Mahila Kayakotsava - Women's Empowerment Campaign
(Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana)
Under the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Scheme, Men and Women are provided with equal work and equal pay. To further increase the participation of women in Rural Areas, “Mahila Kayakotsava” was organized from January 15, 2021, which resulted in significant increase in the participation of women. Under the Mahatma Gandhi NREG Scheme, “Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana” was launched to further increase the participation of Women and bring Gender Minorities under the scheme.
Campaign Objectives:
- Increasing the participation rate of women to atleast 60% under the Mahatma Gandhi NREG scheme.
- Provision of Job Cards and unskilled work to Gender Minorities under NREG Scheme.
- To provide Economic Empowerment to Women and Gender Minorities by providing individual facilities under NREG Scheme.
- Making workplaces Women and Child friendly.
- Encouraging participation of Self Help Groups under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and training Women Kayaka Bandhus to motivate women to participate more under the Scheme.
- Encouraging the participation of Self-Help Groups in Village Haats and organizing sale fairs of daily use items for Self-Help Groups on other days except weekly Haats
Preparation and Implementation of Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana:
Activities to be done
1) To conduct a meeting with departments associated with women related works such as Child Development Committee, Women and Child Trafficking and Child Marriage Prevention Committee, Federation of Self Help Groups formed at Gram Panchayat level and various Departmental/Non-Departmental stakeholders.
2) Creating awareness about “Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana” through pamphlet and other local available mediums and by making announcements about conducting Mahila Gram Sabhas.
3) To inform Women and Gender Minorities of all women Self-Help/Stree Shakti Sanghas in the village about the campaign and ensuring the active participation of all Self Help Group members in Mahila Gram Sabhas.
4) Other Govt. Departments to prepare the details about various schemes available in their department for women empowerment by having a preparatory discussion and provide these details in the Grama Sabha.
Organizing Mahila Gram Sabhas:
1) Conducting Gram Panchayat Level Mahila Gram Sabha on the date fixed by Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers at the place fixed by Gram Panchayat.
2) Attendance of elected members of Gram Panchayat and Local Officers of various departments should be ensured in Gram Sabha.
3) Ensuring the Participation of all Gender Minorities under Gram Panchayat limits in the Gram Sabha.
4) Provide brief information about women's rights, purpose of MGNREGA, safety of women, childcare center facility for the children of working women, wages and other facilities.
5) Providing information about the rights of women, schemes and facilities available by the government for women empowerment.
6) General health check-up camps, especially Anemia check-up camps by Primary Health Center Medical Officers and KHPT during the Gram Sabha.
7) Weaker Sections, Women, Specially Abled and Gender Minorities should be given more opportunity to express their demands in the Gram Sabha.
8) "Grama Panchayat Desk" should be arranged at the place where the Gram Sabha is held. Brochures containing information on facilities available to women and gender minorities from various government departments should be available at this desk.
- Under the Mahatma Gandhi NREG scheme, unregistered women and gender minorities should be identified, registered on the spot through the Gram Panchayat Desk and Job Cards should be issued.
- Information on the facilities available to women and gender minorities from various government departments should be provided and the eligible beneficiaries should be enlisted.
9) Job demand in Form-6 should be accepted from Women and Gender Minorities registered under NREGA scheme. They should be provided with work within 15 days of receiving the demand.
10) Demands for individual works from Women and Gender Minorities registered under NREGA scheme should be accepted, approved in the Gram Sabha and included in the action plan.
11) Provision of space in Gram Sabha for display and sale of locally made cloth bag/clothes/toys/attractive items/nutritious food items by Self-Help Groups/Women Empowerment Societies/Women within Gram Panchayat to be made.
Implementation and Monitoring Process:
- Gram Panchayat:
- Presidents of Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Development Officers should take appropriate steps to conduct Mahila Gram Sabhas.
- Informing local officials of all Departments, Women Self-Help Groups/ Women's Power Groups, Sanjeevini program staffs, Local Women and Youth Associations about Date, Time and Venue of Mahila Gram Sabha.
- Enrolling the women registered under NRLM SHGs as members of Gram Panchayat Library.
- Documenting photo, video, proceedings of Women's Gram Sabha and submitting the information in the prescribed forms to the superiors within stipulated time and recording it in Panchatantra software.
- Taluk Panchayat:
- Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers shall be responsible as Nodal Officers for their Taluk Abhiyan.
- Workshop on how to register for training, duration of training, location of training, benefits of training to be communicated at hobli levels on the trainings about to be organized by Taluk Panchayat Executive Officers in co-ordination with Project Managers of NRLM through Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) related to skill training (DDUGKY) in the district before organizing Mahila Gram Sabha.
- Fixing the dates of Mahila Gram Sabhas, publishing the schedule and communicating them to the concerned Gram Panchayat.
- To take appropriate steps to ensure that Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana and Women Gram Sabhas takes place in all Gram Panchayats of their taluka and a Nodal Officer is assigned to each Gram Panchayath to oversee the effective implementation of the process.
- Giving appropriate directions to the local officials of concerned departments for their presence on the day of Mahila Gram Sabha.
- Exhibition of materials: Organization of exhibition and sale fairs of materials/items manufactured/produced by Women Self-Help Groups by Taluk Panchayat.
- Zilla Panchayat:
- Chief Executive Officers at district level to be responsible as Nodal Officers for Mahila Udyoga Sabaleekarana Abhiyana.
- To identify voluntary organizations in the field of Women & Child Development in the district and take necessary steps to involve them in implementation of Government Schemes in Gram Panchayats.
- During the campaign, directives to be given regarding conducting activities/programs, Mahila Grama Sabhas, Action Plan preparation and Implementation and similar activities to motivate in making GPs as friendly for Women Employement.
- Organization of exhibition and sale fairs by Zilla Panchayat: Organization of exhibition and sale fairs to promote the products produced by Women Self-Help Groups.
- Training Program by NRLM: Trainings organized by Project Implementation Institutions (PIA) related to Skill Training (DDUGKY) in the district in collaboration with District Project Manager of NRLM, Workshop on how to register for training, duration of training, location of training, benefits of training to be communicated through youtube live Organized and organized by the Zilla Panchayat to ensure that women participate to watch/hear.
