WOMEN'S MANIFESTO

With elections fast approaching, various groups have begun to organize themselves politically. Student groups, youth associations, caste organizations, farmers and artisans have begun to sit down and deliberate on their demands. These groups have begun to work on their manifestos as they want to bargain with the political parties better.

Given that OS-Hyderabad is working towards a more inclusive democracy, OS had its monthly round table on democracy and the city on 21^st February. Friends of OS Hyderabad have been thinking of drafting a women’s manifesto for a while. OS has worked closely with them and has helped them drafting the same. We have collectively managed to put together a women’s manifesto. This manifesto is primarily aimed at the ensuing state and central elections. This manifesto chiefly addresses the problems of women in Andhra Pradesh and has been sent to various political parties.

Drafting a manifesto is not a small task. It requires political acumen and an ability to comprehend the realpolitik. It requires bringing various conflicting groups, and discerning voices together. It demands us to comprehend the fact that a manifesto, at its best can effectively serve political ends, and that it can be rubbished when read outside the contemporary context. It demands that the writer comprehend the fact that perfect manifesto. or all inclusive one do not exist. Hence, we don’t claim that this manifesto is complete.

Since, OS strives for a more inclusive democracy, and believes that democracy is much larger than electoral politics; this manifesto needs to be developed further. Hence, we solicit your suggestions.

WOMEN’S MANIFESTO

We the women of Andhra Pradesh affirm our rights and demand a voice, face and name for all women who are denied equal opportunities and equitable outcomes as a result of their gender.

We are:

Mindful of the fact that women have been historically excluded from development processes and barred from the public domain as they are

considered fit only for domestic roles in the private sphere,

Regretful that women and girls pay a heavy price for sexual assault, rape and other forms of genderbased violence,

Recognizing that women are faced with a myriad of problems including, but not limited to, rising food prices, economic crises, job loss and displacement due to infrastructure projects,

Convinced that these inequalities or exclusions are deeply institutionalized and unquestioned, hence requiring immediate, strategic responses

Acknowledging the contribution of women in bringing up children, supporting and building their communities, and conserving and protecting the environment,

Reaffirming our desire to achieve greater democratization of society and decentralized governance as a means to negotiate the sharing of power in

decision-making across all sectors and institutions,

Recognizing that India—as a signatory of the Convention to Eliminate all Forms

of Discrimination Against Women, the International Covenant on Economic,

Social and Cultural Rights, the Millennium Development Goals, and other

international treaties—is legally obligated to remove the social, economic and

political barriers that prevent women from fully and freely exercising their rights, and

Declaring our commitment to fight for the equal representation of and role for

women in all decision-making bodies that have an impact on our future.

We place the following demands to all political parties who are contesting the

coming elections and urge them to incorporate these demands in their in their

election manifestos to be pursued and fulfilled in the next five years.

Charter of Demands

1. Secure and sustainable livelihoods for all women in rural areas

through the provision of job cards to all women and 150

guaranteed working days per woman.

2. Clear policy on providing basic amenities (ration cards, water,

electricity, access to primary healthcare and primary education)

at receiving sites to all displaced people and migrants.

3. Thirty-three percent reservation for women in all elected bodies

from the panchayat level to the legislative assembly and ministerial

positions. Ongoing capacity building to women aspirants to and

incumbents in panchayats.

4. Implement the new education bill to the fullest extent and make

education compulsory up to the age of eighteen. 100%

government-subsidized compulsory education for all girls

through intermediate level in a school of the girl’s choice. All the

girls, irrespective of caste and economic status, should be

covered under this policy.

5. Ensure implementation of the domestic violence act by providing

dedicated police control rooms to address cases of violence

against women; provide protection and financial support to

women victims; reduce delays in investigation and prosecution.

6. Provide universal health care services to all; bring all health

services, including reproductive health and child vaccination,

under Arogya Sri; upgrade PHCs to include inpatient and

emergency care in rural areas and provide better incentives to

doctors to work in rural areas.

Women Hold Up Half the Sky

Women constitute slightly more than 50% of the world's population. Hence, It is only logical to assume that women get their rightful share (50% of everything good), at least in a modern democracy. However, the ground reality is very different. What good has the modern, secular, nation state done to its women citizens? Is the attitude of this modern institution towards women, better than its feudal counterparts? Is the discourse generated by the nation state adequate?

To deliberate over these questions OS- Hyderabad and its friends organized a daylong seminar on the issue "Woman and Democracy". The underlying theme for the daylong seminar was borrowed from Mao "Women Hold Up Half the Sky" While OS Hyderabad organized the seminar, Miss Vemulapati Mrudula- Program Head, SCOPE, DRF acted as its convener. Ms. Rekha Pappu, an independent researcher moderated the day's proceedings.

On 17th February 2009, over seventy academicians, corporate employees, NGO employees, political activists, media personnel and students assembled at DR. Reddys' Foundation, Banjara Hills. They were there to debate over the role of women in democracy. With elections fast approaching, women who have been historically dished out a raw deal in the politics of the modern nation state, assembled to take stock of the situation.

The daylong seminar through up interesting debates. The daylong seminar threw up interesting debates on the idea of representation, democracy. There was no 'male bashing', as almost twenty women presented their views at the seminar on issues pertaining to livelihoods, displacement, violence, law, political parties, women's bill, internal reservation etc.


The presenters have agreed to provide OS with full length papers. Keep watching this space to read them.

