India Case Study for MoS#2

Transcription

1 Influencing policy and practice for improved implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA): Experiences From Oxfam India s Programme on Ending Violence Against Women India Case Study for MoS#2

2 Oxfam India May, 2014 This publication is copyright but the text may be used free of charge for the purposes of advocacy, campaigning, education, and research, provided that the source is acknowledged in full. The copyright holder requests that all such use be registered with them for impact assessment purposes. For copying in any other circumstances, permission must be secured. Published by Oxfam India: 4th and 5th Floor, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, 1, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi Tel: +91 (0) Oxfam India Oxfam India, a fully independent Indian organization, is a member of an international confederation of 17 organisations. The Oxfams are rights-based organizations, which fight poverty and injustice by linking grassroots interventions, to local, national, and global polic developments. For further information please write to: policy@oxfamindia.org, or visit our website: Photo Credit: Late Rajendra Shaw Design: Colorcom Advertising

3 Experiences From Oxfam India s Programme on Ending Violence Against Women India Case Study for MoS#2

4 Acknowledgement This knowledge document was a highly collaborative effort by the gender justice staff throughout Oxfam India and its partners. First and foremost a thank you goes to the Partner Organizations of the IPAP programme which was supported by Department for International Development (DfID), UK Aid. This programmatic learning publication would have been impossible without your candid insights and reflections. Special mention for Nisha Agrawal (CEO, Oxfam India), Shaik Anwar (Director Programme & Advocacy), Avinash Kumar (Director Policy, Research & Campaigns) for the constant support & encouragement. Thank you to Jasmine Rocha, Global Evaluation Research and Learning Officer, Oxfam International for being an active supporter in this journey. Gender Justice team members (Ranjana Das, Moitrayee Mondal, Smriti Singh, Amita Pitre, Suraiya Tabassum and Vidhu Prabha) and Samik Ghosh, Programme Coordinator Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for their efforts in making this a living learning product that the organization can use. Appreciation goes to the Kaarak Team, particularly Mini Thakur, Divya Trikha and Poorvaja Kumar for their help in putting the case studies together. Julie Thekkudan (Lead Specialist - Gender Justice) and Aniruddha Brahmachari (National Manager - Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning) conceptualized & steered the process of this programmatic learning.

5 Table of Contents List of Abbreviations Abstract iv v I. Genesis 1 II. India Case Study: Context and Rationale 2 III. Case Study Description and Design 4 IV. Case Study Process and Implementation 6 V. Influencing Policy and Practice: Key findings 9 VI. Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned 30 VII. Summary Observations on the Case Study Theory of Change 33 Annexures 35 Annexure 1: List of documents reviewed 35 Annexure 2: Respondent list 36 Annexure 3: Details of capacity building initiatives 37 Annexure 4: Significant publications and research studies under the IPAP-DFID programme 40 Annexure 5: List of Government Order/ Letters 42 Annexure 6: SWOT Analysis of IPAP 46

6 List of Abbreviations AP ASHA AWAG CSJ CSO CSRF DGP DIR DSP DWCD FARR GERLO IEC IPAP IPC ISD ISWO M&E MEL MoS MoU NGO NMEW OGB OIN PO PWDVA SMS SP TISS UP VAW WCD WSC Andhra Pradesh Accredited Social Health Activist Ahmedabad Women s Action Group Centre for Social Justice Civil Society Organization Civil Society Resource Facility Centre Director General of Police Direct Investigation Report Director Superintendent Police Department of Women and Child Development Friends Association for Rural Reconstruction Global Evaluation Research & Learning Officer Information, Education and Communication INGO Partnerships Agreement Programme Indian Penal Code Institute for Social Development Indira Social Welfare Organization Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Measure of Success Memorandum of Understanding Non-Governmental Organization National Mission for Empowerment of Women Oxfam Great Britain Oxfam India Protection Officer Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act Single Management Structure Superintendent Police Tata Institute of Social Sciences Uttar Pradesh Violence Against Women Women and Child Development Women Support Centre iv

7 Abstract This case study is part of the methodology set by affiliate Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) representatives of Oxfam to gather information on the Measures of Success (MoS) # 2, i.e., Oxfam s interventions result in more people experiencing a sustainable improvement in their living standards and in their enjoyment of basic human rights. The case study method aimed at exploring the extent to which operational commitments and organizational configurations within Single Management Structure (SMS) influence adherence to Oxfam programme standards and the effectiveness of relationships; and how MEL capacity, relevant actors and motivational elements brought together by SMS have actually contributed to the quality of Oxfam programmes. However, the case of India is unique as India practically leaped over the SMS process by establishing itself as an independent affiliate. In that sense, the India case study Influencing Policy and Practice for Improved Implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA): Experiences From Oxfam India s programme on Ending Violence Against Women may not be completely comparable with other cases being presented from SMS countries, especially in terms of findings that relate to SMS processes. Nonetheless, the core objective of measuring impact while facing organizational transition is equally applicable to India. It also presents the advantage of looking at the strengths and challenges faced in implementing a large-scale programme as a new entity on a sensitive subject like violence against women (VAW). The case study benefited from a wealth of secondary literature available under the Department of International Development (DfID), UK Aid supported International NGOs Partnership Agreement Programme (IPAP) as well as from direct interaction with programme personnel, partners and external stakeholders engaged with the project. It focuses on the changes brought in by relevant agencies such as the Police, the Department of Women and Child Development, and other officials responsible for implementation of PWDV Act 2005 to understand and address the issue of domestic violence. It looks at key strategies applied to institutionalize effective models created under the project, measures taken to maximize impact, and evidence based advocacy that created a supportive environment for advancing the PWDV agenda at district, state and national levels. Finally, through analysis of available data, relevant lessons for future programming, especially in the context of organizational transition are presented. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high vphoto credit: Oxfam India

8 vi India Case Study for MoS#2

9 I. Genesis In 2008 the Oxfam Executive Directors agreed on moving towards a Single Management Structure (SMS). This decision was based on three drivers or reasons, namely impact, cost efficiency as well as identity and constituency/brand. The primary driver for SMS is greater impact; the secondary drivers are cost-efficiency and stronger identity and brand. To be able to demonstrate whether and to what extent the SMS change process is successful, the Oxfam Executive Directors formulated indicators/measures of Success (MoS) for each driver. The measures of success for impact are: MoS#1 Oxfam s adherence to its programme Standards is more consistent and at a higher level. MoS#2 Oxfam s interventions result in more people experiencing a sustainable improvement in their living standards and in their enjoyment of basic human rights. MoS#3 Communities, partners and allies experience a more effective relationship with Oxfam characterized by greater levels of mutual accountability, openness and transparency. The affiliate Monitoring Evaluation & Learning (MEL) colleagues network developed two complementary methodologies to gather information on each of the MoS as well as gaining a more in-depth understanding of how they are related. Firstly, all programmes report on MoS#1 and partially MoS#3 through a self-assessment tool, Secondly, nine (9) in-depth case studies accompany programmes in diverse contexts over the next two years, India case study being one of them. Lets share a violence free society Photo Credit: Late Rajendra Shaw 1

10 II. India Case Study: Context and Rationale Oxfam has been present in India since 1951 when Oxfam GB started its operations supporting relief work in the famine hit state of Bihar. By the end 1990s, Oxfam Australia, Oxfam Novib, Oxfam Hong Kong and Oxfam Intermon were also operating in India. In 2002, Oxfam Trust was registered in India and attempts were made to establish an Indian Oxfam that could work as an independent affiliate. A Steering Committee, including representatives from all affiliates working in India, was formed in 2007 to oversee the change process that was both complex and challenging. In September 2008, the five foreign affiliates operational in India were formally merged creating Oxfam India. The transition, however, took longer given the fact that Oxfam India had to conform to several legalities involved with functioning as an independent affiliate. It was only in 2011 that Oxfam India formally started working as a fullfledged affiliate of the Oxfam International and became the 17th member of Oxfam confederation. This organizationsal transition in India was coterminus with Oxfam s attempts of moving towards a Single Management Structure (SMS) in countries where multiple Oxfam affiliates were operational. The SMS process was aimed at enhancing Oxfam s impact and cost effectiveness; and building a stronger brand image as one Oxfam. While India did not fully undergo the SMS process, it adheres to the aforementioned SMS objectives. Since the formation of Oxfam India in 2008, OIN office in India has been working to build its programme and resource portfolio and to strengthen systems and operational procedures that meet the demands of operating in a country as vast as India while it also meets the global standards set by Oxfam. The Oxfam India Strategy is in place, specific programme implementation plans developed, and standards and protocols have been drafted. As OIN emerged as an independent affiliate, SMS processes were only partially applied. Affiliates managing grants for India at the time of merger, in some cases, continued their primary recipient role (grant management and donor reporting), although the implementation role was taken over by OIN. IPAP was one such programme, conceptualized and developed by Oxfam GB, based on Oxfam s credentials of working on gender issues and with marginalized communities. The initial conceptualization started in 2005, which was later developed as a full-fledged four-year programme by The fact that all Oxfam affiliates working in India had a strong focus on gender equality and on excluded communities contributed to the credentials presented to DfID towards the IPAP programme. As IPAP was handed over from Oxfam GB to OIN, there were certain issues with regard to contracting formalities. OIN did not have the required approval of the Department of External Affairs, a prerequisite for directly receiving grants from DfID. As a result, Oxfam GB manages the grant and donor reporting formalities while OIN implements the programme and manages all monitoring and reporting protocols, which it submits to Oxfam GB. In summary, the gender portfolio of OIN had a strong legacy, both in terms of working on gender issues in India and a strong network of partners for implementation and advocacy. Several IPAP partners had worked with Oxfam in the past (pre-oin) on gender equality and social inclusion issues, although specific focus on the issue of domestic violence was more defined in IPAP. Proposed strategies for IPAP strongly resonate with the programmatic experiences of various Oxfam affiliates who worked in India prior to OIN formation. Since India did not follow the SMS process, convergence of programmes and resources on thematic areas was not an alternative for OIN. 2

