Minister of State for Rural Development and Steel, Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste and Minister of State for Rural Development and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti inaugurated the 2^nd Year of the Nayi Chetna campaign today in New Delhi. Secretary Rural Development, Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Addl. Secretary Rural Livelihoods, Shri Charanjit Singh and Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, Dr. Shamika Ravi,  dignitaries and representatives from the State Livelihoods Mission, the banking community, development partners and CSOs, SHG members from across the country were also present in the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Kulaste said that When this government took over in 2014, there were only 2.34 crore Self Help Groups on record. Today we have 10 crore SHGs across the country. Thanks to the 33% reservation for women announced by our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we will see them in top positions in every organisation and institution. I congratulate the Didis in making such huge progress in the gender campaign since last year and encourage them to take it further to ensure holistic 360 degree development to transform rural India as envisioned by our Prime Minister .

Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti remarked that If you look at the history of India, women were always empowered in our country since ancient era. Yes, there was a time in between when we were downtrodden, but due  to the current environment in the country, we are once again attaining the same empowerment and financial stability. Thanks to our Prime Minister Shri Narender Modi and efforts of the Ministry of Rural Development Ministry, women today are not recipients of financial support from their spouses and family members, but are  contributing equally in the household. India can only become a developed nation only if all women in this country are financially stable and empowered.

Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh said that I don’t see Nayi Chetna as merely a campaign but as a revolution. Our Ministry pledges that we will eliminate Gender Based Violence from this country.

Dr Shamika Ravi, special speaker for the event in her address elucidated that the greatest role in bringing in change is that of the community. Community based solutions are the only way to tackle ingrained societal problems. Women are the biggest agents of that change. The problem of Gender Based Violence is not distinct to any specific strata of the society and Sahenge Nahi Kahenge and Chuppi Todenge is the need of the hour. It is encouraging to see the positive trend in the resurgence of women empowerment in the last 10 years.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development announced the commencement of the second year of its flagship annual campaign, Nayi Chetna- Pahal Badlaav Ki, dedicated to address gender issues and eliminating gender-based violence. The launch coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The campaign aims to address pressing issues like normalization of violence, reluctance to speak up, lack of awareness of support mechanisms, and the absence of perceived safe spaces.

Violence against women and girls continue to be one of the biggest deterrents to achieving well-being, self-growth and a life of dignity. Physical or psychological violence is a gross violation of basic human rights and impedes women and girls achieving their full potential and living a life of their choice. Gender-based violence is a global pandemic that affects 1 in every 3 women in their lifetime. Evidence reveals that women are often unable to identity violence meted out to them because of normalization of discrimination and violence. Even if they do identify violence, they are unable to share or raise their voice against it to avoid naming and shaming and they continue to suffer in silence.  Most women, by and large, are unaware of redressal mechanisms, service providers and lack legal awareness.

DAY-NRLM has been at the forefront of gender empowerment since 2016 and recognizes this social evil as a major hindrance towards achieving individual and social development and hence aims to take necessary actions for eliminating Gender Based Violence. As part of its ongoing effort of mobilizing and addressing issues of marginalized communities and women, DAY-NRLM emphasises on the need for creating institutional mechanisms of responding to issues of violence along with integration of gender in all verticals for a larger perspective shift. Towards this, DAY-NRLM initiated the Nayi Chetna – Pahal Badlaav Ki campaign, which garnered immense success in its first year, mobilizing 3.5 crore people nationwide.

The campaign engages a wide array of stakeholders, including State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs), community institutions, Panchayati Raj Institutions, members of the community, DAY-NRLM verticals, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and relevant line Ministries and Departments.

The campaign has been launched for a period of one month with convergence with 13 Ministries/Departments. The campaign will undertake awareness building activities at community levels for sensitisation of all sections of the community. This would include rangoli making, pledge for elimination of gender-based violence, meetings at gram sabha level, essay and drawing competition, etc. In addition, special efforts will be made sensitise panchayat level functionaries on laws pertaining to gender-based violence and creation of safe spaces of women.  During the period of campaign, meetings of gender forums will be organised at block level and district level, sensitisation of police station personnels and other functionaries like health workers, schools, etc.

The campaign has been rightly given  taglines of ‘Sahenge nahin kahenge’ and ‘Chuppi Todenge’.