Finding Our Way Through Together
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Finding Our Way Through Together Learnings from the Hum Kadam Education for Peace Initiative 2012-2015 Shivani Kaul Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace Foundation for Universal Responsibility New Delhi Copyright © WISCOMP, New Delhi, India, 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Published by WISCOMP Foundation for Universal Responsibility UGF, Core 4 A, India Habitat Centre Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003 India 2 Contents Acknowledgments 7 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Organizes 10 1.2 Purpose 11 1.3 Research Methodology 11 1.4 Key Sources 12 1.5 Key Questions 13 1.6 Reflective Peacebuilding Indicators 13 1.7 The Hum Kadam Theory of Change 13 2 BACKGROUND AND BASELINE 2.1 Political Context 15 2.2 Theoretical Framework and Institutional Context 17 2.2.1 Conflict Transformation phase 19 2.2.2 Sangchal phase 20 2.3 Hum Kadam phase 22 2.4 Hum Kadam Workshop Pedagogy 23 2.5 Conclusions 25 2.5.1 Summary of WISCOMP’s Peace Education Progression 25 2.6 Highlights from the Baseline Results 26 2.6.1 Students 27 2.6.2 Teachers 28 3 3 ANALYSIS OF THE HUM KADAM INITIATIVE 3.1 Narrative of Events 3.1.1 2012 30 3.1.2 2013 32 3.1.3 2014 38 3.1.4 2015 42 3.2 Workshop Statistics 45 3.2.1 Participant Profiles 45 3.2.2 Resource Persons 46 3.2.3 Institutions 47 3.3 Hum Kadam Outcomes 49 3.3.1 Indicators 49 3.3.2 Reflections: Four Dimensions 51 3.4 Challenges 56 3.4.1 Conflict as Obstacle 56 3.4.2 Scheduling Issues 56 3.4.3 Travel Difficulties 57 3.4.4 Programming Frequency 57 3.5 Lessons Learned 57 3.5.1 Exchange Program Dynamics 57 3.5.2 Workshop Location 58 3.5.3 Resource Persons 58 3.5.4 Workshop Core Content 59 3.5.5 Addressing Trauma 59 3.5.6 Empathetic and Arts-Based Pedagogies 61 4 3.5.7 Exploring Spirituality Further 62 3.5.8 Re-Introducing Gender 64 3.5.9 Re-Introducing Human Rights 65 3.5.10 Tailoring Languages 65 3.6 New Directions 66 3.6.1 Rethinking Intervention Design 66 3.6.2 Teacher Trainers 67 3.6.3 Baseline Assessment Design 67 3.6.4 Evaluation Format 68 3.6.5 Re-Mapping 56 68 3.6.6 Community Support 69 3.6.7 Pooling Expertise 69 3.6.8 Cultivating Mentorships 70 3.6.9 Inclusion of New Media 70 3.7 Conclusions 71 3.7.1 Global Context 71 3.7.2 Regional Context 72 3.7.3 WISCOMP’s Contribution 73 3.7.4 Future Prospects 75 APPENDIX A: Workshop Timeline 78 B: Summary of Baseline Studies 82 C: Suggestions from January 2013 Educators’ Roundtable 85 D: September 2013 “Exploring Educational Spaces for Peace & Nonviolence” 87 Workshop Report Summary of Hum Kadam Alumni Presentations and Discussion 5 E: Sample Evaluation Form 90 F: Profiles of Scholarship Recipients 93 Bibliography 96 The Hum Kadam Team 99 6 Acknowledgements This publication was commissioned as part of the Hum Kadam: Education for Peace initiative of Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) and its partner the Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA). WISCOMP thanks the Board members of FAEA for their unwavering support and Prof. V. R. Mehta for mentoring the initiative. WISCOMP is grateful to Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra and the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for their constant guidance and encouragement. Special thanks to Dr. Meenakshi Gopinath, Founder and Director, WISCOMP for her vision and ideas that have shaped the Hum Kadam: Education for Peace Initiative. The support of colleagues at WISCOMP, Seema Kakran who piloted the project, Manjrika Sewak, Nidhi Bhatnagar, Harish C. Bhatt, Sree Kumari V. and Devender Kumar and FAEA staff is gratefully acknowledged. The author wishes to thank the members of the Hum Kadam Student Alliance, and the wider network of educators and mentors involved with the programme over the years. This publication is the result of the work carried out by the author in her capacity as a Scholar of ‘Opening up spaces of Education for Peace in Jammu and Kashmir’ during the period December 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015. Shivani Kaul 7 8 1 Introduction This report documents the findings of a reflective evaluation undertaken between November and March 2015 of the Hum Kadam: Education for Peace initiative which ran from 2012-2015. Over these three years, the Hum Kadam initiative brought together key segments of the population from Kashmir and New Delhi—identified as youth leaders enrolled at schools and colleges, teachers, and educators—to engage in face-to-face interactions, training in conflict transformation1 theory and practice, and professional training in an effort to foster cooperation and dialogue. The initiative was a multilevel intervention that sought to address the trust deficit that plagues relations between young people of Kashmir and the rest of India which lies at the root of negative stereotypes and hostility that contributes to conflict escalation. The initiative sought to: