WNTA Newsletter 2023
Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA)
Holding government accountable for its promise to end Poverty, Social Exclusion & Discrimination.
International Day of Education
January 24 - 30, 2023
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in partnership with CSEI (Centre for Social Social Equity and Inclusion) and WNTA (Wada Na Todo Abhiyan) celebrated International Day of Education from January 24-30, 2023. The central theme of the celebration was - ‘To invest in people and prioritize education’ under which the following advocacy initiatives were taken:
International Women’s Day
March 8, 2023
As a part of the observance of International Women’s Day 2023, UNESCO in a join effort with Wada Na Todo Abhiyan compiled a video featuring women leaders from grassroots organizations. The video was an effort to present messages of women's empowerment highlighting and amplifying the voices of women leaders from grassroots organizations.
Click here to view the video.
Global Action Against Poverty (GCAP): Digital Action on International Women’s Day
March 8, 2023
On the occasion of International Women’s Day Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) mobilised a digital campaign central to the theme “Embrace Equity”. The digital actions highlighted the issues of gender equality, especially on the issues around Universal Healthcare, Social Protection, Vaccine Inequality, the condition of Women Caregivers, and Violence Against Women among others. The objective of the action was to bring together the voices of the communities on various forms of inequalities they face and demand policymakers to act with urgency in addressing gender inequality, especially for women facing multiple discrimination.
People’s Vaccine Alliance: Digital Action on International Women’s Day and Third Pandemic Commemoration
March 11, 2023
To acknowledge ?Women’s Day and 3RD Pandemic Commemoration, the People’s Vaccine Alliance (PVA) took the initiative to mobilise a campaign globally through digital action. The objective of the campaign was to commemorate those lost to COVID-19; demand that leaders agree on a pandemic treaty focusing on human lives; highlight how pharma greed has caused more significant loss of life during the pandemic, and demand that it is not repeated, and draw attention to other ways leader should make this happen.
Governance Review: Civil Society Contributions, Challenges, and Way Forward
May 22, 2023
The objective of the online event was to foster an open and meaningful discussion on the significant role of civil society. It also sought to evaluate the contributions made by civil society, the challenges they face, and planned the way forward on how civil society contributions can aid governance and advocacy in the coming years. Panelists - Ms. Beena Pallical (NCDHR), Dr. Mathew Cherian (CARE India), Mr. Rajgopal PV (Ekta Parishad) and keynote speaker - Prof. Neera Chandhoke aided the discussion with their insights on the same.
PEOPLES’20
Peoples’20 is an initiative started by Indian delegates who were a part of the C20 Summit in Bali along with other significant civil society members. Peoples’20 was built to strengthen people’s voices against regressive decisions made by the rich club of countries and develop a people’s narrative that can be taken to the G20 governments. You can read more about the initiative here.
To facilitate insightful discussions around G20 and bring people’s issues to G20, different webinar series were conducted on topics such as: Economy and Finance, Democracy and Civic Space, Climate and Environment, Civic Engagement, Inclusion and more. Click here to view the efforts of Peoples’20.
Several state consultations were held in different parts of the country followed by Peoples’20 Assembly in Delhi on 23 - 24 August, 2023 at the Constitution Club of India. The Assembly was an initiative to give this peoples’ movement a platform to set the agenda for the G20 and demand that it works for a just, equitable, and a peaceful world.
Post the webinars, consultation, and assembly G20 Press Declaration and Policy recommendations were compiled. Click here to view the Peoples’20 Policy Pack.
Global Week of Action 2023
The Global Week of Action 2023 was held from September 15 - 25, 2023. This year WNTA was a part of several actions along with CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) across the country coming together for change under the theme Unite to #Act4SDGs. Throughout the week different states came together through social media and shared what they united for creating impressions with over 10,000 accounts online.
