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The Yaari Dosti Peer Education Programme, launched by two NGOs, has changed the lives of many eve-teasers. Earlier blamed for theiranti-social activities, they have now become role models, writes Nitin Jugran Bahuguna After
college, we would stand at the street corners and eve-tease girls. We
were aimless," recalls Mahendra Rokade (34),a resident of a slum
in Chembur, Mumbai. His friend Raju Shinde (38) adds: "Living in
a gunda-gardi (hoodlum) area we were influenced by our
surroundings and whiled away the time, ogling and passing lewd
comments at girls." Fortunately, Mahendra and Raju and some of
their local peers have turned over a new leaf. "Boys tease girls.
So did I. But now I realise how girls feel and I don’t tease them
anymore because I understand that they are not objects. I stop my
friends from doing so too," says young Javed. So what has
triggered this enlightened viewpoint among male youth? The answer lies
in the impact of the Yaari Dosti Peer Education Programme, launched by
international NGOs Population Council and Save the Children. Initially, the programme (Yaari Dosti means bonding and friendship between male friends) catered to around 1,000 youth, such as the likes of Raju and Mahendra, from low-income slum communities in Mumbai in Maharashtra and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The innovative initiative aims to change the gender attitude of men by engaging male participation in games and activities. The programme’s weekly peer education sessions on gender, sexuality, violence and HIV/AIDS thus invite men, rather than women, to question-perceived notions and practices through intense participation, including debates, traditional games and theatre. "Our research shows that bringing young men together to discuss gender can significantly reduce risky and violent behaviour," notes Dr Ravi Verma of Population Council. "We need to start young to understand the need for boys and men to take action to end violence and discrimination," says Ravi Karkara of Save the Children."It is essential to work from a lifestyle perspective, working with small boys and adolescents, and with fathers on parenting education." Violence against women and children is a complex issue arising out of the power that men and boys receive from society. Ironically, this power often pressurises them to fulfil what is expected of them, leading to frustration released on their physically weaker counterparts—-women, girls, boys or other men. Yaari Dosti is an adaptation of Program H, the Working with Young Men Series, originally developed by Instituto Promundo, ECOS (Brazil), Instituto PAPAI (Brazil) and Salud y Genero (Mexico). It was compiled and produced by Population Council, and Mumbai-based NGO Committee of Resource Organisations for Literacy (CORO) and other collaborative partners. The results were brought out in the form of the Yaari Dosti manual released last year in the Capital. The training manual aims
to promote gender equity and addresses masculinity as a strategy for
the prevention of HIV infections. he Yaari Dosti programme has seen
Raju and Mahendra evolve into tutors of the Yaari Dosti Peer Education
Programme, now implemented by CORO. Other participants such as Rajiv
and Pradeep Punwar have also become tutors. "We negotiate with government schools to admit slum children so that they do not become child labourers. We have facilitated the enrolment of 157 girls and boys in government schools as well as got re-admittance for 36 others who had dropped out," adds Nitin Kamble, 26. The programme certainly shows promise in bridging the wide gender divide. Points out Mahendra: "My pre-conceived attitudes towards women in my family and outside have changed." Elaborates Pradeep: "Earlier people blamed us for all the social friction and anti-social activities. But now we are recognised as people working for social change. Today, we are the role models of the youth." According to Dr Abhijit Das, Director, Centre for Health and Social Justice, it is important for men to understand their own behaviour and use of power. "Within men there
are disadvantaged groups based on class, caste, religion and sexual
orientation. It is necessary to understand these insecurities if we
want to achieve non-violence and gender equality," observes
Das.The fight for gender equality is not the responsibility of women
alone, reminds activist Rahul Roy of Aakar, a Delhi-based NGO working
with young men and boys on gender issues. — WFS
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