Reduce social distance and prejudice between youth and teachers of Kashmir and Delhi using face to face dialogues and trainings in conflict transformation and developing and strengthening sustainable networks. Enhance the ethos of tolerance and inclusivity within the participating schools and colleges by increased awareness and incorporation of the principles of the National Curriculum Framework 2005, including reflective practice and sensitivity to teaching in multicultural contexts. Enable access of the most disadvantaged students from Kashmir to institutions of excellence and thereby build a sense of empowerment. Build soft skills and leadership potential of youth to be agents of positive social transformation. Sensitize stakeholders about the significance of education in peacebuilding in Jammu and Kashmir. Some of the key activities organized by WISCOMP and FAEA in this regard were scholarship grants for Kashmiri students, training workshops for youth leaders in partnering schools and colleges of Delhi and Srinagar, training workshops for educators at partnering institutions, as well as roundtable consultations with experts.2 The Hum Kadam initiative brought together 390 school students, 478 university and college students, and over 400 educators from prominent educational institutions in Kashmir and New Delhi for dialogues-cum-trainings in the skills, values, and attitudes required for effective peacebuilding. The Hum Kadam: Education for Peace initiative was made possible due to a partnership established 1 John Paul Lederach, The Little Book of Conflict Transformation (NY: Good Books, 2003). First used by peace theorist John Paul Lederach, conflict transformation uses a transformative social change lens that employs the insights of sociology, psychology, history, political science, and religion and spirituality. It is distinct from conflict resolution, which focuses primarily on de-escalation of external conflict on a limited time scale rather than recognizing larger cycles of relations at the heart of multiple levels of both conflict and peace. 2 Section 3.1, “Hum Kadam Peacebuilding and Education,” in Midterm Evaluation Report (New Delhi: WISCOMP, 2014), 10. 9 between WISCOMP (Women in Security, Conflict Management, and Peace) and FAEA (Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access). 1.1 The Organizers Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) Foundation for Academic Excellence and Access (FAEA) was set up in 2002 at New Delhi. It is committed to the idea of education devoted to founding of a just, productive and cultured society. It emphasizes on the equality of opportunity so that all students, irrespetive of thier economic and social status have choice. Through its work, the Foundation has created a vibrant movement in favour of the disadvantaged, the most marginalized sections of the society through its unique innovative practice – multi-pronged, flexible, context-sensitive, capacity building inclusive approach. It has contributed to higher education practices by offering a blue print that moves beyond quotas and piece-meal approaches towards a more equitable, people-centered practice. It has worked both with corporates, the public sector and individuals to garner support for its programs. Translating its mission of empowerment with excellence, FAEA’s path-breaking strategy is a unique blend of providing scholarships to the meritorious disadvantaged students and supplementary support through skills development programs. The Foundation identifies the poorest of the poor using the FAEA Deprivation Index. The Scholarship gives them the support required for enhancing their confidence and dignity. There are instances when grant recipients have excelled in extra-curricular activities; some have chosen to share their scholarship with others. FAEA has over the years partnered with 22 of the finest colleges of India and provided them support that helped build the capacities of students and also re-oriented the institutions towards a greater commitment to equity and justice. The colleges opened up dedicated support services for the students that focused on imbuing life skills, language and IT skills amongst its students as essential means of empowerment. For the first time in India, skill building modules aimed at facilitating the personal, social and career development of students who entered the portals of higher education institutions were introduced. A spectrum of workshops, fieldtrips, training programs, encouraged students’ participation, as these initiatives went beyond the confines of the syllabus and cloistered classrooms. Embedding such programs in higher education institutions strengthened commitment of these institutions in educating the marginalized; increased their sensitivity; and helped address the needs of the disadvantaged in a concrete manner. As an unprecedented initiative in India, the Foundation plays a unique transformative role in the lives of students as well as institutions.