Five Day Regional Workshop

Five Day Regional Workshop:
In Youth for Change programme, we have had five day regional workshop with 110 youth leaders. from each district 2 facilitator attended this workshop.
1. Strengthen understanding of SRHR and gender issues
2. Develop stronger capacities for Leadership and Organization building
3. Develop action plans for advocacy on youth SRHR with stakeholders using communications materials and messages.
Youth have been participated with full zeal and energy. We had done different type of activities like session on reproductive health and lots of game which focoused on Gender and role of gender, power game and enrziger and youth also visited a historical place Bada Imambada( A place which made by Mugal Emperor in 1700). In this workshop a youth booklet had been inograted by few government officials and NGO members the name of the booklet is "Yuva Tarang", which is basicaly made for facilitator to work with youth and also create a issue and awarness for youth groups. And the on going impact will be youth will aware about their iussues and they will generate demand and will be create a collaborative voice for policy making in coming year.

COMMUNITY LEVEL ACTIVITIES

COMMUNITY LEVEL ACTIVITIES

PAG (PROGRAMME ADVISORY GROUP):

Several community level meetings are held. The main priority of such meetings is to collect information from the community level groups and supply and share such information at the state levels. Hence 2 types of meetings are held- one at the state level and one at the district level. These meetings see the participation of about 10-15 members with an approximate 50% youth participation and 50% adult participation at both district and state levels.

YOUTH MEETINGS:

Several youth meetings are also held to discuss their sexual and reproductive health rights. A feeling of strict confidentiality is also maintained to ensure that the participants discuss all their personal problems freely with the supervisors. In general the participants are divided into groups of 10-15 members under 1 leader. In most places 2 meetings are held and in some 4 meetings are held depending on the size and population of the areas and districts,

STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS:

Stakeholder meetings are also held with teachers and parents of the youth groups as participants. Such meetings are essential as we have to seek permission of such members to discuss matters relating to sexual and reproductive health rights with their children because even today such matters are concerned to be taboo in rural areas. Discussions are held regarding such rights of the youth and information is shared with them regarding the same. It is not possible to work at the community level if there is no stakeholder support. Hence such meetings are organized.

COMMUNITY LEVEL MEETINGS

PAG (PROGRAMME ADVISORY GROUP)MEETINGS:

In such community level meeting we seek to collect and impart information from the various communities and share it at the state level. we have a regular particioation of about 10-15 members in each district which nearly always has a 50% adult and 50% youth participation.Discussions are also held on matters relating to the sexual and reproductive health rights of the youth. 2 such meetings are held-one at the State level and one at the District level.

YOUTH MEETINGS:

Such meetings involving specifically the youth are held regularly to familiarise the youth with their sexual and reproductive health rights. A feeling of strict confidentiality is maintained to ensure that the youth groups share their personal problems. 10-15 youths are placed under 1 leader in such meetings and the dizscussions are held about their various rights and problems and ways in which we can remedy them. 2 meetings are held in most places and in others 4-5 meetings are held depending on the size and population of these particular areas and districts.

STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS:

Stakeholder meetings are also held regularly which see the participation of the parents and teachers of the youth groups. This is extremely important as we gain permission to hold talks on sexual and reproductive rights, diseases relating to sexual acts and other matters which are still recognized mostly as taboo in rural India. Important information is also shared regarding the youth and their various sexual and reproductive health rights. It is not possible to work with youth groups on matters relating to their sexual and reproductive rights.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

SPECIAL DAY CELEBRATIONS:

Our organization has also organized several youth activities. Over the year we have taken into consideration the chronological order of special days and have celebrated each of these days with several youth groups in rural areas. Working in collaboration with 11 NGO partners we have celebrated:

1. International Women’s Health and Work Day.
2. International Youth Day on the 12th of August.
3. Valentine’s Day on the 14th of February.
4. Women’s Day on the 8th of March.
5. Women’s Health Day on the 7th of April.
6. Population Day on the 11th of July.
7. Teacher’s Day on the 5th of September.
8. Rural Women’s Day on the 15th of October.
9. International day for action voilence against women on the 25th of November.
10. World Aids Day on the 1st of December.
11. International Disability Day on the 3rd of December.
12. Montrieal day on the 6th of December.
13. International Human rights Day on the 10th of December.
14. CEDAW Day on the 18th of December.