11 As the affiliates were withdrawing or wrapping up their programmes, IPAP provided a critical opportunity to build and strengthen OIN s Gender Justice portfolio. The programme was well resourced and had a relatively longer timeline, which gave a window of opportunity to the Gender Justice team to work effectively on its priorities while also building a case for further fund raising. Gender Justice is identified as one of leading themes of OIN. The Oxfam India Strategy identifies the change goal under Gender Justice as Women from all communities will gain power over their lives and live free from violence through changes in attitudes, ideas and beliefs about gender relations, and through increased levels of women s active engagement and critical leadership in institutions, decision making and change processes. OIN s gender portfolio specifically emphasizes on addressing the issues of violence against women and increased and effective participation of women in governance institutions, strategies for which are further elaborated in the programme Implementation Plans (PIPs). India volunteered to participate in the MoS #2 case study process and used the opportunity to probe and present the impact made by the programme. Willingness to measure and showcase the specific long term impact of the programme, existence of the strong thematic programme (IPAP in this case) with a longer term (5 year) commitment, and strong coordination between the programme and MEL team were key facilitating factors that helped decide participation in the process. IPAP also had the advantage of being at an advance stage of implementation when the MoS# 2 case study process was initiated and there were high chances of measurable results being achieved by Additionally, OIN was also hopeful of getting an extension for the programme till 2015, which eventually did not materialize due to policy changes at the level of the donor. Nonetheless, there were still many positives that made IPAP a preferred programme to be covered through the MoS Case Study. Additionally, a strong monitoring, reporting and documentation base was available as part of the programme that could contribute to building the case study over time by way of providing evidences for the processes adopted and results achieved. Looking into the time constraints on the part of the programme and MEL teams (as IPAP formally closes in March 2014), an external agency Kaarak was engaged to draft the case study on the basis of available documents, consultations with OIN team and primary data collection at the level of partners in project states. Photo Credit: Late Rajendra Shaw Counselors in the Support Centre 3

12 III. Case Study Description and Design The India case study presents the achievements and challenges in attaining the DfID supported INGO Partnerships Agreement programme (IPAP) for improving the status of the poorest and most marginalized in India. OIN focuses on addressing violence against women (VAW) as a key aspect of social exclusion with particular emphasis on domestic violence (DV) and better implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) 2005 in partnership with local civil society organizations. The purpose of the project was to change the patriarchal and other discriminatory social practices that perpetuate violence against women and enhance provision of appropriate support to women who undergo violence by state and non-state actors. It was envisaged that the project would impact multi-level stakeholders and was, thereby, targeted both at the community as well as the institutions at the state and the district level. Oxfam India supported direct programming that was aimed at strengthening support services for women facing domestic violence and advocacy with government for improved implementation of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA). The programme was implemented in the states of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Oxfam India also supported the broad based campaign called WE CAN in 9 states. 1 The overall goal of the project was to Reduce the social acceptance of all violence against women and bring a positive change in the policy and programme environment that perpetuates its acceptance at an institutional and community level. Key programme strategies included: Advocacy for reform in state policies and practice; Improving access of women from marginalised communities to the formal justice system and support services for survivors of violence; and Mobilizing and empowering women and men in communities to challenge discriminatory belief systems and practices. This case study specifically focuses on Outcome 1 of the programme, i.e., Government officials in the relevant departments (Police, Protection Officers [POs] under DV Act, Women & Child Development [WCD] officer) are sensitized about the issue of VAW and have increased knowledge of the laws, rules and regulations related to VAW and support services and related budgetary allocation procedures to be followed for expenditure. Key aspects under this outcome include sensitizing government officials and building their capacity on issues of violence against women and laws and regulations related to it, with specific focus on PWDVA. Further, a significant mandate was to undertake advocacy initiatives related to VAW with government officials in the relevant departments (police, PO, WCD) and establishing support structures for the beneficiaries (specifically victims of violence). The programme did not have an explicit/well laid out theory of change but a rigorous results framework was developed through several rounds of consultations with DfID. This formed the basis for monitoring, progress tracking and reporting on results. 1 This was a campaign started by Oxfam Great Britain in India in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. 4

13 Research questions underlining the case study The case studies for MoS#2 aimed at exploring: whether and how operational commitments and organizational configurations within SMS influence adherence to Oxfam programme standards and the effectiveness of relationships; and whether and how MEL capacity, relevant actors and motivational elements that SMS helped to bring together have actually contributed to the quality of Oxfam programmes. By comparing the different case studies Oxfam expected to: specify which aspects of SMS per se, in certain contexts, organizational structures or programme models can be reasonably expected to unlock greater impact. produce actionable learning about which kinds of investments in programme quality seem to work better or worse and in which contexts, so that good practices can be documented, circulated and adapted elsewhere. In doing this, the comparative cases will contribute to shared understanding of programme standards, what constitutes effective relationships, and commonality of practice as well as differences regarding both. enhance MEL skills in the participating programmes and share and increase understanding across the confederation of what constitutes effective MEL. As OIN does not follow SMS, the learning interests were slightly different although the key research questions guiding the India case study are aligned to the overall objective of understanding the impact drivers, within the specific context of the selected programme (IPAP). OIN s learning interest in undertaking this case study is to have a better understanding of the policy initiatives, and success and gaps therein, that could guide its future efforts on policy initiatives on the issue of VAW in India. Specifically, the India case study intends to answer the following: To what extent has cooperation among the Oxfam partners, and community groups (in relation to this specific part of Outcome 1) of the programme such as government officials in the relevant departments (police, protection officers under DV Act, women & child development officers) are sensitized about the issue of the VAW and have increased knowledge of the laws? To what extent has improved policy initiatives, cooperation among official and partners led to more focus and cohesion on this part (outcome 1) of the programme and to better linkages among this aspect and other aspects of VAW programme? To what extent did the cooperation lead to innovations, newer ways of working, policy changes that have become institutionalized in the state and/or national context? In essence, the case study intends to explore and present the achievements and lessons with regard to the programme s influence on policies and practices addressing VAW issues at the state as well as at the national level, in a manner that could inform future decisions regarding VAW programming. 5

14 IV. Case Study Process and Implementation The case study process was envisaged as a longitudinal process, capturing progress and impact of results of selected programmes over time. Preliminary understanding on the need of developing the case study and other potential ways to measure success started to develop in 2008, when the SMS process was set in motion. However, the organizational changes and subsequently the affiliate MEL s preoccupation with transition, coupled with lack of clarity about time and resource obligations resulted in the time lag in developing consented tools to be applied for measuring success. It was only in 2011 that the tools (Programme Standards Self-Assessment- PSSA for MoS#1 and Case Study for MoS#2) were practically adopted for application. As discussed earlier, case study was selected as a method to be followed for MoS#2 of the impact driver, i.e., Oxfam s interventions result in more people experiencing a sustainable improvement in their living standards and in their enjoyment of basic human rights. In India, the programme and MEL team started to preparing for the case study in 2012 after Existing MEL evidences under IPAP that contribute to the case study: Monitoring and progress reporting system: baseline report; quarterly progress reports over the programme period; annual and biannual reports Evaluation: End-line evaluation of the programme; evaluation undertaken by DFID Learning products: Process documentation, case studies, research studies undertaken during the programme, value for money study, PSSA consultation note deciding the programme component they wished to take up through the case study method. Since the programme (IPAP) had a number of monitoring, review and planned documentation exercises in place, it was assumed that these evidences would contribute to the case study. Also an independent evaluation was to take place by the end of 2013 that could potentially benefit the case study. Since the programme was coming to an end in 2013, the case study process had to close by this time. The Global Evaluation Research & Learning Officer (GERLO) representative was updated of the progress in December Anticipating time constraints towards the end of the programme (in 2013), it was also decided that an external agency would be engaged to undertake the drafting of the case study, based on evidences available and also through direct interaction with programme stakeholders at the state level. Processes and methods followed by Kaarak towards developing the case study can be summarized as: Consultations with the OIN team: Consultations were held with the OIN MEL team, IPAP programme team (New Delhi) and regional teams (Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh). Interactions with the regional teams were undertaken through video/teleconferencing. In person meetings with regional managers overseeing IPAP implementation in Gujarat and Odisha were held during field visits to these states. The consultations helped in developing a better understanding of the programme- more specifically on Outcome 1; obtain relevant programme related literature and identify key stakeholders/respondent group and project state for primary research. The consultations were crucial for obtaining consensus with OIN on the scope of work and 6

15 final work products. In addition to the OIN team, two rounds of discussions were held with GERLO to understand the case study protocol and manner in which it had to be approached, considering India is a single affiliate country. Discussions with GERLO were also helpful in deciding the broad layout of the case study. Review of secondary literature: The team carried out an extensive review of documents made available by the OIN team and the project partners. The literature review focused on understanding the programme, identifying key strategies undertaken by the project partners under Outcome 1, impact of the strategies, and key achievements specific to the outcome. The Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) and Annual Reports significantly contributed to obtaining information on the same. The team also conducted mapping of the orders issued by different government functionaries/ department that facilitated programme implementation. The mapping exercise was done to assess their periodicity, content and its purpose (a list of other documents reviewed that contributed towards developing the case study is provided in Annexure 1). Review of literature also helped towards developing broad probe points for discussion with project partners and external stakeholders during primary data collection. Primary data collection: The team carried out the data collection exercise at two project locations, i.e., Gujarat and Odisha. At both the locations, consultations were held that witnessed representations from all the project partners. In addition, the team also met some government functionaries, primarily the police, and officials from the Department of Women & Child Development (DWCD). The team also visited Women Support Centres (WSC) 2 at each of the locations and interacted with the concerned staff members of partner agencies 2 Also called support centres. including counsellors at the support centres. (Refer to Annexure 2 for respondent list). Preparation of case study: Post the field visit, the team documented the field level findings, which along with the literature review and interactions with OIN, helped towards developing the case study document. A zero draft was shared with the OIN MEL and programme team for review following which a second draft was shared with GERLO representative for feedback towards finalization. Use of PSSA tool in IPAP Experience of applying the tools developed to generate evidences on MoS, such as the PSSA, self-assessment and case studies are likely to be varied depending on the SMS stage and overall organizational preparedness to adopt standard tools. In India, while the case study method was found to be practical and possible, experience with the PSSA tool was not as encouraging. Firstly, the tool was found to be extensive and cumbersome, especially given the fact that the MEL portfolio was being strengthened in light of the organizational transition to a single affiliate entity. The demands and expectations from the MEL team were many as MEL was trying to align itself with the global standard practices of Oxfam as well as with the needs of programme teams. Secondly, the highs and lows of the SMS process had a bearing on the practical application of tools, especially in terms of its timing and ownership. In India, the additional challenge of high turnover of staff, including those at higher management levels added to the challenge. For instance, the programme manager who was earlier oriented on the PSSA tool left midway and the practical application of the tool under IPAP took place only in Feb-March A two-day consultation with partners was organized by OIN on the PSSA tool that witnessed interest and participation of partners. The overall feedback was very positive and the tool helped discuss programmatic 7

