A blog promoting 'participation as empowerment' with the perspective of making democracy work for all, every day - within families, communities, institutions, and political systems
Ajmer, a city steeped in history, faces persistent challenges in water management within its informal settlements.
While urbanisation is reshaping the entire world, South India is no exception. Cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kochi are at the forefront of India's rapid urban expansion, contributing significantly to the nation’s economic growth and the surge in urban population.
Urban mobility systems are the backbone of cities, shaping how people access work, education, healthcare, and leisure. Yet, these systems often fail to meet the needs of a significant portion of the population—women and gender-diverse groups.
In the scorching heat of Ajmer and Delhi, a silent crisis looms over the informal settlements scattered across these cities.
As I walked through the bustling streets of the informal settlements in Ajmer, Rajasthan, notebook in hand and curiosity piqued, I felt a mix of excitement and concern.
PRIA’s MobiliseHER team traveled to Bangalore during the week of June, 10 – 14, 2024. The aim of the visit was to gain relevant insights into the civil society ecosystem in Bangalore and meet different organisations to understand the city through a lens of gender and inclusive mobility.
Working at PRIA, often leads us to various cities across the country. Each trip is an opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of different communities.
Mr. Yedukrishnan V has recently joined PRIA after gaining valuable experience in the development sector. Drawing from his journey in the social sector and personal encounters in Kerala, he emphasises the importance of participatory governance and research in empowering marginalised communities.'
Ms. Meghna Sandhir, along with our team members, has been engaged in the Drivers, Limiters, and Barriers to Women's Trust in Digital Platforms Project since last year. She is blogging about her firsthand experiences from visiting our project sites in India.
Ms. Aashini Goyal, along with our team, has been working on the Drivers, Limiters, and Barriers to Women's Trust in Digital Platforms Project for the past two months. This blog recounts her firsthand experiences from visiting our project site in India.
Ms. Meghna Sandhir, our programme officer, along with colleagues from Martha Farrell Foundation and Pro Sport Development, participated in the Trainers of Training (ToT) program conducted at Sahbhagi Shikshan Kendra - SSK Lucknow. The training took place from December 4th to December 10th, 2023.
Our Program Officer, Ms. Shruti Priya, attended the Youth Solidarity and Leadership Training held in Bangkok, Thailand organised by the Asia Democratic Network in partnership with Forum Asia. The training was followed by a two-day Asia Democracy Assembly "Fostering Democracy Movements: Building Strategic Partnerships and Sustainable Cooperation in Asia".
During on my final stage interview at PRIA, I was fortunate enough to engage in discussion with Rajesh Tandon Sir, on a recurring observation of mine on how policies and studies are often designed remotely, with researchers comfortably stationed in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore, far removed from the very communities they aim to ‘support’.
Over the past 12 months of the pandemic, millions of citizens around the world have ‘unlearned’ old ways of being, while learning new behaviours. For rural communities in India, lockdown created greater reliance on local sources of food, water and preventive health care.
Recently, I attended the DELIVERING DEMOCRACY: Retrospect and Prospect conference organized by the G20 Civil Society 20 Delivering Democracy Working Group Secretariat, which was a remarkable experience. The conference aimed to explore innovative ideas and solutions to strengthen democratic institutions and promote civic engagement.
.png)
