Fellow: Bharati Ramteke

Grant Year: 2019

Location: Nagpur Division, Maharashtra, India

Organization: Jagrut Mahila Samaj

Project title: Change Initiative Towards Gender Equality in Girl’s Residential Schools

Project summary: Jagrut Mahila Samaj aims to improve the safety of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribal girls in residential schools by creating successful and supportive learning environments for marginalized girls in rural areas. They will advocate with department and school authorities for the implementation of the existing Policy of Residential Schooling (2005) through the development and adoption of a safety protocol for schools. The Policy of Residential Schooling is designed to ensure health care, quality education, adequate sanitation, nutrition, and recreation facilities. Jagrut Mahila Samaj will mobilize 500 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribal girls in four Ashram Schools (boarding schools) in the Chandrapur district to advocate for the adoption of a safety protocol. To enforce the protocol, they will advocate for the  Integrated Tribal Development Department project officer, Chandrapur district and social welfare district officer, and the Chandrapur district to initiate an order for the formation of an Internal Complaint Committee in all the residential schools, to be mandated under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (prevention, prohibition, and protection) Act 2013. An adopted safety protocol will protect and benefit the education and empowerment of over 500 Scheduled Caste and Tribal girls.