On Legal Literacy: Rights, Access and It’S Utility in Present Context
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REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT State Resource Centre Assam Mandovi Apartments GNB Road, Ambari, Guwahati – 781001 Website : srcguwahati.co.in :: Email : [email protected] 1 REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT CONTENTS: Page No. 1. Introduction 3 2. Background Analysis of the Project 3 3. Objectives of the Project 5 4. Summary of the Proposed activities 5 5. Strategy Adopted 6 6. Executive Summery 13 7. Report of activity 13 8. Interactive Meeting 62 9. Installation of Hoardings 71 10. Development and Printing of IEC materials 73 11. Jatha Programme 73 12. Name Casting 78 13. Periodic Review Meeting 78 14. Outcomes of the Project 80 15. Constrains and Challenges 81 16. Best Practices 82 17. Annexure i) Scan Copy of IEC materials 85 ii) List of Participants 91 iii) Programme Schedule 102 iv) Certificate 104 v) Feedback Format 105 vi) Paper Cutting 106 vii) Comparative Status 107 viii) Evaluation Questionnair 111 ix) Feedback format for Training 113 x) Post Evaluation Format 114 xi) Pre test and Post Test 115 2 REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT 1. INTRODUCTION: State Resource Centre Assam (SRC) is the institution established by MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) through Centre Sector Scheme, ‘Scheme of Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education & Skill Development’ under the aegis of leading VOs (Voluntary Organizations) with proven record of success in the social sector to provide technical & academic support to Adult Education Programme in the concerned state. Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India set up State Resource Centre Assam (SRCA) in the year 1995. The State Resource Centres (SRCs) have carved out a distinct role for themselves among the professional organizations of adult education. The vision of SRC Assam is to evolve into a centre of Excellence for development programmes through Material Development, Capacity Building and Research in order to achieve the goals of National Literacy Mission Authority. SRC Assam has its own Governing Body, which is the decision making Body in all affairs. SRC Assam is a registered body under Society Act. 1860 and functions under grant in aid from National Literacy Mission Authority, Govt. of India. Since inception, SRC Assam has been engaged in number of activities not only literacy program but also orientation, awareness, motivation, women empowerment, panchayats, development of IEC materials in different language groups, population development education, gender equality, convergence etc. SRC Assam associates itself closely with the State Literacy Mission Authority, Secondary Education Department, Deptt. of Adult Education of the state, Zilla Parishad, SIRD, State Legal Service Authority, Disaster Management Authority, Election Deptt., Department of Justice, Govt of India and other agencies like voluntary organizations and educational institutions implementing the program in the state. To carry out these activities, the SRC has a team of highly qualified and experienced academic staff, besides administrative and support staff with adequate office equipments including internet LAN connection. In addition, SRC utilizes the services of experienced persons in the field of Adult Education and Vocational training courses out of the SRC staff as and when required so. 2. BACKGROUND ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT: As per 2011census data 27% of total population are non-literate in this country, which covers more than 30 crores of our population. The literacy rate of women is only 65% that means 35% of women are still non-literate. There is a low rate of literacy among SC, ST, Minority Muslims, Tea Garden Community, Dalits and other marginalized populations. The Education for all Global Monitoring Report 2013-2014 (GMR) released worldwide by UNESCO acknowledges that India has by far the largest population of non-literate adults at 287 million, amounting to 37 % of the global total. The report vividly underlines the fact that people in the most marginalized groups have not received opportunities to read and write till today. There is a disparity of literacy between elite group of society 3 REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT and poorest people of the society. On the other hand, there are also gender disparity at 17% on literacy between male and female. The efforts to make people literate should be a continuous process to understand about their standard of living and to understand the causes of deprivation and other means of backwardness. If people become total literate, the improvement of quality of life can be expected. The literacy programme undertaken by National Literacy Mission Authority, Govt. of India with other partner organizations like SLMA and SRCs is always taking major role to address those issues through different convergence or PPP mode. The Legal literacy which speaks the provisions and accesses for the legal rights of the deprived people is also one of the major components