Flag Hosting
Gram Panchayat Sarpanch “Janabai of Ladchi village participated in the prabhat pheri (morning peace march) and women in the village called her names and labelled her crazy but she simply said that she had the right to salute her National Flag and continued to walk.”
RSCD had to make efforts and undertake dual responsibility in the process firstly of advocacy i.e., fighting with the government for making new laws/ policies and amending older ones and secondly after the passage of the law, striving hard for its effective implementation. In Indian context, both Independence Day (15 Aug) and Republic Day (26 Jan) have National significance. Flag hoisting programs organized on these two days in particular are attached with the issues of patriotism, identity and citizenship. For decades, flag hoisting in villages has remained an exclusively male event as male members of the family and the village community gather together along with the school children and unfurl the flag. Women were never part of this process and their only responsibility in this event was to send their children in clean uniforms on time.
As a part of women's citizenship rights and the process of empowerment, RSCD insisted that EWRS in particular and the members of the PRWF, SHGs etc should participate in the flag hoisting ceremony. It is equally important to note that power holders were the ones who unfurled the flag, so even after being elected as the of the village; EWRs hardly receive the chance to be in that position of power. However women have tried hard to be part of the process and make use of this important event.
Mahila Gramsevika
The government has in principle agreed to the demand of having a Mahila Sevika. Having women Sevika is of crucial importance to women as it helps them to function effectively in many ways. The rural society doesn't give space for men and women even from the same family to work in a common enterprise.
It has been observed by RSCD that women face character assassination and other forms of violence for working in close association with the Male Sevaks. There are also other technical issues and difficulties of travelling with them to the Taluka or the block places for work, meetings etc. Having Mahila Sevika's provides more freedom to the women and its one way of creating more space for women to work effectively.
Increasing the Honorarium and Meeting Allowances of EWRs
The amount of meeting allowances and honorarium to all peoples representative of PRI is itself big joke. The Government has increased the allowance but still it is insufficient. The government functions on the principle of big post big allowance. RSCD demanded that amount of allowances be practical and Government should look at practical needs rather than posts.
Mahila Police PatiL (Women Police Patil)
Recently Maharashtra Government has started appointing Women police Patil in villages. The traditional society has strong restrictions and control over women's mobility, sexuality and freedom. The society doubts women's capacity to travel alone, especially at night, or at block and district places. However the experience of Police Patil women has overcome such prejudices. They are effectively working and challenging these gender stereotypes.
Women's reservation in LSG from 33% to 50%
RSCD has played an instrumental role in lobbying and mobilization for the demand of 50% reservation for women in local self-governance bodies in Maharashtra. The bill for 50% reservation has been passed in March 2011.
Joint House Ownership
The Maharashtra State Women's policy was declared in year 1994, but it took a long time for drafting laws which were mentioned and suggested in the policy. On Nov 20, 2003 Maharashtra State passed a GR to ensure that the house should be registered in the name of both the spouses. This resolution mentions that immediate registration of homes
under joint names through form no. 8 has to be done after a resolution was passed by the Gram Panchayat.
However, yet the implementation of this order is yet to pick up pace. RSCD has prepared a 10-point program for the smooth functioning of the Gram panchayat for women in governance that includes JHO as an important issue. Ownership of house of women gives them a feeling of immense security.
Change in Motion of No-confidence
It has been observed and experienced by RSCD that people were unaware of the hidden strength of the 33% reservation for women provided by the 73 and 74 Constitutional Amendment. Even though Maharashtra was always a progressive state and women were comparatively more aware, the established power centres in the villages believed that women in villages lived in the dark ages. It can be said that the first election was held without taking any note and women representatives were forced to act as mute spectators. Later as the picture changed, watching women asking questions, using her intellect was not as easily accepted and the established regime used a democratically accepted method to get rid of her.
It is important to note that, although motion of no-confidence was made to remove elected candidates who didn't work, or ones who were engaged in malpractices etc. For women this same tool for used in a totally different manner. For instance, when a woman representative asked too many questions, or refused to sign a blank cheque, or refused to step down after completing half her term, or interfered in their decision making power, men power holders passed a no confidence motion against her. Strangely women were made to step down from their posts for being active. When the District Collector failed to give justice to the EWRs, women facing the motion of no confidence just had two options. First was to take this with the State Government and secondly file a case in high court.
When the number of no-confidence motion on Women increased drastically. RSCD conducted a small research study. On the basis of the study and with the help of 'Sampark' an NGO working on social advocacy, RSCD lobbied in the Assembly of Maharashtra. The experiences of EWRs and related issues were highlighted in the Assembly session. A delegation of activists was also organized to meet the chairperson of the Maharashtra Assembly and the Home minister.
On 8 August 2003, Maharashtra Government passed a historic decision and made amendments in law stating that it is mandatory for votes of three-fourth members of , to pass no confidence motion against an elected . This shift from two- third to three-fourth has made it difficult for the power holders to use the motion of no-confidence as a pawn to remove active woman . Although it was difficult to implement the law, RSCD has seen a drastic decline in the cases of no confidence motion.
Mahila Sabha - Women Assembly
In 2001, during the Sangamner Convention, the issue of strengthening the Mahila Gram Sabha was taken up. It was a delicate issue as conducting two Gram Sabha, should not compromise on its importance. However in the day to day functioning of Gram Panchayat, women played a limited role. Firstly, they were not invited to the general Gram Sabha, or even when they attended it, they were never given the chance to raise their question; even if they spoke, their opinion was never recorded; if recorded, it was never drafted as GP proposal; if drafted, there was no budget; or even with budget sanction the proposal was never implemented. For breaking this chain of zero response, and increasing women's participation in Gram Sabha, the Sangamner Convention passed a resolution demanding a separate Mahila Gram Sabha.
For making policy changes, RSCD along with another organization named 'Samarthan', built a strong pressure group, for lobbying on the sanction of this demand. RSCD continuously followed this up with the Government of Maharashtra's committee that was already studying the Gram Sabha. RSCD also organized series of workshops with various organisations, those working on issues of Governance for collective suggestions on Gram Sabha. The workshop suggested overall 64 recommendations on Gram Sabha.
It was only with the continuous follow up in Assembly of Maharashtra, the Government passed a resolution of making mandatory the Mahila Gram Sabha before General Gram Sabha on 16th Oct, 2002. After the passage of the government resolution, RSCD worked hard for its implementation in many villages however things were more difficult in non-RSCD villages.