The South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) is a network of women journalists based in each country of the region — that is, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. WE STAND FOR freedom of speech and expression, the fair and equal representation of women in the media, as well as equal opportunity for women in the media. Our aim is two-fold: We want to deepen our network inside our countries so as expose each other to the wide variety of stories around us as well as promote best practices in journalism; We also want to create a digital platform that will showcase our work as well as our interests and ideas across all the countries of South Asia. We believe that the right to speak freely goes hand-in-hand with the responsibility to dissent, and yet across our region, censorship and crackdowns and plain fear are being used by powerful governments to prevent the story from coming out. In these circumstances, a network of journalists — of women journalists — who demonstrate the power of cross-border networking in standing up to these values of a free and responsible media, is increasingly important.

Among these efforts to promote both national and cross-border journalism — which includes the provision of grants to women journalists to pursue their stories and arrange field visit — is a highly valued collaboration with UNICEF, which was launched in 2017. The theme of the inaugural SAWM India-UNICEF India Media Initiative was “Voices of Adolescents.” Eleven women journalists from English and regional media across the country wrote and reported untold stories of adolescent girls and boys and presented them to over 25 million readers and viewers in their respective publications.

For the second edition in 2018, SAWM India collaborated with UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Initiative (WASH), on the theme “Gender and Sanitation.” This year, our funders supported 14 journalists. SAWM India makes it a point to make the selection of these journalists diverse and inclusive. Which means that journalists from big media organisations like Times of India, Indian Express, The Hindu, Prabhat Khabar, PTI, Mirror Now, along with journalists from smaller regional language newspapers and TV, as well as independent journalists participated in this exercise.

The program enabled the reporters to travel to other states to report their stories, an opportunity often not offered by media organisations. They visited villages and towns where sanitation projects were making an impact on the lives of young girls and women. The participants were also encouraged to travel on their own.

Providing resource and other support for quality journalism is important to SAWM. As in the first year, this year too we held a pre-departure briefing. It was attended by experts in sanitation, from UNICEF as well as those seconded to the government, as well as veteran journalists who have written on gender and sanitation issues. A report on the pre-departure briefing features in this report.

The program greatly values social media posts from the field, sent by participant journalists. These capture the interface of women journalists with women in villages or slums and the impressions they make on each other. In a sense, these are “stories behind the stories,” and need to be recorded as such.

The 88-page manual lists the rules and guidelines which schools have to follow to ensure safety of children in each category – divided into categories such as infrastructure, health and hygiene, psycho-social aspects, roles and responsibilities of teachers, child safety checklist for schools among others.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has released a manual titled ‘Safety and Security of Children in Schools’, a compilation of laws, Acts, guidelines and rules available in India, to ensure children’s safety in schools. It also deals with how teachers have to deal with girls when they start menstruating and that the girls should be provided all possible support.

Recently, some girls at a government school in Fazilka were allegedly forced to strip by two teachers after a sanitary pad was found dumped in a toilet.  The manual, under the topic ‘Behavior Change Activities’, says, “Girls must be taught menstrual hygiene management by women teachers in a sensitive and supportive manner also also take steps to encourage and support girls during menstruation so they do not miss school.”

The manual also directs schools to provide facilities such as sanitary pads and incinerators for proper disposal of sanitary napkins during menstruation. It says, “Other steps include stockpiling extra sanitary pads and clothes (such as school uniforms) for emergencies, along with enhanced training programme for teachers.”

Schools should also be equipped with other facilities such as private space for girls and disposal facilities. The manual states, “Menstrual hygiene management facilities include soap, adequate and private space for changing, adequate water for cloth washing and disposal facility for menstrual waste, including incinerators or dustbins must be provided by schools.” It adds, “Hygiene messages may be integrated into the textbook curriculum or maybe imparted through supplementary reading material, activity-based learning methodologies or even during morning assembly sessions.”

The 88-page manual lists the rules and guidelines which schools have to follow to ensure safety of children in each category – divided into categories such as infrastructure, health and hygiene, psycho-social aspects, roles and responsibilities of teachers, child safety checklist for schools among others. The manual has to be followed by all government, private and other schools across the country.

Speaking to The Indian Express over phone from Delhi, Madhulika Sharma, technical expert, NCPCR, said, “The manual has been prepared as a handbook so that schools can access all rules and laws that have to be followed for safety of children in schools. We have tried to cover all aspects related to child safety in this manual. It has to be followed by all government, private and other schools across the country and has been sent to all states.”

