20 Years of Disha
Equal Wages Struggle

Birth of Mahila Mazdoor Evam Laghu Kisan Morcha

Up to 1989, agricultural labours were paid much less than the minimum wages recommended by the Government – Rs 20 a day. Moreover, women labours were paid much less, 25 to 50 per cent less than their men counterparts. Because of increasing awareness, women started murmuring why not they be paid minimum and equal wages. During the kharif harvesting season, women labours refused to work on low wages and demanded equal and minimum wages. When they were pressurised, women labours of Sultanpur went on a lightening strike. Soon the strike spread to other villages too.

After a month, the powerful landlords tried to break the strike by enticing small and marginal farmers to join their bandwagon. They got striking women labours intimidated through their men. They would not allow the striking women to cut fodder from fields’ boundaries or village common lands.

Women bravely faced these threats. They sent their cattle to the forests to forests below the Shiwalik range in the overall control of Ghad Kshettra Mazdoor Morcha. In several homes there was no grain. Those who had surplus took their care by contributing to the common pool.

Striking women asked the small and marginal farmers not to oppose their struggle as the latter were themselves labourers. They said if they won the struggle they (small and marginal farmers) would also be benefited. Small and marginal farmers saw the point and sent a proposal to the landlords for a dialogue. But the landlords backed out at the eleventh hour.

The striking women then unilaterally declared that they would continue their struggle till they got minimum and equal wages, but would work on the fields of small and marginal farmers at the rate of Rs 15 a day. Offended by this declaration, the landlords approached the police for help. Because of stiff opposition from the striking women the police did not help the landlords, but they did not help the striking women either.

To give further impetus to the struggle, Disha organised a Mahila Mazdoor Evam Laghu Kisan Sammelan on December 27, 1989. Despite various hurdles created by the landlords, the Sammelan was a grand success. It passed a 19-point charter of demands and on January 2, 1990, it was submitted to the district authorities. It is at this Sammelan that Mahila Mazdoor Evam Laghu Kisan Morcha was born.

Gradually the landlord fell in line and started paying men and women labours equal wages, though minimum wages fixed by the government are still a distant reality.

Education for Adolescent Girls

Six education centres for adult women were started in five villages for promoting literacy among adult women. A total of 15 to 20 women were imparted functional literacy skills in each of these centres. The text books for use in these centres were arranged from the Literacy House, an educational resource organisation in the state capital Lucknow, while other material was arranged locally. Barring one, all the centres functioned for just one year.

The most notable observation of the activity Education for Adult Women was that along with adult women, adolescent girls came to the classes in large numbers. Expectations of adolescent girls, particularly those belonging to the Muslim community, were especially high. To meet these expectations, Disha decided to provide educational facilities to the adolescent girls. These are the girls who have missed regular schooling because of religious, societal and familial reasons (taking care of younger siblings, assisting mothers in household chores, etc.).

At present education centres for adolescent girls are being run in 10 villages. Instructors in these education centres are local and highly motivated ones. Education is imparted to the girls on mainstream education system, with certain value additions, so as to prepare them for their lives and higher education, if they wish to pursue them.

Participation of the parents and students is key to the activities of educational centres. Parents of the ‘students’ in the centres are involved through parent-teacher meetings held every month. Instances of absence of ‘students’ are given considerable importance in the parent-teacher meetings. Students are given freedom to decide their own uniform.

Of late step have been initiated to make education centres for adolescent girls sustainable. The parents of ‘students’ have started making a nominal contribution of Rs 10 per month to meet out part of expenses of the centres. In addition, they are also arranging stationary for their wards. The books are still being made available by the organisation.

Education for Women Equality, Mahila Samakhya

THE National Education Policy recognised that women were illiterate because of their social, economic and cultural setting. It laid special emphasis on meeting specific requirements of women to give them equal educational opportunities and to remove inequalities. The Government of India started this programme in 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka in collaboration with the respective State Governments and voluntary organisations.

Saharanpur was one of the districts in Uttar Pradesh and Disha one of the partners to take up this programme. The programme was implemented in 60 villages of Sarsawa and Sadholi Qadim development blocks. In each village, Mahila Sanghas (Women Forum) were formed. Sakhis (literally meaning friend) were identified from among the community to facilitate the programme activities. On 10 Mahila Sanghas, a Sahyogini (literally meaning a person extending cooperation) were appointed.

Necessary training inputs were given to Sakhis, Sahyoginis and other staff associated with the project. A number of capacity building training were organised at the community level. Regular meetings of the Mahila Sanghas continued. All these resulted in awakening the women, who began to open up and come out with their problems and issues. It is during these meetings that instances of violence against women started coming up. In the years to come, combating violence against women became one of the core activities of the organisation.

But several retrograde steps harmed the movement of women’s equality to a very large extent. The Government of India had decided to implement the programme through NGOs. But on a later thought, Mahila Samakhya Societies were registered in the states and District Implementation Units were formed in 1991. After the coming into existence of DIUs, the funds dried up. By the end of 1994, relationship of Disha with Mahila Samakhya programme ended.

The movement of women’s awakening, however, continued with support form other sources.

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