Urban Development Project (UDP)
The UDP : - Urban Development Project started its operation in 1989. It has worked timelessly towards fulfilling the aim of the organization, i.e. ‘Empowerment of Women and Children’ irrespective of race, culture and creed, status etc. The main objectives of the UDP, are awareness building on micro credit and leadership among women, healthcare, nutrition, literacy, vocational training, along with alleviation of poverty and illiteracy.
The various programmes undertaken during the year were focused on:
- To work with women and children,
- To enhance their education and develop skills to be economically independent and self sustaining individuals.
- To build awareness on the issues on health,
- Justice and social development to empower women, in order to demand their rights and know where to go to demand them.
- To provide safe space to women who are victims of violence.
UDP focuses on the following millennium goals:-
Justice Beyond Borders:
- Mahila Panchayat: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has designed the scheme of ‘Mahila Panchayat’ with the collaboration of NGOs in Delhi. This is an innovative collective approach for the community women for dispute redressal by women leaders of the community; they are trained in legal issues and laws relevant to crimes against women. They are also given training in counselling, filing of FIR, pursuing with police station, how to proceed for legal recourse. The Mahila Panchayat itself acts as “Watch Dogs” and its members, after orientation, and training, can handle delicate and family disputes.
The YWCA of Delhi through its UDP programme is successfully running the Mahila Panchayats at three YWCA centres:-
- Govind Puri,
- Mangol Puri
- Sangam Vihar.
A series of intensive legal awareness are being organized by the DCW. As per the latest mandate of DCW, there has to be a daily meeting takes place on these locations where apart from legal awareness programmes, solutions to many issues like domestic violence and various atrocities against women are dealt by the local trained community Mahila Panchayat leaders. The UDP staff along with one Mahila Panchayat leader regularly participate in the various workshops organized by the DCW. In the workshop on ‘role to eliminate violence against women’ in which each representative shared their experiences as to how they are eliminating violence in their work area.
- One Billion Rising (OBR) Campaign :- One Billion Rising is a global movement, which was started in 2012 and was founded by Ms. Eve Ensler to end rape and sexual violence against women. The “billion” refers to the UN statistic that one in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime, or about one billion. The campaign expands each year. In 2016, the theme of the campaign is Rise for Revolution. The UDP participates in the series of programmes related to OBR organized by various NGO’s and various civil society organization. On 14th February 2016 around 200 women from the Community from all UDP centers i.e. Govinpduri, Sangam Vihar, Sundernagri & BVK Mangolpuri participated in the OBR Campaign at Central Park Connaught Place. A small skit with the theme ‘Abla Nahi Sabla’ was performed by the Mahila Panchayat ladies. Nearly 7000 participants from all different NGO participated in the programme.
- Women’s Rights Bill , 33% reservation in the Parliament:- The Women’s Reservation Bill (WRB) or The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, is a pending bill in the Parliament. The bill proposes to amend the Constitution of India to reserve 33 per cent of all seats in the Lower house of the Parliament and in all state legislative assemblies for women. In 2010, the Upper House, Rajya Sabha has passed the bill. Since then various voluntary agencies and NGOs working on women’s rights are working hard to get this bill passed which will enable 33% reservation of women of India. As part of the sister organisations working on women’s rights, YWCA of Delhi along with the NFIW (National Federation of Indian women), CBCI, Jagori, Centre for Social Research, All India Women’s Conference, AIDWA & National YWCA has been standing shoulder to shoulder and fighting for getting the bill based in the parliament for betterment of women.
- Crime Against Women :- Apart from the regular awareness programmes of the Mahila Panchyant , the UDP staff attend the monthly meetings which are being held at the CAW Cell of Delhi Police at the Nanak Pura Police Station. The DCP and senior officials directly listen to the unresolved cases as this meeting is attended by a various NGOs from Delhi. During such meeting the direct information and clarification can be sought by the participants from the senior police officials which is beneficial for the staff.
