The Genesis: Joint Women’s Programme believes in the fact that women’s problem is a socio-cultural problem, a community problem, and therefore community participation in the struggle for change in the status of women and children is necessary. It envisions itself as a movement of and by women, men and children seeking the freedom to express their identity as equals in all sectors of life. Headed by Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji, it is a national forum of women’s groups and organisations covering both urban and rural areas. Being one of the earliest advocates for women and child rights in India, JWP began its journey in 1977 as a forum, with JWP’s Mera Sahara Programme was recognised and awarded at the Social and Business Enterprise Responsible Awards (SABERA) 2018, under the ‘Shiksha’ or Education category, an objective to secure and empower women and children organised by Simply Suparnaa, in partnership with UN Global Compact Network India and MSCI from violence and social atrocities and seek to create a new on the 6th of December, 2018. society of equal partnership between women and men while ensuring access to education, development, participation and protection for children. As a non-profit, secular and rights-based organisation, it has been reaching out to the Government, law enforcing agencies, civil society groups, grassroots organisations and concerned individuals, among others, with the objective of furthering the cause of women and children with regard to their human rights concerns, especially addressing those who belong to the distressed and disadvantaged sections of the society, in both rural and urban areas. It conducts studies, research and documentation of information along with organising Our Director, Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji, celebrated her 80th Birthday on the 10th of January, 2019. seminars, conferences and workshops to inform, analyse and She is the constant force and vision behind all our programmes. build the capacity of functionaries and thus, promote necessary action. In the context of children, JWP realizes that considerable attention must be paid to child rights in the development process in India. Its programmes are planned to ensure holistic processes and laws, interventions and infrastructure for the survival, protection, development and participation of each child, irrespective of gender, caste, class and religion. The ‘Mera Sahara Education and Protection Centre’, in Nithari Noida, is one of our most successful endeavours. Dr. Jyotsna Chatterji was invited as the Chief Guest at the 70th CSI Women's Fellowship Celebrations in Bangalore in October 2018. JWP IN ACTION EDUCATION Joint Women’s Programme has been engaged in campaigning for free, mandatory primary education for all children in slums and rural areas, and wherever it interacts with women and the community for their rights as citizens of the country. We believe every child has the right to basic education and we strive to provide them with a safe, inclusive learning environment. JWP’s education programme includes a non-formal educational programme from class 1 to Class 5. It also runs creche facilities and a pre-primary education programme. We also have a dedicated programme for the adolescent girls and women, where the focus is on adult education classes, legal and health education programmes. SKILL TRAINING We have actively engaged in skill training for young adults and women throughout all our centres. Systematic skill training programmes in computer use, cooking, tailoring and embroidery are conducted for adolescent girls and women. Adult education and legal literacy is another avenue undertaken by JWP to educate the community women. The skill training programmes primarily help women to become self-sufficient and economically independent. JWP has had a long association with the M/s. Usha International Ltd., who have continually supported us in training women for tailoring (Left). In our Kausani Centre, women farmers are taught to make and use small agricultural tools (Right). HEALTH AND SANITATION JWP engages in promoting optimal health care and nutrition practices for women and children, spreading awareness and understanding about hygiene and sanitation. As a part of our Health and Hygiene Programme for the community, JWP organises several free check ups and workshops through the year, along with regular meetings to raise awareness on sanitation and need for a healthy lifestyle. Recently, Shashi Kiran Charitable Trust organised a workshop on Menstruation Hygiene and Care at the Mera Sahara Centre. They discussed the importance of female hygiene, the need to use sanitary napkins and discussed myths and taboos around menstruation (Left). They also distributed 40 hand-made pads to the women and adolescent girls. JWP also organised a Free Eye Camp with the support of Bharat Petroleum and Sagar Trust (Right). YOUTH ENGAGEMENT JWP fosters youth development and youth engagement by organising and facilitating several workshops, seminars and lectures. (Left) On 19th December 2019, JWP staff Lavneeta Jalan and Maheswari Chaudhary conducted a NSS Gender Sensitization Workshop at the MMH College, Ghaziabad with over 80 graduate students. They discussed various aspects of gender normativity, the importance of gender sensitivity, and the role the youth can play in increasing the awareness about gender, women’s empowerment and action against violence towards women and children. (Right) On the 30th January 2019, students from Miranda House performed ‘nukkad naatak’ or street play based on action against domestic violence at the JWP centre at Nithari Village. Their energetic performance got a lot of appreciation from the members of the community. We saw a lot of participation from men, who also took part in the discussion around violence against women. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT JWP reguarly conducts meetings with members of the local community to discuss various issues of violence, health, laws and rights, education and skill training. Owing to the experience we have gathered through grassroots level work, we realise that community participation is fundamental in bringing about any form of social change. (Left) JWP staff Vimla Pant conducting a session with the minority Muslim women in Nithari, raising awareness about our programmes at the Mera Sahara Centre and Skill-Development Programme. (Right) Community meeting of mothers and children to discussion the importance of nutrition. AWARENESS GENERATION JWP has been engaged in awareness generation for men, women and children across several sectors of the society. Primarily focusing on women in decision- making and awareness about action against violence on women and children, JWP organises several talks, workshops, peaceful walks and community meetings to raise awareness about the above. along with discussions on law and constitutional rights of the citizens. There is a rampant need for raising awareness at the level of the community, where most members are unaware of the many Government schemes and provisions available to them. JWP also conducts meetings with the police, which helps in reducing stigma and fear of reporting amongst the local members of the community. Our students also participate in peace walks to raise their voice against violence and demand equal rights for all. OUR CENTRES THE MERA SAHARA MODEL, NITHARI VILLAGE, NOIDA Project Mera Sahara is one of the most successful endeavours undertaken by the Joint Women’s Programme. Currently in its eleventh year, this project started in 2007 with minimal resources. Currently, the Centre provides schooling (upto class 5) and crèche facilities along with running an adult literacy programme for young adults and women, which includes training in legal literacy and political empowerment. It also has a skill development centre which provides different types of skill-based classes to women, including computer and tailoring. BRIEF HISTORY: The children of Nithari stand as a stark reminder of the insecurities faced by the poorest children in India. In 2005 and 2006, several children went missing in and around the area of Nithari. In a few months, dead bodies of several murdered children were found in the area. Following this horrifying incident, several NGOs along with members from the media exposed these murders, which came to known as the “Nithari Serial Murders”. At this point, Joint Women’s Programme conducted a survey of the area where it identified that the rampantly high incidence of sexual abuse, kidnapping and carnage of children had only recently come into the fore was the Nithari village in Gautam Budh Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh. Thus, JWP established a Protection and Learning Centre, which would both function as a school for children, young adults and women, along with providing creche facilities for infants. This Centre was established with the support of a sensitized local community group to provide for every child, a space for development, survival, protection and recreation, with special emphasis on the girl child who will be the empowered women of the future. This process has helped to transform the community to be proactively involved in its own development. It is with this vision that our Nithari project came to be what it is today. JWP’s focus then shifted to Child Education, Protection, and Women’s Empowerment with Community Participation. OKHLA, NEW DELHI This centre conducts tailoring classes, legal awareness and literacy programme for over 60 women and young girls WEST BENGAL KAUSANI, UTTARAKHAND The Halishahar Women’s Programme in