Visit to SEWA Bharat in Delhi 

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM is on her first visit to India. 

On 2nd November 2009, Ms. Alberdi visited SEWA Bharat. She was accompanied by Ms. Anne F. Stenhammer, Regional Programme Director of UNIFEM South Asia Regional Office and Ms. Sushma Kapoor, Deputy Regional Programme Director, Ms. Mitushi Das, and Ms. Gita Gupta.  

UNIFEM and SEWA have been working together to promote the rights of home-based workers since 1995.

Ms. Alberdi and the UNIFEM team were greeted by Ms. Renana Jhabvala, National Coordinator of SEWA and Chairperson of SEWA Bank and SEWA Bharat, Mr Sanjay Kumar, National Coordinator of SEWA Bharat (www.sewabharat.org) and his team, which included grassroots women leaders.   

Ms. Jhabvala shared information on the history of SEWA and the work it does, the evolution of SEWA Bharat and the partnership with UNIFEM South Asia. Ms. Alberdi congratulated SEWA and thanked them for the invitation.  

A very spontaneous interaction took place between grassroots women leaders of SEWA Bharat and the UNIFEM team through an exchange of stories, facilitated by translation. The women leaders included mobilizers, home-based workers as well as single women.  

They all agreed that there is a new respect when you earn. There is a sense of freedom and security.  

On their part, the grassroots women leaders asked the UNIFEM team, as to what they did and why were they visiting them. Ms. Stenhammer and Ms. Alberdi spoke about themselves and how they work for women’s rights. The women told the Ms. Alberdi that she needed to get a double clap because she was working for women of the whole world. They said they were happy to have this conversation as this had been an opportunity for them to come and meet visitors from far away,  giving them a chance to share their stories and to know something more about the lives of other women.

Ms. Ines Alberdi, the Executive Director of UNIFEM, met the Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms. Sheila Dikshit on the 2nd November. They discussed the Global Safe Cities project, a leading flagship initiative of UNIFEM which represents a unique global initiative in the field of ending violence against women. It builds on UNIFEM’s pioneer work in Latin America. The model’s effectiveness will be tested and proven through rigorous impact evaluation in 5-8 cities in different regions of the world and its focus is on reducing sexual harassment and sexual violence in public spaces in urban settings -- universal, daily occurrences affecting millions of women and girls around the world, everyday, as they go about their daily chores, to school and work, walk their streets, neighborhoods, or take public transportation.

Ms. Dikshit expressed her support for the Safe City Free of Violence against Women and Girls Initiative, the pilot project of which is to be implemented in New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram by Jagori between September 2009 and February 2011. The project will have components of research, training, advocacy, community mobilization, partnership building and creating an overarching strategy to create safer cities for women and girls. Jagori will work with different partners of the government including Departments of Education, Associations, City Planners and Community Groups (Youth Groups Men’s Groups and Women’s Special Interest Groups) working with minority and marginalized communities and students. This project has been endorsed by Government of Delhi and UN-Habitat. 

Ms. Anne Stenhammer, Regional Director of UNIFEM in South Asia, also briefed Ms. Dikshit on UNIFEM’s upcoming project on gender and local government which aims at strengthening the capacities of elected women representatives; and creating a regional centre for excellence for capacity development of the elected women representatives.

Op-Ed by the Executive Director

Dr. Ines Alberdi, the Executive Director of UNIFEM met with the United Nations Country Team in India on 3rd November, 2009. The Executive Director presented an overview on the General Assembly Resolution on a stronger Gender Entity within the United Nations and the Gender Equality Fund on Women’s Economic and Political Empowerment. The adoption of GA resolution A/63/311 calls for the consolidation of UNIFEM, OSAGI, DAW and INSTRAW. Once established, the new entity will absorb UNIFEM and will incorporate UNIFEM’s mandate to strengthen the ability of the UN to support Member States and civil society, including women’s groups. The Fund for Gender Equality is a multi-donor initiative designed to advance high-impact gender equality programs that focus on women’s economic and/or political empowerment at local and national levels. The Fund is unique in its focus on turning local and national laws and policies into tangible gains for women’s rights.

