annual award ceremony April 7, 2017 for excellence in women’s empowerment for Change, an NGO consisting India, completing her PhD on of development professionals the subject from Jamia Millia involved in research, training Islamia University, Delhi. In 2014, and documentation of learning she published Engendering the materials for students, teachers and Workplace: Gender Discrimination facilitators in non-formal settings. & Prevention of Sexual Harassment She remained connected to this in Organizations. This book is an initiative throughout her career. important part of her work in PRIA, and a milestone for those wishing to Martha formally joined PRIA pursue further work on the issue of (Society for Participatory Research sexual harassment at the workplace. in Asia) in 1996, working alongside her husband and founder of Alongside her professional PRIA, Dr. Rajesh Tandon. As contributions, she supported PRIA Director of PRIA’s program to become a place of warm welcome on Gender Mainstreaming in and comfort for all staff and visitors, Institutions, she trained thousands so that learning could take place of grassroots women leaders and in a caring and safe environment. Dr. Martha Farrell professionals from different walks Martha was fiercely loyal to PRIA, its of life on issues related to citizen values and resources. She reminded 1959-2015 engagement in local governance, her colleagues to ‘walk the talk’ and gender mainstreaming and sexual practice these values in everyday life. Dr. Martha Farrell (1959-2015) was a passionate civil harassment. From 2005 onwards, society leader, renowned and respected in India and around Amongst Martha’s great personal she led PRIA’s work on distance the world for her work on women’s rights, gender equality characteristics was her ability to education, founding and developing and adult education. She devoted her life to promoting seamlessly integrate with everyone PRIA International Academy, the gender equality, women’s empowerment and feminism in from all walks of life. Martha was a academic wing of the organization. everyday life. On 13 May, 2015 Martha Farrell was killed, thoughtful friend, a great support to She also taught part-time at the along with 14 others, in a terrorist attack on a guest house others, and a generous giver of gifts, University of Victoria and Royal in Kabul, Afghanistan. She was there to conduct a gender great food and warm hospitality. Roads University in Canada. training workshop with the Aga Khan Foundation. The Tandon/Farrell household was Martha’s crusade for gender always full of guests, laughter, Daughter of Iona and Noel Farrell, Martha was born in mainstreaming in organizations and more food than one could Delhi into an Anglo-Indian family. She studied English began in 1998 when the Vishakha finish. A dedicated professional, literature at Delhi University, and did a Master’s in social Guidelines for the prevention of compassionate colleague, beloved work at the Delhi School of Social Work. She began her sexual harassment at workplaces mother, loving spouse and avid cook career in 1981 as a literacy worker at Ankur, an NGO were formulated by the Supreme – Martha was many things to many working for women’s literacy and empowerment in Delhi. Court of India. She undertook people and she is dearly missed. She broadened her focus into adult education, where pioneering work on sexual she began her lifelong practice of participatory learning harassment in the workplace in 8 methodology. In 1991, she co-founded Creative Learning MOST PROMISING BEST ORGANIZATION FOR INDIVIDUAL (ANY GENDER) GENDER EQUALITY martha • Professionals, between 25 and • Any organization, including farrell 40 years of age, who are part of businesses, government government, business, industry departments and agencies, non- award or civil society organizations. profits, educational, health and media organizations, registered • Has worked consistently over in India. the past 5-10 years to promote women’s empowerment within • The organization has been the workplace, in communities, actively implementing systems/ in schools/colleges, in society, procedures/practices which etc. create gender sensitive and gender equal environment within • Innovative and practical their own workplace. excellence in approaches to cultural and women’s empowerment social change promoting • Such efforts have been women’s empowerment. consistent over the past 5 years. • Personal example and role • Innovative and practical model practicing values of approaches to cultural change in The Martha Farrell Award for Excellence in Women’s gender equality in everyday life. organizations towards women’s Empowerment has been instituted to honour Dr. Farrell empowerment and gender equality. and her ideals. It is a first-of-its-kind