Reflections and Learning

2003-2005

Musahaar Initiative in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

(An ActionAid Initiative: Supported dy PACS/DFID)

1
 Reflections and Learning

2003-2005

Concept & Compilation:

Ashok Kumar Sinha
Team Leader, MVP, ActionAid
Empowerment is a process of increasing the capacity of individual or groups to make choices and to transform
those choices into desired action and outcomes
Musahaar Initiative in Eastern Uttar Pradesh - An ActionAid Initiative Supported by
PACS/DFID
A World of difference for Musahaars

Empowerment is a process of increasing the capacity of individual or groups to make choices and to transform
those choices into desired action and outcomes

2
Contents
Foreword – Page 5
Working Area – Page - 7
Introduction – Page - 8
About the Community – Page 9
About Musahaar Initiative – Page 11
Conclusion – Page 41

1
Addressing
Immediate Poverty
Goal Need

Page 12

Community

2
Capacity Building
for Political
Goal Participation

Page 17

Goal 3 Community
Capacity Building

Page 20
 4
Securing
Government
Goal Entitlements

Page 23

5
Conscientisation of
the village
Goal communities

Page – 29

Goal 6 Research and Policy

Analysis for bringing
about Legal Reforms

Page 33

7
Media Campaign,
Advocacy and
Goal Lobbying

4
Page 36
Foreword
We are pleased to present the review and reflection of our work in the form of this Annual Progress
Report. Reflecting on our work critically has always been our way of holding ourselves accountable to
the people, partner communities, governments and donors we work with. This report presents a cross
section of the progress, we are making, the lessons we have learnt and the concerns and challenges we
still face and are committed to addressing in the coming months and the year ahead. We hope that this
report retains the characteristics of openness and honesty.

In 2003 – 2004 & 2005, with the help of partner community and our colleagues, we made great strides in
our endevour of fighting against poverty and injustice through supporting and strengthening
community’s actions and initiatives. Musahaars remained the first and foremost stakeholder in our
endeavor. We invited them to be the part of our team in order to build their ownership of the initiative
from the very outset. The external socio political milieu was equally testing in Maharajganj like
everywhere. This is why that despite local non-Musahaars groups, panchayat members and
functionaries, government officials, media and other civil society stakeholders do accept the extreme
vulnerability and marginalisation of Musahaars but are yet to be as responsive and progressive towards
them. But with utmost humility we would say that our intervention today has set out a course of
mobilizing Musahaars towards self-analysis and collective action. In chores we have also strived to
enthuse a sense of transparency and accountability at all levels through the process of social audit. It
was indeed inspiring to see communities taking charge of their concerns and taking positive actions to
hold governments accountable and claim their rights and entitlements.

Beyond these successes at the local community level, our partnership with networks, alliances with
larger civil society organization brought a wide range of positive effects that affected poor and
marginalized people (communities) in many ways. Musahaars unheard and unseen hitherto, acquired a
place in public domain and stormed into public discourse and in many cases it helped to influence the
way of government and non government organizations, public institutions think and act. We also saw
our relationship with donors grow and strengthen both in terms of their contribution as funds and
solidarity.

5
The founding of Musahaar Vikas Pahal Sammitti as a new platform with more equitable sharing by
partner communities is, we see an event with far reaching consequences on the lives of Musahaars in
near future. The board members including partner community will take the onus of shared decision-
making and collective actions of our initiative in near future. With this development we see our
accountability further strengthened to the people and communities we work with and it will make us
more effective in fighting and eradicating poverty together. A board of members from partner
communities and project team are constituted and decisions were taken to give separate identity to
Musahar Manch (membership drive and community based organization) and establish their visibility in
the region.
Recent developments in our relations with district administration and government departments have
given renewed impetus and further enhanced the credentials of this initiative. The release of
department memos by the District Magistrate, Chief Development Officer and Sub Divisional
Magistrate, Nichlaul underlining the marginalisation of Musahaar community and a commitment to
work for their development, is an indication of the institutional linkage, that the project is gradually
begun to make. The District Magistrate Maharajganj has nominated, the Nodal Officer for Musahaars on
behalf of district administration. The Nodal Officer will work as interface closely with government
functionaries and Musahaars initiative to implement the government scheme among Musahaars.
“There is a gap in ongoing development and Musahaars lives, Musahaar initiative is bridging this gap”
Ian Curtis, Senior Advisor DFID
Finally we pay tribute to all our colleagues’ particular those who work on the front lines of our fight
against poverty and injustice. The progress and achievements presented here are a result of their
courage, conviction and committed action, in the face of increasing challenges and risks in supporting
poor and marginalized people to claim and exercise their right.
Ashok Kumar Sinha
Programme Officer
ActionAid International India

6
Where we work

Geographically Maharajganj is situated in the north - east corner of the Uttar Pradesh and is
surrounded by Nepal in the North, Gorakhpur in South Kushinagar in East and Sidhartha
Nagar and Basti districts in West. With international border along, the geographical location is
proving to be very strategic. The district is comparatively new and was formed in 1989 only.
Total geographical area of the district is 2948 square kilometer. The entire region, being a Tarai
area of Himalayan range is full of rich and fertile soil. Maharajganj is an agriculture surplus
district and is famous as Mini Punjab. Maximum and minimum temperatures of Maharajganj
are 41 and 8 degree Celsius respectively and average rainfall is 1446 mm. Administratively
there are four tehsil (revenue headquarters) in Maharajganj namely, Sadar, Nichlaul, Nautanwa
and Pharenda, in which parts of Nichlaul, Pharenda and Nautanwa we touch. Likewise out of
12 blocks, we cover part of six blocks. Nichlaul is the tehsil and block where Musahaars
concentration is densest as 16-gram sabha fall under Nichlaul tehsil.

