PROGRESS REPORT

PEOPLE’S VIGILANCE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS (PVCHR) – JAN

MITRA NYAS, VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The feudal system prevalent in eastern Uttar Pradesh has always suppressed the proper
growth and development of dalits and weaker section of the society. After sixty years of
independent India, feudalism and brahminism structure is still deep rooted in this region.
Against this feudal system, Peoples Vigilance Committee of Human Rights (PVCHR) has
formed a movement in this area with a vision of establishing a true, vibrant and fully
entrenched democratic society through Jan Mitra concept where there shall be no
violation of civil rights granted to a citizen by the state. PVCHR-JMN has been working
against the feudalistic structure around social justice and citizen’s rights in the eastern
region of Uttar Pradesh for 12 years. The organization believes that education is a means
to empower the powerless through which citizen’s rights can be ensured and the Dalit and
backward castes can be freed from the clutches of feudalistic structure. Hence, the
organization has been implementing an education program since three year with the
financial support from Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT). Within socio-economic and
political context of the eastern Uttar Pradesh, there is indeed a greater need to work on
the issues of education and social awareness. While working on these issues, there are
lots of challenges involved in it.

Under the educational programme supported by SDTT, activities like arrangement of

education facilities for dalit children, qualitative changes in government schools and
activities related to social awareness have been implemented in 7 dalit dominated villages
and one slum comprising two blocks. Through this educational programme, where at one
hand, Full Time Centre (FTC), Pre-Primary Centre (PPC) and Creche have been
implemented for ensuring the basic education to deprived children and efforts for
qualitative changes in government schools have been carried out while on the other hand,
through public advocacy, efforts have been made to create awareness and ensure public
rights among the community.

A team comprising 22 members has been formed by the organization to run the education
program. Within this program, crèche for 0-3 year’s children has been established to take
care of them and imbibe the attitude towards education when their mothers are out to
work. Beside, the elder children of the family would also get rid of looking after their
siblings and can able to attend their schools regularly. But in prevailing social structure of
the area such strategy has very negligible impact where the mothers are not mentally
prepared to leave their children especially those in the age group of 0-3 years when they
goes for work.

Pre-Primary Centre (PPC) has been established by the organization to prepare the
children for primary education to the children. The children attending pre-primary centre

1
is in the age group between 03-06 years. With the establishment of these centres, the
children of the villages where centers have been opened got an opportunity to
receive per primary education.

However in order to attain the physical and mental development of children, it is

necessary for the teachers involved in running these centres be capable to achieve the
objectives of PPC. Hence, there is a need to provide necessary training to enable the
teachers of the PPC so that they can run the centre effectively. Besides, there is a need of
a special curriculum for the children of these centres.

Within the strategy of arrangement of primary school for the deprived children, the
organization has established Full Time Centre (FTC) in those villages where there is no
government school. The aim of the organization is to develop these FTC into model
centre so that government and other stakeholder can replicate the same. However, it was
found that there is lack of conceptual understanding of model school in the organization
and among the teachers of FTC. However, with the establishment of these centres, the
dalit children of this area got an opportunity to receive primary education. The
organization has constructed building to run the FTC.

1. INTRODUCTION

The rural area of eastern region of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has been suffered from
discrimination against dalit and backward caste. After sixty years of independent
India, Feudalism and Brahminism structure is still deep rooted in this region.
Therefore, the region is marked with prevalence of bonded labour, child labour,
caste discrimination, sex discrimination, and corrupt practices in local
administration etc. This has led the region as one of the most backward especially
in areas of education and citizens rights. In light of the socio-political problems
of the region, the PVCHR has been working for a decade on the issues to create
social awareness and promote citizens rights.

Since three year, the organization has initiated to work on education awareness
and Public Advocacy at grassroots level with the financial support from Sir
Dorabji Tata Trust

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF PVCHR- JMN

2.1 Peoples Vigilance Committee on Human Rights – Jan Mitra Nyas

(PVCHR- JMN) :

In June 1996, Peoples Vigilance Committee of Human Rights (PVCHR)

was formed as a movement with a vision of establishing a true, vibrant and

2
 fully entrenched democratic society through Jan Mitra concept where
there shall be no violation of civil rights granted to a citizen by the state.
Its mission is to provide basic rights to all and eliminate situations, which
give rise to exploitation of vulnerable groups, i.e. children, women, dalit &
working class, and to start a movement for people friendly society (Jan
Mitra Samaj), through inter-institutional approach. In 1999 PVCHR
formed a public charitable trust named as Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN).

