Jaipur, The United Nations Economic and Social Council has given its prestigious citation to Vaagdhara, a non-government organization working in southern Rajasthan, in its document for 52nd session of the Commission for Social Development, which will be follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, to be organized from February 11 to 21 next year. Vaagdhara, working for socio-economic development of the tribal population in southern Rajasthan districts for two decades, enjoys a consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council. Its citation is one of the 40 statements of civil society groups from across the world selected by the U.N. Secretry-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
The Vaagdhara Secretary, Mr. Jayesh Joshi, said here today that the citation would also be circulated in the 24th special session of the U.N. General Assembly. The session’s priority theme is devoted to “promoting empowerment of people in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all.” While working in accordance with the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Vaagdhara has been working for ensuring the control by indigenous peoples, classified as Scheduled Tribes in India, over developments affecting them and their lands, territories and resources. This enables them to maintain and strengthen their institutions, cultures and traditions, which is important for their empowerment, social protection and integration.
Mr. Joshi pointed out that the Vaagdhara’s statement submitted to the U.N. body had focused on the significance of people’s empowerment, which enlarges life choices, enhances productive capacities and advances human well-being. “The World Bank has reiterated this notion by defining empowerment as the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and transform them into desired actions and outcomes,” he said.
The Vaagdhara Secretary said India’s social protection programmes highlighted in the citation included the Public Distribution System expanded into the Right to Food, midday meals programme, Integrated Child Development Scheme, Indira Awas Yojana, and livelihood programmes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Swarna Jayanti Grameen Swarozgar Yojana and Self Help Groups.
Mr. Joshi said the Vaagdhara had been working to evolve a balance of social protection and social integration at the grassroots and advocating for protection of human rights of tribals on the bigger forums. At the same time, it was important to engage with the customary law and protect the traditional institutions of indigenous people.
Vaagdhara is also working for strengthening the role of national legal system in establishing a basic social protection framework for the communities among which it runs its programmes. Following an active role of the Supreme Court, protection programmes such as employment guarantee and food security have now become justiciable.
Mr. Joshi the Vaagdhara’s experience had shown that the civil society organizations should be involved in the design and implementation of social protection programmes in partnership with other stakeholders. The role of civil society in monitoring the implementation of social protection programmes was essential, he pointed out.
Civil society organizations are well-placed to undertake or contribute to national monitoring by taking the real-life situations of individual residents into account. This creates conditions people’s empowerment with respect to the crucial instruments needed for their well-being and development, said Mr. Joshi.
Kalyan Singh Kothari, Media Consultant, Mobile: 9414047744