Here is a glimpse of the impactful week at WNTA:
State People’s Assembly - Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Sept 8, 2023
CSEI (Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion) united to #Ast4SDGs in a 3-day state consultation on education for Education Champion Netwrok held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. During the consultation, educational disparities that were heightened by the pandemic, what role can civil society members play in advancing education and how can learning methodologies be made more innovate and creative were discussed. Further, the discussions were accompanied by how we can better achieve the SDG agenda by uniting to #Act4SDGs.
State People’s Assembly - Himachal Pradesh
September 16 - 25, 2023
Ekal Nari Shakti Sanghtan, an organization that works for the rights of Single Women, United to #Act4SDGs. State Assemblies were organized in 17 blocks with over 300 participants in Himachal Pradesh between September 16 - 25, 2023. During the events, discussions were centered around the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda with a main focus on achieving goals such as Gender Equality, End Poverty, and Sustainable Food Systems.
State People’s Assembly - Bihar, Patna
September 17, 2023
CSEI (Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion) united to #Ast4SDGs in a state consultation on education for Education Champion Network held in Bihar, Patna. During the consultation, educational disparities that were heightened by the pandemic, what role can civil society members play in advancing education and how can learning methodologies be made more innovative and creative were discussed. Further, the discussions were accompanied by how we can better achieve the SDG agenda by uniting to #Act4SDGs.
State People’s Assembly - West Bengal (1)
September 21, 2023
Kolkata Rista, a transgender-based organization United to Act for the rights of transgenders in India. During the assembly, a list of recommendations were drafted for the LGBTQIA+ community advocating for genuine #GenderEquality under UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.
State People’s Assembly - West Bengal (2)
September 22, 2023
Nari-o-Sishu Kalyan Kendra, an organization that works for the development of children and women united to #Act4SDGs. During the state people’s assembly, discussions centered around the concerns of marginalized people and communities and how to amplify their voices. Further, discussing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals with a main focus on Climate change, Peace, Gender Equality, and Education.
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State People’s Assembly - Delhi
September 22, 2023
CSEI (Centre for Social Equity and Inclusion) united to #Ast4SDGs in a state consultation on education for Education Champion Network held in Delhi. During the consultation, educational disparities that were heightened by the pandemic, what role can civil society members play in advancing education and how can learning methodologies be made more innovative and creative were discussed. Further, the discussions were accompanied by how we can better achieve the SDG agenda by uniting to #Act4SDGs.
State People’s Assembly - Chhattisgarh
September 23, 2023
Gramsabha Adhikar Manch, Balampur (C.G.) Dist United to Act for #Peace and #Justice for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Chattisgarh. During the State People’s Assembly, discussions centered around the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and how they can be inclusive of PVTGs in India further aiding the process of achieving the SDG Agenda.
State People’s Assembly - Rajasthan
September 25, 2023
Olkhaan Trust and Banjara Samaj Sangthan United to Act for #Peace and #Justice for Nomadic and De-notified Tribes (NT-DNT) in Rajsamand District, Rajasthan. During the State People’s Assembly, discussions centred around the importance of Sustainable Development Goals and how they can be inclusive of NT-DNT in India further aiding the process of achieving the SDG Agenda.
Empowering Marginalized Communities through Data-driven Advocacy
Project Overview:
Wada Na Todo Abhiyan is dedicated to conducting comprehensive survey-based studies focusing on underprivileged communities. In Bihar, the study delves into the living conditions of Scheduled Tribes across two districts, while in Rajasthan, it encompasses the Nomadic and Denotified Tribes in four districts. The primary objective of this survey is to gather vital information about these communities, including their educational needs, housing, sanitation, access to welfare programs, socio-economic status, and experiences of discrimination. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 3, and 6, the project aims to drive targeted interventions towards poverty eradication, improved healthcare, and access to clean sanitation. The findings will aim to empower community leaders to advocate for inclusive development and address disparities in essential services and opportunities for Tribal and NT-DNT populations.
Methodology:
This initiative relies on citizen-generated data as the cornerstone of its research. It emphasizes the importance of ensuring that Tribal and Nomadic and Denotified Tribe (NT-DNT) communities have equitable access to social protection measures. An innovative approach was adopted, leveraging community volunteers who collected data from more than 400 households through digital means for which they were extensively trained.
