Refresher Workshop on Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership, Jaipur, 24-25 June

To further strengthen the capacity of the women leaders who attended PRIA’s National School held in last February, a Refresher Workshop on 'Women’s Political Empowerment and Leadership’ was held at CECOEDECON (SWARAJ), Sitapura, Jaipur, 24-25 June.

The workshop had two objectives: a) to share the experience and learning of the previous years’ workshops and its practical implementation in work; and b) to refresh the learning of the National School and state-level workshop. Many women leaders, who attended the trainings, have utilised their leadership skills and new knowledge in the interest and welfare of the community. To refresh their learning on leadership, communication and conflict resolution, which were taught to them last year, a session was organised to reflect their understanding. Their understanding of issues was apparent during the quiz conducted on selected topics like National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), sanitation, domestic violence, budgeting and campaign.

Ms. Manju Joshi, Co-Director, CECOEDECON (SWARAJ), addressed the women leaders, motivating them to contest the coming Panchayat elections on reserved as well as unreserved seats. She also shared the expected amendments in the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) like the mandatory educational qualification up to class 10 for the post of a Sarpanch in the Gram Panchayat (GP). The participants also discussed the need for the abolition of two-child norm and for pressurising for property rights for women. An Action Plan was prepared and shared with the participants to train them on how to utilise the learnings at a personal level. It also decided to strengthen their networking, which has developed over the last year at the village, block and district levels.