initiative to discover, recognise and honour mid-career individuals and committed Nominations for the 2017 Award concluded on January 20, 2017. A institutions, which have made valuable contributions in areas total of 125 nominations (62 nominations in the individual category of work related to gender equality and women’s empowerment. and 63 nominations in the institution category) from 18 states of These individuals and institutions can come from all sectors — India were received, comprising a wide variety of individuals (social government, business, industry or civil society. activists, professionals, educators, media-persons, government officials, The annual Award, jointly instituted by Rizwan Adatia entrepreneurs) and institutions (grassroots, non-profits, academic, media Foundation (RAF) and Society for Participatory Research in and social enterprises). Nominations were shortlisted based on Dr. Martha Asia (PRIA), is given in two categories with a prize money of Farrell’s values and life goals. Final selection of the two awardees, one in INR 1,50,000 each: each category, was made by an eminent six-member jury. The winners are being presented the awards on 7 April 2017. shabana azmi Shabana Azmi is an internationally renowned film and theatre “Martha Farrell worked tirelessly to promote gender equality and actress. She is also a greatly respected social activist. prevent violence against women throughout her life. These Awards are being launched to recognize and promote sustained efforts in making organizations, communities and families gender equal and just. I am pleased to be part of the jury for the award.” kamla bhasin Kamla Bhasin is an eminent gender equality activist, social “The institution of this Award is the best tribute possible to Martha. It scientist and author, actively engaged in issues of gender will recognize and support the work of many young feminists and their equality, peace and human rights since 1970. organizations and thus lead to the realization of Martha’s dreams.” anuradha das mathur Anuradha Das Mathur is the founding dean of The Vedica Scholars “Such an honour and privilege to be on the jury for the very prestigious and Programme for Women, an 18-month residential program in meaningful Martha Farrell Award for Excellence in Women’s Empowerment.” management practice for young women. She is a senior advisor to the Albright Stonebridge Group and founder director at 9.9 Media, India’s fastest growing niche media company. sushama nath Sushama Nath (IAS, Retd.) was the first female Finance Secretary “I am honoured to be a jury member of the newly launched Martha Farrell to the Government of India. She was also a member of the five- Award for Excellence in Women’s Empowerment to recognize gender member Fourteenth Finance Commission (for 2015-2020). champions.” justice (retd.) ajit prakash Shah Justice (Retd.) Ajit Prakash Shah is former chief justice of “I am happy to be part of the jury for the annual Martha Farrell Award for Delhi and Madras High Courts, and a former judge of the Excellence in Women’s Empowerment, a unique initiative to recognize Bombay High Court. He is the first ever ombudsman of the valuable contributions being made towards women’s empowerment in Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). India.” anshul tiwari Anshul Tewari is an Ashoka Fellow and the Founder and “I believe we need to create structures that support the work that individuals Editor-in-Chief of YouthKiAwaaz.com (YKA), India’s largest and young organizations are doing around gender empowerment. It is AWARD JURY MEMBERS AWARD digital platform for young people to share stories and my honour to be part of Martha Farrell Award for Excellence in Women’s opinions on issues of importance. Empowerment as a jury member.” Resident of a tea estate in trafficking. She has established safety Falakata in Alipurduar District nets in her community, which help of West Bengal, Rakhi Gope is a in receiving information about any community-based social activist instance of child marriage or human and student of social work, who has trafficking, which she subsequently been at the forefront of the fight takes up with the relevant state MOST PROMISING INDIVIDUAL against child marriage and human authority. She has been part of various rakhi gope trafficking within her community for rescue operations and helped victims the last 11 years. of trafficking and child marriage to access safe government shelter homes, Rakhi belongs to a socially linking them to state-sponsored backward family. Inspired during vocational and livelihood programmes. a workshop conducted by Rakhi sensitizes her community, Child in Need Institute (CINI) especially women, adolescent boys in Falakata, Rakhi decided to and girls, towards the issues