7
 Introduction
Right Based Approach understands poverty as a denial of basic human rights. It draws together our work with
the grass root and empowerment with action to address the causes of poverty and empowerment is a process of
increasing the capacity of individual or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired
action and outcomes Empowered people have freedom of choice and action. This in turn enables them to better
influence the course of their lives and the decisions that affects themEmpowerment of people means enabling
them to do what they want to do and be what they want to be.

8
About the Community

‘Mushahar’-the term on being translated conditions of health and education. They

in to English emits off a meaning that is
synonymous to ‘Rat eaters’. But in
reality, search for food compels them at
times to follow field rodents and glean
grains from their burrows. Chronic
hunger is an overt display of multiple
poverty syndromes that Musahar suffers
from. Originally Musahars were forest
dwellers and used to depend upon forest
produce and agriculture. But eventually
they have become landless agricultural
labourers. Socially they are considered as
lowest among the Dalits. Musahar lives
on double jeopardy of fear and
deprivation. Listed under Schedule
Caste category in Uttar Pradesh,
Musahaar live at the margin of society.
Many are indebted with dismal
are also marginalised in terms of justice
and rights – disenfranchised in terms of
land and common property resources.
Hunger creeps in to their lives especially
in the distress months. Limited coverage,
inapt and inadequate distribution of
Antyodaya, Annapurna, National Old
age Pension Schemes, Widow Pension
Scheme, Maternity and Family benefit
schemes and such other social security
schemes are only deepening the hunger
crises in Musahaars.

Musahaar Vulnerability - source: baseline

60

50

40

30

20
33
37 45 51
10 39

Landlessness Homestead land No ration card indebtedness Land mortgaged

9
Politically voiceless their
representation in local panchayats
as well as in the Dalit movement is
nearly absent. Although services
have been provided in many
Musahaar villages but the Musahaar
hardly access these. Even local non-
Musahaars groups, panchayat
members and functionaries,
government officials, media and
other civil society stakeholders do
accept the extreme vulnerability and
marginalisation of Musahaars but
are not as responsive and
progressive towards them.

10
Musahaar Initiative
Working with marginalised groups
is one of the basic principles of
ActionAid India. Accordingly
Musahaars Empowerment Project in
Maharajganj district by ActionAid
India is a part of its larger initiative
with Musahaar Community in
Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Vision
The vision of this initiative is to
demonstrate sustainable and
replicable model interventions for
empowerment of vulnerable
community like Musahaars by
means of collective action, supported
by grass root measures for food and
livelihood security, political
participation, peoples plan and
research and advocacy at micro and
macro level.
Objectives:
ƒ Enabling environment for Musahars
to raise their voice and concern at
various forum
ƒ Improved access to government
programs, services (like education
and health) and schemes
ƒ Ensure household food security and
comprehensive livelihood options for
Musahars
ƒ Build a sensitized and empathetic
civil society and Panchayati Raj
Institutions towards issues and
concerns of Musahars
With these objectives, project has
facilitated the partner community for
their self-analysis. This self-analysis
helped in identifying development
issues, which are
Issues Prevalent in the area
(a macro view):
Together with the community and
with the process of self-analysis and
awareness, we have identify following
issues
ƒ Chronic Hunger and to a
large extent Food insecurity
(Intra and Inter household)
ƒ Indebtedness (due to a large
access and control over the
informal credit system in
the area)
ƒ Lack of access and control
over the agriculture,
homestead land and other
common property resources
by the Musahars
ƒ Lack of access to functional
education/health system by
Musahar people
ƒ Absence of political
representation of the
community in the
Panchayati Raj Institutions
and no participation of the
Musahar in the Panchayati
Raj Institutions
ƒ Inadequate livelihood
opportunity for Musahaar
11
Goal 1 Addressing Immediate
Poverty Needs

