Guides and Scouts from India step up and speak out against violence

06 May 2017
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Over 80 young people from across India will learn how to put a stop to violence in their communities, with the support of a week-long training session from Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG) and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

India

From May 5-10 2017, young people from across 52 states will come together in Delhi, India, to gain the tools and expertise needed to understand the root causes of violence in their communities. They will learn how to educate and involve their peers and communities to prevent such violence, as well as discover where to access support if violence is experienced. There will also be an opportunity to interact with high-level women rights' lawyers, local NGOS and representatives from the Police Department of Delhi.

So far, over 3,000 been trained on Voices Against Violence, a unique non-formal education programme created by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and UN Women, focused on encouraging young people to take action and put a stop to violence.

Harini, IndiaGirl Guide Harini, 18, from India, who recently completed her training, said:

“Voices Against Violence has given me the courage to speak out and stay strong. It has taught me about my rights and the importance of gender equality and I want to continue to spread the message, during my day to day life.”

This new pool of trainers will further strengthen WAGGGS’ work to stop the violence. Upon completion of the training, these young people will become State Coordinators ensuring even more young people can get involved and put a stop to violence. 

Violence is a major issue in India. A study from the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and UNFPA revealed 52% of women surveyed had experienced violence during their lifetime, and 60% of the male respondents said they had acted violently against their wife or partner. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, an average of 92 women are raped in India every day.

112016_India _ Chhavi painted hands

According to Chhavi Goyal, WAGGGS’ Global Advocacy Projects National Coordinator:

“It is essential that we work directly with girls and younger girls and inspire them to speak out and take action against issues such as violence. We must also educate leaders as well as boys and men, so they gain an understanding why this behaviour is unacceptable. At Bharat Scouts and Guides, our focus is to create enough young facilitators at a grass-roots level, so they can educate others and raise awareness on women’s rights issues, creating a ripple effect.

“Many of these issues, such as violence and early marriage, are deeply rooted not just in India, but across the world. The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in India is providing girls and young women with an opportunity to learn about their rights and speak out about issues that affect them – such as violence, confidence and child marriage. Education and awareness about their fundamental rights and leadership qualities can make girls and women the catalyst of change for their own lives to start with.”

Throughout the month of May, training sessions around the issue of violence will also take place in Costa Rica, Maldives and Our Chalet in Switzerland, making Stop the Violence, a truly global movement.

Find out more about Voices Against Violence or check out these hashtags: #WagggsProjectsIndia  #STVIndia  #Brave4Change  #KampIndia 

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