Ekta Resource Centre for Women (EKTA)

History

EKTA established itself in 1990 at Madurai as a Resource centre to create a gender just society. EKTA adopts a life cycle approach and works with women, men, youth and adolescents in the educational institutions, rural and urban areas. It promotes issue-based campaigns to end violence against women, facilitates networks for experiential sharing and collective action. It advocates and lobbies for gender sensitive policy changes to further the interest of women and address gender based violence in particular

• Promoting gender equality and eradication of all forms of discrimination against women and children.
• Facilitating good governance at all levels by promoting consultative, participatory and inclusive practices.
• Sensitizing men and boys in Tamil Nadu on gender equality through strategic interventions.
• Protecting and promoting socio-economic, political and natural rights of women and children of marginalized communities affected by tsunami.

The main strategies are a) capacity building, b) research, and documentation, c) campaign, networking and d) advocacy.  It works with constituencies like women in NGOs, both male and female students in Schools and Colleges, elected female members of panchayati raj, other community-based organizations (for leadership development); with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
Post Tsunami, in 2005 it began working at the grassroots in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, with a focus on strengthening education of girl children, and livelihoods and human rights of single women affected by tsunami. This district was one of the worst affected by tsunami in Tamil Nadu.

Website:
www.ektamadurai.org

Area of Work:
Tamil Nadu

Contact Person:
Ms Bimla Chandrasekar

History of Involvement With Men
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Ekta is a 24 year old women’s organization. While interacting with women, the need to work with men was a felt need expressed both by the women participants as well as team involved in the process of gender training. Thus in the early 90’s we started organizing Gender workshops for men.  The process was conceptualized in three phases. The first phase, all male participants with male  facilitators, the second phase- male participants with both female and male facilitator and the third phase- both male and female participants with both male and female facilitators.  We also structured our work in Schools and Colleges ( Students for Change)

Consequently in the year 2000 we launched the White Ribbon Campaign in Madurai and organized workshops for both men and women. In the meantime we developed partnership with Save The Children, working with men and boys, Men Engage, SANAM etc. Since then we do in-house capacity building for our team, organize workshops for students, NGOs in the State and the region. We have facilitated workshops for the OXFAM Aus partners in Srilanka.

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