Following her presentation, UNCT members discussed coordination mechanisms for gender issues within the UN system. The Regional Coordinator, Mr. Patrice Couer–Bizot, who Dr. Alberdi met individually prior to the UNCT meeting, expressed a keen interest in gender issues in India and South Asia and they discussed the need for developing new synergies to address gender concerns within the UN system. UNIFEM is one of the first UN agencies that Mr. Patrice Couer-Bizot has meet formally, following his recent appointment at Resident Coordinator.

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM met Ms. Krishna Tirath, Minister, Women and Child Development on 3rd November, 2009. The ED presented UNIFEM’s new program on governance, an initiative focusing on strengthening the institution of local governance, enabling women’s leadership to become the agency of change in political decision-making in India and countries of South Asia.   To this end, the project will set up a Regional Centre of Excellence for Capacity Development of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs), enhance capacities of Elected Women Representatives (EWRs) and support collection of evidence on Women in Governance. Dr. Alberdi also presented “Safe Cities” initiative, which focuses on creating cities where girls and women are safe and able to access their rights. The project will have components of research, training, advocacy, community mobilization, partnership building and creating an overarching strategy to create safer cities for women and girls.

During the discussion Ms Khrishna Tirath welcomed with enthusiasm UNIFEM   and suggested further collaboration in upcoming weeks to further discuss and strengthen partnership.

Meeting with Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National Commission for Women

Dr. Alberdi with Dr. Girija Vyas

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM, met with Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson of the National Commission of Women (NCW) on 3 November 2009 .As both UNIFEM and NCW were engaged in developing strategies to reduce violence against women and end the trafficking of women in India, a Letter of Agreement (LOA) or an memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two agencies of change would be signed as early as possible.

The areas of collaboration within the LOA/MOU would include mapping areas in India that are vulnerable or more prone to trafficking of all kinds including labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and trafficking as a result of false NRI marriages and organizing a pledging conference with donors to support long term budgetary resources to UNIFEM and the National Commission on issues of violence against women and anti trafficking.  

Dr. Girija Vyas also suggested that in order to increase the Government of India’s contribution to UNIFEM’s work that she would be happy to accompany UNIFEM to the Prime Minister’s Office so that the Government of India’s contribution to women’s issues is increased within the UN system.

Meeting with Indira Jaising, first women Additional Solicitor General of India, first CEDAW Committee Member from India and Founder / Director, Lawyer’s Collective Women’s Rights Initiative, India

Dr. Alberdi with Ms. Indira Jaising

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director, UNIFEM met Ms. Indira Jaising, Founder Secretary, Lawyer’s Collective on 3rd November, 2009. They discussed the partnership between UNIFEM and Lawyer’s Collective on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, focusing on their partnership in monitoring and evaluation of the Act and the challenges that lie ahead in ending domestic violence against women. Lawyer’s Collective, a grantee of the UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence, which is managed by UNIFEM, in collaboration with the Ministry for Women and Child Development, has been preparing Monitoring and Evaluation reports on the implementation of the PWDVA since 2007. In fact, it is the first ever annual tracking process to review the implementation of legislation to end violence against women in India. The next Monitoring and Evaluation report on the implementation of the PWDVA is being launched by the President of India on 13 December 2009.