The motive behind organizing special activities on these days and celebrating these important days was to observe as to what extent the various youth groups and the youth themselves of all ages, caste and creed interacted with each other and to what degree they worked in coordination with each other. The cooperation of the youth at all levels was noted. Another purpose of these activities was to mobilize the youth for these various causes and to give them an understanding as to what these different issues meant and the importance it held for the world at large.

"AB TO JAGO"( Domestic Voilence Campaign )

AB TO JAAGO CAMPAIGN -Phase one

MASVAW (Mens Action for Stopping Violence Against Women) as a network has taken the initiative to organize and participate in several campaigns primarily intended to ensure the involvement of the stakeholders and the youth of rural India. "AB TO JAAGO" is one such campaign which aims at targeting the issue of domestic violence and raising the voices of the general public against it. Several women all over India are subjected to domestic violence, yet are unable to take any action against it either due to the lack of knowledge that they possess about their rights or because of other causes which prevents them from raising their voices against the male dominated society. To shatter such false beliefs and to empower women against domestic violence the campaign AB TO JAAGO looks to involve people to work relentlessly for this cause. Many different activities have been organized by this campaign which includes rallies, candle marches, stakeholders’ meetings, organizing meetings for youth groups, poster competitions, essay competitions and cycle rallies. The campaign lasted from the 25th of November to the 10th of December. We celebrated important days such as International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women on the 25th of November, World Aids Day on the 1st of December and International Human Rights Day on the 10th of December.

AB TO JAAGO CAMPAIGN- Phase two

Now , in this year many diferrent activities have been organized like candle march, seminar in schools and colleges , essay competetions, phamphlets distribution and rallies by youth groups and stakeholders

WORKSHOPS OF YOUTH FOR CHANGE

Youth For Change has initiated several workshops to make the general and young public of rural India aware of their rights and decision making powers and abilities.

CONSULTATION WORKSHOPS:
Initially we started off with consultation workshops which were held from the 1st to the 7th of May. In this duration the main priority of the workshop was to make our partners, which involved other NGOs and other local level partners, familiar with the concept of Youth For Change. The main objectives were laid before the participants and partners and the basic Y4C plan was put forward. Documentary movies relating to the topics of our focus were screened and presentations were made. The participants were divided into several groups to discuss the concerned topics and also discuss ways in which the youth can be united. Effective participation of the various groups present there ensured that important matters such as ways to introduce topics like the youth’s sexual and reproductive rights to the rural community were discussed.

YOUTH GROUPS-CREATING, SUSTAINING AND MONITORING-CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP:
Several CBWs (Capacity Building Workshops) were then organized. The importance of these workshops is to provide knowledge and information about such rights and decision making abilities. It also aims at mobilizing the youth into effective participation in these workshops to attain desired results. Another important objective of such workshops is to instill in the workers of working areas, the spirit of leadership and to hone their abilities to take the initiative in the various projects. Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights workshops have also been engaged in developing and promoting understanding among the supervisors and workers of such workshops. Workers and officials are also trained to create interest amongst the youth to assure their effective involvement in the advocacy of youth sexual and reproductive health rights.

ADVOCACY WORKSHOP:
The intention of this workshop was to primarily create advocacy amongst the participant workers and to train them as to how they can advocate the sexual and reproductive rights amongst the youth of the country. The participants included the supervisor, the head of the organization and other workers. The main objective of this workshop was to create an understanding among the workers as to how they can advocate the rights of the youth, how they shall communicate and make the youth aware of their sexual and reproductive rights and how to bring to the knowledge of the youth their abilities to advocate such rights. Mahila Swasthya Adhikar Manch participated in collaboration with Youth For Change to ensure the success of the workshop.

YOUTH FOR CHANGE WORKING AREAS

YOUTH FOR CHANGE WORKING AREA:

1.Astitava Sansthan, Muzzaffar Nagar District

2.Anchal Gramin Vikash Samajik Sammiti, Saharanpur District

3. Baba Ram karan Das Gramin Vikash Sansthan, Gorakhpur District

4.Bundelkhand Development Foundation, Jhanshi District

5. Daud Memorial Chrichtian Gramin Vikash Sammiti, Gorakhpur

6. Gramya Sansthan,Chandauli District

7. Tarun Vikash Sansthan,Banda District

8. Suchetna Social welfare Services,Bareilly

9. Pt.Govindh Ballabh Pant Institute of Social Studies, Lucknow District

10. Sri Raman and saravasti Pustakalaya, Aazamgarh District

11. Shikshar Prashikshan Sansthan,Mirjapur District

NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY

1. PREAMBLE:The National Youth Policy, 2003 seeks to bring about an all round development of the Indian youth so as to enable them to realize all their legitimate aspirations and ambitions. The earlier National Youth Policy was formulated in 1988 but since then the country’s socio-economic conditions have undergone drastic changes. So the National Youth Policy of 2003 aims at nurturing and galvanizing the youth to rise up to the new challenges that hinder the nation’s progress and to be proud participants of National Development. The policy attempts to recognize the various fields in which the youth can give their valuable contribution and seeks to attain effective coordination between different committees and departments which are related to the youth development policy making. It also aims at promoting personality development, instilling in the youth good qualities of citizenship and enhances the youth’s commitment to humanism and social service. The policy thus recognizes these inter-related values and principles as its basic premise.

• DEFINITION OF YOUTH:The policy aims to cover all the youth in the country that falls into the 13-35yrs category. It is estimated that the population of the said category of people will rise rapidly to approximately 50.1 crores by 2016 which would constitute over half the population of the country.

• OBJECTIVES OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH POLICY:The Youth Policy aims at instilling in the youth awareness and adherence to the principles enshrined in the Constitution. It also seeks to instill in the youth good qualities of citizenship and to increase their awareness about the nation’s heritage and culture. The policy wishes to provide the youth with proper educational facilities and to make access to information easy, to provide adequate information with respect to health services and to enhance the availability of sports and recreational facilities. The policy intends to instill in the youth the feeling of volunteerism and to promote among them a feeling of peace and to allow them to work for global peace and harmony by collaborating with various NGOs and other organizations that are out there for the common good of the citizens of the world. To promote global economic order the policy wishes to instill in the youth leadership qualities and also to channelise their abundant energies in community service so as to improve the environment and to foster inquisitive scientific thinking among them.

• THRUST AREAS OF THE POLICY:

1. YOUTH EMPOWERMENT: The poicy recognizes that for effective participation of the youth in national development adequate facilities have to be provided.
2. GENDER JUSTICE: The policy aims to ensure that women and girls are not mistreated and are provided with equal opportunities as their male counterparts. This is important for the riddance of the prevalent sex bias.
3. INTER-SECTORAL APPROACH: The policy looks to ensure proper coordination between various departments committed to the the youth development of the nation.
4. INFORMATION AND RESEARCH NETWORK: Youth development programmes in India have often failed owing to the lack of information and research. Hence the policy aims at providing information and research based facilities to the organizations committed to youth development and empowerment.

• KEY SECTORS OF YOUTH CONCERN:

EDUCATION:The policy recognizes the need to provide appropriate education to the youth which would instill in the youth a feeling of patriotism and respect towards the unity and integrity of the country. The thrust of the educational system in the early years should be to minimize the stress and strain of that is often linked to the Indian system of education. Focus should be on learning rather than qualifying in examinations and memory based tests.

HEALTH:The policy also recognizes the need to provide adequate health facilities to the youth. There are various aspects that concern health like General Health, Spiritual Health, Mental Health and awareness about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The policy also recognizes the ever increasing population of the country and seeks to create awareness about community programmes which would ensure smaller families which plays a vital role in national development.

ENVIRONMENT:The policy recognizes that young people and children are particularly vulnerable to the ill effects of environmental degradation and therefore have laid down the following lines of concrete action:

a) Greater emphasis should be placed on environmental education in school curricula and training programs.
b) Encouragement would be provided to youth organizations in gathering environmental data and in creating awareness amongst the youth in matters relating to environmental problems.
c) Youth organizations at the grass root levels would be given assistance and motivation and adequate training in agro-forestry and agriculture.
d) Promotion of both traditional and alternative technologies for water conservation and water harvesting

SPORTS AND RECREATION: The policy recognizes the need for sports and recreational facilities for the all round development of an individual. Hence the policy sees the need for educational institutions to make provisions for such facilities and has laid down means and methods for doing the same.

ARTS AND CULTURE: The youth should be made aware of the country’s rich heritage and culture. Inclusion of the study of the country’s rich heritage in music, dance, arts and crafts in academic curricula is also a must. A National Youth Centre should also be established where the youth of the country can express their free views with regard to art and culture. Also eminent personalities in various fields of art and culture would be encouraged to visit and impart knowledge to the students of various institutions.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Support would be provided to the youth to instill in them scientific temper and to upgrade science curricula in the various academic institutions and to promote the best and positive use of communication, data and technological facilities. They would also facilitate the linking of the scientific projects of young scientists to the actual requirement of the citizens of the country.

CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP:The policy envisages the following strategies to prevent anti-social behavior amongst the youth:
1.Keeping in mind that human behavior is shaped by norms and values the policy wishes to instill in the youth, a feeling of deepest respect for their elders and teachers.
2.To motivate the youth to resist fragmentation of society on the basis of language and ethnicity
3.To motivate and mobilize the youth to take up strict action against corruption at all levels.

PRIORITY TARGET GROUPS:
This Policy will accord priority to the following groups of young people:
1.Rural and Tribal Youth;
2.Out-of-school Youth;
3.Adolescents particularly female adolescents;
4.Youth with disabilities;
Youth under specially difficult circumstances like victims of trafficking; orphans and street children.

OBJECTIVE OF YOUTH FOR CHANGE

Objectives of the Project:

The project has the following objectives:

• To understand youth perspectives and build rapport with youth in Uttar Pradesh

• To build understanding of SRHR issues among youth and other stakeholders

• To build platforms to advocate for comprehensive youth SRHR policy and services

UTTAR PRADESH SCENARIO ON YSRHR

Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) is not an issue of cultural compatibility; according to the Convention to stay in school and marry later, are essential to meeting the Millennium gender on the Rights of the Child (CRC) children have the right to be protected from all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation, but at the same time they have the right to be provided opportunities for growth and development according to their evolving capacities, and this includes emotional and sexual growth and development as well.

The youth of Uttar Pradesh need access to comprehensive information on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights because of the following reasons:
In comparison to previous generations, the onset of puberty occurs at an earlier age for adolescent girls. The lack of knowledge to care for their bodies during menstruation can result in negative reproductive health consequences. It was found that a large proportion of girls were not aware of menstruation when they first experienced it. Most information was imparted to them in the form of restrictions on her behavior and movements. In majority of the cases the young females of Uttar Pradesh were using old cloth during menstruation and in the subsequent periods they were reusing the old cloth. The prevalence of Reproductive Tracts Infections was more than 3 times higher among girls having unsafe menstrual practices.

The custom of early marriage among adolescent girls is common in Uttar Pradesh, exposing girls to sexual intercourse during their adolescent years. Therefore many girls become pregnant even before reaching the age of 19. Complications of pregnancy such as anemia, low birth rate, spontaneous abortions and eclampsia are significantly higher among adolescent mothers, as is the risk of dying from pregnancy. Research studies have shown that 1 in 5 adolescents give birth by the age 17.2 and that 14.3% of women aged between 15-19 are already mothers or pregnant. As adolescent women are not physically fully developed, pregnancy and motherhood exposes them to acute health risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

There is an increasing rate of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Tract Infections due to unprotected intercourse amongst adolescents. In the state of Uttar Pradesh only 8.7 percent of married women aged 19-49, reported the use of condoms. Estimated number of HIV infected people in India is about 5.1 million and of this over 50% of the newly infected population belongs to the 15-24 year old period. Only 74% of men and 40% of the women in UP have heard of the disease AIDS.
There is an unacceptable prevalence of violent and coercive sexual behavior against adolescents. Child abuse and neglect have known detrimental effects on the physical, mental, psychological, cognitive and behavioral development of children. Over a third of all rape victims belong to the age group below 16 years. Clinical conditions associated with abuse and neglect includes depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and conduct disorders. Child mistreatment also leads to long term societal consequences like low academic performance, drug use, teen pregnancy and adult criminality.

Youth lack the knowledge and resources to plan pregnancies. Adolescents constitute a large percentage of the abortion seeking population. Findings show that adolescents have a low decision making authority as compared to their elders regarding abortion and are thus forced into abortion or face opposition from their families and consequently are more likely to report post-abortion morbidity. UP’s youth(15-24yrs) constitute over one third of the state’s population. So in order to bring about stability in population growth the youth of UP must be made aware of conception and contraception methods. Among married women in UP aged between 15-29, 43.6% reported to have used any method of contraception. At least one half of unmarried women seeking abortions at facilities are adolescents, many of whom are below 15 years of age.

GLOBAL SCENERIO ON YSRHR

The youth population of the world (from the ages of 15 to 29) is estimated at about 2 billion people. Thus the advocacy and protection of their rights is of great importance for the future of the world. Their sexual and reproductive rights is of as much importance as is their other rights.

