Youth Leader Exposure Visit

To promote youth leadership an exposure visit was organized from 23rd -26th June, 09. Total 44 youth visited two organisation based in Uttarakhand State named VIMARSH and SUCHETNA. VIMARSH is based in Nainital District, works for gender issue in the community and schools, while forming Gender Cells in schools. SUCHETNA works in two States Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand while running 15 such centres for youth development. Youth visited in a few villages of their working areas and had group discussions with youth of different districts. Youth share about their problems and also initiatives which they took to deal with their problems. Youth had the opportunity to analyse different situation in two states. Youth were very impressed to see girls mobility and leadership in Uttarakhand, they felt in Uttar Pradesh girls don't have mobility and right to decide specially about right to choice, even it is also not that easy for boys in Uttar Pradesh.

To see more photographs Youth Leader Exposure visit 23-26 June 09">click here

Uttar Pradesh State Level Dialogue

World Health Day: Youth Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights

For demanding Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights a state level dialogue was organised on 6th April on the eve of World Health day. Representatives from different youth related departments i.e. Education Directorate, Health Directorate, Acadmicians from different educatinal Institutions, District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Nehru Yuwa Kendra, State and National Level issue experts and media gathered together to discuss the youth situation and the need for their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rigths in Uttar Pradesh. Leadership youth from 10 districts shared their experience and damanded immediated action for three main issues such as for stopping underage marriages, providing sexuality education in school curriculum, and availabilty of Sexual and reproductive health services including counselling at Public Health Centres. Youth said "They need Sex education as it is the topic which they are not permitted to discuss with parents or others in the society, and their friends have the same knowledge therefore it is very important to think about youth, which is at present a large population. Experts realised and supported youth demands and said as there are around 6.6. million youth aged 15 to 24 years in Uttar Pradesh, so that it is important from a development perspective, so the government should think and take immediate action for the needful.

District Level Dialogue on 12th January 2009

On 12th of January 2009, on the occasion of Swami Vivekananda's Birthday youth had celebrated district level dialogue at 10 district of Utter Pradesh with 11 NGO partners. Objective of the district level dialogue was to generate a demand by 1500 youth related to their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right issues. Youth had given a demand letter to Chief minister of Utter Pradesh and they were demanding on the three major issue which they are facing in their society,the first one was the Prohibition of early marriage because the status of U.P. is very poor and youth are living in very miserable condition because 50 percent of the girls aged 19-24 get married in the early age. And also the ratio of boys is also very critical. The second demand was for the availability of resources and information related to youth SRHR at every Primary Health Center. And the third one which was a burning issue for our government for provision of sexuality education for youth. Different type of stake holders like parents, Chief medical officers and political leader, Anganbadi worker, ANM, ASHA, teachers participated in District level dialogue. Youth presented their issues presentation of Puppet shows, film theater, songs, speachs and many others.

For pictures releted to District Dialogue Download from here

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.