16 Photo Credit: Late Rajendra Shaw Strengthening collectives to raise voice on violence against women aspects that are often left out in regular review meetings. Standards 7 and 11 3 generated discussions regarding issues that needed more attention. Partners felt that the feedback-loop needs to be strengthened to convey national level developments to partners and stakeholders working at state levels and below. As an outcome of the discussions around the PSSA tools, greater focus was accorded to national level advocacy and lobbying to address the issue of VAW and learning events were organized for a full-circle advocacy approach. While the tool itself was found to be useful by programme team and stakeholders, the timing of applying the tool was not favourable since the IPAP programme was coming to a close by the end of Standard 7: All country programmes will have the capacity to deliver effective national campaigning across the OI Global campaigning force model under the parameters set by the OI Southern Campaigning Guidelines as appropriate in a given country context, and to link this work to Oxfam International global campaigns; Standard 11: Programmes are accountable to stakeholders. Limitations Drafting of the case study was scheduled for 2013, when the IPAP programme was formally going to end (later extended till March 2014). As such, the programme was at a stage where anticipating a long-term impact was difficult, although positive results, challenges, and lessons were palpable. Moreover, other components of the programme, and broad based campaigns such as We Can, which may have contributed to policy advocacy could not be thoroughly examined. One of the limitations in connecting the programme results with the transition process, was lack of institutional memory due to high turnover in OIN post transition. However, the programme and MEL team made available the documents and files handed over by OGB, which were helpful in understanding the conceptualization and process followed for developing the programme. 8

17 V. Influencing Policy and Practice: Key findings Sensitizing relevant government departments and officials, in particular, the police and protection officers (under PWDV Act) about VAW issues including the law, its implementation, and budgetary allocation is one of the key outcomes of the IPAP programme. Other components of the project include community awareness and strengthening community level structures to provide support to women facing DV, with special attention to excluded communities. The project operated across five states in India with varied socio-economic scenarios. Further, strengthening government response also called for alliances and advocacy at the national level. As such IPAP operated at various levels and engaged with a wide spectrum of stakeholders. It is therefore important to discuss some of the core contextual issues that had the potential to influence the experiences and achievements under this outcome. Varied state context: The IPAP project covered the five states with of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand spread across the country. The project states are at different performance levels in terms of socio-economic and gender equality indicators. For instance, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat show a relatively better gender parity than Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on education and health indicators. 4 These variations are primarily attributed to the overall level of governance and recent history of women s movement and empowerment initiatives in these states by state governments as well as civil society organizations. Gujarat has to its credit, a strong co-operative movement involving women and is home to organizations such as the Self Employed Women s Association (SEWA) that registered the first and so far the only women s 4 India Human Development Report 2011: Towards Social Inclusion. Institute of Applied Manpower Research, Planning Commission, GoI; available at media_coverage_compilation/ihdr_summary.pdf trade union in India. Similarly, Andhra Pradesh, in the last two decades had the most extensive coverage of women self-help groups, federation and federation run banking services for women entrepreneurs, coupled with investments made by the state in health and education services. Programmatically, these states provided a more positive ground for collaboration with civil society and government agencies. Uttarakhand 5 and Uttar Pradesh 6 have relatively poor gender parity on development indicators and they also lag behind on overall development indicators when compared with Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Apart from Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal, Odisha is also one of the states included among the empowered action group (EAG) 7 states by the Government of India due to its low performance on development indicators as well as high gender disparity. While both Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal have a fair presence of civil society organizations, unlike Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, collaboration between the government and civil society organizations has remained weak. On the contrary, while Odisha is considered a backward state, civil society organizations, including women led organizations have had a strong presence with several examples of GO-NGO collaboration in the recent past, especially on issues of disaster management, reproductive health, and tribal development. Although, there are significant variations among the project states in terms of socio-economic development and governance standards, it would be naïve to assume that the better performing states have addressed the institutional and 5 Uttarakhand is one of the newer states, carved out of Uttar Pradesh in India Human Development Report 2011: Towards Social Inclusion. Institute of Applied Manpower Research, Planning Commission, GoI; available at media_coverage_compilation/ihdr_summary.pdf 7 Group of states identified by the Planning Commission of India as lagging behind on population, health and related social indicators. 9

18 normative factors that persist gender inequalities and VAW. In that sense OIN s IPAP project was equally relevant to all selected states. In summary, the project states present a wide spectrum of socio-economic, gender and governance contexts, that would have a bearing on programme results, specifically in terms of state response to policy advocacy initiatives and sustainability. Challenges in PWDVA in general and state-wise variations in implementation The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 is a result of decades of activism by gender equality advocates. The fact that it took almost 60 years after independence to convince policy-makers of the need of an exclusive piece of civil law to deal with domestic violence itself, reflects poor understanding of the social and economic inequalities that women face in India. PWDVA was received with great enthusiasm by women groups while it was criticized by many who believed it was too ambitious to be implemented. In the 8th year of its being in force, implementation of PWDVA is still challenging, primarily due to lack of awareness among women as much as among those who are vested with the responsibility of making it accessible to women facing situations of violence in various domestic settings. According to the WCD ministry s own admission, most states have so far been unable to adhere to the mandatory provisions as defined under PWDVA. Various assessments of the PWDVA implementation also reiterate the fact that implementing the spirit of the Act is far more challenging given the male dominance and patriarchal values that characterise the law enforcement institutions. Among the weakest areas of its implementation are inadequate financial and human resources (primarily protection officers and trained counsellors) 8, notification of service providers, 8 Draft 12th Five Year Plan of India, Volume 3, available at pdf/12fyp_vol3.pdf poor monitoring 9, and lack of orientation among implementers to recognise the needs of women in vulnerable situations. So far, the only consistent assessment is conducted by the Lawyers Collective Women s Rights Initiative (Staying Alive reports by LCWRI) that is supported by agencies such as UN Women and recently by the National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) 10. Given the fact that IPAP outcomes sought to bring changes at policy and practice levels and aimed at working closely with government agencies, it is safe to assume that the overall PWDVA implementation scenario, specifically varied preparedness levels of state governments in terms of setting up of the recommended mechanisms and allocation of financial allocations, would have considerable influence on progress and results. Partners varied strengths and experiences The IPAP partners, while all working on issues relating to women s empowerment and gender equality (although not specifically on PWDVA), have varied core competencies, experience, and scale of operations. Partners such as Bhumika, Shaheen, Society for Women s Awareness and Rural Development (SWARD), Ahmedabad Women s Action Group (AWAG), Area Networking and Development Initiatives (ANANDI), Friend s Association for Rural Reconstruction (FARR), Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Institute for Social Development (ISD) have had a strong presence in their areas and had worked closely with the government and communities on gender equality and violence issues. Some of the partners, such NMEW was launched under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI, in 2010 with a mandate of boosting convergence among various ministries that deal with women s empowerment issues. NMEW runs a national level women s resource centre and facilitates establishment of similar institutions at the state level. It also provides space for greater collaboration with civil society institutions on issues relating to gender equality and women s empowerment. Details are available at: 10

19 as Bhumika and Shaheen had also worked closely with the judiciary demanding special courts for women while others such as Anandi and AWAG has a strong track record on gender trainings with women leaders and front line workers. Similarly, CSJ has the benefit of a strong background on legal aspects relating to women. OIN s partners under IPAP also had varied scales of operation wherein some of the agencies were operating at panchayats and block levels while others had their work spread across blocks and districts as also at the state capital levels. Similarly, some partners had a legacy in documentation and publication while for others documentation has remained a weak link. These specific characteristics of partner agencies underlined the strategies and approach they adopted in implementation of the programme, and ultimately their performance on different programme outcomes. Challenges related to organizational transition As described in the introductory section of the case study, the IPAP implementation period witnessed major organizational transition at Oxfam in India. Among the most crucial aspects of transition, that would have a direct bearing on programmes like IPAP (that spread over the transition phase), were high turnover of staff members at administrative and project management levels as also a gap in systematic M&E during transition. For IPAP, while the reporting formalities were clear and predefined by the donor, at the level of OIN, a consistent MEL team became functional only by Changes at the level of theme lead, project personnel at national and regional levels 11, and MEL also resulted in delays in inputs to partners. Although, a detailed account of handing over of the project from Oxfam GB to OIN is not available, it emerges that no specific handing over protocols were available during transition and much 11 Except for the regional manager for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha who remained throughout the transition, all project staff changed after OIN was formed. depended on individuals per se. This, coupled with the high turnover at the OIN level, made things further complicated for MEL and the current project team. For partners, it would practically mean getting introduced to a new set of project managers (OIN level) during implementation and subsequent time gaps in decision-making, guidance and inputs from OIN and monitoring, Within the above-mentioned contextual characteristics, the following section discusses some of the key strategies and subsequent results achieved under Outcome I of IPAP. These findings are presented under five broad headings with (i) Creating replicable models for strengthening support mechanisms; (ii) Awareness and capacity building; (iii) Advocacy for budgetary allocations for PWDVA implementation, (iv) Research and publication towards advocacy, and (v) Contributions to national level advocacy and lobbying for effective implementation of PWDVA. Creating Replicable Models for Strengthening Support Mechanisms The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) was enacted in India to recognize women s rights to civil relief in situations of domestic violence and to recognize women s right to reside in a shared household. PWDVA provides for a mechanism to facilitate women s access to justice and support services. A nodal agency of the state government (for example the Department of Women and Child Development or the Department of Social Welfare) is vested with the responsibility of putting in place the mechanism under PWDVA. The application for relief primarily lies with a Judicial Magistrate of the first class, or as the case may be, the Metropolitan Magistrate, exercising jurisdiction under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) in the area where the aggrieved person resides temporarily or otherwise; or the respondent resides; or the domestic violence is alleged to have taken place. Hence, the criminal justice system and the police are implicated in the enforcement and implementation of PWDVA. 11