Rebel, Discourse and Democracy

As a part of OpenSpace's initiatives in Hyderabad, friends of OS in Hyderabad have initiated a reading group. This reading group meets twice a month. The group deliberates and discusses democracy and other social issues.

Sarat Vasireddy presented his paper "Rebel, Discourse and Democracy". The paper is highly provocative, hence it opens a scope for a debate. We have pasted the paper below. Comments and suggestions are invited.


Rebel, Discourse and Democracy

Certain sections of the civil society are disillusioned with the idea of democracy and this perhaps has a lot to do with the failure of the civil society. Hardly anybody seems interested in being a part of a democratic process. Very often, exercises on democracy are restricted to “vote at the election campaigns.” While, I don’t dismiss the effects of such well meant campaigns; the problems seems to be that exercise on democracy begin and end with such campaigns.
Meanwhile, two of the most quintessential aspects of democracy- namely discourse and the rebel are neglected. While static rebelling institutions are crushed with military might; disenchantment of certain sections of populations with the institution, changing socio-economic situations has snuffed out the chances of the emergence of an informed discourse. Historically informed rebellion and an informed discourse have appeared as the vanguard of democracy. Be it Western Europe or Colonized nations of Asia, democracy thrived in nations where informed rebellion against established norms and an informed social discourse went hand in hand.
Rebel has always influenced the discourse on democracy and the discourse on democracy has always influenced rebels. One cannot exist without the other in a democracy and the absence of these two apparently conflicting parties an informed public discourse, which is at the heart of democracy, cannot shape up. Evolution of democracy is a continuous process and much of it has to do with the struggle of the rebel against established social and political norms of existence. While the rebel keeps hitting at the commonsensical practices and widens it, the discourse in turn generated by such practices shapes up the future rebels. This dialectics is important for the survival of democracy without which the whole process stagnates.
Democracy, as an evolving institution is never mature enough to accommodate the social, economic and political problems of the current and the future. Drawing on the lived experiences the rebel constantly tries to enlarge the scope of the institution. However, very often we encounter ill-informed rebellion that does the cause of ‘common good’ little good. I am aware of the problems intrinsic to the terms like ‘common good’, and I use it in very loose sense of the term. An ill-informed rebellion often results in destruction of opportunities to act as a meaningful opposition and often creates ill-informed discourse. Thus, to create a meaningful democracy an informed discourse needs to be generated by the civil society, which in turn will serve the purpose of the rebels better.
Youth, not so burdened with norms and social restrictions need to play a vital role in generating an informed discourse and of course in creating informed rebels. Deliberations on the theme can lead to better strategies and yield better results. Very often, it is very common to find middle class population shying away from discussing democratic practices and public forums, and label such discussions as unproductive usage of time. The ill-informed rebel often dubs such activities as ‘drawing room meetings’ and advocates against it. The ill-informed rebel, given the lack of access to informed discourse on the system, often privileges direct actions over such deliberation. While the enthusiasm of the ill-informed rebel could arise out of the lack of access, often the activities end up as meaningless misadventures.
It is perhaps the right time that we have assembled here, to meet regularly, to learn, unlearn and discuss various aspects of civil society. We should reach out, include others and then collectively deliberate on crucial issues. I recommend that we document the findings that arise from our discussions and contribute our bit to the creation of a context specific, meaningful, well informed discourse on democracy. As a rebel at heart, it really pains me to see the disappearance of well-informed rebels, who could influence the production of a well informed discourse and vice-versa, as to evolve a more effective praxis.
However, the task at hand is more difficult today. It is extremely difficult for the rebel to generate discourse that stretches the limits of democracy. Likewise, the task of effectively theorizing contemporary politics, by all of us, students of polity whether trained formally or otherwise in the discipline has become difficult. This is primarily to do with the fact that language has become more complex. Contexts are also more divergent. However, one needs to access language, comprehend the suitable context to aid in the process of producing suitable discourse. Hence, while engaging in the productive activity of generating meaningful discourse on democracy, also needs to find modes where one needs to work suitably round the context, identify the potential of it and if need be work round it.
Historically, it has been the case that movements for rights take backseat in cozy economic conditions. The middle classes, who are aptly suited to spearhead rebellion or generate discourse, in the cozy situations are more preoccupied with their false trip to upward mobility. Very often, once the conditions deteriorate crisis situation prevails. This leads to frustration in the middle classes and a general, ill-directed sense of dissent prevails. Given that dissent is not properly organized or channelized, for the lack of a proper discourse and informed rebels; these sections of population are often swayed by reactionary forces. Reactionary forces, be it in Germany of the 1930s or Italy, often direct the disenchanted, dissented populations address issues which are not of primary importance. Very often, we find the reactionary masquerade as the informed rebel, and such forces often create the illusory other. The disenchanted population eager to channelize its anger or dissent often focuses itself on the illusory other. Such endeavors, besides victimizing the other, also lead to a sense of hopelessness. False consciousness seeps in and we find fascist tendencies, jingoism etc. prevail in the civil society.
It is at this juncture, I urge that we all come together and generate informed discourse. Such an endeavor helps us in the formation of a well- informed rebel and strengthens the democratic process.


Sarat Vasireddy is the chairperson of Radical Democrats. An art collector and a social activist, Sarat finds time to discharge his duties as the Director- Education, DR. Reddys' Foundation.