The main focus of the organisation is on marginalised and discriminated

communities like Musahar & Ghasia with special focus on women and
children. The organisation is also working with weavers groups in three
districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh namely Azamgarh, Mau and Banaras.

To bring policy into practice PVCHR-JMN has adopted 7 villages and 1

urban slum, to mount its educational projects, which include reactivating
defunct primary schools, eradicating, bonded labour, ensuring and
encouraging education of the girl child and promoting non-formal
education with the support of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.

2.2 Goal, objectives and activities of Education Programme supported by

Sir Dorabji Tata Trust:

The main goal of the project is to ensure the social, economic, political,
and cultural rights of the people including rights of the children as per the
declaration of Human Rights through education. To achieve the above goal
PVCHR – JMN is implementing following activities under the education
project.

2.2.1 Crèches or Balwaadis

The main objective of establishment of Creche or Balwaadis is to

provide care and protection to infants of 0-3 years so that their
working mother can go to work and simultaneously the younger
sister or brother can attend the school instead wasting time in
sibling care.

2.2.2 Pre Primary Centers (PPC)

The objective of running Pre Primary Centres is to preparing the
children of 3-6 years age group to receive primary education.
Therefore Pre Primary Centres is meant for preparing the children
in such a manner that they would develop motivation and
eagerness to get primary education and at the same time their
parents also becomes aware about their education.

2.2.3 Full Time Centres (FTCs)

3
 The objective of FTCs is to provide primary education to the
children of age group 6-14 years where government primary
schools are not available. There is also a thinking to develop these
FTCs as model school so that state and other stakeholders can
replicate it.

2.2.4 Intervention with government schools

The main objective of this intervention is to link children with
school and minimizing discrimination against children of lower
castes in the classrooms. Another objective is to improving the
quality of education of the government schools through community
monitoring and training of the teachers of the government schools.

2.2.5 Advocacy
The objective this component is to create awareness among the
community on their rights and to teach the children and youths of
their constitutional rights through activation of PTAs/VEC and
establishment of children panchyaats, youth panchyaats, and
women panchyaats.

2.3 Operational Area

The project is being implemented in to 7 villages of two blocks and in one
slum of urban area of Varanasi. Details of the operational area and number
of centres (crèche, PPC, FTC) are being operated by the organisation is
given below:
Sl. No. Name of the village Block No of FTC No of No of No of govt.school
PPC Crèche intervened
1. Belwan - Badepur- Badagaon 1 1 1
2. Dallipur Badagaon 1 1
3. Lakmipur - Kuwar Badagaon 1
4. Newada Badagaon 1
5. Shivrampur - Harahua 1 1
Bhaitauli
6. Ayar – Puwari Harahua 1 1
Khurd
7. Baghwanala Varanasi urban area 1 1
8 Nindanpur Baragaon 1
TOTAL 2 2 7 3

Transfer of creach from Lakmipur to Kuwar village happened when

Anganwadi centre opened in Lakmipur. Same process continues with
the Shivrampur and Ayer village.

4
 2.4 Internal Organizational Functioning:

2.4.1 Organogram of the organisation

Board of Trustees (3 members)

Core group (8 members)

Core team (6 members)

2.4.2 Staff Strength

There are total 23 project staffs that are directly engaged with the
various activities of the educational project. The average
qualification of the project staff is Graduation. A detail of the
project staff is shown in the table given below.

Sl. No Job Title No. Job responsibilities

1. Project Coordinator 1 Overall project coordination
2. Administrative Director 1 Administration
3. Activist cum teacher (Area coordinator) Teaching and organizing activities of
2 their respective area
4. FTC Teacher 7 Teaching
6. Govt. school support teacher 3 Teaching
7. PPC Teacher 2 Teaching
8. Crèche organiser 7 Organizing crèche activities
TOTAL

2. Centres
3.1 Crèche / Balwadis:
There are 7 Crèches being run by the organization in Baghawanala (urban
slum), Kuwar, Newada, Dallipur (Tari), Nindanpur, Bhaitauli, Newada and
Badepur (Belwa).