Many government and private schools in Punjab are still without incinerators. The promise to provide free of cost sanitary napkins to all girls in government schools of Punjab has remained unfulfilled for two consecutive financial years till now- by SAD-BJP government in 2016-17 and then the Congress government in 2017-18.

source: The Indian Express

रांची के दो गांव की तसवीर जिनके बदलने में रानी मिस्त्री के साथ गांव के लोगों की जागरूकता भी नजर आयी़ इस गांव के बदलते रूप को देखने का मौका यूनिसेफ के सहयोग से प्राप्त हुआ है़ दोनों गांव में महिलाओं की जागरूकता और उनका सहयोग दिखा़
रातु ब्लॉक का गुटवा गांव और कांके ब्लॉक का नगड़ी गांव जहां रानी मिस्त्री ने गांव को स्वच्छता का मिसाल बनाया है़ गुटवा गांव रांची से 15-20 किलो मीटर की दूरी पर है़ यहां 400-450 लोगों की आबादी वाले गांव में पिछले साल तक एक भी शौचालय नहीं था़ 2018 में यहां हर घर में शाैचालय बन चुका है़ इसका श्रेय यहां की रानी मिस्त्री को जाता है़ जिन्होंने अपनी सुरक्षा और बीमारियों से बचने के लिए यह बीड़ा उठाया़ फुलमनी सहित छह अन्य रानी मिस्त्री ने रेजा मिस्त्री के काम में देरी को देखते हुए स्वयं बनाने का कार्य संभाला. तीन दिनों की ट्रेनिंग ली अौर शौचालय बनाने का काम शुरू कर दी़ दौरान उन्हें कई बातों को सहना भी पड़ा. ग्रामीण सीता देवी कहती है कि तीन महीने पहले ही हमारा शौचालय बना है़ शौचालय के लिए हमने काफी प्रयास किया़ ग्राम सभा से लेकर बीडीओ तक गये़ शादी हुए 15 साल हो गये लेकिन शौचालय नहीं होने से काफी परेशानी होती थी़ अहले सुबह ही अंधेरे में जाना पड़ता था़ जानवर और सुरक्षा का डर हमेशा रहा़ फुलमनी रानी मिस्त्री को उप राष्ट्रपति द्वारा सम्मानित भी किया जा चुका है़
वहीं कांके ब्लॉक का नगड़ी गांव की बात करें तो अब तक 148 शौचालय बन चुके है़ यहां 15 रानी मिस्त्री है जो सार दिन लग कर शौचालय बनाने का काम पूरा कर रही है़ यहां 15 रानी मिस्त्री ने ट्रेनिंग ली और शौचालय निर्माण कर रही है़ यहां की रानी मिस्त्री सीता कच्छप बीएससी पास करके रानी मिस्त्री का काम कर रही है. वह गांव को साफ और स्वच्छ बानने के लिए गांव में शौचालय का निर्माण स्वयं कर रही है़ वर्तमान में इस गांव में 46 शौचालय बनने का काम जारी था़ रानी मिस्त्री किरण टोप्पो ने कहा कि हर जगह लेडिज फस्ट का नारा दिया जाता है जो शौचालय निर्माण के लिए पुरुषों के हाथ पैर क्यों जोड़े. स्वयं ही शौचालय बनाने के लिए यूनिसेफ की दीदी से ट्रेनिंग ली़ तीन दिनों की ट्रेनिंग के बाद शौचालय निर्माण काम शुरू कर दिये़ गांव की स्वच्छता के साथ आजीविका का साधन मिल गया़  इसमें आठ महिला समिति का भी सहयोग रहा. यहां हर सप्ताह महिला समिति की बैठक करके शौचालय क्यों निर्माण जरूरी है आदि की जानकारी दी जाती है़  वहीं ग्रामीण चांगो देवी कहती है कि अाधी रात को शौच के लिए घर से दूर जाना पड़ता था़  मैंने तो अपनी जीवन इसी तरह से जी ली लेकिन लेकिन बेटी बड़ी हो गयी है उसे रात को अकेले नहीं भेज सकते थे़  इसलिए शौचालय निर्माण कराये़  ग्रामीण सुगिया कहती है कि दो बेटी रांची के कॉलेज में पढ़ती है़  दोनों की सुरक्षा और जिद पर शौचालय का निर्माण कराये है़