20 The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA) The orders that are available to victims/survivors of domestic violence under the PWDVA include: Protection orders Residence orders Orders for monetary reliefs Orders granting temporary custody of children Compensation orders Roles and responsibilities of various agencies that constitute the PWDVA infrastructure are Protection Officers key implementing agency under PWDVA Service Providers Medical Facilities Shelter Homes Police Legal service providers Magistrates Appointed to receive complaints from victims/survivors and record Domestic Incident Reports (DIR). Provide information on available legal rights and remedies and facilitate victims/survivors access to justice and support services. Assist the court in serving notices, collecting evidence and enforcing orders, and to coordinate between other PWDVA agencies. Providing services to women, such as counselling, shelter, medical aid, legal aid and financial support. Medical facilities are authorized to record DIRs and are duty bound to provide services to victims/survivors. State governments are also required to notify Shelter Homes. Once notified, shelter homes cannot refuse to provide services to victims/ survivors. Provide information on available rights and remedies, facilitate victims /survivors access to Protection Officers. Initiate criminal proceedings when appropriate, and act on the directions of the court to assist in the enforcement of orders. Provide assistance to Protection Officers and Service Providers. Provide legal representation in court to victims/survivors filing applications under PWDVA. Grant orders under PWDVA. Order the police and Protection Officers to collect evidence. Assist in the enforcement of orders. They may refer cases for counselling to Service Providers during the course of legal proceedings. Though the Act came into existence in 2005, awareness levels among general people as well as among the law enforcement agencies regarding the Act are still very low 12. Monitoring and evaluation of PWDVA has also pointed to the fact that apart from low awareness, interpretation of the law is highly influenced by the patriarchal mind-set of Police, POs, and judiciary 13. It must be noted here though, that the implementation of PWDV Act varied state-wise and also district- 12 Gaps in PWDVA Implementation, National Mission for Empowerment of Women, available at: in/index.php/gaps-in-pwdva-implementation 13 Staying Alive: Evaluating Court Orders: 6th M&E Report 2013 of the implementation of PWDV Act, Lawyers Collective, 2013, available at: uploads/2012/07/staying-alive-evaluating-court-orders.pdf 12

21 wise within states. With the advent of the IPAP- DFID programme by OIN in 2008, focus was laid on building awareness about the implementing partners and CSOs on the issue of VAW with a special focus on the PWDV Act. The overall aim of the IPAP-DFID programme was to explore alternate strategies and models for working in those states where the government machinery did not demonstrate adequate political will in ensuring effective implementation of the Act. To reap sustained benefits of the PWDV Act, the IPAP programme identified certain institutional bases from where the issue of violence against women could be tackled most effectively. These institutions included: i) the police and the support systems like stay homes and counselling centres, ii) the legal system, and iii) the Women and Child Welfare Department (WCD), which has the central role in implementation of the Act. In this process, strategies were devised and models created to strengthen these existing structures. Instances of replication and up scaling of such practices and processes by the government, were also observed during this process. Key initiatives to demonstrate and strengthen support mechanisms and their outcomes are discussed below: Through the IPAP programme we were able to leverage on the linkages and association developed by Oxfam with government officials (Police). This also improved our understanding on VAW and enhanced our capacities in the area of monitoring, reporting and evaluation - Sejal, AWAG, Gujarat a. Strengthening Women Support Centres in collaboration with the Police- Women in India approach formal institutions only after other resolution mechanisms fail, at the family or community level. Among these formal institutions, Police stations have emerged as an important point of first contact that women identify with, in terms of prevention or end of violence. This institution of public authority plays a significant role in the PWDV Act. It has the responsibility of registering cases, investigation, serving notices of the Protection Officer, enforcing the Protection Order etc. However during the initial stages of the IPAP programme, it was noticed that the Police had an unwelcoming attitude towards women and lacked awareness about the PWDV Act. For example, in a 16 days activism programme in Uttar Pradesh in 2012, 12 Police stations were visited to gauge the awareness about the PWDV Act, It was found that none of the station officers had even heard of such an Act and most believed that such problems are best dealt with within the families. This brought about the need for setting up of support centres; a provision well within the concept of service provider under the PWDV Act. Under the IPAP programme, women support centres were established by NGO partners across the project locations. The centres were set up with a mandate of providing services to women such as counselling, facilitating linkages to support systems, medical aid, legal aid and financial support. Women Support Centres have two full-time trained social workers/counsellors. These centres have been established after constant advocacy efforts and push for various government orders by NGO partners. While some partners already had their support centres, some were newly established under the programme. With the exception of the three NGO run WSCs in Uttar Pradesh, most centres have been established within the premises of the Superintendent of Police Office or police stations. This was done through constant advocacy and formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) drafted by the partners. (A brief description of official orders and letters issued is provided in Annexure 5). In Andhra Pradesh, a letter (Official Letter no. C.No.5007/C14/WPC/CID/09) was issued by the 13

22 Approaches the woman in distress through community mobilisation Follow up the case till its judicial end Addresses the immediate need of the woman (e.g. medical) Activities of the Support Centre Provides for referral support system (law enforcement and shelter home) Counsels the woman and her family Listens to the woman s problems/ records a case/ help files Domestic Incident Report office of the Additional General of Police, CID giving permission to Oxfam India to initiate measures for establishing support institutions (support centres) for women preferably in the Women Police Stations. The letter enabled the setting up of the support centres at Anantpur, Warangal and Karimnagar after receiving the consent of the Superintendents of Police in the respective districts. Additionally, in 2009 with the backing of Oxfam India, SWARD Support Centre (which was operational since 2004) was able to enter into a MoU to build a separate structure within the premises of Mahila Police Station, Basheerbagh. By 2010, other than East Godavari the other districts had district level support institutions within the Police station that received cases from other parts of the districts. In June 2012 Samjhauta, Shaheen s new domestic violence counselling centre was opened in collaboration with the WCD Department of Andhra Pradesh. The centre now has one Protection Officer from WCD and two counsellors from Shaheen. In Gujarat, the sustained efforts of local CSO partners as well as national partner Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), along with Oxfam resulted in the initiation and regular functioning of six support centres across the police stations in project locations (Patan, Rapar, Banaskantha, Amreli, Rajkot and Godhra). In Patan and Rapar districts, the Superintendent Police (SPs) drafted the MoU with the local CSO AWAG for running the support centre, which was then considered and signed by the Director General of Police (DGP). These were the first MoUs formally supported by the police. The initiative led to the setting up of the first support centre at Patan which was a unique public private partnership of police with women s right agency-awag. A good example of scaling-up 14

23 of the support centres comes from Gujarat where the state government sanctioned setting up of 100 support centres across 26 districts. These centres are being modelled as those, which were initiated and operated under the IPAP programme. In Odisha too, in July 2009, the IG of Police- Human Rights and Social Justice, with approval from the DGP, issued letters to SPs of five project districts, intimating them of the state s consent in supporting women support centres through OIN s partners FARR, ISD, and ISWO and requested the district SPs to support the NGOs (Refer to Annexure 5 for details). Government officials in Odisha have been particularly proactive in setting up the support centres. In Cuttack district due to space constraints the centre could not be operated from the IG office. However, special provisions were made for the functioning of the centre from the District Social Welfare Office in coordination with the Protection Officer. In Bargarh, the office of the Superintendent of Police replicated the WSC model in its own premises at its own cost. Currently a local NGO is running it in collaboration with the police. In Uttar Pradesh, support centres could only start in 2011 through support from the Police, and institutionalized much later (in 2013) through intervention from the NMEW. Other three support centres are run by partners on its own, although they work closely with the Police and WCD. Support centres at Police Stations were established through formal MoUs, this kind of collaboration has provided for greater accessibility with the PWDVA agency (Police) and also provided greater visibility to the support centres. As the police department is directly and formally involved with support centres, there is greater recognition of the magnitude and complexity of VAW issues within the department. Further, the quality of services and commitment of partners has enhanced their acceptance and credibility, making advocacy work more effective at the level of police department and with other relevant government agencies. Also in all project states, the formal collaboration with the police and DWCD set precedence that could be used for advocacy at the state level for upscaling. Undoubtedly, formal collaboration was only a beginning and partners, along with OIN s support, made tremendous efforts to develop support centres as effective models in their districts and states. State governments decisions, for instance in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, are a result of partners ability to showcase support centres as effective and useful links in PWDV implementation. Sajha Manch, Uttarakhand: A collective effort for advocacy In Uttarakhand, 40 CSOs and about 70 supportive individuals have come together to form a state level alliance called Sajha Manch. The alliance works at state and district levels, while block and village level groups work as an interface between the Manch and communities. Key roles taken up by Sajha Manch include awareness raising, strengthening support systems for better access to PWDV provisions (case work, legal aid, advocacy for improving shelter home), and advocacy with the local and state administration. This is done through regular meetings of members, developing a plan of action, and representation in district level committees. The partner NGO provides case work support across 17 blocks in six districts in the state and coordinates advocacy activities such as consultations and representations through the alliance. Leading members of Sajha Manch have been nominated as service providers under PWDVA by the government in six districts in the state. Credit: Documentation of (OIN s) programme Interventions in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. For Providing Support and Access to Formal Justice System, Puja Awasthi,

24 Such initiatives in Uttar Pradesh received a mixed response. So far only one WSC has been established in collaboration with the Police (in Azamgarh district) while the other three are managed by partner NGOs. Apart from centre-based interventions, a short stay home facility and vocational training were also provided by SRSP, a partner organization in Uttar Pradesh. Similarly, regular dialogue with the departments of Police, Judiciary and WCD (Departments of Women and Child Development) at the district level on the issue of violence against women (VAW) in general, and implementation of PWDVA in particular resulted in developing significant support systems for women in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. In Uttarakhand, formal support centres were not established but case work and implementation support for PWDVA was provided through a network of civil society organizations (Sajha Manch). In order to ensure coordination and effective implementation of the Act, the IPAP programme focused on strengthening relations between the Police and support centres. Several capacity building activities and gender sensitization meetings on the Role of Police in PWDV Act, and VAW issues made the Police more receptive to the idea of women support centres. There has been a perceptible change in the attitude of the Police towards women. They have been providing immense support to the WSC staff by routing cases to the centre, providing a constable, furniture, transportation and electricity for the centres established under the programme. It is also critical to mention that programmatic experience regarding the establishment of support centres and advocacy for upscaling of the model, varied across states. In the states of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat, support from the Police department for establishing support centres came early in the project which can be attributed partly to partners past work on women s issues with the government; as also to a relatively more proactive state-machinery. On the other hand, in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, state support remained weak compared to other states under the project. Further, partners past credentials on VAW issues, linkages with WCD and the judiciary, and specific core competencies such as training, legal aid and documentation also worked in favour of this initiative. Partners recognise the active supervisory and support role provided by OIN s regional managers, specifically in advocacy for upscaling of their efforts. At the same time, engaging with reputed technical agencies such as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) for training of counsellors was found to be of immense help in creating a cadre of qualified and capable counsellors for support centres which further convinced the police of their specific role in addressing VAW cases. The presence of women support centres is imperative. The counsellors are very well trained to handle cases of violence. We always refer the aggrieved women to the centre - Superintendent of Police, Dhenkanal district, Odisha Sustaining the support centres in areas where state governments response to sustain, adopt or upscale is not yet clear, will be a challenge for OIN and its partners. Partners financial capacity to sustain support centres on their own is also limited. On the positive side, partners in Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, and those operating at the block level in Gujarat, 14 are committed to support WSCs in their areas through their own means. In Andhra Pradesh, the partner NGO has been able to generate funds for further supporting the WSCs. Moreover, with the Gujarat government taking proactive steps to establish such centres at district levels, WSCs established through the project are to be continued. 14 The support centres at the district level in Gujarat will be a part of the state government s upscaling plan. 16