of literacy programme. Literacy is an indispensible component for effective social and economic participation, attributing to human development and poverty reduction. On the other hand Legal Literacy means making people aware of their rights and entitlements. As underlines in our constitution under article – Law is a powerful tool. A person may be literate but sometimes literate person also become helpless and confused when there is violation or infringement of a right to enforceable in law. Legal literacy is therefore seems to be a tool to bringing of qualitative reforms of the people at grass root level. It has been witnessed that better awareness of laws helps people works more effectively in diverse spheres. The failure of execution of laws has been attributed to the beneficiaries due to lack of awareness on legal laws. Under above circumstances, it is to create a robust “Rule of Law Culture” by educating the society about their Legal Rights under the purview of Domestic and International Law. With a view to the above circumstances, the Adult Literacy programme focuses literacy for all considering as a force multiplier for all actions of social development. The Programme aims to contribute to the empowerment of learners so that they can make informed choices, take control of issues that affect them and eventually enhance the quality of their lives. The present thinking on adult education focuses on harnessing the power and potential of adult learning and education for a viable future. The framework emphasizes the need to develop literacy that is relevant and adapted to learners’ needs and leads to functional and sustainable development focusing on women and highly disadvantaged populations including indigenous people with an overall focus on rural populations. The framework fosters a culture of quality in adult learning and enrichment of learning environments and the empowerment of individuals and communities. The National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA), Government of India has decided to make Adult Literacy Programme more attractive, useful and relevant to the adult learners and other literacy functionaries. Under this new initiative, Literacy programme has been implemented on a convergence mode by involving various stake holders from other Government departments including Department of Justice. The National Literacy Mission Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding Legal Literacy initiatives on 2nd June, 2015 with the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India. Under said MoU, SRC Assam has been involved as partner organization to undertake legal literacy activities in North East. So far SRC Assam has successfully implemented three projects on Legal literacy through signing a separate MoA. In continuation of the last 3 projects, it has been proposed to 4 REPORT ON LEGAL LITERACY: RIGHTS, ACCESS AND IT’S UTILITY IN PRESENT CONTEXT cover legal literacy programme in the state of Assam, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. In the last project 600 selective GPs have been taken from the state of Assam, Tripura, and Sikkim. In Assam only 515 GPs had been adopted out of 1809 GPs. Now it is proposed to cover the remaining uncovered Gram Panchayts of Assam and Sikkim and New GPs of Arunachal Pradesh for the implementation of legal literacy programme in phase wise. For the new project it is proposed to cover another 300 GPs. It is also proposed to revitalize and follow up programme in the already covered 600 GPs in the last project for sustainability of the legal literacy among the beneficiaries of Assam and Sikkim. This follow up and continuity will be much helpful and encouraging effect for the newly adopted GPs as well as counseling and guiding for the already covered areas in the long run. 3. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: The Proposed Project Programme aims to achieve the first objective that is to Impart Legal Literacy Training to the elected members of PRI bodies, Anganwadi Workers and Education Officers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim for effectiveness of Legal Rights and Entitlements. The functional Legal Rights and Entitlements in present context implies achieving witnessed for better awareness of laws which helps people works more effectively in diverse spheres. The other objective of the Programme was to spread the provisions of Free Legal Services in remote vulnerable areas through Awarness meeting, media publicity, Jatha (Songs, Music and Drama) etc. 4. SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITIES: The learning outcome of last three proposals reveals that there are a lot of cases of violence in North East India. The cases against women and children especially in tribal villages, Tea Garden and Forest areas are the frequent nature. This is because, level of awareness and knowledge of law among the people of North Eastern states is still found absent. As such, production and distribution of IEC materials on Legal aspects, advocacy and sensitization to the planers, social organizations, stakeholders of scheme implementers and masses will certainly enhance their legal knowledge.