Mukti Organize Meeting with Women Collective at Herembogopalpur

Mukti in association with “OAK Foundation” has organized two types of meetings with the rural women collective at Herembogopalpur GP. In Kuyemuri mouza 28 women and in Herembgopalpur mouza 26 women have participated in the workshop. A group has been formed with the women influencer of the society be a religion based or differently able people or the women holding higher ranks such as Asha workers, Anganwadi, teacher etc. The main subject of the discussion is how to increase the gender range.

In Kuyemuri mouza, as the initial process identity mapping tool has been used to introduce the basic concept of Gender. The process is pinned down to give women a coherent idea of where their current social status is, where their meditative ideas are heading, whether they are aware of their position, and so on.

They have been instructed to draw anything of their choice through which they can relate themselves and then explain it. For example, one has drawn a stair which depicts that in the future she wants to see herself in a higher position where she can achieve the due respect or value that she deserves. Another one has drawn a tree – she wants to be the shelter and serve others. Through this activity, Mukti makes them aware of their own position.

In Herembogopalpur mouza the discussion has been conducted on the basic concept of gender roles introduced through some effective tools (Daily activity listing and man/woman participation).

To make them understand the concept of gender roles they are instructed to distinguish the activities of women from day tonight. Two groups have been formed – the first group makes the list of household work and the second group makes the list of work women do in agriculture.

At the end of the activity while doing the survey it has been found that women mainly stay at home and do household work. About 70% to 80% of them are engaged in agricultural work but they are not identified as farmers. Since their husbands are making decisions in farming, husbands are considered farmers, not wives. But maybe there is a lot more involvement of women in the work of farming. In the same way, women don’t get any recognition for household work. There is no dignity in this work. Husbands treat the household work ignoble and impose the work on their wives. This is a concept of narrative that has been created in our society. The women are asked why this work is what they think only women need to do. Their own answers have stunned them. They admit that they have never thought of this way before. In a patriarchal society, distinguishing work in this way is an insult to the dignity of women.

Through these workshops, Mukti has introduced them to the role of gender, how it works in society, how it is being done, who is having a positive and who is having a negative effect etc.

These meetings are creating positive effects on the rural population of Sundarban. Soon Mukti will conduct some more meetings on such topics for the welfare of womanhood.