25 After the Delhi gangrape (Nirbhaya incident), in Jan 2013, the Home Secretary ordered opening of 100 support centres in 100 districts that are most prone to crimes against women. In Odisha, these centres are in line with Oxfam s model. OIN partners are hopeful of further strengthening and recognition of their existing centres. Further, as Odisha is now one of the focus states, the funding from Oxfam Australia will help support the centre for another four years - Ranjana, Regional Coordinator, OIN Looking at PWDVA s implementation records in project states and the response time taken by state governments in recognizing and supporting support centres at some of the project locations, especially in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha will need further support for advocacy and upscaling. judiciary in ensuring effective implementation of PWDVA. Various committees were formed with lawyers and paralegals as members, and the judiciary was involved in several consultation meetings and workshops on gender sensitization and the PWDV Act. For instance, in Andhra Pradesh, Bhumika-CSRF has conducted gender training at the AP Judicial Academy, Hyderabad on aspects of gender for the newly appointed civil judges. These judges were provided such training prior to their joining the service. This was a very crucial contribution of CSRF to sensitize the newly appointed judges on gender so that they could deal with VAW cases more effectively. The government of Andhra Pradesh, in response to the demands of CSOs, has now designated a fixed week day (every Friday) and metropolitan court (MM 3 and 4) for hearing of DV cases. The increase in the number of registered cases in the Women s Support Centres under the PWDV Act and successful execution of many cases are indicators of the success of the IPAP programme in strengthening the legal system. Strengthening judicial functions for improved implementation of PWDVA It was observed that many personnel from the legal fraternity like judges, advocates and paralegals also had limited knowledge of the PWDV Act. Due to this lack of awareness most women were encouraged to (or forced to) file the cases under criminal laws like 498A of IPC 15 that makes cruelty by husband or in-laws, including dowry demand, a non-bailable offence and provides for speedy trials. However, registering VAW cases under 498A practically leads to non-recognition of various forms of domestic violence that may not be related to dowry, undermining the spirit and purpose of the PWDV Act. It was for this purpose, that continuous efforts were made to rope in the Cases registered under PWDVA under the Programme IPC stands for the Indian Penal Code, a document that lists all the cases and punishments that a person committing any crimes is liable to be charged with. It covers any Indian citizen or a person of Indian origin with the exception of military/armed forces

26 Initially there were challenges in filing cases under the DV Act, also there was no knowledge about the DV Act. SAWARAJ played a key role in spreading knowledge on the PWDV Act and filing of cases. Today DIRs are getting filed and protection plan is taken into consideration based on the counsellor s report. The court recognizes the organization and its counselors and makes referrals to the counselors and the residential support. An improvement is also noticed in issuing of notices and warrants after interventions by the NGO - Dhiraj, SAWARAJ, Gujarat Seven of the ten WSCs in Gujarat and Odisha are recognized as service providers 16 (under Section 10 of PWDV Act), another milestone for the IPAP programme. The courts have started recognizing and acknowledging the counselors and the reports prepared by them as evidence, during the case trials. In UP, women lawyers have volunteered to help with cases; and in Gujarat the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has set up five model law centres comprising of a lawyer, a para legal and a counsellor. These law centres provide for endto-end support to the victims of violence, such as counselling, case referrals to court and follow up of the cases. Most importantly, they extend support 16 Section 10(1) of the PWDVA provides for registration of NGOs (working on women s rights) with the state government as service providers, recognizing them as public servants under the Act; protected from any act done in good faith towards preventing domestic violence. Their role extends beyond providing counselling and pre-litigation support services to assist the woman in court and follow through till she receives all the relevant relief. (Source: Staying Alive, Fourth Monitoring & Evaluation Report on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, Lawyers Collective, 2010; retrieved from LCWRI-4th-PWDVA-ME-Report-2010-Staying-Alive3.pdf). Currently there is no monetary provision for service providers by the government although CSOs have demanded for it to be included in the national scheme for PWDVA implementation. Oxfam partners who work as service providers had the benefit of financial provisions under IPAP for effective delivery of their duty as service providers. In Andhra Pradesh there is no concept of service provider, while in Uttar Pradesh, there is no notification by the state government on service provider. throughout the legal course. They have also trained the community women on legal aspects and formed Nari adalats (community courts). Strengthening DWCD and district level committees The Department of Women and Child Welfare (WCD) is mandated to play a central role in the rehabilitation of women facing violence. In order to effectively work in the area of violence against women, the OIN-IPAP programme has been working consistently with WCD functionaries. The partners have engaged in lobbying activities with the WCD Department in a diverse manner, by taking up studies on aspects closely linked to the issue of preventing and resisting violence against women; organizing workshops to disseminate information and generating debate on ways to tackle newer and subtle forms of violence; and publishing resource materials (reports, booklets, posters) on issues of violence against women. Onboarding of partner organizations as resource persons and advisors during consultations and training workshops, also signifies the strong linkages developed with the WCD. For instance, FARR-CSRF, a partner NGO in Odisha, shares a strong rapport with the WCD department since It began with training of protection officers (POs) and also service providers (shelter homes) of the 16 districts of Odisha in collaboration with the WCD department. The WCD department has All the partners are well represented and are members of various decisionmaking committees/bodies at state and district levels. This has helped the overall Programme in its advocacy related initiatives We are regularly invited as resource persons by government officials in the Police Academy, State and district legal service authorities, district level lawyers, and the WCD - Beena Malik, NGO partner, Odisha 18

27 nominated the organization as resource agency for a workshop on Capacity Building of Judicial Officers and Other Stakeholders on PC & PNDT Act organized by the State Legal Service Authority and UNFPA. Later, they were also recommended by the department to attend the National Consultation of Civil Society Organization for Report to CEDAW organized by the Ministry of DWCD. Apart from WCD, the partner organizations are also being recognized in different forums and committees. This representation of partner NGOs in both district and state level networks has helped in advocacy initiatives on VAW issues. For instance FAAR and ISD (NGO partners in Odisha) are members of various committees at both the state and district levels (more specifically in Kandhamal district). These committees include the WCD core committee (the state level); sexual harassment committee; rape victim compensation and rehabilitation committee; anti-trafficking (ISD); shelter home monitoring committee; and the district level grievance committee. They also have adequate representation in issue-based meetings such as state level consultation and review of 498 (A) and the Sectoral Innovation Council on child sex ratio. While recognition and representation of partners in these forums is a result of their long-term involvement with gender equality and VAW issues at local levels; the network of partners formed through Oxfam s support and state level discussions; capacity building (of partners and of government officials through partners); campaigns; and knowledge products supported under the project have helped government agencies realize the complementing role that partners can play at state and district levels. The project thus helped in fostering better working relations between government and civil society organizations on issues relating to gender equality and VAW. Partners recognition as service provider, agencies and trainers and their representation in district level committees are of considerable importance as this provides an opportunity to partners to influence practices and policies beyond the project period. Awareness and Capacity Building Prior to the IPAP programme, project partners had worked on the issue of VAW, however, it was largely sporadic and was not necessarily restricted to the theme of domestic violence. The partners familiarity on the subject was limited. With the technical support extended by OIN to the partners through the programme, they developed a greater understanding on issues of VAW, more specifically domestic violence and the legislations related to it. Orienting and training partners on the key legislation i.e., the PWDV Act, is a prominent differentiator of the IPAP programme from other gender equity and VAW programmes. This was considered necessary as at the time of initiation of the IPAP programme, the PWDV Act was fairly new and in its nascent stages of implementation. Capacity building initiatives undertaken by OIN were geared towards enhancing the awareness and understanding of project partners on the subject of domestic violence and related themes (such as PWDVA legislation); and building upon their programme management skills (data management, capacity building on participatory tools). During the programme, OIN was able to partner with prominent technical agencies (TISS, Centre for Social Research, Lawyers Collective) and resource persons for making the capacity building initiatives effective for partners. The programme added to the skills and capacities of the partners that will sustain beyond the project period. It also enhanced their credibility and visibility for working on issues of VAW (more especially domestic violence and related legislation) and gender equality issues. It led to their recognition and acceptance as resource agencies and collaborators in the government s efforts in the state. For example, in Rapar district (Gujarat) the support extend by the counsellor is appreciated by the Police to a great extent, that even post completion of the project they have agreed to furnish their salaries. Also, several examples were noted wherein in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat counselors in support centres have 19

28 Issue Initiatives Partners Subject matter/theme Engaging Men to End Violence Against Women OIN; Centre for Health and Social Justice; Anand Pawar (Independent Consultant) Capacity building on PWDVA WPC, CBGA and Lawyers Collective Muslim and Development Issues in India OIN, Sheba George (Resource Person) Centrally Sponsored Scheme - Centre for Social Research Implementation of PWDVA Consultation on SHWP Lawyers Collective Advanced Gender Training Masoom Sexual Harassment at Work Place Sanhita Ocean in a Drop PRAVAH Violence Against Dalit Women: Developing OIN; Water Aid; Christian Aid perspectives of partners on issues of Prevention of Atrocities Act, PWDVA, WASH Skill building Data Management Workshop IPE Global Capacity Building on Participatory Tools Praxis Social Media and Digital Freshers and Refreshers Training for social workers at the support centre Tata Institute of Social Sciences Learning events Learning Event: Organized by Oxfam India to look back at the strategies that are used by addressing VAW Cross Learning: Staff members from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh visited Gujarat to understand the support centre structure and those from UP, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh visited the Odisha support centres OIN OIN been consulted by the judiciary during hearing of PWDV cases. In Andhra Pradesh counsellors have been recognized by Lok Adalats for cases relating to DV Lok Adalat is an alternative dispute resolution mechanism encouraged by the state. The Lok Adalat mechanism is available throughout the State through the Legal Services Authorities / Committees for amicable settlement of cases. Lok Adalats can deal with the cases pending before any court and referred to the Lok Adalat, by the court, in agreement with the parties. Lok Adalat benches consisting of judicial officers, Advocates and social workers deal with cases referred to them and help the parties in arriving at a settlement. Lok Adalats accredit NGOs/ CSOs who work on legal awareness/legal aid. Source: apslsa.ap.nic.in/local_adalat_mechanism.html The partners were able to develop knowledge materials as well as training modules for both internal and external use. These were recognized and even used by government functionaries, for example, the training module on gender sensitization was adopted by Gujarat Police to be included in the Police training manual. It is noted that capacity building initiatives were not just restricted to the PWDVA Act and its modalities instead it touched upon several related themes and was therefore broader in its scope. These included, specific issues faced by Muslim and Dalit women in the context of PWDVA, sexual harassment at the workplace and gender concepts. 20