Ms. Jaising enumerated the numerous obstacles that Lawyer’s Collective faces in the fighting for the implementation of the PWDVA. She highlighted the difference between the previous criminal law and the new civil law against domestic violence. It has includes a much broader definition of domestic violence drawn from the UN Framework for Model Legislation on Domestic Violence & UN Declaration on Elimination of Violence Against Women (GA Res. 48/104 of 1993). Other features include unambiguous recognition of the woman’s right to live free from violence; immediate relief to victims in cases of emergency; and the right to reside in shared household. She pointed out that changing mindsets is as important as introducing new legislation in ending violence against women. She also spoke of the need for governments to prioritize ‘women’s issues’ by investing greater resources in the implementation of the PWDVA, much like their revolutionary new schemes – The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Right to Information Act. In her capacity as a senior CEDAW committee member, she spoke of the need for greater policy dialogue in this critical thirtieth year of CEDAW.

Ms. Sonali Khan presenting the Bell Bajao Campaign

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM, met with Ms. Sonali Khan Director- Communications and Ms. Sunita Menon, Director, Education and Training, of Breakthrough, a key partner of UNIFEM SARO on 4th November, 2009.  Ms. Khan presented Breakthrough's Bell Bajao campaign which encourages men to take a stand and act to bring domestic violence to an end. The successful campaign has reached more than 130 million people effectively using television, radio, mobile video vans, press, leadership training and the internet to spread the word about how to put an end to violence in the home asking men and boys to bring domestic violence to a halt. Dr. Alberdi really appreciated Breakthrough innovative way to use the power of popular culture, media and community education to transform public attitudes and advance gender equality and justice. “The campaign has been able to mobilize a lot of people because of its technical and artistic great value, I am very proud of UNIFEM partnership with Breakthrough”, she commented.

UNIFEM organized a roundtable discussion to give the Executive Director of UNIFEM an overview of the work of UNIFEM  South Asia Regional Office  in India, as well as a wider view of development canvas. This included organizations   such as STOP (Stop Trafficking and Oppression of Children and Women) on anti trafficking;  Breakthrough Trust on Ending Violence Against Women (EVAW); partners for Law and Development on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); The Hunger Project in India  on developing the capacity of women leaders at grassroots level; The Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability on the importance of using gender responsive budgeting; AAKAR on  working with men and boys to prevent violence against women; The Institute of Social Studies Trust on research  and action programs related to gender and development; Jagori on its partnership with UNIFEM in the upcoming Gender Inclusive Cities: Increasing Women’s Safety ; Dr PM Nair, an IPS officer of Government of India who has worked with UNIFEM and UNODC on Anti-Human Trafficking issues.

Dr. Ines Alberdi, the Executive Director of UNIFEM signed the legal agreement for the proposal, “Promoting women’s political leadership and governance in India and South Asia, 2009 – 2012) between UNIFEM and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. The proposed project aims at strengthening the capacities of elected women representatives; and creating a regional centre for excellence for capacity development of the elected women representatives.  

The Ambassador of Norway to India, Ms. Anne Ollestad, expressed her appreciation at this new partnership between UNIFEM and Norway and felt it this endeavor would take the interests of women forward in the South Asian region. She recognized UNIFEM as the most appropriate agency to partner with on this issue. She pointed out that the Norwegian Government expects important changes in the field of women’s political leadership in South Asia with this new partnership and will have to inform the results to its constituency. She also pointed out the favorable climate for new initiatives such as this, given the introduction of revolutionary new schemes by the Government of India, such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Right to Information Act. Dr. Alberdi expressed her thanks to the Norwegian Government for their valuable support towards this new initiative.

Dr. Alberdi with Dr. Hameed

Dr. Ines Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM met with Dr. Syeda Hameed and Dr. BK Chaturvedi of the National Planning Commission on 4th November, 2009. They discussed the study conducted by UNIFEM on Women’s empowerment and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in collaboration with the Institute for Human Development. 

They also discussed several plans for future partnership. In particular, undertaking a study and assisting policy planning on engendering NREGA implementation in 4 states in India; assessing multiplier effects of NREGA on women’s empowerment and economic agency; reviewing women’s participation in management of productive assets created under NREGA; and women’s participation in planning and social audits. Further, they discussed the inclusion of single women in the implementation of NREGA.