12
Empowerment with grass
root action and provision of
services
With our baseline we have data and
information outlining the extreme
vulnerability and marginalisation of
this community. Almost all the families
are food insecure and face hunger in
distressed months of July –September
and December- January. Health is one
reason Musahaars get trapped in the
webs of indebtedness and mortgaging.
Having analyzed it addressing
immediate poverty needs becomes our
approach. Initiative for Grain Bank,
Health Revolving Fund, formation of
Self Help Groups, initiative for
livelihood support and freeing up the
mortgaged land are to name a few.
Using tools like Participatory Poverty
analysis (PPA), wealth ranking and
Vulnerability analysis, we reached out
to the most marginalised individuals/
families among Musahaars.
While at one hand we have delivered
services to meet their immediate
poverty needs, on the other hand we
have empowered and educated them to
demand their rights and entitlements1
1 State has the provision eight social and food
security schemes for the poor peoples living
Below Poverty Lines.
Accomplishment
49-grain bank to reduce the hunger
gap amongst the Musahaar community
Formed 74 SHGs (Female 64 and
male 3), Rs 104728(Female saving
91583; male savings Rs.13135) to
meet their immediate credit needs for
their survival and other consumption
needs. 1 Self Help Group has got
accreditation of Cash Credit Limit and 4
SHGs have been graded to be included
for Cash Credit Limit.
47-health check up and awareness
camps with help from PHC, 4077
Musahaars and 660 non-Musahaars
benefited
118 Musahaars (96 females and 22
males) beneficiaries from 35(31 female
and 4 male) SHGs have started income
generating activities. In Kalnahi
musahaar tola, fisheries as collective
income Generating Programmehave
also been started The revolving fund
for Income Generating Programme is
Rs. 1,87700 (Female Rs. 1,67,700,
male Rs.20, 000).
Rs 482200 as support to free the
Rehan (mortgage land) of 142
Musahaars
77 Musahaars 29 females and 48
males benefited from a total of Rupees
90000 as health revolving fund. Rest of
the amount is their with the tola to be
used later on.
13
Simultaneously we worked to inform
and educate the community about the
basic services2 provided by the
government.
Initiative for Providing Food
Security
Grain bank
Grain banks functions as a community
owned and self-managed mechanism3
to reduce the hunger gap among
Musahaars. The contribution from the
community is considered as, an
indicative to their participation.
However those who4 were not in a
position to give their contribution also
received the benefits from the grain
bank.
Thus the project successfully advanced
the concept of reaching to the last
Grain Bank providing Food Security during
Distress Months
2 Primary Health Care and education
3 Every grain bank in the village has a grain
bank management committee comprising of
three women and two men
4 Persons With disability, elderly persons and
orphan children, destitute and deserted women
TARA
The case study shows that one of the most
vulnerable Tara, who runs marathon to
meet the two ends, didn't feel the curse of
rainy season- the distressed months this
year, because there was grain bank and Self
Help Group in her hamlet.
At 30, Tara lives in Buchiya tola of Sabya
gram sabha. She is a widow and has no
children. This year on 3rd March 2003 her
husband, Brijlal met with a train accident
while crossing the railway line at Gurli and
died on the spot. Now she lives alone in her
hut. There is a meagre piece of land in
Brijlal's name, which remains submerged for
most of the time in the year. Though, they
used to sow paddy every year hoping against
hope that this year it might not get ruined.
She had no means of survival left, as her
maternal family in Kalnahi too was not in a
position to help her in any way. In this crisis
period she got help from the anaaj kosh. She
has a buffalo now that has given birth to a
calf (baby buffalo called 'Padi') and is
milking now. Four years back Brijlal had
taken this buffalo on 'Bataee' from some
Kushwaha of Ahirauli. It means that
whatever milk the buffalo gives will be
distributed equally between the actual owner
and the raiser. The buffalo gives 2 liters of
milk daily and Kushwaha takes half of it.
Thus Tara sells rest one-liter milk to the local
milkman in the village at the rate of Rs 8 a
liter. This is what her earning is. But for that
too, she toils for 6-8 hours in collecting the
fodder preparing it for the buffalo. But
before all this when she found nothing to do
during ' bhado' (rainy season) she got 10 kg
of free wheat from the grain bank and
another 15 kg that she'll return to the anaaj
kosh. Not only that Tara is also a member of
the Self- Help Group and saves Rs 20/=
every month. She says with a smile on her
face "e baar bhado bujhaaeel na" (This
time I didn't feel the hardships of rainy
season)
14
 community based monitoring
Initiative towards Providing mechanism to ensure the utilization of
Health Security funds for health purposes only.
By sensitizing the local health set up
Health Revolving Fund and educating community on
preventive and curative measure, we
We introduce the concept of revolving worked for the promotion of health
fund to meet the immediate health rights of Musahaars. Whether it was
needs of the community. The basic regularizing the visit of ANM or
purpose was to disengage Musahaars informing PHC about the deteriorating
with irony of chronic indebtedness and public health and sanitation situation in
help them improve their condition. The the villages or chipping in the routine
fund was rooted through Musahaars immunization and pulse polio
Manch5 bank account at village and immunization drive, we made
district level. While some amount for concentrated efforts to address their
emergency was always available with health issues of Musahaar (focus
the community. The high point of this children & women). Though our focus
initiative was that it was fully in the was with Musahaar community, but
hands of the community to take Non-Musahaar community also
decisions and manage it. However our benefited from this health drive and
learning says that the concept of this finally helped in bridging the gap
revolving fund needs to be melting between Musahaar and other
more intensely in order to sustain it. community of the area.
Also there is a need to in place a

Beneficiary of the Health Camp

5 A membership based two tiers Community

Organization that has separate bank account

and villagers are the signatories.