(a) Kuwar:-

In Kuwar village one creach is running in the Naut Basti. According to the
view of social activist about 20 children are coming to this creach, where

5
 14 children are 3-5 years of age group among them 10 are female and 4
are male. The age group from 6 and above years of age is only 6 in which
2 are girls.
The Naut caste children are working in the garbage areas such as rag
pickers, beggars. In this situation Sona Devi care taker of creach motivate
and add 20 children in her centre. Among these 20 children, 12 children
have gone to Government School. 2 students are studying in class IV and
5 children are in 1st std and two children are in 6th std in this year.
Three students (one girl &two boys) have gone to main stream school in
August, 2007. At present there are 19 students (14th girls & 5 boys) at this
centre.

(b) Belwa :-

In Belwa village one creach is running in the Badepur in the name of Sant
Kabir Jan Mitra Shikshana Kendra. According to the Kalawati view 48
children are coming to this creach, in which 23 children are male and 25
children are female and these children are below 6 years.

There are 36 children in Badepur (Belwa) creach centre. However now 11

children have gone to the other centre for example four children have gone
to Sant Kabir Jan Mitra F.T.C centre, 3 children got admitted in private
school and 4 children in Government school Nindanpur.
At present 12 children (5 girls & 7 boys) in this centre.

(c) Dallipur:-

In Dallipur Mushar Basti one creach is running till 2004 named as Jan
Mitra Shiksha Kendra. Now 29 children are attach with this centre and in
which 13 are male and 16 are female. With the strong initiative of Tara
PVCHR activist, 20 students were admitted in Government school in
which 16 are male and 4 are female.

(d) Nindanpur:-

In Nindanpur Dalit basti one creach is running in the name of Jan Mitra
Shiksha Kendra. According to the PVCHR activist view 22 children are
coming to this creache, in which 16 female and 6 are male and these
children are between 3-6 years of age. Around 12 children (6 male & 6
female) from Nindanpur creach get admitted in Government school.

(e) Bhaithauli:-

In Bhaithauli village one creach is running in dalits basti in the name of

Manav Adhikar Janmitra Shikshana Kendra. According to the view of 28

6
 children are coming in the creach in which 15 are female and 13 are male.
These children are between age group 3-6 years. In this creach there is
only one child of Brahmin and rest of dalits. In the month of July 16
children got admission in Government school and 2 children in Aganwadi
centre.

(f) Newada:

In Newada village one creache is running in Mushars Basti named as

Manav Adhikar Janmitra Shikshana Kendra. According to the view of
PVCHR activist 46 children are enrolled in this centre. In which 28 are
female and 18 are male.

3.2 Pre Primary Centres (PPC):

The objective of running Pre Primary Centres of the organization is to

prepare children to receive primary education. In another words the
objective of Pre Primary Centres is to prepare children in such a manner
that they would develop motivation and eagerness to get primary
education and at the same time their parents also becomes aware about
their children education. The age group of these children joining pre-
primary centre, is usually between 03-06 years.

(a) Bagwanala:-

One PPC is running in Bagwanala centre which in the name Raja Sohail
Dev Shikshana Kendra, there are 17 children in PPC (15 female and 6
male), 14 students (6 female and 8 male) are in class 1st and 11 students (6
female and 6 male) in class 2nd, 9 students (8 female and 1 male) in class
3rd, 11 students (5 female and 6 male) in class 4th, 9 students (6 female and
8 male) in class 5th. Total 71 children are enrolled in Bagwanala centre.

(b) Ayer:-

In Ayer Mushar Basti one PPC centre is running since 2004 named Jan
Mitra Shiksha Kendra. With the strong initiative of Shusila PVCHR
activist 24 children get admitted in Government school. In which 14
children are from Mushars community, seven children are from chamar
community and 4 children are from Naut community.

7
 3.3 Full Time Centre (FTC):
Full Time Centre established in Belwa and Baghawanala has been
functioning at present. There are sufficient teachers who have been
working on their own way.
(a) Belwa:-
One full time centre is running in Badepur in the name of Janmitra
Sikshana Kendra. There are 150 students studying in Belwa FTC (23
student are enrolled in class 4th, 27 student are enrolled in class 3rd and 49
student are enrolled in class 1st.

(b) Bagwanala:
There are 55 children in Bagwanala FTC centre (25 female & 10 male)

Both the FTC of Belwa and Baghwanala has been functioning in

Pucca building, which is constructed by the organization on the
community-donated land. This basic facility and infrastructure will help
to convert the FTC into a quality school, which ultimately leads to attain
model centre. The organizations have formed village education committee
comprising representative of women and dalit members for the purpose of
running and supervising the FTC.

