Final Evaluation: Comprehensive Primary Prevention Programme addressing Violence against Ethnic Minority Women in India

Location:  India

Grantee: Pragya

Grant Period: 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2018

Grant Amount: $756,888

Authors/Editors: Mohanlal PANDA

Publication year: 2019

Pragya implemented the “Comprehensive Primary Prevention Programme Addressing Violence against Ethnic Minority Women in India” for three years and targeted women from 10 districts in 5 states. The project aimed to:

• improve prevention of violence against women;
• enhance service delivery; and
• strengthen the institutional response to gender-based violence against ethnic minority women.

Pragya set up an inter-agency task force with police, lawyers, judges and civil society organizations to discuss action plans to combat violence against women, which facilitated involvement of NGOs, panchayat (village council) and ward members, and other stakeholders.

Main findings of the evaluation:

• The project, which focused on social and institutional changes at the regional and national level, reached 3,039 women from ethnic minority communities.
• The rates of various forms of violence, including child marriage and intimate partner violence in the context of marriage, fell significantly.
• Some 300 women leaders and 90 mentors who attended training in counselling, leadership and advocacy now possess the tools for facilitating change in their communities.
• The project’s strategy to make community members the actors of social change ensures its sustainability.

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