29 At the organization level, the programme has helped in building credentials of the partners on the theme of domestic violence and the PWDV Act. In addition OIN also extended support towards developing capacities of the partners on programme management aspects. For instance, the partners have been particularly appreciative of the PRAXIS training on monitoring formats organized by OIN. Further, the programme helped develop the understanding of the partners on the issue of VAW, as well as the Act which had a cascading effect with partners taking up initiatives to engage with external stakeholders primarily PWDVA agencies (PO, WCD, judiciary, police, service providers, medical facilities and legal service providers). The initiatives were geared towards creating awareness on the issue of domestic violence and PWDVA and building capacities of implementing agencies to respond to victims/survivors of domestic violence in a gender sensitive and effective manner. Partners used a variety of mediums for awareness generation and capacity building of the PWDVA cadre. These include, organizing training sessions, workshops, cultural campaigns, highlevel consultations, exposure visits, meetings Instances of partners taking up initiatives to engage with external stakeholder (PWDVA agencies): OIN project partner SRSP (UP) has used Anganwadi workers s periodic meeting at Block level as a forum to sensitize and discuss the PWDV Act. AWAG (Gujarat) sensitized ASHAs and members of the Atyachar Nivaran Samiti 18 on social aspects of health problems faced by women and their role in linking and referring women to support cells and local support groups in Rapar district in Gujarat. 18 Village level redressal committee against violence and injustice and dissemination of research/studies findings. (Refer to Annexure 3 for a detailed, though not exhaustive, list of such initiatives). Officials from state, district and block levels were engaged in training and capacity development initiatives. The initiatives have proved to be highly effective in generating awareness among the functionaries on the modalities of the Act and apprising them on their roles and responsibilities. In many cases, partners collaborated with government line departments/committees towards awareness building. As stated earlier, the programme has provided recognition to the partner for working on the theme of domestic violence. The partners are engaged as resource Some more instances of recognition from external stakeholders OIN project partner AWAG (Gujarat) which was regularly engaged in training of the police personnel raised the issue of a uniform gender training manual to be used for police training. This was accepted by the Department of Police and can be seen as a positive step in institutionalizing VAW issues in police trainings. AWAG was invited by the Department of Police, Gender Resource Centre and UNICEF to develop capacities of police officials, child welfare officers, child protection officers and service providers. Lawyer s collectives in AP mentioned that magistrates who have received Gender training at AP Judicial Academy by Bhumika believe that there has been a change in their perception while dealing with DV cases. FARR-CSRF are regularly invited as resource person by government officials (Police Academy, State and district legal service authorities, district level lawyers, WCD) for their training programmes. 21

30 persons and advisors by the relevant government departments during consultations and training workshops that signify the strong linkages developed with them. For example, in AP and Odisha the IEC material prepared by the project partners on domestic violence and the Act was extensively used by police, WCD and judiciary for their internal trainings. From the standpoint of the partners, the programme has facilitated better working relations with the government machinery, sought cooperation from them and opened the channels of communication. The human resources (counsellors) trained and developed under the programme have emerged as a crucial link between the community (victim of violence and her family) and PWDVA agencies (PO/police/ judicial system). They displayed motivation and sense of ownership, which reflected in their active role in counselling victims of violence, reporting and providing them support. Instances of greater acceptance of PWDVA by police and judiciary: A common practice observed earlier at all police station was their tendency to book all cases of violence against women under IPC 498(A) only but off late they are routing the cases to the Women Support Centres for counselling o-counsellor (WSC Dhenkanal). The newly appointed SP in Panchmahaals district acted proactively on the request of Anandi (project partner in Gujarat) regarding the necessity for conducting regular meetings for coordination. The SP welcomed the proposition of providing counselling support through the Women Police Station. He also called for a meeting of the counselling committee for review of cases at the WSC that was due for almost three months due to transition of officers at the SP office. Through the programme, the partners have been able to identify and capacitate a pool of members from the community to support their work on the theme, i.e., identify, counsel and handle incidences of violence, more specifically domestic violence (counsellors at women support centres). Capacity building initiatives include exposure visits to TISS special cells in Mumbai along with TISS organized training sessions followed by refresher courses. Investments made towards capacity building initiatives have resulted in developing soft skills among counsellors to better support the victims, developed better coordination skills and enhanced knowledge on aspects related to case management and follow up. For instance, a sub-inspector at Dhenkanal (Odisha) was appreciative of the work of Counsellors. He stated that even if a victim approaches the police directly, they refer her to the Counsellor for counselling. He was of the view that Counsellors provide immense support to the police. TISS training has been helpful. I got to know about PWDVA, Counsellor, Deesa (Gujarat) One of the limitations faced by partners is frequent transfer of government officials who are sensitized or trained under the programme. Partners at local and state levels have to constantly face this challenge where supportive officials at WCD, Police and judiciary get transferred which delays the processes as new incumbents need to be oriented and sensitized about the project. Advocacy for Budgetary Allocation for PWDVA Implementation Realizing the fact that implementation of laws and schemes will remain rhetoric unless budgetary provisions are made and conveyed with clarity to those who enforce laws OIN, under its thematic areas has emphasized on advocacy for enhancing resource allocations on social spending as also on effective use of allocations. While implementing IPAP, it was realized that while an implementation mechanism has been outlined under PWDVA, there 22

31 is no financial provision by the central government to the State government for enforcement and implementation of the Act. While some states have initiated action 19 by earmarking resources for PWDVA implementation, others have not allocated separate budgets 20. Also, since there are no minimum benchmarks set by the Union Ministry for Women and Child Development for fund allocations for the various provisions under the Act (awareness generation and capacity building, functioning of POs, material supplies), the States have the prerogative to decide upon the quantum of spending under each provision. Thus, lack of adequate finances coupled with lack of technical know-how with PWDVA agencies (functionaries at block and district levels) with regard to access and utilization of funds has acted as a serious impediment towards effective implementation of the PWDVA Act. Under the IPAP programme the partners have given due attention to the aspect of budgetary allocations made by the States for implementation of the Act. Instances were noted across the project States wherein through concerted efforts the partners were successful in advocating for allocation of funds. In addition, in States like AP, Gujarat and Odisha, partners conducted research studies on the budgetary aspects (allocation, 19 Some states have allocated separate budgets for implementation of the Act under different schemes. Swadhar Scheme is a one such scheme. It is a Central Government Scheme which gives grants to the states to set up shelter homes for women in distress. Many states have notified existing shelter homes run under the scheme as service providers under PWDVA 20 States that have allocated separate budgets for implementation of PWDVA: Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Source: Budgeting for Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability (CBGA), 2010 States that do not have separate budgets: Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. utilization, expenditure of funding) that helped to undertake evidence-based advocacy with PWDVA agencies (WCD, judiciary, police, service providers, POs). In Uttarakhand from, and the Sajha Manch reviewed expenditure against the allocated budget for PWDVA and based on the review they developed a State Plan of Action which was submitted to the state government which in turn forwarded it to the central ministry for approval. The Sajha Manch facilitated meetings in five districts under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate to review PWDVA budget releases against the allocation in each district. Based on the observation, a revised proposal was sent for modification. Post modifications, funds were allocated to the tune of Rs 300,000 for each district under PWDVA. In Odisha, the partner, after studying and reviewing the budgetary allocation under the PWDV Act developed a guideline for utilization of funds. This helped the partners to enhance their advocacy initiatives towards fund allocation. In , the state allocated Rs 25,00,000 for PWDV Act implementation. Of this, each district was allocated Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 stayed with the state Department of WCD for supporting implementation of the said Act. In Gujarat, in 2010 the state government (through the department of Women and Child Development) allocated Rs 4,50,000 per district for supporting PWDVA implementation. In Andhra Pradesh, continuous advocacy efforts of the project partner led to a revision in the salaries of counsellors from Rs 6,500 to Rs 19,000. The increase was much needed to attract willing and talented persons to work as counsellors. 23

32 Research and Publications: Strengthening the Literature on the PWDV Act After six years of enactment of the PWDV Act, there are still glaring gaps in its implementation. Apart from loopholes in the legislation and lack of financial resources, one of the major reasons for its ineffective implementation is the absence of adequate literature on the PWDV Act and issues related to VAW. There are some publications by national level bodies such as the Lawyers Collective Women s Right Initiative (WRI) and some academic research papers. However there is very limited literature on effectiveness of application of women related laws, advocacy on women s issues, learnings from previous initiatives and field or community level experiences. Recognizing this gap, the IPAP-DFID programme by OIN focused on developing evidence based advocacy and research in the area of violence against women. The NGO partners under the IPAP- DFID programme have taken several initiatives in developing research materials and publications that have been utilized in implementing the Act more effectively and achieving the programme objectives. With regards to the PWDV Act, it was observed that beneficiaries at all levels i.e the community which includes both women and men, executive bodies such as Police officials, judiciary such as lawyers and paralegals and the WCD departments, were un-informed and unaware of the Act and its provisions. In order to overcome this challenge, the NGO partners organized several capacity building activities attended by various stakeholders. In this process, the partners have aided in developing standardized modules on the PWDV Act, which is being used across the states. For example in Odisha, FARR-CSRF has published a booklet on PWDVA which contains all the information in terms of definition of violence, role of various stakeholders, how to get benefit out of it and contact details of Protection Officers in 30 districts along with highlights of the study. This booklet has been distributed among the protection officers and civil society organizations working on domestic violence issues. Our organization has prepared a protocols for functioning of the PO based on examples of AP and Bihar. The protocols are ready however, the PO s are not aware of the same - Anuradha, CSJ (IPAP partner), Gujarat Among all the training institutes in Gujarat, AWAG - a NGO partner in the IPAP-OIN programme, has been recognized for its quality training in gender sensitization. It has contributed effectively in Glimpse of publications relating to VAW Exploring Domestic Violence: An Analysis of IPC 498(A), Uttar Pradesh Process documentation, UP and Andhra Pradesh Life Snuffed out, a study on suicides by women, AWAG Study on short stay homes, Bhoomika, Andhra Pradesh Study on Helplines and Legal Services, Andhra Pradesh Study of Gujarat High Court judgements pertaining to 498A and 306 IPC to analyze the appreciation of evidence by courts in cases of violence and suicides A Hand to Hold: Compilation of change stories of women accessing Support Centres in Gujarat Booklet on PWDV Act for Protection officers by FARR-CSRF Legal Rights of Women: A Critical Study on Indian Penal Code 498A in Odisha Study on the status of the pending DIR (Domestic Incidence Report) cases under PWDV Act 24

