Society, Culture, Religion and History

Guest post by: SCOPE
Forwarded to the Portal by: Ramesh Sakthivel

Organization: Utthan

Venue: Ahimsa Shodh Bhavan Hall, Gujarat Vidyapith

Utthan envisions a society that imbibes and ensures the values of gender justice, equality, peace and happiness, in practice. It brings together a group of professional development workers, committed to working with communities towards an India free of inequalities and discrimination with equal opportunities, security and freedom for all.

Its efforts to translate this vision into reality is focused on its mission to serve those most vulnerable such as women, adivasi communities, dalits, minorities and the poor. 

Guest post by: Chicu

The Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) aims at a free and creative inquiry into the themes and problems of life and thought, as a residential centre for research.

This report by the Centre for Media Studies, New Delhi presents an assessment of the Jalamani programme of the Department of Drinking Water Supply, Government of India. The centrally sponsored programme commenced in 2008-09 aimed at installing simple Stand Alone Water Purification Systems (SAWPS) in rural schools to enable school children to have access to safe and clean water. The focus was on tackling bacteriological contamination and turbidity in ongoing rural drinking water supply programme.

The assessment study used both qualitative and quantitative techniques such as focus group discussions and in-depth interviews besides structured questionnaire for a variety of stakeholders and research questions. Another important aspect of the quantitative tools was testing of the raw and treated water samples. The study was undertaken in 320 schools spread across 20 districts and six states.

This report published by WaterAid describes the findings of the study conducted in seven poverty pockets in Bhopal to look at patterns of use of communal latrine facilities. Much has been invested in building communal and public toilets and more resources are likely to continue to support this form of sanitation in dense urban areas in India.

However, there is no evidence available that is needed to quantify their potential contribution to reducing open defecation and faecal pollution in these environments, and identify those design features and management factors that encourage the highest usage rates by all household members. Also there is no information available on the impact of age and gender related differences in patterns of use.

Organiser: Indian Social Institute 

Venue: Bangalore 

Description:

Indian Social Institute, Bangalore is organising a Course on Basic Research Methodology for Advocacy and Lobbying for NGOs and CBOs, Leaders of Peoples’ Movements, Young Scholars and PG Students. Though the importance of research is understood by those who are in the field of development and academics, there are very few courses that are available for them. This course aims at filling such a gap.