Chhattisgarh CM Launches Gender Curriculum
- By Akshay Tarfe
- 15 Nov, 2021
The interactive online course with 14 lessons is aimed at enhancing young people’s understanding on gender rights and prevention of gender-based violence.
Raipur, 15 November 2021| Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel launched Oxfam India’s course ‘Gender and Gender Equality’. Oxfam India’s CEO Amitabh Behar, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University’s Vice Chancellor Kesari Lal Verma and Mayor of Raipur Aizaj Dhebar were also present at the launch. The 14-week online course is freely available for everyone in English and Hindi on the web portal - https://gendermodule.oxfamindia.org/.
Highlighting the importance of Oxfam India’s initiative in furthering gender equality in the state, Hon’ble Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, “Government of Chhattisgarh has launched various initiatives to empower women and girl children. We remain to committed to gender equality. I congratulate Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University and Oxfam India for creating this online gender curriculum.”
Oxfam India’s gender curriculum will create a safe space for young people to improve their understanding on the concept of gender, women’s rights, manifestations of violence against young women, the negative social norms that perpetuate various forms of violence and provide information on the redressal mechanisms.
The course comes at a time when the country is witnessing spike in violence against women triggered by Coronavirus pandemic. Data showed domestic violence complaints to National Commission for Women (NCW) reached a 21 years’ high during January-May 2021, according to the government. National Family Health Survey- 5 (NFHS) also showed that 70% of women who faced physical violence in the major States did not inform anyone about it. This bilingual course (Hindi and English) will allow young people to easily access nuances of gender equality in India through online format and interactive content.
Recognising the ‘Shadow Pandemic’ of domestic violence in India, University Grants Commission (UGC) urged all universities and affiliating colleges via a letter to add content about gender sensitisation in the curriculum and organise lectures on women’s safety in April 2021. The move came post the recommendation of Parliamentary Committee on Atrocities and Crimes against women and children in 2021.
Amitabh Behar, CEO, Oxfam India said, “During the pandemic Oxfam India has actively worked in Chhattisgarh. We have worked with various district administration in strengthening public health system by providing crucial life saving equipment. The gender curriculum launched today will be go a long way towards addressing the gap in the theoretical and actual practice of gender-based programming for the youth.”
In June 2021, Chhattisgarh was ranked top performing state on SDG 5: Gender Equality by NITI Aayog’s SDG performance index. This course by Oxfam India will further help state’s youth to continue the fight for gender justice. The course contains 14 lessons and will provide easy access to content around gender, stereotypes, power relations and patriarchy, aspects on leadership and violence against young women, information on laws, redressal structures and processes. The initiative is continuation of Oxfam India’s larger effort to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and creating a discrimination free environment for all genders.
“The young people of our country are living in a patriarchal society, a society which strengthens negative gender norms and promotes gender-based violence. With this course, young people will understand issues like discrimination, inequality and gender-based violence allowing them to not resort to violence and neither encourage it or tolerate it in their lives,” said Sipra Devi, Director, Nivedita Foundation. For more information contact:- Akshay Tarfe +91 97399 81606
About Oxfam India
Oxfam India is a movement of people working to end discrimination and create a free and just society. We work to ensure that Adivasis, Dalits, Muslims, and women and girls have safe violence-free lives with freedom to speak their mind, equal opportunities to realize their rights, and a discrimination-free future.
📢Oxfam India is now on Telegram. Click here to join our Telegram channel and stay tuned to the latest updates and insights on social and development issues.
Recent News
Related Stories
01 Aug, 2022
Koraput, Odisha
Baide Kirsani's Exemplary Journey
In May 2021, Baide became associated with the project and supported the formation of the WFP group which now has 76 members. The group conducts regular meetings to discuss agriculture, specifically vegetable and ginger cultivation. The project provided various thematic training sessions, onsite technical support, and input support to the group. Along with paddy and millets, Baide also grew ginger, beans, and tomato during Kharif and Rabi season last year. She took a loan of Rs 15,000 from the group for agriculture and consumption. She invested the money and gained a net profit of about Rs 19,000.
Read More
28 Jul, 2022
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
Securing Social Security Schemes For Anita
Despite the circumstances Anita continued working in the field in her husband’s place. During one of the meetings, the Oxfam India team met with Anita. Our team apprised her about the social security schemes such as the National Family Benefit Scheme and the Widow Pension Scheme by the Government of India.
Though she was eligible for these, she hadn’t applied for them. Our team helped her apply for these schemes; they have now been approved at the district level.
Read More
27 Jul, 2022
Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh
Reviving Bal Sansad
After running the Mohalla Classes since December to close the digital divide and mainstream out of school children in schools, we have started working to revive /reinforce Child Collectives. Till date, Oxfam team had helped revive 26 Bal Sansads in schools— 10 Pratapgarh, 8 Fatehpur & 8 Raebareli. The plan is to cover 90 schools in the three districts.
Read More
27 Jul, 2022
Nalanda, Bihar
Shakuntala Devi Expands Her Business
Shakuntala Devi visited the Village Development Committee (VDC) at Lodipur and convinced the Holistic Rural Development Programme (HRDP) team to support her enterprise. In March 2021 she received Rs 12000 as financial support through HRDP. With this grant, she was able to purchase a fridge for her shop and began stocking and selling milk, curd, and soft drinks. These additions helped increase her business and her daily earnings.
Read More
