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About the Project

"Rising towards equality and justice for women and children."

Udita, meaning "to rise" or "emerge," symbolizes the collective empowerment of women, adolescent girls, and children in tribal communities to claim their rights, dignity, and equal place in society. Anchored in the belief that gender justice and child protection are essential for sustainable development, Udita works at the grassroots to challenge patriarchal norms, safeguard childhood, and promote leadership among rural women and girls.

Objectives

  • Prevent child marriage, child labour, and trafficking through community-based surveillance and awareness.

  • Strengthen gender-sensitive governance and women’s participation in Panchayati Raj Institutions.

  • Promote sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), bodily autonomy, and menstrual dignity.

  • Build safe, inclusive spaces for adolescents, particularly girls, to learn, express, and lead.

  • Address gender-based violence through rights education, referral systems, and institutional linkages.

  • Strengthen implementation of child protection laws (JJ Act, POCSO) and ensure access to services.

  • Encourage intergenerational dialogue to shift community norms around gender, roles, and power.

Key Interventions

1. Child Protection and Rights Education

  • Community campaigns on child marriage, child labour, trafficking, and abuse.

  • Formation of Children’s Collectives and Bal Suraksha Samitis to monitor and report violations.

  • Training school teachers, PRI members, SHGs, and frontline workers on the JJ Act, POCSO, and ICPS.

2. Empowerment of Adolescent Girls & Boys

  • Life Skills Education on SRHR, consent, mental health, gender roles, leadership, and self-esteem.

  • Safe spaces and Adolescent Resource Hubs for regular peer-led sessions.

  • Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) and Menstrual Dignity Clubs in schools and communities.

3. Women’s Leadership & Rights Awareness

  • Capacity-building of SHG women on Panchayati Raj, Forest Rights, land rights, and social security schemes.

  • Legal literacy and redressal workshops on domestic violence, marital rights, and protection laws.

  • Facilitation of women's participation in Gram Sabhas and formation of gender advocacy collectives.

4. Gender Norms Transformation

  • Community theatre, wall writing, and audio stories highlighting positive deviance and women leaders.

  • Dialogue with men, boys, and traditional leaders to reflect on masculinity, shared responsibilities, and gender equity.

  • Celebrating days like International Day of the Girl Child, Women’s Day, and Child Rights Week.

5. Access to Entitlements

  • Linkage to scholarships, counselling services, health schemes, childline, and police support.

  • Promoting birth registration, access to ration cards, disability cards, and nutrition for vulnerable children.

  • SRHR support including access to adolescent-friendly health clinics and menstrual hygiene materials.

Impact So Far
2024-2025

  • 300+ adolescent girls trained on SRHR, consent, menstrual health, and gender rights.

  • 100+ cases of early marriage and child labour prevented through community vigilance and rapid action groups.

  • Bal Suraksha Samitis functional in 25 villages, reporting and resolving local violations.

  • 120+ women trained on gender budgeting, forest rights, and PRI roles; 30 women contesting Panchayat elections.

  • Safe spaces created in 20 adolescent clubs, where youth now lead MHM sessions and awareness drives.

  • Referral support system established in partnership with the District Child Protection Unit and Police.

  • Increased male engagement: 40+ men and boys actively involved in dialogue sessions and street plays.

Partners & Collaborators

  • Just Rights for Children and Bachpan Bachao – Technical support on child protection and gender-responsive governance.

  • District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) – For case referrals and institutional convergence.

  • Jharkhand State Commission for Women – Legal support and women’s rights awareness.

  • Jharkhand Police – Childline & Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPU) – For urgent rescue and protection.

  • Local Panchayats & Village-level Committees – Co-implementing child protection plans and gender justice charters.

  • District Legal Service Authorities (DLSA)- on legal help and support

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