33 developing a module on monitoring system and gender sensitization for the training manual for police personnel. The same module is being widely used in the city of Ahmedabad for such trainings and it is planned that it will be further adopted by the whole state. Development of IEC material was an integral part of the awareness activities initiated under the programme. At the community level PWDVA related posters, flipcharts, booklets, scrolls and pamphlets were developed to increase the level of awareness on VAW issues and its redressal mechanisms. For instance, in 2010, a series of posters on VAW depicting domestic violence as a violation of woman s human rights and dignity were developed and disseminated by the NGO partner, AALI. These posters also depicted the tenets of the law and the reality of its implementation in Uttar Pradesh. The IPAP-DFID programme brought together studies on various subject matters within the context of violence against women and status of women in the country. These studies have acted as a foundation for various successful implementation activities like planning, trainings, developing strategies for intervention and have also created empirical evidence in advocacy initiatives. These quality publications and researches have often been presented at state and national level consultations and have created adequate pressure on authorities to pass appropriate orders. For example, studies have been conducted on legal issues such as the study by NGO partners in UP on the misuse of Section 498(A) of IPC titled Exploring Domestic violence Law, An Analysis of IPC 498A and/or the study facilitated by AWAG in Gujarat on Gujarat High Court judgments pertaining to 498A and 306 IPC. Both the studies highlighted the inadequate understanding of women s conditions and gender inequalities. The former was presented at the state level workshop in Lucknow and the latter was shared with the Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court. Similar studies on Indian Penal Code 498 A were conducted in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and shared with the State Women s Commission in Andhra Pradesh and with State Legal Services Authority in Odisha. In terms of research studies that helped in advocacy initiatives with the government, states like Gujarat, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have shown immense success. Status reports developed by these states have evaluated the functioning of the agencies that have been established or strengthened under the IPAP-DFID programme. (A detailed list of studies along with their usefulness is enlisted as Annex IV) For example, the Civil Society Resource Facilitation Centre at Bhumika Women s Collective, prepared a report titled Rehabilitation Services (Shelter Homes) in Andhra Pradesh for Women in Difficult Circumstances to understand the status of shelter homes in Andhra Pradesh. In Odisha, FARR- CSRF presented the shelter home study report to the Secretary Women and Child Department (WCD). The Swadhikar Forum Network in Odisha (the network of organizations running shelter homes) also shared the various best practices that are taken to rehabilitate the survivors of violence. Bhumika Women s Collective in AP also conducted a baseline study to look into the functioning of the helplines as well as the free legal aid system with particular reference to how they respond to cases of domestic violence. The findings and the recommendations from the studies on short stay homes, help-lines and legal aid were presented at different workshops to officials from the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) - Sejal, AWAG, Gujarat These reports prepared by the facilitation centres have not only opened up possibilities of interacting with different government departments and statutory bodies but have also resulted in constructive actions. For instance, as an action based on the studies in Odisha the Secretary issued an order to the District Collectors 25

34 of all 30 districts in Odisha to revive the district level monitoring committees of the shelter homes under the leadership of the District Collectors to monitor the homes on a quarterly basis and also to replicate some of the best practices of the Swadhikar Forum to support the survivors of domestic violence. Similarly in Gujarat, a booklet called A Hand to Hold was developed to sensitize government officials. The booklet documented the successful stories of women approaching the various support centres run under the IPAP project in Gujarat. The booklet was presented to the Secretary, Women and Child Development (DoWCD) department, Inspector General of Police (Crime) of Gujarat and Gender Resource Centre staff. As a result of this dialogue the WCD made plans for upscaling the police support centre model in Gujarat. As mentioned earlier, the government sanctioned setting up of 26 support centres across 26 districts in the state 21. Considerable work has been done in this direction with budget being allocated for 26 centres, which are slated to start from the current year. This will include the four district level police station based support centres currently under Oxfam s project, although counsellors for all 26 centres will be appointed by the government based on standard eligibility criteria and selection process. At the time of drafting of the case study, three of the six counsellors 22 working under the IPAP project had got selected under this scale-up initiative. To ensure maximum outreach and readership for this literature, many works were translated in the 21 The plan is to have 100 centres in next few years, of which 26 will be established at the district level in the first year. 22 Some of the counselors under the project did not respond to the government s selection process as they were more comfortable working with partner NGOs. The Police department in Rajkot district in Gujarat has committed to paying the salary of the counsellor beyond the project period as they found her work very good. Block level support centres (2) in Gujarat are to be supported by partners beyond the project. Oxfam has also requested the government to use the block level support centres as resource centres for the upcoming support centres so that the formats and resources generated under the project can be used. The government of Gujarat is yet to respond to this request. local languages also. For instance, AWAG launched the Gujarati version of its study on Suicides among women in Gujarat, the launch of which was widely attended by civil society organizations. The book is being used as an awareness and advocacy tool to highlight women s suicides as part of the spectrum of violence. Apart from advocacy for legal and social implications, the research studies and publications have also instilled in the organizations the need for reviewing budgetary allocations. The partners in Gujarat have developed the guideline for utilization of the funds allocated under the PWDV Act after studying and reviewing their budgets. The two states of Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have also encapsulated both their learning and limitations from the IPAP programme in the form of process documents. These documents are disseminated to a larger audience including the government, civil society groups, as well as the donors, such that a wider replication of the model is in the pipeline. Process documents developed by these states are critical references for agencies that wish to replicate or scale-up models created under the IPAP programme. Contributions to national level advocacy and lobbying for effective implementation of PWDVA The national level PWDVA action and advocacy group supported by OIN has been an active lobbying forum for effective implementation of PWDVA. This group emerged as partners and women groups working closely with the programme on awareness and advocacy. They need of forming a national level alliance that could connect the policy with ground level experiences of implementation. Several other rights groups, including leading activists from the NGO and legal fraternity have also lobbied for more concrete steps by the government, in terms of monitoring and budgetary allocations. However, despite civil society s consistent interaction with government and autonomous institutions (such as NMEW, National Commission for Women, 26

35 Planning Commission/Ministry of Finance), the government s response has been lukewarm, and in some cases, even regressive. For instance, financial allocations to Ministry of Women and Child Development have seen a cut of around USD 333 million in the current financial year 23. The National Commission for Women (NCW) and a committee with representatives from civil society charted a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for PWDVA implementation estimating an annual budgetary requirement of USD 1.86 million per year. Although the said CSS is recognized in the draft 12 th Five Year Plan ( ), the plan proposes Rs 4.5 billion only. Nonetheless, the process of developing a scheme along with budget estimations in a consultative manner itself points to newer and a more participatory approach being adopted by the MoWCD. OIN, along with its partners in PWDVA advocacy and action groups has been an active participant in national level advocacy and lobbying efforts. It, along with its partners at the state levels has also been actively involved in discussing and forwarding feedback on the Justice Verma Committee 24 recommendations. OIN in collaboration with the Centre for Legal Research and Advocacy (CLRA) undertook an analysis of cases/questions raised by parliamentarians on DV from 2006 to As part of advocacy for raising resource allocation for PWDVA implementation, OIN initiated a knock the door activity with eminent parliamentarians encouraging them to raise questions in Parliament for enhanced budgetary provisions. Following the campaign, seven questions were raised by 23 PWDVA Action and Advocacy Group: en-in/petitions/government-of-india-ministry-of-financeincrease-budgetary-allocation-for-the-pwdva 24 Justice Verma Committee, constituted soon after the brutal gang rape incidence in Delhi on 16th December 2012, was tasked to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law so as to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women. The Committee submitted its report on January 23, 2013 and invited a mass scale response on its report and recommendations. parliamentarians during the budget session (March 2013) of parliament. A handbook on PWDVA was also developed for parliamentarians under this initiative for further visibility and support from apex legislative houses. OIN also prepared a policy brief on the implementation of PWDVA which was shared with MPs at different events. A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between OIN and the National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) has further paved the way for enhanced collaboration towards rolling out a convergence model in the programme states wherein various departments involved with promoting gender equality and women s social, economic and political empowerment will provide multi-stakeholder response to women facing violence. Close interaction with the ministry of WCD, sharing of results achieved by implementing partners and involving reputed technical agencies such as TISS and PRAXIS have lent credibility to OIN s efforts at the highest level which reflects in the enhanced support for institutionalization and up-scaling of models created under the programme. Supportive action from the office of the Superintendent of Police for running support centres in four districts in Uttar Pradesh is a result of positive feedback by NMEW. Similarly, in Gujarat, the state has initiated scaling-up of support centres in 26 districts, based on the model created under the IPAP programme. In Odisha also the state DWCD has initiated the process to institutionalize support centres through a tri-party agreement. These achievements are a result of strong demonstration at the state and its constant sharing at the national level. Apart from national level advocacy, OIN was also engaged in regional level advocacy on VAW and DV issues in the South Asia region. A status report on PWDV at the South Asia level was developed in collaboration with the Centre for Social Research. Following this, a regional workshop was organized attracting participation of bureaucrats and women s groups from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 27

