Empower 300 girls to end gender based violence

Dear Global Givers,

We are happy to share an update on our current project where 300 women and girls are being trained on gender issues, leadership and negotiation skills, prevention and reporting of abuse, ARSHR (Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, and Rights) and sports.

Young women and girls in India continue to face gender-based violence on an everyday basis. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) suggests that 30 percent of women in India in the age group of 15-49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

Hence there is an urgent need to have a strong focus on women and girls which will address preventing sexual and gender-based violence, ending harmful traditional patriarchal practices and encourage girls to develop in other areas of their lives. Women and girls have long suffered and we need your continued support to help them reclaim their space and be part of a change through systematic intervention.

With your support, the project has been able to identify vulnerable girls and women through outreach and mobilisation. A complete training module is being developed and experts have been identified to conduct the training on selected modules. The girls have been divided into various batches based upon their age group and aptitude.

The following is an update on the project activities:

1. Core team management training: The core team’s capacities have been built to undertake further training programs for adolescent girls. The core project team continues to be a pillar of support for the girls and the project.
2. Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, and Rights (ARSHR): A session on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health, and Rights was held in batches where the participants had in-depth discussion through group activities and visual-aid presentations.
3. Gender training for adolescents: A gender training has been organised with both boys and girls through various exercises and illustrations on how to break gender stereotypes. Many parents also attended the training to observe the session.
4. Legal assistance to the women and girls experiencing gender-based violence: Training for the core team has been held with legal experts on existing legal provisions for safeguarding women and girls. Three women have approached the core team with domestic violence related issues. The core team is assisting the women with the support of the legal team to resolve the issues or to report further to relevant authorities.
5. Counselling support: Regular counselling sessions are being held where one to one counselling is provided to girls that need support.
6. Football training: Basic and advanced football training is being provided to 46 girls in separate batches. iPartner India has collaborated with a football academy to refine the skills of girls through advanced training support. Nutrition kits are also being provided to the girls to build their physical strength and to address malnutrition.

Through sport, these girls have been challenging the patriarchal norms. iPartner India is engaging with all stakeholders in the community and include not just men and boys but also the family and local authorities to address grievances faced by women and girls.

Thank you, Global Givers, for your continued support. With the pandemic, girls and women have become even more vulnerable to gender-based violence, our work has now bigger challenges but we remain committed to work till every women and girls in India have an equal opportunity and have access to their basic rights.

With deep gratitude,
Team iPartner India