- International Women’s Day On 8th March 2016 :- 5 staff participated in International women’s day celebration at India Habitat Centre organized by DCW (Delhi Commission for women) where participants who have helped the victims in some way or the other were appreciated & were awarded by the commission. The YWCA of Delhi was awarded a trophy from DCW on this occasion for performing good work in the community & supporting the DCW in its endeavors by running the Mahila Pamchayat Programme at Govindpuri, Sangam Vihar & BVK Mangolpuri.
- Other Programme :- There are other programmes which are actively attended or arranged by the UDP staff, which build a relationship of trust with the communities UDP is working with are:-
- Vocational skills especially relevant to ‘Economic empowerment of women’ organized by ‘The society for service to voluntary Agencies (North)’ or SOSVA (N) a registered society working to mentor field level voluntary agencies by providing multi -disciplinary support in health & women empowerment.
- Breast Cancer Awareness programme was conducted at Govindpuri Centre. Around 90 Vocational training girls/women participated in the Awareness Camp. Doctors from Aureate Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. were the resource persons.
- Health Checkup camp was conducted at BVK Mangolpuri in which 71 vocational training girls, Mahila Panchayat ladies, Old Age Day Care ladies & community Women participated in the camp. Dr. Nidhi Vardhan was the resource person. She conducted oral checkup of the beneficiaries using Stethoscope, sphygmomanometer (Blood pressure meter) etc & gave medicines to the beneficiaries.
VISIONING WITH YOUNG:
The two Y-DEEPA three day workshops organized by the National YWCA (18-20 Sept.’15& 26-28 Feb.’16), was attended by the UDP staff. The Agenda of the workshop was community visit, Advocacy training, leadership training & introduction to Y DEEPA programme. This has been fruitful for the staff in taking up the classes, training programme with the communities’ children at the centre .
The Delhi Child Right Committee by the NGO Butterlies has been regularly holding various workshops and talk shows on the Child Rights issues. All these programmes are well attended by the UDP staff along with children who participated in DCRC workshop on Digital story telling for the members of Child rights club, Education & Care consultation and Sports Mela, Planning meeting at Lok Kala Manch.
The following legal awareness generation programmes undertaken during the year at UDP Centre:-
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On the Domestic Violence Act 2005 and for awareness on POCSO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Abuses Act 2012) a Legal Awareness programme was organized at UDP Sangam Vihar in which around 220 women and girls from the community participated. Ms. Monika, Lawyer DLSA was the resource person.
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Anti Sexual Harassment Workshop :- As per the organizational mandate to generate awareness on the anti sexual harassment issues a workshop at YWCA of Delhi Ashoka Road organised for the youth and staff in which Ms. Kalpana David (National YWCA) & Ms. Sumati Morgan (Delhi Y member) were the resource persons.
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Act/ 498 A, 498 B, 304 B, Stridhan, Molestation, in which around 170 women from the community participated. Ms. Monika, Lawyer, DLSA was the resource person.
The UDP is a regular participant of the Yuva Utsav NGO mela organized by the YMCA, New Delhi.
An awareness programme on Minorities Issues was organized with the financial support of Delhi Minorities Commission at the Y Block Community Center Mongolpuri. Around 300 beneficiaries belonging to minority community have attended the awareness programme
World Brotherhood Day was celebrated by the students from BVK Mangolpuri along with staff in one day event on the subject titled ‘Gandhi Zinda Hai’ & also participated in drawing/painting competition organized by Vishwa Yuvak Kendra at Chanakyapuri.
BE A GREEN AMBASSADOR
To promote the handmade items, keeping environment in mind, VTC students/MP members participated in Yuva Utsav & NGO Mela in Mehendi, Rangoli, fancy dress, poster making competitions.
Vocational Training students & staff went on an exposure trips in batches to take the community’s women from four centres to Gandhi Smriti, Indira Gandhi Museum & National Science Centre and doll Museum, & India Gate, to learn more about environment and to maintain it.
Two days Summer Camp was held at UDP Sunder Nagri with the Theme “GO GREEN AND HELP CLEAN” in, which 50, Remedial & V T C students participated in the following activities – Drawing painting, Essay writing, Night lamp by waste material, glass painting etc.