15
 Groups/ Musahaars Manch. The nature
of this support will be remaining
revolving in future. It accelerated the
access of Musahaars on the fertile land
resources of the region and also was
instrumental in sensitizing non-
Musahaars, government and panchayat
Panmati at her shop
functionaries and political class. Still
the challenge remains if the Musahaars
Self Help Groups and promotion are able to do utilize the land for
of alternative livelihood farming. Thus the project successfully
Formation of Self-Help Groups was advanced the concept of reaching to the
done to meet their day-to-day
last with various interventions to
consumption needs and promote the
habit of thrift and saving. The address the immediate needs of poor
facilitation of SHGs was done with a
people.
community centric approach in line
with basic self-help approach. Form the
outset we made effort to link up with
government supported Sampurna
Gramin Swarojgar Yojna (SGSY). We
funded SHGs to support
individuals/collectives to start income
generating activities. Every such
initiative preceded a detailed and
thorough Feasibility Analysis Study.
Our focus was mainly on meeting
local needs. Rajwatia w/o Tilakdhari receiving her
mortgaged land Acquisition papers
Rehan Churaao Abhiyan

We aim to open sustainable livelihood

for Musahaars. Accordingly we
financed the money for freeing their
mortgaged land. The amount was
channelising through Self-help

16
 2
Community Capacity

Goal building for political

Participation

Musahaars are politically voiceless. Their representation and say in the Local Self Governance is
almost negligible. Even those who are members of the panchayat are titular only. The Capacity
building of the community is being done to enhance their level of participation in the political
mainstream and local self-governance process. We undertook major initiatives for information
dissemination and education on basic provision of Panchayati Raj Institutions. They were
made aware of their rights as voters, encouraged to participate in the gram sabha meetings. The
process is on to encourage Musahaars to stand for forthcoming panchayat elections 2005. Their
capacities are also being built up around issues relating to negotiation for their rights and
benefits when village level schemes are designed. The cadres have been trained and prepared
peoples' plans - Lok Adhikar Yojana.

Cadre Building for planning of Lok Adhikar Abhiya

17n
Initiatives towards Political
Participation of the Musahaars
dialoguing with Lok Sabha
candidates
On 5th April 2004 Musahaar Manch
organized a large public meeting in
block campus of Nichlaul tehsil in
Maharajganj district. The main purpose
of this meeting was to hold a dialogue
with Lok Sabha candidates from
different political parties in an effort to
bring Musahaars issue in the political
agenda of eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Musahaars gathered under the banner of
Musahaar Manch and were quick to use
this opportunity to give an expression to
the crisis faced by the community in the
region. Nearly a thousand Musahaars
gathered from across the entire area in
Nichlaul to participate in the dialogue
Udassi strongly articulated following
demands of Musahaars Manch and
sought solidarity from different
political parties and civil society
groups.
ƒ Scheduled tribe status for
Musahaars whose life styles
are similar to that of tribes
ƒ Special components for
Musahaars in district plan and
Purvanchal Vikas Nidhi
ƒ Special package for flood hit
Musahaars and non
Musahaars families in the area
ƒ To ensure 100 days of
minimum employment
guarantee in a year for
with Lok sabha candidates in fray from
different political parties in forthcoming
Lok sabha election. The event
Accomplishment
Training and capacity building
of cadres on participatory planning
24 Micro plans prepared and
presented in respective gram sabha
meeting
Increased participation of
musahaar in the gram sabha meeting –
Musahaars names are proposed in
resolution for benefits.
Dialogue with Lok sabha
candidates and their representatives
from different political parties on
safeguarding their interests
highlighted the crisis faced by the
community and accordingly put forth
the demands before the prospective
Member of Parliament. For Musahaars,
for larger civil society groups and for
Different political parties too it was an
unusual event. For the first time in the
history of Maharajganj that Musahaars
gathered together to hold dialogue with
candidates of loksabha election. The
candidates and their representatives
reflected it again and again in their
speeches. But for Udassi who till recently
was confined to the boundaries of her
hamlet working day and night to help
her family it was a real big occasion
perhaps a lifetime chance. Perhaps, a
lifetime chance. Who is now nominated as
the vice president of Musahaars Manch?
She took everyone by surprise, said
emphatically “je baghe se bachave ke khatir
hamke kora mein lukwaee unke hamni ke
kapare par baithawal jayee” that this time
Musahaars are not going to waste away
their votes, instead they're going to vote
18
only to those who will provide them
security and tact them from the dangers
of hunger, disease, indebtedness,
illiteracy and feudal mind set She also
strongly articulated following demands
of Musahaars Manch and sought
solidarity from different political parties
and civil society groups.
Speaking on the occasion Congress
candidate appreciated Musahaars Vikas
Pahal for its endevour to promote self-
advocacy in Musahaars. He said, he does
Not want to use this platform to gain
political mileage but want to assure that
since now he is aware of their problems
he will continue to work for Musahaars
issue. He wins the election or otherwise
will not affect his position. Like wise the
representatives of the SP, BSP and BJP
also supported Musahaars demands.
They said that they with the help from
grass root cadre take up Musahaars issue
in village panchayat. Media, non-
Musahaars groups, panchayat
functionaries and civil society groups
Musahaars Manch Vice President Udassi in the Jansabha
who were present in the meeting in the
large number, termed the event as “path
breaking” as for the first time poor
people successfully articulated their
issues and involved political candidates
in the process. Now sine election is over
in region and result is awaited,
Musahaar hope that winning candidate
will consider their issues in the coming
days.
The process is on to encourage
Musahaars to stand for forthcoming
panchayat elections 2005. Their
capacities are also being built up around
issues relating to negotiation for their
rights and benefits when village level
schemes are designed.
”We are not going to waste
away our vote this time.We
will vote only to those who
are going to protect us from
hunger, illeteracy and
diseaese and feudalism”
19
 Community
Goal 3 Institution
Building

