Dalit Leadership

Strengthening SC leadership in Panchayats & Municipalities

Objectives for the reporting period

To collect data of SC at state, district and block level
To identify SC leaders
To compile data profile of identified SC leaders
To understand the status of SC leadership in Panchayats and Municipality.
To assess the need of SC leaders
To prepare training modules for SC leaders as per the need assessment done
To organize capacity building training on PRI’s for the Sc Leaders
To identify stakeholders and bring them together

Key Activities undertaken in the reporting period

Meetings with SC Leaders at GP Level
Identification of Dalit Leaders
48 Dalit leaders were identified from our intervened GPs as well as other GPs. One day trainings and two days residential training will be organized for the identified Dalit Leaders.

Data profiling and analysis of Elected SC Leaders
Data Profile of Dalit Panchayat ERs of Mirzapur city block is being compiled. In order to accomplish the above task information was collected from SC Panchayat leaders through personal interview by contacting them door to door. Data profiles of 39 Dalit ERs have been compiled in 10 GPs. Our objective behind data profiling of dalit ERs were to gain insight about the present status of dalit ERS, need based assessment for developing training modules for them. The detailed analysis report was prepared on 36 Dalit Leaders of which 20 were male and 16 female.

Consultation with Government Departments
Officials of block and district level government offices are being consulted for data profiling related to SC ERs and base line data compilation of SC. The following departments were consulted Panchayati Raj District Office, Mirzapur, Block Development Office, Statistical Division and Zila Parishad Office.

Detailed compilation of SC Data
Base line data of SC relating to SC- Social dynamics, Cast dynamics, governance, their constitutional rights and schemes for the benefit of the Dalits, CSO’s working on Dalit issues is being compiled at State (Uttar Pradesh), District (Mirzapur), Block (Mirzapur City) GP level.

State level workshop on SC Leadership
State level workshop was organized on “Strengthening SC leadership” jointly by SSK and PRIA in Lucknow. The objectives of the workshop were:

• To understand the current status of schedule caste leadership in Panchayats and Municipalities.
• To evolve strategy for strengthening leadership of Schedule caste in Panchayats and Municipalities.Participation of one SC Leader (Pradhan), one SC member of CLs federation from city block Mirzapur and two organizational heads of CSOs working on SC issues from Janpath Mirzapur was ensured in the workshop.

Need assessment of SC Elected Leaders/Representatives

Need assessment of SC Elected Leaders/Representatives was done by holding regular meetings with SC Elected Representatives and Leaders and thereafter recording the observations. Their special needs were identified. It was observed the SC leaders were unable to prioritize their issues concerning their leadership in panchayats.

Development of training modules
Training modules have been developed based on the special need assessment done of SC Leaders and thorough review of the same. The training modules were used for structured one day training programmes and the detailed module prepared will be used for structured two days residential training.

Organizing one day trainings for Dalit Leaders

One day training had been organized for the Dalit elected representatives on 06/09/08 at Ambedkar Bhawan, Mirzapur. The training started with by welcoming the participants and introduction of the participants. Thereafter, the participants were briefed about the organization (SSK) and the purpose of organizing the training. Total number of participants in the training: 25 (Male: 17 and Female: 09)Total number of Dalit leader participants in the training:14 (Male:06 and Female:08)Objectives of Training Place Date Issues Result Follow Up

To build an understanding of PRITo make participants aware of their roles as ERsTo develop an approach towards local problem solving by the Dalit leaders Ambedkar Bhawan, Mirzapur 06/09/08 No information or training is received through MOPR Dalit Leaders were sensitized on their roles and responsibilities and were also keen at forming SC Leader cadre at block level Organize another training on 18/10/8Ensure participation of all Dalit leaders of intervened GPs in the next scheduled training

Major Achievements

• 6 meetings at GP level have been organized which has sensitized the dalit leaders on their roles and responsibilities.
• The workshop on “Strengthening SC Leadership” was a tremendous help in identifying various issues related to SC and SC leadership. It brought about a change in our own perspective and also helped us to identify up to a great extend ways of strengthening SC leadership.
• Regular interaction with SC leaders helped us identify their strengths and weaknesses which helped us during trainings of SC leaders.
• Need assessment of SC leaders was carried out which proved to be useful in developing training modules for them.
• Data profiling of 39 SC leaders compiled and analyzed.
• Rapport with government officials was built while interfacing with them in order to collect data on SC.
• Support from CLs was ensured on strengthening SC leadership with regular informal discussions and meetings with them.
• Trainings of SC leaders brought about signs of change in them regarding their roles and responsibilities as ERs and they developed an understanding on PRI’s.
• The Dalit leaders were motivated to carry out their functions and duties on their own and not be dependant on traditional leaders in discharging their duty after attending the training.

Major Learning

Team