There is discrimination at everyday. Sanju sir mentors us. When home, hence its important that girls we are coached, we are taught not just to play well but also play fair. We come go to school and prove themselves as on time and are disciplined. After the capable so that their families see the game, we spend time with each other need to invest in them.” talking. Sanju sir discusses with us Ashwini Shreeshaila Kolkar about teasing and gossiping about girls and tells us how it is disrespectful to them. We would not like it if it happened to women in our family. positive messages about gender, “Other boys make fun of us but we Why would we do it to other women?” helping them to challenge masculine don’t bother. Now, other boys are stereotypes, violence and attitudes waiting to get into our group. We don’t How can someone telling you about a about women. Sanju says, “I was not a want to go anywhere. Earlier, we used bad habit, actually change it? The boys very good person myself. The mentors to be told individually but the group then speak personal and their heart, training from Samata taught me to makes a difference. If only one person “If the person who tries to convince reflect on what happens in the society. changes at a time, then he will made us is good, then we will change fast. I thought about the discrimination fun of but if we change as a group, Sanju sir tells us very realistic stories; that my forefathers underwent as a then nobody will make fun of us.” says is never rude to us; does not scold us, is Scheduled Caste and faced by women. Sangmesh. very patient and repeatedly tells us to I don’t want that to happen again. change. Most times,‘teaching’ happens There has definitely been a change When I came to Samata, I had seen in the classroom or in the playground. and others from the village vouch very many women who were beaten But Sanju sirlooks out for us even for it. Shravan who is not a member up by their drunken husbands, men outside the sessions. We feel cared for.” of the group and had joined our using cigarettes to hurt women, and discussion, shares his joy and Sanju Vittal Kamble joined Samata sexual abuse. How will I live in a surprise “Earlier, I never thought as a mentor for the adolescent boys society where all men do these things? of playing with these boys but I can in Hippargi village to train them in If I change, then I can be an inspiration see considerable changes in the boys Parivartan programme. Parivartan to others too. As a mentor, my first after the group. They used to swear on mobilises rural boys into sports responsibility is to change myself.” each other’s mother while playing but groups. The coach becomes a role We ask the group if other boys don’t now they don’t. I am now thinking of model for the boys, channelling tease them for doing girls’ activities? starting a sports club in the village.” Gallery of photos from the conference Issue No. 2 July 2015 Karnataka Health Promotion Trust 3 Project Update Gautam Sudhakar Period: June 2014 to May 2015 Indicators Number Indicators Number Discontinued girls identified 122 Teachers trained 407 Dropped out girls identified 71 *SDMC members trained 331 Discontinued girls brought back 69 Boys who attended Parivartan sessions 356 Dropped out girls brought back 23 Girls who attended Parivartan Plus sessions 216 *School Development Management Committee Ackowledgement Priya Pillai edited and coordinated the production of this newsletter. The newsletter is from Samata, a project to help 3600 Editorial Team: Raghavendra T, H.S. Srikantamurthy, adolescent girls, across 119 villages in Bagalkot and Bijapur, Vanishri, Kumar Vadde complete secondary school. Karnataka Health Promotion Trust [KHPT] in partnership with the Government of H.S.Srikantamurthy suggested the name for the newsletter.

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