20
Initiatives towards Formation of
Community Based Organization Key Accomplishment
Formed Musahaar Manch
Musahaar Manch as people’s organization, 900
Formation of a Community Based Musahaars aguwas working
Organization6 of Musahaars is first step under its banner
towards realization of rights and Musahaars using more
empowerment of the community. We public space have organized
focus on to build an advocacy body of 11 rallies to demand their
entitlement / rights.
24 Tola Suchna Kendra
become functional as
information hub at village
level.
Established Musahaars
Vikas Pahal Samiti legally
entitled to work with
Musahaar.

region. At present Musahaar Manch is

Musahaar Manch Taking out a rally
for Food for Work Programme
Musahaars, which in turn will make the
government accountable and responsive
to the socio economic deprivation of
Musahaars. Our implementation has set
out a course of mobilizing Musahaars in
73 Musahaar hamlets towards formation
of a community Based Organization as a
platform for self - analysis and self –
advocacy
Musahaar Manch has gained visibility
among different stakeholders in the
6
A Community Based Organization is a platform
of like-minded people of a particular community
working towards a common goal for uplifting
their own situation and position. It involves a
process of analysis, awareness and advocacy by
identifying local emerging issues and acting
together on it.
willing to take charge of the grass root
action and empowerment. In future
Musahaars Manch envisages its role of
facilitating equal participation of
Musahaar in decision making process
and thus ensuring their rights and
entitlements for an improved socio-
economic-political condition. It has
proved to be a successful mechanism to
give voice and opportunity to the
marginalised Musahaars. With this
process a sense of unanimity and
collectivism got strengthened.
Musahaars are now a step forward
towards improved socio economic
condition.

21
What is Musahaars Manch
A membership based organization
Not registered
year
Representing nearly 10000
populations
Having a two tier structure
Key Functions
Working for the assertion of their
rights
Self-advocacy body of Musahaars
Community Aguwas are in action
The processes and steps involved
Rapport building
Addressing immediate needs
Educating about the concept of
CBOs
Aguwas identification
Training and continued
facilitation
Formation of tola level and
district level Musahaars Manch
Structure
A two tier structure- District and
Gram sabha (tola) level
25 member executive body at
district level including 6 office
bearers
Tenure of the committee is of one
Re-election after one year
Ensuring regular inter and intra
community interaction
Identifying local issues and
highlighting them.
Interface between government
and the community
Knowledge building and sharing
The founding of Musahaar Vikas
Pahal Sammitti as a new platform
with more equitable sharing by
partner communities is, we see an
event with far reaching consequences
on the lives of Musahaars in near
future. The new board member that
includes community members will
take the onus of shared decision-
making and collective actions of our
initiative in near future.
22
 Securing

4
Government
Entitlements
Goal

23
Initiatives For Linking And Liasioning with Government Structures
Interface Camp: A Step Towards Direct Interaction
One of the guiding principles of ActionAid is that state Key accomplishment
has the primary responsibility for ensuring equity and 3 bridge course school
justice for the poor and marginalised. Accordingly established. 700 children enrolled
linking and Liasonning with government becomes our in primary school.
development approach for Musahaars empowerment. 23 interface camps between
We expect the state to be the arbitrator in favour of Musahaars and government
Musahaars while at the same time enabling Musahaar’s helped 198 Musahaars household
action. benefiting through food security
and welfare schemes.
Appointment of a Nodal
Officer for Musahaar by the
District Magistrate at district level
Appointment of a
coordination committee at tehsil
level to monitor the development
work with Musahaars
23 long pending land
distortion cases have been
Bhikhari .a musahaar aguwa makes a point
before Pradhen,Panchayat Members and Block resolved with the help from
Devlopment Officer
Tehsil administration
Our Understanding and analysis suggested that 23 Musahaars received
Musahaar are marginalised in terms of justice and rights homestead land entitlement.
– disenfranchised in terms of land and common property resources. Limited coverage,
inapt and inadequate sharing of government food and social security schemes7 has
further widened the scope of marginalisation among Musahars. Although services have
been provided in many Musahaar villages but the Musahaar hardly access these.