Menstruation is still a subject of gender disparity in India. Myths about menstruation are largely prevalent, forcing many girls to drop out of school early or be ‘ostracised’ during the five days every month. Even if they use sanitary napkins, their mobility is hampered due to absence of water and unclean bathrooms in schools. According to National Family Health Survey-4 in 2015, around 54 percent of adolescent girls were unaware of menstruation before they had their first period. And only 57.6 percent of women were using hygienic methods for menstrual protection. Trying to change practices and get rid of social stigmas is Kanyashree Prakalpa, a flagship project of the West Bengal Government, backed by Kanyashree Clubs

source: Grassroots

Menstruation is still a subject of gender disparity in India. Myths about menstruation are largely prevalent, forcing many girls to drop out of school early or be ‘ostracised’ during the five days every month. Even if they use sanitary napkins, their mobility is hampered due to absence of water and unclean bathrooms in schools. According to National Family Health Survey-4 in 2015, around 54 percent of adolescent girls were unaware of menstruation before they had their first period. And only 57.6 percent of women were using hygienic methods for menstrual protection. Trying to change practices and get rid of social stigmas is Kanyashree Prakalpa, a flagship project of the West Bengal Government, backed by Kanyashree Clubs

source: Grassroots

Jharkhand’s trained women masons have built over 15 lakh toilets in one year

A student of class X of Madrassa Islamia, Chahat Mohammadi is a determined girl. She sets out with her friends on a journey to educate women and girls in her locality and adjoining rural areas about the importance of menstrual hygiene. She learnt about the significance of sanitation, hygiene and maintaining healthy habits during menstruation from the Kanyashree Club in her school — “Khwaish Kanyashree Club”. An active member of the Club, she knows it won’t be easy to convince the women, who follow the age-old traditions when it comes to menstruation. However, she is keen to change their mindset. “Initially, the women, were hesitant to even talk about these issues, but we were able to convince them to adopt the proper use of sanitary pads and other healthy habits that we need to follow during menstruation,” says Chahat.

The Kanyashree Clubs comprise of 30 to 35members and there are a total of 400 clubs over 20 blocks of West Bengal’s Purulia District, the number of which is expected to increase in due course of time. The girls, popularly known as the “Kanyashree Girls” are taught about menstrual hygiene and use of sanitary pads, that are easily accessible in their schools. Moreover, the instructions received, are then carried forward by the girls to other women who are not aware about the healthy practices of menstruation.

“We buy the sanitary pads from the Self Help Groups (SHGs) in our Kanyashree Club, both for our personal use and for those, whom we sensitize. The pads are affordable and we sell them at a nominal rate. The girls are now happy and feel comfortable even during those days of discomfort,” adds Chahat.

The major obstacles to education of the girl child is absenteeism due to early marriage and menstrual cycle. Parents feel that a girl should be married off as soon as she attains puberty, thereby increasing the rate of dropouts and creating severe health problems among the girls.

Riya Chandra a member of “Pratyusha Kanyashree Club”, and a student of Class XI, was aghast when she found that girls of her age were married off and even bore children while they are still adoloscents. “We carry out awareness campaigns among the masses about the ill-effects of child marriage and encourage the parents to send their daughters to school. Here, in our club we learn about various social and health related issues, and make an effort to reform society,” says Chandra.

During menstruation, the girls usually use clothes and other primitive methods which is not hygienic and may lead to infections. “We try to sensitize the girls and women in our locality who still rely on clothes. We inform them about the use and disposal of sanitary pads and avoid unhygienic methods. Initially, they felt shy talking about periods and never dared to go to a chemist to purchase a packet of sanitary pad. However, now they feel comfortable discussing with us and frankly ask for pads whenever they need it,” adds Chandra of Shantani GirlsHigh School.

“Kanyashree Prakalpa”, is a scheme undertaken by the West Bengal Government for the uplift of the girl child. It is a conditional cash transfer method, where an adolescent unmarried girl between the age bracket of 14 to 18, receives a certain amount to continue with her education thereby making her independent and empowered. The project is not solely confined with the monetary support to the girls, rather it is also a holistic step to transform the adolescent girl into a confident person.

According to a systematic review on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in India, by UNICEF in 2015, 24 percent of school girls remain absent during their menses. In another report by the National Family Health Survey, NFHS 4- 2015-2016, around 52 percent of girls in India were unaware of menstruation before they have their first period and only 58 percent of women were using hygienic methods.  These figures underline the importance of MHM to girls in school in support of health and education outcomes.

The adolescent girls in the Kanyashree Clubs are provided friendly counselling sessions on menstrual hygiene through Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC) and free health sessions at Anwesha Clinic. The sessions are conducted in close co-ordination with ICDS and UNICEF members. Along with counselling session, a comic book is published for the girls, where information about menstruation and hygienic menstruation management is given as a self-reference for adolescent girls that help them prepare for the physical changes in their bodies and practice safe and hygienic ways of dealing with menstruation.