Project Status:
Data collection has been successfully completed, and the project is now in the final stages of report compilation and analysis. The resulting reports will be released to the public shortly. Following this, community social mobilization processes will be initiated within the targeted communities in Rajasthan and Bihar, with the aim of translating the research findings into tangible actions that improve the lives of these marginalized groups.
Empowering Marginalized Communities through Citizen-Generated Data
Project Overview:
Wada Na Todo Abhiyan is committed in establishing the need for listening to the marginalised voices and building solutions from the ground up in order to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals agenda of ‘Leave No One Behind’. Over the years WNTA has built strategies to build Citizen-Generated Data (CGD). The aim is to build capacities of marginalized communities to access key social protection measures through dialogue with duty bearers using the Sustainable Development Goals, Citizen Generated Data and strategies to engage with them.
Click here to view our previous work on CGD.
This year, the focus was to empower community-led organizations to influence their representation on data by capturing their needs and experiences through the medium of social media. Fostering cultures of transparency, data sharing and use, by generating and promoting CGD on social media.
Objective:
The objective of the project was to equip CBOs (Community-based Organisations) in marginalized communities with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively use social media platforms, enhance their digital presence, and amplify their voices for social change and empowerment in 8 detailed sessions.
Process:
These sessions were hosted online creating an opportunity for people from different states to connect on a common platform. Through these sessions, the individuals also learnt the basics of designing and content creation which equipped them to share their own data on social media. These community-led organizations have started to create and post on social media platforms which has helped in increasing visibility of these communities.
NOSKK: Award Winner of the 7th Martha Farrell Award 2023
An award named the 7th MARTHA FARRELL AWARD for Excellence in Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality 2023, was presented to Nari-O-Sishu Kalyan Kendra (NOSKK) for "Best Organization for Gender Equality". NOSKK is our partner organization that works for the development of children and women in West Bengal.
Participated in Global Advocacy Efforts for Citizen Data
WNTA participated in a ?United Nations Statistical Division Workshop and United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Citizen Data along with the LNOB (Leave No One Behind) Partnership to push for the acceptance of citizen data and have government-approved guidelines to collect it.
#TogetherForChange - An initiative by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan
#TogetherForChange is a civic engagement campaign anchored by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA) aimed at bringing different actors working on development challenges together to see how best we can synergize our energies and efforts for change towards a just, equal, and sustainable future.
Click here to know more.
Report Release: Promises & Reality' – a Citizen Review of 4+ years under NDA II Government 2019-2023
On Nov 27, 2023, WNTA released it’s annual 'Promises & Reality' report in the presence of a celebrated panel and over 150 participants in Delhi. Please find more details of the report, event, and the media coverage here.
India Social Forum 2023, Patna
Wada Na Todo Abhiyan was part of the India Social Forum 2023 from December 2 - 4, 2023, to view more details of the event please find more details here.
17th Annual Campaign Coordination Group Meeting
On November 28, 2023, WNTA convened its Annual CCG Meeting in New Delhi. The session commenced with a comprehensive overview of WNTA's initiatives throughout the preceding year. Following that, representatives from various states and communities shared their respective actions undertaken in the past year. An open discussion ensued, wherein the audience, inclusive of steering group members, provided valuable suggestions and inputs for charting the course ahead in 2024.
The campaign elections were also conducted for the 2023-25 term, resulting in the democratic selection of Avinash Kumar and Roshini Nuggehali as joint convenors of WNTA. The Steering Group for the same term was also constituted after deliberations among all present and you can find the details for the same on our website.
People’s Voices Survey: Coming #TogetherForChange
The People’s Voices Survey is a civil society initiative led by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan. Through this, WNTA is trying to compile the perceptions of citizens of this country regarding governance over the past four years. For a better reach, the survey has been translated into multiple languages. The information collected through this survey will be anonymous, and the results will be publicly shared.
Click here to know more.
Click here to take part in the survey.