Networking and Advocacy
Samajik Shaikshanik Vikas Kendra (SSVK), with its project area in one of the most backward pockets of Bihar, has been involved in grassroots mobilisation, organisation, and facilitating mass activities to enable the most marginalised sections of society [the dalits (the scheduled castes) in particular] to access their rights and entitlements. In its perception the way to effective empowerment is one hinging on and oriented towards evolving autonomous community based organisations endowed with capabilities required for the actualisation of a spirit of self-determination and self-reliance. The organisation’s approach received a major thrust in the direction of activism through its extensive capacity building at the grassroots geared towards creation of a trained and informed pool of social animators, mostly from its target community. A significant fall out of this intervention has been the evolution of a strategic network of community based organisations, under the banner of Lok Shakti Sangathan, a frontal organisation with an avowed aim to facilitate issue based interventions from time to time and advocate for desired changes in the policy framework. This network, now intensively spread over 1399 villages of Madhubani, Saharsa, Supaul and Darbhanga Districts and with a growing presence in 14 other districts (310 villages) of Bihar, has contributed greatly towards enhancing the self-esteem and self-worth of these families. Strategies deployed for mobilisation involve intensive animation inputs at the village level, periodic larger meets on entitlements related issues and mass contact programmes through `Padyatras”. Advocacy strategies involve petitioning, demonstrations, sit ins, organizing stakeholders’ meeting with the government authorities, representing issues before legislators and the media, networking with like minded stakeholders, cultivating an informed constituency through circulation of newsletter and thematic publications, legal education and legal redressal.
SSVK’s target group under the banner of Lok Shakti Sangathan has been able to sustain struggles and wrest victories on issues related to just wages, control over land and water related productive resources, access to governmental development and welfare programmes and redressal of issues pertaining to victimisation by the local administration and dominant elements within their village set up.
Lok Shakti Sangathan is one of the nine Indian member constituents of the World Dignity Forum and has been an active co-participant in the conferences, public rallies and protest marches organized by it in the interest of the dalit communities. As a constituent of this forum, Lok Shakti Sangathan organized a public rally in New Delhi in 2005 as a “Musahar Rights Day” to give the problems of the Musahar, a recognition on the national level. Ten thousand musahars , under the banner of Lok Shakti Sangathan, participated in the rally which was followed up the next day by a march to the Parliament.. This event had also the participation of dalit groups from all over the country.
The organisational Secretary has been an invitee participant in the World Social Forum Meets held in Mumbai and Brazil. The organization Secretary visited Hong Kong on the occasion of 6th WTO ministrial level conference.
Two Dalit women from SSVK and LSS were nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2005 and were among the 91 nominated from all over India. In recognition of their nomination, the Ryan Foundation awarded them with “Women of Substance Award 2004”. One of the two also received “Out Look Speak Out Award 2005”.
Since 2007 SSVK has been a part of Dalit Watch in Disaster Mitigation, Bihar and working together with 5 networks of people’s organization and NGOs on eliminating discrimination and ensuring equity and inclusion in relief measures.. This initiative is being financially supported by Cordaid, OXFAM and Christian Aid.
DW and SSVK disaster mitigation meeting with International Agency ( OXFEM, World Bank,
Cord Aid, Save theChildren Fund,Christan Aid, UNICEF, Actionaid)
Training of Dalit watch Panchayat leaders
Advocacy
Labour-Farmer convention
March to parliament in New Delhi on the occasion of International Dalit Dignity DayRally
March to parliament in New Delhi on the occasion of International Dalit Dignity Day
Mr. Kuldeep Naiyer (Eminent Journalist) addressing community people on the occasion of Mushar
Rights Day organized by SSVK in New Delhi
Mr. Mukul Sharma (Eminent Journalist) addressing community people on the occasion of Mushar Rights
Day organized by SSVK in New Delhi
Mr. Deepak Bharti (Founder of SSVK) addressing community people on the occasion of Mushar Rights
Day organized by SSVK in New Delhi
Convention of Panchayat Representatives
Training of Panchayat Representatives
Panchayat Rights Committee
Panchayat Vigilance Committee
Participation of SSVK Community leaders in World Social Forum 2004 Mumbai
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