“Initially, it was uneasy to attend school during those days on a bicycle, I was obsessed with the fear of getting my clothes stained, but not anymore. In our “Sapnadisha Kanyashree Club”, we are given a detailed insight on menstrual hygiene like — maintaining proper diet and cleanliness, using and changing pads within 4 hours and this has made our lives much easier. We also have provisions in our school to change pads. Moreover, we openly talk with our instructor without any hesitation, in case if we face any problem during menstruation,” says Pompa Mahato, of Hutmura Harimati Girls’ School.

District Magistrate of Purulia, AlokeshPrasad Roy talks about the objectives of the Kanyashree project — to increase educational attainment, prohibition of child marriage and providing financial assistance to the girls. “We thrive to make them self-reliant by converging various departments like skill development and employment generation with the project. Fiscal awareness programme are also conducted in consultation with various banks for the benefit of the girls which enable them to handle their own accounts,” he says.

In yet another breakthrough initiative, the Purulia district administration has implemented its own brand, namely “Udaan”, a project on sanitary napkin for MHM programme. The pads manufactured by Udaan are totally biodegradable, quality tested and priced Rs 5 for two pads. UNICEF and the state government has supported this project of Purulia, which is now replicated in all districts of West Bengal.

“Menstruation”, is a topic which has always been a taboo subject. Not many, especially in rural areas are aware about the habits to be rigorously followed during their menses. Adding more complications to these monthly cycles are stomach cramps and discomfort, lack of awareness, and access to sanitary napkins. The most affected are the adolescent girls who tend to miss out school, thereby increasing the rate of dropouts. “Earlier the women used clothes and cow dung as absorbents during menstruation. These created severe health implications. Then we started propagating various campaigns on menstrual hygiene involving adolescent girls. At present there are 80,000 Kanyashrees in Purulia, who themselves are practicing and encouraging their family, locality and rural areas to adopt the healthy habit of using sanitary napkins,” Roy says.

Roy informs that there are around 31,000SHGs in Purulia where women are well-trained and provided with the machine for the production of sanitary napkins. The benefit of its use has reached even the most backward areas of Purulia. There are two production houses in Purulia where mass production of these sanitary napkins are carried on and supply chain are done by the women of SHGs. As per the requirements, these pads are supplied to the nodal teacher of the Kanyashree Clubs, from whom the girls can purchase.

The concept of selling the sanitary pads at a nominal rate was adopted to empower the SHG women. Kalpana Kuiry, Supervisor of the SHG, “Agragami Prathamik Samabai Samiti, says, “I have been associated with this group since last ten years where we used to produce the sanitary pads manually. After the implementation of the project Udaan, we were provided with the machine from the district administration. The raw materials used in the making of the pads are procured by us; it usually consists of non-woven fabric, wood gel, dry net, release paper and packet. The annual production capacity is 12 lakhs, and per day 3,000 pads are prepared. As amonthly incentive Rs 2000, is deposited in our bank accounts.”

Widespread awareness and ground level advocacy by action oriented Kanyashree club members in Purulia have created a strong impact in combating child marriage. Moreover, emphasis has been laid for the overall development of the Kanyashree Girls. “The girls are provided with an opportunity to explore their skills in sports like football, archery, karate, taekwondo. Under the skill development programme “Swabalambi”, they are given training in various courses like — beautician, handicrafts, catering and hospitality, and preparing organic colours from Palash flowers. Awareness campaigns are also conducted by the Kanyashree girls, against vector-borne diseases, use of plastics, and road safety,” says Leena Mondol, District Nodal Officer for Kanyashree Prakalpa.

The Kanyashree and the Udaan project is giving a new ray of hope to the young girls and women of Purulia, who are the harbingers of change in the society.

In accordance to the second edition of the media initiative undertaken by the South Asia Women In Media (SAWM) and UNICEF India, a group of journalists interacted with the Kanyashree Girls and women from SHGs about the implementation of MHM programmes in Purulia

source: Thumb Print

The Gandulbari Primary School is situated in the Hura bloc of the Purulia district West Bengal. Apart from the students’ studies, it pays attention to building awareness about personal hygiene. With the help of community organisations, it has created a proper sanitation infrastructure. The students are making good use of the facilities. Washing their hands well before taking their mid-day meals is the starting point of their daily hygienic practices. They follow their teachers’ instructions regarding this as carefully as they follow their lessons. The school received the ‘Nirmal Vidyalay’ (clean school) award in 2015. Here is a video report.