3.4 Intervention with Government School:

PVCHR has been working with government schools by providing three

teachers one each in the three schools. The main objective of this
intervention is to improve the quality of teaching learning and to link
deprived children with school and minimizing discrimination against
children of lower castes in the classrooms. With these efforts, the
organization has achieved success in linking children to school and there is
a significant reduction in cases of caste discrimination in the classes by
seeking community participation and exerting their pressure.

The teachers who have been attached with the government schools by the
organization have been working in pre-primary school of Belwa, Dallipur
and Ayar. While interacting with the teachers of middle school of Belwa, it
was found that the attached teacher of the organization attends school in
time and look after some classes. However, while looking at the level of
the teacher, it made to realize the type of work they are able to do for the
pre-primary level children. Such doubts were clarified when the
government teachers narrated that they have been engaged the
organization’s teacher in maintaining various materials of the schools and
they are good in carrying out those tasks. In reply to taking classes by the
organization’s teachers the government teachers told that they were
generally asked to take Hindi classes. With these observations, one can say
that the organization has success in intervening in the government

8
 schools by inducting its teachers but it has able to create only a
marginal impact on the teaching fraternity of the school. In order to
see that teachers of organization can able to create impact on
government schools, it is necessary to provide them with necessary
training where they can get an opportunity to develop their
personality and knowledge so that they can able to create impact on
government teachers and as well as on whole teaching process. Apart
from this, it was also cleared that the government teachers has now been
ready to have positive dialogue with the organization despite of some
apprehensions and doubts in their mind about the stands taken by
organization on issues of human rights.

3.5 Children’s Parliament and Panchayat (Advocacy):

The efforts to develop children understanding on issue of community
awareness have been carried out through Children’s Parliament and
Panchayat. Children associated with this forum performed Nukad Natak
which they learn with the assistance of Prena Kala Manch. The issue of
the drama was decided by the children

Subject of the drama

1. Sindhur Nahi Shiksha - Education

2. Kam Nahi Kalam - Child Labour
3. Is Smaj Ka Kya Hoga - Feticide
4. Ekta me Bal

This indicates that a lot of efforts have been carried out with children in
this direction. In order to scale up more efforts, children need to be
prepared and issues such as Human Rights, including Rights of Children
should be incorporated as a subject in the syllabus.

Children of Bal Panchayat learn to make carton poster in the direction of

Mr. Sarad Verma. Now they are making cartoon poster on the problem
which is surrounding and they are selecting the subject of poster according
to their desire.

Children of the Bal Panchayat are corresponding with the student of

Rotenjen High School. They are learning how to establish and develop
relationship with others.

Magzine is going to publish consisting the stories of Children of Bal

Panchayat. The children themselves are writing small stories indicating the
problem of their surrounding

9
 Due to these efforts of educational advocacy, PVCHR has able to get
approval for the establishment of government primary school at
Belwa and Baghwanala and it is a good achievement of the
organisation However in order to promote extensive awareness on
educational related broader issues like common school system,
educational rights bill etc. the organization needs to enhance its capacity.
However, the network of organization is quite good but how capacities of
workers to be developed with this network, need to be decided by the
organization.

Achievements:
• One classroom in primary school in dalit village Shivrampur Khas and pre-
primary center and community center in Ayer with the economic assistance
by Ms. Helma Ritcher chairperson of Indo – German society of Remscheid,
DIG and Inwent.

• Sports equipment at Ayer is provided by Ms. Parul Sharma of Swedan.

• 100 percentage of enrollment and retention of all children in Shivrampur

village in Primary School.

• Except 4 children all children enrolled in Belwa village.

• Anganwadi centre starts in Nindanpur,Ayer Musahar Tola and Belwa

Musahar Tola.

• Construction of building in Bagwanala, Belwa and Belwa Mushars hamlet

with the economic assistance from SDTT.

• Three girls of Bagwanala namely Jyoti, Puja and Chanda get enrolled in
class IX with the support of PVCHR. This story was also published in
www.mynews.in and the linkage of the story is given below: -
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=6287

Communities in Project:
In the entire project Rajbhar, Nat (they profess both Hindu and Muslim
religion), Mushars, Chamar, Patel, Muslim and other OBCs

10