Vision for a Gender Equal Kerala

Ekatha, a trust being registered in the State of Kerala, takes its inspiration from the teachings and mission of Narayana Guru, whose life and vision stressed the unity of mankind and the cause of the downtrodden, without heed to differences of caste, religion, and god.  Specifically, Ekatha supports the legal, economic, and social empowerment of women, children, and men from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.  

Ekatha’s activities include:

• Creating a demand for gender equality, particularly among school students and youth, by raising public awareness on the importance of gender equality for the State’s social and economic development;
• Providing legal advice and counselling to women; and
• Strengthening gender-aware leadership and language skills of children to effectively engage in the global world.

Ekatha has selected to serve people from vulnerable backgrounds.  These are:

• First, those suffering from gender inequalities, particularly from economically weak backgrounds. Kerala has the highest UN Human Development Index in the country, and its achievements in the health and education sectors are laudable.  However, it is ironic that in terms of the Gender Development Index, the same state is among the six states with the highest levels of gender imbalances.  While women are highly educated and of good health, their access to economic resources and voice in political life of the state remains very weak.  Seven women in a legislature of 143, two among 29 High Court Judges, and zero on the State’s Planning Board reflect the sad sate of women’s voice in key decision-making bodies.  Gender violence is increasing, leaving women highly vulnerable.  Combined with weak access to, and control over, economic resources and opportunities, these gender inequalities get exacerbated, increasing vulnerabilities.
• Second, male vulnerabilities are increasing with irresponsible alcoholism ripping apart the fabric of many households. The increasing empowerment of women and the consequently changing gender roles is also adversely affecting men.  Ekatha believes that to achieve gender equality, it is important to target men and involve them in process.  A common vision, owned by both men and women, is needed to support gender equality.  Ekatha’s strategy, therefore, targets both men and women. 
• Third, another set of vulnerable group is children, particularly differently abled children. Equal rights is a challenging issue in their case. High teacher-pupil ratios, large classes, poorly trained teachers to handle children with disabilities, and the lack of appropriate facilities leaves them very vulnerable. Ekatha aims to target differently-abled boys and girls to help augment their ability and capacity to engage with the outside world, as well as to lobby for improving their equal rights to education and good health.

Finally, there are many donors who would wish to donate to support the above target groups, provided they know the funds are being used for legitimate purposes. Ekatha will act as a facilitator and a monitor to connect potential donors with women or differently abled children in need of support.  Ekatha will monitor that the funds are utilised for legitimate purposes and provide periodical reports. Ekatha will not charge any administrative fees for such basic monitoring services.