7 Targeted Public Distribution System, Antodya Anna Yojna, Annapurna Scheme, Mid Day Meals scheme,

National Old age Pension Scheme, Widow Pension Scheme, Integrated Child Development Scheme
National Maternity Benefit Scheme and National Family Benefit Scheme and other social security schemes

24
With this context we began to invite block, tehsil and district level government
functionaries at the doorsteps of Musahaars hamlets. This clearly empowered Musahaars
while for government functionaries it was a new realization to various dimensions of
poverty, hitherto unseen and unheard. This interface between government and
Musahaars clearly accelerated the pace of realization of rights and entitlements among
Musahaars.
Our commitment to transparency and
Strategies that helped… accountability towards multiple stakeholders
Strong articulation and including partner community proved
demand generation by the significantly important in establishing
community Musahaars image at district level8
Based on those demands The efforts to engage with government received
and needs, interface and major impetus when district administration
regular follow up action recognized Musahaars as one of the most
Transparency and marginalised community in the region.
accountability aspects Consequently a Nodal Officer was appointed
exclusively for Musahaars and a coordination
committee was set up at tehsil level to oversee and monitor the development work with
Musahaars. Besides, district administration 9issued department orders to include
Musahaar in government program, schemes and services. These include, measure to give
Below Poverty Line ration card Antodya card to Musahaars, Set up Ashram Type Schools
in Musahaars dominated block, include Musahaars families in social security schemes
and Indira Awas Yojna, launch of special immunization drive for pregnant woman and
children from Musahaars community and orders to allot entitlement for agriculture and
homestead land security.

8 We presented our development approach, strategies, programmatic details and income expenditure
statement before district administration in social audit programme
9 Department orders by District Magistrate, Chief Development Officer, District Development Officers and

Sub Divisional Magistrate

25
District level social Audit - 25th September 2004
Recently, we have completed the pilot phase of Musahaar Empowerment project in the
district of Maharajganj of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. During our course of intervention we
organized many social audit programmes at community level, which helped us in
promoting the concepts of transparency and accountability towards our partner
community. This also helped the team to spend more time for reflecting, learning and
improving the quality of our work with our primary stakeholders. All together we
conducted 11 social audits in Musahar hamlets itself in the presence of partner
communities, non-Musahaar communities, schoolteachers, media personnel, panchayat
members, representatives of political parties, government functionaries and the project
team. In front of theses gatherings we presented the project budget and income
expenditure statement. Though initially it looked as a one-way process but it helped in
increasing solidarity with different stakeholders towards Musahaar communities and
reassured our commitments for the values of transparency and accountability at levels.

With this backdrop we

organized a district level
social audit programme at
the office of the District
Magistrate of Maharajganj
district on 25 September
2004. Entire District
Administration (revenue,
agriculture, forest,
industries, education
health and development
departments) Panchayati
Raj Institutions
functionaries,
representatives of Non Distrcit Magistrate Mahraganj and others of give a patient hearing to
government the presentataion of social audit at district headquarter in Maharjganj
Organizations, media
personals, representatives of political parties, project team and partner communities were
present. The social audit programme is our way of holding ourselves accountable to the
people, communities, supporters, governments and donors we work with.

26
“Musahaars are coming out of villages and jungles and speaking in front of all of us with
confidence to realize their rights / entitlement. It is a positive sign for ensuring
accountability of duty bearers" said Mr. Ram Kumar, District Magistrate of Maharajganj
district during his address in social audit meet. On 25th August 2004, Musahaars
empowerment project supported by PACS/DFID organized a social audit meet in
District Sabhagar10 of Maharajganj district. The purpose was to bring together
communities, partners, project staffs, government functionaries and other key players to
reflect together on success and problems related to our work. The meeting started with
presentation of project’s objective, approach, strategy, programmatic details and
accomplishment and challenges were made before the larger audience. The key
accomplishment of the project was presented.
Further the project staff has presented the budget realisation of the project in details. Of a
total budget of Rs 4695930 for 18 months PACS supported programme our realization
has been 85.62%. 87.73 % in overheads, 83.69 % in programme and 90.67% in salary is
finally reported. Project has spend Rs 25, 69,565 in total programme which includes Rs
10, 59,285 in addressing poverty needs, Rs 2,36,430 in Awareness Building, Rs 4,97,531
in Cadre building, Rs 98,792 in development communication, Rs 268196 in Institution
building, Rs 97,440 in Networking and federating the people's organisation and Rs
3,11,891 in Research and Advocacy. First time in the region Non Government
organization has presented its budget in the presence of various officials of district
administration, aguwas from Musahaars community, voluntary organization members of
district panchayat and media. This is step towards promoting public action and making
state accountable towards poor. As an agency we are accountable towards the
community, government and civil society agencies, so we made our budget public.

Udassi from Gedahadua and Srikant from Charbharia spoke at length about the lives of
Musahaars and the crisis they face. Srikant put for the demand on behalf of Musahaars
Manch.

10 Meeting hall of district administration

27
Speaking as the Chairperson the DM said that government has its own limitation in its
system. This widens the gap in people aspirations and government work. We all have to
work to reduce this gap. He further requested that all development departments should
include Musahaars in their programme since they are one f the most marginalized
community. He appreciated the work done by the project and said he will initiate actions
from his side to fulfill the demands of Musahaars Manch. He also said that the
responsibility of follow up rests with the project team. The Chief Development Officer
said that he knows Musahaars through the Initiative work and homestead insecurity is
one of the major problems of this community. He assured that among four Musahaars
dominated villages he will allot 100 houses for Musahaars community.

