Vision and Mission
MITRA’s vision is a society developing on principles of equity and equality, in which everyone is enjoying human rights and justice. Its mission is to build partnerships in the community for developing a framework of action involving men and boys in contributing to bringing about social norm change for gender justice.
Values
MITRA’s work with men and boys is anchored in feminist informed values and principles and the organisation is guided by a core group of women’s rights activists and social justice allies. It operates within a human rights framework to achieve intersectional goals of gender equality and social justice.
Our Advisers
- Enakshi Ganguly, Human rights activist, Co-founder HAQ: Centre for Child Rights
- Havovi Wadia, CEO, Save The Children India
- Kamla Bhasin, Feminist activist, Advisor Sangat – A Feminist Network, One of the founders of Jagori Delhi and Jagori Rural, South Asia Coordinator of OBR and Global Co Chair of Peace Women Across the Globe
- Lora Prabhu, Director and Co-founder, CEQUIN
- Manak Matiyani, Executive Director, The YP Foundation
- Sana Contractor, Public health researcher and activist
- Prof. Sanjay, Head and Dean, Dept of Social Work, Mahatma Gandhi KashiVidyapith, Varanasi
- Sanjay Srivastav, British Academy Global Professor, University College London and Professor of Sociology, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
- Santosh Kumar Giri, Founder Secretary, Kolkata Rista
Managing Trustee
Abhijit Das, founding Director (former), CHSJ
Background of the work
Working with men and boys for new gender norms and social justice
India may be reaching for the moon but on ground the reality for women in the country is far from starry. Ghastly incidents of violence against women including rape, honour killing, burning alive, acid attack, abduction, domestic violence and sexual harassment on the streets, in homes and at workplaces are commonplace. Brute physical violence is not the only way women in India experience secondary status. From the time girls are born their life circumstances and opportunities are different from that of boys, much of it due to differing social norms and expectations. Dowry, early marriage, burden of domestic work, lack of adequate education, health and income opportunities, declining female sex ratio and absence from decision-making positions and public life are but some of the ways in which gender discrimination persists in our society.
The laws of the country have been strengthened to prevent crimes against women. Laws like the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act and the Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act provide some level of security in the work place and home. The Government has also started taking steps to address gender related discrimination through programmes like ‘Betibachaobetipadhao’ or ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’. Most of the attention is towards securing the safety of women and girl children and ensuring opportunities for parents to provide girls greater care and nurture.
These are important steps but probably will not lead to full success till men and boys are also involved in theendeavour. It is time to shift the onus of change from women and girls alone. For too long have women only carried the torch of the struggle for gender equality. Progress is slow in this one sided task, whereas engagement with men can make the process collaborative.
Moreover, laws and government programmes cannot be the only solution; equality norms are formed at home, where attention has to be paid to what boys are learning at every level about respect for women and girls and their equal treatment. A change in the nature of relationships between brothers and sisters, fathers and daughters, husbands and wives is required that is free from patriarchal expectations. There is also need to recognize the alienation of men from women’s movement towards equality, their lack of involvement, incomprehension and resistance to changing gender roles that are disrupting centuries of embedded societal norms, causing a fierce male pushback and anger at men’s perceived loss of status, honour and gender privileges.
A change in traditional norms of masculinity and patriarchal structures in society that sustain it are needed.
Genesis of MITRA
MITRA is a unit of the Centre for Health and Social Justice (CHSJ) (www.chsj.in) that was established in 2005. Several of the founding advisors and leadership of CHSJ were involved in community level interventions to promote the involvement of men and boys for gender equality. This work had started in Uttar Pradesh through the network MASVAW (Men’s Action for Stopping Violence Against Women) and CHSJ initiated several processes to draw lessons from this work as well as building a larger community of practice on this issue. Women and girls’ empowerment, their autonomy and transforming institutions to provide greater space to women and their needs and decisions has been an area of keen interest for the women’s rights movement. However, there is less emphasis on the changes in men which are equally important for gender equality. CHSJ consistently worked to highlight the need to involve men and focussed on practical ways of doing so.
From April 2020 onwards the work is being taken forward by MITRA which functions as an autonomous unit of CHSJ.
