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EKTA Resource Centre for Women  

WHAT WE DO?

CAPACITY BUILDING

Capacity Building is perceived by Ekta as more than trainings and an ongoing process through which individuals, groups, organizations and communities enhance their ability to identify and meet development challenges and move towards actualizing their rights. The interventions are around the following thematic areas:

  • GENDER AND GOVERNANCE
  • GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS   
  • GENDER AND MASCULINITY   

CAMPAIGN AND NETWORKING

Ekta envisages social change as a process of collective action and reflection, and therefore works in collaboration with similar thinking organisations and individuals.

  • ‘One Billion Rising’ is a worldwide campaign on February 14, to create a world free from violence
  • The 16 days campaign (Nov 25 – Dec 10) was launched by Ekta in 1994. The purpose of this campaign is to create greater awareness on the issue of violence against women and also to express solidarity to the inter-national campaign on the above issue
  • Safety audit is a participatory tool for understanding the elements of public spaces that contribute towards creating safety or vulnerability. Ekta initiated safety audit in Madurai with the guidance from Jagori, New Delhi and Sakhi, Kerala since 2013
  • ‘Study Circle’ was initiated at Ekta on the 14th January, 1992. The objective was to create a space for women from different professional backgrounds to come together to discuss, debate on women’s issues and thereby evolve strategies for collective action
  • 10-day Feminist Capacity Building Programme for the two countries in Tamil every year with the support of SANGAT since 2009. The participants come from both Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. The main objective of this programme is to equip women activists with knowledge on gender and development issues that perpetrate gender inequalities at the level of household, community, workplace and the state

We work with the following institutions and networks:

  • Childline 1098
  • The Naz Foundation (India) Trust  - Life Skill and Sports for Adolescent girls
  • Girls Not Brides - Advocacy to prevent child marriage
  • Forum to Engage Men (FEM)
  • International Women Peace Group (IWPG)
  • Voluntary Action Network in India (VANI) – Information dissemination
  • National Alliance of Women (NAWO) – Networking of Women
  • State and National Commission for Women – Promotion of women rights
  • Universities and Colleges – Advocacy and Lobbying for Gender Equity
  • National Centre for Advocacy Studies (NCAS) – Advocacy and Lobbying
  • Women Power Connect (WPC) – Women Reservation Bill

PROGRAMME WITH YOUNG ADULTS AND ADOLESCENT

  • Students for Change - This was launched in the year 1994 in collaboration with the National Service Scheme (NSS) of Madurai Kamaraj University. A three day residential workshop is been organized for the women students every year
  • Life Skill Programme - Life Skill Education is one of the flagship programmes of Ekta. In the year 2000 Life Skill programme was initiated in six corporation schools in Madurai. The students in the corporation schools who primarily come from the urban poor settlements are victims of poverty, social discrimination, malnourishment and broken families. They also lack access to development opportunities. This programme aims to provide these students relevant information and counselling for enhancing their self-esteem and skills to address the problem the disadvantages they are confronted with.

COUNSELLING

Ekta provides counselling to women and their families irrespective of their class. Based on the merit of the case, they are helped to access to get referrals to Police and Family Courts. For litigation process, we get the help of specialized agencies.

 

OUR BOARD

Ekta has all women Executive Body but the General Body has both female and male members. The General Body meets annually and the Executive Body meets on a quarterly basis.

S.NO    NAME OF THE MEMBER         DESIGNATION

1.            Ms. Bimla Chandrasekar          Secretary

2.            Ms. Gandhimathi                        President

3.            Ms. Revathy                                 Vice President

4.            Ms. Jesu Rethinam                    Treasurer

5.            Ms. Manohari Doss                    GB Member

6.            Mr. Gnana Surabi Mani              GB Member

7.            Mr. Deva Manoharan                 GB Member

8.            Ms. Valligopal                              GB Member

9.            Ms. Epsi Bai                                   GB Member

10.          Mr. Mahaboob Batcha               GB Member

11.          Ms. Ranjini K. Moorthy              GB Member

12.          Mr. M. J. Prabhakaran                GB Member

13.          Dr. Santha                                      GB Member

14.          Dr. S. Nagarathinam                   GB Member

15.          Ms. Jeena                                      GB Member

16.          Ms. Lydia Rajaselvi                     GB Member

17.          Ms. Balasundari                           GB Member

Our Staff Team

Ekta’s team consists mostly of women staff members. The team is committed to social change process and constantly engaged in updating their knowledge and experiences.

S.NO    NAME OF THE STAFF                DESIGNATION

1.            Ms. Bimla Chandrasekar            Director

2.            Ms. T.  Tamil Moni                        Programme Manager

3.            Ms. S. Anita Vithya                       Coordinator

4.            Ms. M. Latha                                   Accountant

5.            Ms. K. Suganya                               System Associate

6.            Ms. M. Gomathi                             Life Skill Trainer

7.            Ms. R. Shanthi                                Field Associate

8.            Mr. V. Sangu Sathish                    Field Associate

9.            Ms. Jenifer Megala                      Net ball Coach

10.          Ms. R. Kavitha                               Coordinator

11.          Ms. M. Suganya                             Warden

12.          Ms. J. Gunavathy                         Field Associate

13.          Ms. B. Kavitha                              Field Associate

14.          Ms. Devi                                         Computer Teacher

15.          Ms. A. Basheerunisha                Tailoring Teacher