Friday, October 16, 2015

TEN POINT PROGRAMME OF INDIAN FRANCISCANS TO STOP VOILENCE AGAINST WOMEN

ASSOCIATION OF FRANCISCAN FAMILIES OF INDIA – AFFI
President: Br. Mathew OFM.Cap                                                            Secretary: Sr. Apoline UFS
Vice President: Sr. Sinclare FCC                                                             Treasurer: Sr. Daisy UFS  
Co-ordinator:Br. Nithiya OFM.Cap                                            Email: affiprogrammes@gmail.com





Indian Franciscans are spread out in all the states of India with their dedication towards the uplift of those in periphery, the marginalised and the oppressed. With a vast number of women Religious present in the field of education, social uplift and medical ministries, the Association of the Franciscan Families of India (AFFI) with its huge number of around fifty thousand religious men and women are also keenly interested in the social transformation and the entitlements of the deprived in accordance with the Social Doctrine of the Church, the Indian Constitutional entitlements and in line with the Charism of the Founder, St. Francis of Assisi with his voluntary poverty and commitment towards the welfare of the least and the last.

The delegates of these Franciscan Families -AFFI with its representatives from different units from India gathered at the Pastoral Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from 25th to 27th of September 2015 for a National Residential workshop on Violence against women and Franciscan Response. There were altogether 66 Franciscan delegates from various walks of life.

In the inaugural session Fr. A.J. Mathew OFM.Cap, the national President highlighted the issues of girl child, the need for adequate response and expressed optimism to arrive at a Franciscan response. Rev Sr Rosili  FCC, the Provincial of Bhopal expressed her anxiety and emphasised the need for addressing the issues individually and collectively. Br Bastin MMB, Br Sunny Lal MMB, Provincial Bhopal, Sr. Treasa Abraham OSF, Provincial Bhopal, Mr Joseph Gathia. Prof. Arul Kamaraj were the dignitaries at the inaugural session.

Prof. Arul Kamaraj, the resource person concretely presented the kind of violence meted out to women from womb to tomb at different stages, in different places, in different forms both in subtle and direct manner. He used power point, group work, group discussion.  Releasing of a book co-authored by Joseph A Gathia and Sanjay V Gathia on Children’s Rights volume 1&2 was also done at this workshop.  Towards the end of the workshop the delegates were committed to get into action for the empowerment and liberation of women. The group worked on specific areas of concern with concrete strategies on:  
1.Abortion, Infanticide, and Female Foeticide. 2. Child Abuse 3. Child Marriage 4. Child Labour 5. Eve teasing 6. Domestic Violence 7. Sexual harassment in work places 8. Trafficking of women and children  9. Unemployment of women 10. Alcohol and drug addiction of men


TEN POINT PROGRAMME OF INDIAN FRANCISCANS
TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
(Through Collaboration and Networking with other religious Congregations, Institutions, Interreligious teams, Govt. officials. NGOs, lawyers, academicians, social activists, etc.)


Problems
Specific Actions and Strategies
1
Abortion, infanticide, female foeticide
- Counselling, street plays, rally, shelter home
- To work on Adoption for the welfare of children
- Counselling Parents
2
Child Abuse

- Creating awareness of child abuse among children and parents {meetings, teaching value education ,street plays}
- Documentary on sex education, Awareness to children on good and bad touch,  Group discussions, Put up exhibition on value of a child
- Establish Legal /Grievance Cell in our edu. Social Institutions to ensure protection of children 
-These are to be done through legal aid /grievance Cells to ensure protection of children
3
Child marriage
- Awareness on marriage law, workshops rally, advertisement,
4
Child labour
-  Create awareness among parents about importance of education.
- Awareness of right to education Act. Rally, Advocacy
- Taking census of the area to find the drop outs.
- Make the Government to take action against employees of child labour.
- Implementation of child protection Act and child labour Act.
5
Eve teasing
- Awareness programme to youth. Youth rally, use of  media for awareness
- This is to be done through the Networking, implementation of the Act
6
Domestic violence
- Promoting attitudinal change through house visits, counselling and guidance, legal education.
- Awareness programmes, street plays, rally with pluck cards, puppet show, human chain, distribution of pamphlets.
- De-addiction centre. rehabilitation, family counselling, Empowering SHG’s
- Legal education and Removal of liquor shops and Taking the assistance of youth associations and Creating Women cell.
7
Sexual harassment/ work places
- Awareness programmes through mass media, seminar, workshop, legal aid training.
Counselling awareness programmes, street plays, documentary  ,debates in colleges and schools
Create awareness among working women  through Street plays, documentary, Social media.
- Implementation of sexual harassment act 2013 though legal aid cell
8
Trafficking of women/children
- Teaching the art of  self defence, Rehabilitation centre to victims,
- Conduct survey, building awareness on job opportunities
9
Unemployment of women
- Training on self employment [tailoring, toy making, cattle raring, petty shops, done through approaching Government Social Welfare or funding agencies for self employment.
10
Alcohol and drug addiction
- Counselling, street plays awareness,
- network with women police, family visits by women groups







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