There are several organizations all over the world that advocate the sexual and reproductive rights for the youth. The World Health Organization even advocates the right of all individuals to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health irrespective of their age. The youth have the right to legal or safe abortion, the right to control their reproductive functions, the right to access quality reproductive healthcare and the right to education and access in order to make reproductive choices free from coercion, discrimination and violence.

There are other important organizations that advocate the sexual rights of the youth like the Canadian Youth for Choice Federation, basic rights Oregon, International Union of Socialist Youth, Junior Chamber International, National Youth Rights Association, etc. These organizations play a vital role in making the youth aware of their sexual rights and in promoting sex education. They also raise their voice against and actively counter elements in society that against the ethics of science ignore numerous studies and comment that same sex marriages should not be allowed or that the number and genders of the parents are of primary importance for a child’s welfare and development. What these organizations want to do basically is to conduct adequate study in the field of children’s sexual rights and to make them aware of their sexual and reproductive rights by encouraging sex education which is often regarded to be taboo in society.

• Presently same sex marriages are available only to the residents of Netherlands, Spain, Canada.
• The state of Vermont allows gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions.
• Several provinces in Canada allow gay and lesbian couples to receive all the rights, privileges and obligations that the state gives to married couples.
• The Gallup Organization conducted a study in March 1996 which showed that 68% of American adults opposed gay marriages and 27%were in favour of gay marriages.
• The Women In Technology International conducted a poll within it’s organization itself which showed that 80% of them were in favour of same sex marriages and 18% were against it.
• A Newsweek magazine survey of 1998 showed that young adults(18-29yrs) were “significantly more accepting of gay marriages” than people above the ages of 30.
• A 2002 poll conducted by KRC Communications Research for Globe/WBZ showed that within the age group of 18-39 yrs 62% were in favor of same sex marriages, 33% were not in favour and 5% had no opinions regarding the same.
• A 2003 New Jersey poll indicated that among 18-29 year olds 71% were in favour of same sex marriages.
• The 2006 Boston Globe poll showed that 39% of subjects between 18 and 34 opposed same sex marriages as compared to 46% between the ages of 35 to 49 and 51% between 50 to 64.
  
  All these surveys and polls give a clear indication that majority of the youth of the world support same sex marriages and thus their sexual rights are of utmost importance.
  
  Though the global scenario on the reproductive and sexual rights of the youth is still a very narrow area of thought, the development in this field and the rising awareness of the youth with respect to the same is broadening its circumference of the aforementioned rights.

PRINCIPLE OF YOUTH FOR CHANGE

Youth Participation - This program is completely focused on youth participation, SAHAYOG is following Roger Hart's ladder. For youth participation in its Y4C programme you can visit www.freechild.org/ladder.htm.
Ladder of Participation
About the Ladder:
Sociologist Roger Hart wrote a book called Children's Participation: The Theory And Practice Of Involving Young Citizens In Community Development And Environmental Care for UNICEF in 1997. This groundbreaking work put the work of young people and adult allies around the world in the context of a global movement for participation, offering needed guidance and criticism of many efforts. The "Ladder of Children's Participation," also called the "Ladder of Youth Participation," is one of many significant tools from the book.
It has been noticed that youth are always being used as a decorative component in most families in rural India where their rights and decision making powers have not been recognized. In spite of various programmes and policies being formulated by the government the youth's decisions are rarely ever accepted and appreciated by the adults as there is a belief that the youth is not mature enough to make decisions regarding their well being. Therefore Y4C is a unique programme aimed at not only the development of the youth, but also to allow them to play a vital role in the implementation of the programme and to enable greater participation of the youth in the programme. Their decision making powers are recognized and is encouraged not only for the implementation of the programme but also for other matters relating to their life.
Youth Diversity - Youth in Uttar Pradesh (Most populated state of India) are very diverse: a large number of these are rural youth; a large number of youth are poor and some will be migrating out; significant numbers are the specially disadvantaged Dalits and Muslims; a large number of young women are non-literate and a vast percentage of young women will be married or mothers before the age of 18 years.This program looks to facilitate the involvement and participation of all the above diverse youth especially between the ages of 13-24.

Stakeholder support - Stakeholders such as parents, teacher, health service providers, political representatives, media and other related departments are also part of this program implementation. As the decision making abilities of the youth is not recognized by the above stakeholders owing to different social, economic, cultural, political, regional and religious factors Y4C seeks to make them aware of the vital role that they are capable of playing in order to enable the youth to realize their sexual and reproductive rights and their decision making powers. Y4C looks to bring all these stakeholders together to support the youth of the country and to provide encouragement for the realization of the above goals.