36 OIN also used other opportunities such as its own CLOSE THE GAP campaign, We Can campaign, 16 Days of Activism and intensive use of print and electronic media for complementing its efforts towards according greater visibility to and garnering support for issues relating to gender inequality and VAW. Key result indicators Total outreach of the programme # of support centres set up #of women who have received counselling services # of cases registered under PWDVA under the programme # of participants in awareness and training programmes Achievements 8,64,402 (4,82,065 women and 3,82,337 men) 18 39, ,879 Overall findings, as emerging from desk review and interactions with stakeholders indicate that the IPAP programme has made important contributions to the PWDV agenda in programme states as well as at the national level. In the programme states, it has resulted in increased visibility of the Act and generated debates on implementation gaps. At the same time, the programme helped develop functional and replicable models for support centres with the Police through innovative formal collaborations. With varied degrees of success, the programme has been able to garner support from the highest ranks (state DWCD, state department of Home Affairs, State Commission of Women), not only for support centres but also for budgetary allocations and training of personnel involved with PWDVA implementation. Capacity building initiatives with partners, strengthening networks of women s organizations, and enhanced interaction among the CSO community across states also added to the momentum and collective advocacy. For partners, the programme has added to their skills, capacities and credentials to work on VAW and gender equality issues. Enhanced capacities of partners has also led to their acceptance as resource agencies and collaborators in the government s efforts in their respective states. Several examples were noted where counselors of support centres have been consulted by the judiciary during hearing of PWDV cases indicating greater acceptance of CSOs role in implementation. Awareness generation and capacity building and consultations with government agencies have been an integral part of IPAP. OIN partners, especially those who had past experience in conducting trainings on gender equality, DV and related issues have successfully undertaken training programmes for the Police and members of the judiciary; and some of them are now recognized as resource agencies for institutional trainings organized by the Police and/or judiciary. In many other cases, partners have been invited to develop training modules and/or to act as resource persons in formal trainings organized by departments. In states like Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, success on this front has been less than desirable due to lukewarm response from the state. However overall, the programme has showcased good and innovative models on government-civil society collaboration. The IPAP journey has also had its share of challenges and shortfalls, some of which may be attributed to an organizational transition. The programme changed hands from OGB to OIN and witnessed staff turnovers at both the national as well as regional levels. Also, there were uncertainties relating to the programme duration, which were only resolved in the last financial year of the programme. On the programme management front, many of the results depended on responses received from state governments and functionaries. Competing priorities of state governments, general apathy towards PWDVA, delayed responses, and transfer of officials who support the programme were the key challenges. Limited capacity among partners 28

37 Achievements beyond statistics Developed OIN s understanding on the issue of domestic violence and legislation relating to it i.e. PWDVA. Facilitated formal working relations and collaborations with government functionaries, especially from the highest ranks (state DWCD, state department of Home Affairs, State Commission of Women and Police). Developed functional and replicable models for support centres with police through innovative formal collaborations. Expanded the constituency of Oxfam s work. The programme saw participation and liaising with community networks/alliances and also with state and national level functionaries (judiciary, WCD and legislation). Enhanced partners capacity and credentials to work on VAW issues. Enhanced and targeted showcasing of the outcomes with regard to quality of intervention, support centre model and measurable increase in reported and aided cases under PWDVA. Facilitated in establishing a new realm of partnerships by engaging technical agencies of repute for capacity building initiatives and producing knowledge material. Learning events organized by OIN saw participation of programme staff and not just chief functionaries thereby adding to individual and organizational skills, capacity and credentials about issue of domestic violence. Knowledge material produced under the programme facilitated evidence-based advocacy. Positively influenced systemic practices in support of PWDVA implementation- Strengthened the counselling component in overall service portfolio for VAW cases; Helped reinforcing women s agency in decisions relating to seeking help from the formal system (filing cases with police and judiciary); Accorded greater attention to the potential role of service providers and Protection Officers; Successfully advocated for increase in salaries for counsellors (in Gujarat) and POs (in AP); Successfully advocated for allocating budgets for PWDVA implementation by state governments; Influenced replication and upscaling of support services for women facing DV/VAW situations; Enhanced representation of NGOs in state governed committees; and Helped in inclusion of VAW in institutional trainings of police and judiciary (Gujarat and AP) by maintaining quality in trainings and consultations. to document processes and generate advocacy materials is also recognized as a challenge that the programme needed to tackle. A SWOT analysis is presented as Annexure 6 and key observations regarding the theory of change conceptualized under the case study protocol are summarized at the end of this document. As the status of the programme varies across states and partners capacity to move forward with the agenda is varied, there are issues relating to sustainability of results achieved so far. While OIN is working on potential resource mobilization, it would be challenging for partners to keep the momentum going. 29

38 VI. Conclusions, Recommendations and Lessons Learned Going back to the research questions that the case study set out to address, one finds that the IPAP programme did follow a full-circle approach linking community level awareness with strengthening services and advocacy for better implementation of PWDVA. The project witnessed greater interaction within the CSO community as well as with relevant departments, most prominently with the Police and the WCD. Government officials who worked closely with the programme, appreciate the role of NGOs in addressing VAW and are better sensitized about their own role and the need of convergence with other departments. One of the key strengths of the project was its ability to convert partners implementation experiences into concrete inputs towards formulating a national scheme for PWDVA implementation and budgeting. The programme was able to complement community mobilization and awareness generation, with service provision by establishing functional support services in collaboration with the Police, the WCD and the judiciary. Formal interaction with government officials, including training programmes, consultations and meetings, helped in developing a cadre of supportive officials who proactively supported project activities and contributed to its sustainability by institutionalizing critical components such as support centres, training of Police and judiciary on PWDVA, and representation of civil society in relevant committees at district and state levels. As Oxfam in India moved to a single affiliate arrangement, the IPAP programme was effectively used to reinforce Oxfam s commitment to gender equality and strengthening its organizational credentials in this regard. The project helped in strengthening the CSO network on the ground while it also helped in participating and supporting a national level advocacy group for effective implementation of PWDVA as one of the means for addressing VAW. IPAP has also generated important organizational learnings, both in terms of its portfolio on gender and VAW and in programme management in a transition scenario. Both aspects are of critical importance for progression on strategies and management practices. From a transition point of view, greater anticipation of turnovers and a welldefined handing over process (from affiliates to OIN and from parting managers to incumbents) would have been more helpful in dealing with time gaps in implementation. Moreover, better assessment of broader contextual issues that will influence the programme results (governance standards; states track record on GO-NGO collaborations; status of PWDVA implementation etc.) will have helped OIN in customizing its approach in different project states in a timely manner. MEL related issues also needed better anticipation in view of challenges that major transitions pose to ongoing programmes. While several examples of increased cohesion among stakeholders are presented, it is also important to keep in view the limitations typical to programmes that engage with government departments. Frequent transfers of officials who are sensitized and supportive, varied response time taken by departments, and poor coordination mechanisms at the state level among agencies addressing VAW are some of the key challenges that need more persistent longer term work with the government. As Oxfam moves ahead to realize its Oxfam 2020 vision, with an aim to enhance impact, relevance, accountability, and sustainability learning from programmes such as IPAP in India is of particular importance. It is worth reiterating that the IPAP programme, despite spreading over a major 30

39 organizational transition phase, managed to retain its effectiveness and has presented concrete examples of formalizing CSO-government collaborations, evidence based advocacy, and institutionalization of support systems created within the project at all levels of its functioning. Key lessons identified through the case study process are: Retaining and strengthening credentials and organizational relationships built by affiliates in the past is a good strategy: The OIN strategy strikes a balance between the legacy OIN inherited from affiliates past work, the Indian context, and Oxfam s global vision and priorities. For the gender justice portfolio, past work of affiliates formed a sound basis in terms of programmatic interventions as well as building a network of potential partners. The IPAP programme benefited from this and brought further focus to Oxfam s work on gender equality and VAW. Streamlining the handing over process for major programmes that spread over the transition phase is important: Organizational transformations and change processes are seldom without challenges. In India, the formation of OIN witnessed a massive staff turnover especially of people managing programmes under various thematic areas resulting in time gaps in implementation. As OIN works primarily through distantly located partners, familiarization with new incumbents also takes its own time. A smooth and well-defined handing over process may be useful to overcome some of the challenges that large scale programmes face due to organizational transition and resultant turnovers. Following a full-circle approach involving communities, CSOs, and government is critical to evidence based advocacy: The IPAP programme strategy addressed community level awareness and empowerment, improved access to support systems, and advocacy for reforms in state policies and practices. One of the strengths of the programme was to connecting the field level interventions and models to advocacy efforts. Further, the reviews and sharing events were extensively used for conveying the field experiences to policy-makers and implementers. Working on partners feedback, efforts were also made to keep them updated with developments at the national level with regard to PWDVA. These efforts, coupled with knowledge products by OIN and its partners have strengthened the culture of evidence-based advocacy for PWDVA implementation. Investing in partnerships positively contributes to circle of influence and sustainability: While most OIN partners had worked on women s empowerment and gender equality issues, a focus on DV was not common among them. As such, intensive inputs towards building partners capacity to work on PWDVA was a worthy investment which eventually built the programme s and partners credibility among policy-makers at the state level. At the same time, engaging technical agencies such as TISS for training of counsellors, was also critical in creating impressive models for support centres. A major share of capacity building inputs was devoted to awareness building, sensitization and training of PWDVA implementers (WCD, police and judiciary). While trainings served as a means to enhance visibility and use of PWDVA, they also developed allies who contributed to programme objectives by providing direct and formal support. Much of the success of this component of IPAP is a result of sustained efforts for collaborative action and capacity building that developed converts within government agencies. Influencing policies and practices requires consistent and long-term engagement: The results achieved under this component of IPAP were governed by several external factors relating to the state governments stand on PWDVA and the general administrative environment in the state. This is reflected in varied levels of support provided and turnaround time taken by the state machinery. Since government responses depended on individual officer s interest and orientation, transfer of allies hindered progress. Also for similar levels of effort, state wise results may vary as the 31

40 baseline varies for states. Overall findings suggest that influencing policies and practices, especially on issues such as PWDVA implementation requires consistent and long-term support. Evidences of effective CSO-government collaboration should be optimally used for promoting replication and upscaling: Setting up a formal collaboration with the DWCD and the Police for better implementation of PWDV at district levels and below is one of the most critical achievements of IPAP. Although the process and success levels vary across states, the project has successfully established the role of CSOs in better implementation of the said Act. It is important for partners and OIN to follow through this process and leverage on the precedence and models created under the project for replication and upscaling within their states as well as in other states where the PWDV Act is particularly weak. The experiences of the project may also help develop guidelines for practitioners who are willing to take up such measures in other states. Greater visibility of other critical components such as advocacy for budget allocations and analytical studies on DV and other VAW issues is recommended to encourage academicians and practitioners for greater attention and contribution to these issues. Photo Credit : Jyoti Patil Bina Kohli : A life without violence is my right 32