পুরুলিয়া জেলার হুড়া ব্লকের অন্তর্গত গুন্দলুবাড়ি প্রথামিক বিদ্যালয়।  খাবার আগে হাত ধোয়া থেকে শৌচকর্ম স্বাস্থ্য বিধানের সব কিছু অক্ষরে অক্ষরে মেনে চলে ছাত্রছাত্রীর। ২০১৫ নির্মল বিদ্যালয় পুরস্কার পেয়েছে স্কুলটি। স্কুলটি ঘুরে দেখে একটি বিশেষ প্রতিবেদন।

Source: khaboronline

In construction sites, women are mostly involved only as workers, but a Women Self Help Groups(SHGs) in Purulia district of West Bengal is breaking the stereotype and making women to build Toilets.

The story features the construction site of Toilet in Purulia. The owner of the place tells she is not ready to build a toilet in her home but after her Daughter compulsion and subsidised toilet scheme made her build the toilet she adds.

Women Masons Lalmoni Soran, says initially her husband was not supportive but that did not deter her from taking up this job. She managed to convince her husband and now he works along with her in the construction of Toilets.
A toilet per home increase the personal hygiene as well as the safety of the Children. It is important to attain the sustainable Developments in near Future.

The Group of women SHGs sensitizes the Villagers by doing awareness camp. Mrs. Mahato says that she being a protagonist witnessed the illness of not having Toilets at her home. After building a toilet at her place she now sensitizes people to construct toilets.

These Rani mestris not only construct toilet alone they ensure the safety and well being of the women in the society.

கழிப்பறை கட்டுவது தொடர்பாக புதுமையை கையாளும் மேற்கு வங்க மாநிலம் | செய்தித் தொகுப்பு

School begins early for Pompy Biswas, Nitraban Hazarika and Krittika Das as they don the hats of ‘swachh sevaks’ to check whether the water tank has been filled, hand washing area cleaned and soaps put in place.

The three students of Azara Keotpara Lower Primary School, along with their fellow mates, have set an example in Kamrup (Metro) district, near here, by taking upon themselves the responsibility of maintaining hygiene and keeping the environment clean, not just around classrooms but homes too.

At Sajjanpara Lower Primary School, nearby, children keep a check on their parents and relatives too. They take time out to impart lessons on cleanliness to their neighbours and other members of the community.

The Assam chapter of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, along with UNICEF, has piloted the cleanliness drive to ensure less absenteeism in schools, said Rajib Dutta, the project’s engineer for Kamrup (Metro) district.

“It is the schoolchildren who have become role models for the community at large by moving beyond the confines of the campus to take their cleanliness initiatives to their family and the extended community,” he said.

A UNICEF report had pointed out that there was consistent evidence that hand washing with soap at critical times – before eating, while preparing food and after using the toilet – can reduce diarrhoea risk by about 45 per cent, Dutta added.

Likumoni Das, a Class III student of Azatpara school, said they were keen on passing the knowledge they have acquired to their parents and relatives.

“After learning the basic rules of hand washing, we found out that our parents did not follow the methods. We have now taught them how to maintain hygiene,” she said.

The headmaster of her school, Kamal Chandra Goswami, said he has built separate toilets and hand-washing facilities for boys and girls.

“I am happy to see that students have become torch-bearers of the cleanliness drive here,” he stated.

The parents, too, have joined the initiative by donating soap cakes to the school.

“We are learning something new every day from our children. These hygiene practices have become a part of our daily routine,” Amila Das, a mother and member of School Management Committee, said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Subhan Chandra Bodo, the headmaster of Sajjanpara LP School, said it was the children who convinced their parents to install water filters at home.

“As part of the government and the UNICEF initiative, children have not just learnt about keeping themselves clean, they have also inspired parents and relative to build toilets and install water filters at home,” he added.

Sweta Patnaik, the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist of UNICEF, said philanthropists, corporate houses, civic and faith organizations in Assam have been requested to join the drive to extend its reach to every nook and corner of the state.

“We have taken initiatives to mainstream ‘WASH in School’ programme through trainings of teachers and headmasters and orientation of School Management Committees members,” she said, adding that a “lot more” had to be done to ensure that maximum number of people benefit from the drive.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Students of Sajjanpara primary school are washing their hands in a group with a beautiful song before having their mid-day meal.

source: Business Standard