Principal Secreartary, Rural Development, GOUP and ADDO Social Welfare

28
 5
Conscientisation
Of other village
Goal
Communities

29
Initiatives for Conscientisation of other
15th August 2003
communities
Ledi, Karwatahi and Charbharia
Musahaars are socially ostracized; they face
Primary School
discrimination even at the hands of Dalit. This
Many Musahars women took part in
neglect and exclusion is equally visible in
the flag hoisting ceremony at primary
villages and local panchayat. Hence we
school this year. Champa of the same
intervene on the social environment of
tola hoisted the tricolor and took a
Musahaars in order to create space for social
pledge along with other Musahaars
mainstreaming of Musahaars.
and non-Musahaars population to send
their children to school. The children
ate sweets. Same happened at the
Kalnahi primary school. While at
Charbharia the headmaster invited
Smt. Lachiya Devi, 40 years to hoist the
flag on his behalf on the Independence
Day ceremony organised by the
primary school. Lachiya Devi,
unfurled the Indian tricolor in the
Tractor Yatra For conscientisation of presence of panchayat members, non
Non Musahaar Community Musahaars population and enthusiastic
children. While addressing the
Conscientisation of non Musahaars gathering, she said that real
communities especially those responsible for independence would come only when
the denial of their rights is attempted to children, women and men are literate
sensitize them to the human rights of and educated in the villages. Visibly
Musahaars and cease further exploitation. exited children shouted slogans ßgeus
The project facilities like health camps euds Bkuk gS] Ldwy jkst tkuk gSÞ
remained opened for non-Musahaars groups
and it helped in increasing interaction between Musahaars and non-Musahars.

30
Taking up issue of good governance such as activation of Public distribution system,
Integrated Child Development Services and Primary Health Centers could be done only
after eliciting active support from other villagers.
We introduced a concept Of “Musahaars Mitra” (Friends of Musahaars) to respect the
solidarity from civil society groups. In times of crisis these groups supported our
initiative with cash and kind.

Block Development Officer,Nichlaul inaugurates Tola Suchna Kendra

Tractor yatra, Flag hoisting ceremony in primary schools, winter campaign in cities,
Social audit programmes in villages, different demonstration and rallies provided
grounds for Musahaars for redefining their relationship vis-a Vis Other communities.
Musahars have set up Tola Suchna Kendra (Village Information Centre) in some villages
that also act as meeting points for Musahaars and non-Musahaars.
Despite these efforts we could not gain the confidence of other village communities
towards our initiative and which became evident when the process of Lok Adhikar Yojna
did not secure their participation. Musahaars will share the benefit of the village plan
was cited to be the main apprehension behind it.

31
Empowerment is a process of increasing the capacity of
individual or groups to make choices and to transform those
choices into desired action and outcomes

Empowerment of people means enabling them to do what they

want to do and be what they want to be.

Empowered people have freedom of choice and action. This in

turn enables them to better influence the course of their lives
and the decisions that affects them

Right Based Approach understands poverty as a denial of basic

human rights. It draws together our work with the grass root and
empowerment with action to address the causes of poverty.

32
 Research and

Goal 6 Policy Analysis

f or
Bringing about

33
 Major Policy Advocacy Issues…. Key Accomplishment
Scheduled tribe status for We have covered following issues
Musahaars community under research work
100 days minimum employment Status of Public Distribution
guarantee to all Musahaars System and Integrated child
families Development Services
Fair and minimum wages for Food security,
unorganized sector Status of Health & Education,
All eligible Musahaars be Indebtedness
covered under Antyodaya anna Community Based Organization
Yojna
Child Labour and its impact on
Special relief package for flood
education of children of
hit Musahaars area
Musahaars
Setting up of residential schools
at district level with reservation issue based research and studies. The

for marginalised community studies have helped in formulating our

like Musahaars policy advocacy plans. The leaflet
Special component for posters and pamphlets developed by it is
Musahaars in the District plan used for educating the community,
Addressing Musahaar’s land Leaflet on ICDS, PDS primary education,
rights issues with high priority and Anaaj kosh
During our course of intervention
we identified a range of policy
advocacy issues for Musahaars in
the region. We have highlighted and
put forth policy advocacy in front of
district and state government
functionaries under the banner of
Musahaar Manch.
A functional Resource Centre for Community People of Charbharia getting the benefit of
Musahaars has undertaken various Food for Work

34
35
 Media Campaign

Goal 7 Advocacy
Lobbying
an d

36
Initiatives to create voice and visibility
From the outset a media campaign is launched to bring to public view, the lives and challenges faced by
this community. At local level advocacy will be carried out with other NGOs, at state level with
academic bodies and the administration to ensure social justice for them. Information Education
Communication material such as posters and pamphlets will be printed on issues of Musahaars. Links
will be established with other advocacy efforts and campaigns such as Right to Food Campaign,
Education Campaign, Right to information and land rights campaign across the country.
We not only facilitated the coverage of Musahaars issue and project event, but also systematically
invited credible media and communication experts to capture and circulate the lives of Musahaars for to
gain solidarity from wider public. Issue based write-ups also helped in advancing our approach and
policy advocacy stand for musahaar community
We published posters, leaflets and pamphlets keeping in view the consumption needs of community,
government and larger civil society. Regional electronic media covered our certain press briefings as
well.
As part of our ongoing communication strategy for cause promotion we developed three documentary
films on Musahaars “Karm Mitra" - a documentary made by the on Musahaar community has received
Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award for best documentary. Similarly PACS project has captured
Musahaar issues in New Horizons11. Another film “Pahchan Ka Sangharash” depicts real lives of
Musahaars
While engaging with media we paid special attention to the strategic objectives set out for the
Musahaars empowerment project supported by PACS/DFID. Undoubtedly the timely coverage of
project's programs and activities in print media has helped in creating the "voice and visibility" of
Musahaar community locally and regionally. It has also been instrumental in breaking the culture of
silence among Musahaars, thus stimulating a process of their awareness and assertion.

