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
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