11 a film on the poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) Programme produced by LEAPFROG, New Delhi.

37
Initiatives for Building Alliances
Musahaars at World Social Forum, Mumbai (14 –20 January 2004)
'If the poor across the world are one, another world, a
Three points helped us in our
better world is possible' so opines Meethaee Lal who
effort of media advocacy
was a part of the 13 member Musahaar team that
Close proximity with the
participated in the World Social Forum on 14-20 January
community.
2004 in Mumbai. For many, 4th World Social Forum was
Timely sharing of critical and
special in many ways. That for the first time,
reliable information
It was organized outside Latin America (Brazil).
Transparent approach in
Largest ever number of organizations and
programme implementation
individuals participated in the event.
A parallel event Mumbai Resistance opposed even WSF .
A sad development, South African women was raped by her compatriot which went on to
bring a bad name to the WSF.
But for us at Musahaars Initiative in Maharajganj it was
special for only one reason- that 13 people from Musahaars Udassi also supported similar
community attended it and even got the opportunities to views, while standing along the
raise their own issues and concerns. 8 Musahaars women stall of hunger kitchen.
and 5 men joined hands and added voice with the rest of
She told the curious visitors that
the world in echoing another world is possible. Musahaars “ it was not that difficult for adults
who participated in WSF, from the far-flung areas of in the family to cope up with
Maharajganj are Udassi, Tetri, Kaushilya, Lachi devi, imminent starvation in the distress
months, but making small children
Srimati, Binda, Anita, Hari, Methaeelal, Shambhu, Jawahar
live with it is a real heartache for
and Prabhu. From across the world more than 10 million them.”
people from nearly 2660 organization from 132 countries
took part in one of the biggest event of its kind. Social movements, Non Governmental Organizations,
community based organizations, peoples organizations, trade unions, socialists workers, social activists,
environmentalists, gay and lesbian rights workers, academicians, thinkers, intellectuals, artists,
journalists, writers, critics, film makers, theatre personalities and people from all walks of life gathered
and deliberated on the possibilities of another better world. For six days the world media, national and
local media remained glued to the NESCO ground in Goregaoun Mumbai.

38
Musahaar presenting their Imortant issues at the World Social Forum. Musahaar woman watching a
Nukad Natak on Women Empowerment in the World Social Forum Musahaars taking out a procession
in World Social Forum

Amidst debates of whether such events will have any significance in the real war against imperialist
and market forces, 3 Dalit rights, women rights and child rights issues emerged as central around which
the programmes can be clubbed. Musahaars also got united and added their voice in Alliance for
Marginalised Community (AMC). On January 17 they staged a hunger rally in the NESCO ground.
They painted the upper portion of the body and, took out a procession shouting slogans and with many
followers from behind. One could read the messages such as hunger, Indebtedness, Musahaars are
landless and have no homestead security, painted on their bare upper half. On January 19, Hari got a

39
chance to present his testimony before an international audience in the workshop on Right to Food
organized by ActionAid India. With the help of facilitation and translation, Hari told the versatile
gathering that "Barsaat mein kaam na rahla par ghar mein chulha na jalele. Laika bhukhle sut jalan" (In rainy
season when there is no work my children sleep empty stomach). The participation of Musahaars in the
World Social Forum has certainly helped them gain visibility and relate to the align movements on a
broader scale. International and national media covered their stories and wrote about them. While the
simple Musahaars from a remote rural area of Nichlaul Maharajganj were awestruck with the intensity
and scale of the event they seemed satisfied to have had voiced their concern.

40
Conclusion:
Strategies that helped in grounding the Initiatives with Musahar Community -
Interface with government functionaries at the doorsteps of Musahaars –
Realization of Rights, Self Assertion & Empowerment.
Adhering to transparency – tola, block & district level social audit.
Cause Promotion through strategic media advocacy at regional level
Inviting Musahaars fellows in the project
Right Based Approach grass root empowerment with action to address the
immediate needs
Empowered and visible CBOs in larger public domain

Challenges

ƒ Overcoming feudal set up in eastern up

ƒ Ensuring good governance at grass root level
ƒ Opening up sustainable livelihood opportunity for Musahaars

Now there is a need to work more on ensuring the sustainable livelihood for the
Musahaar Community with focus on women. In this entire process of community
mobilization, a collective group has been emerged which is totally guided and
coordinated by themselves only i.e. Musahar Manch. This document will act as a
resource guide book for different groups as well as mobilization of resources from
different donors / agency in the coming days.

41