Programme on Women's Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR)

Introduction	Who are we
Goals	Governing Board-PWESCR, PWESCR International
Principles	Advisory Board
Be a part of PWESCR	Our Staff

Introduction

Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR) is an international initiative in the area of gender and economic, social and cultural rights. PWESCR works to promote women’s human rights, especially in the context of economic, social and cultural rights by bringing a gender framework to policy, law and practice at local, national, regional and international levels through ever-evolving strategies and activities in both conceptual and practical realms. PWESCR, in its initial phase will have a South Asia regional focus. However, as we get support from other regions, we plan to expand this initiative globally.

What is PWESCR?

PWESCR is an international advocacy and educational initiative in the area of women and their economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR). From its base in India, PWESCR, works to promote the human rights of women, addressing women’s poverty, health standards, and right to food, education, water and work. We do that by bringing a gender perspective to policy, law and practice at the local, national, regional and international levels.

PWESCR is currently particularly focused on South Asia. It is estimated that women form 70% of the world’s poor and two third of the world’s illiterates while they own only 1% of the world’s wealth. Women often work longer hours than men, but substantial part of their work remains unrecognized under-valued, and unappreciated. And the possibility of violence permeates their lives from birth to death. Women’s poverty is our focus and we seek to explore how international human rights framework can be used to address these issues.

PWESCR was started in 2005 out of a critical need to develop international human rights organizations in the Global South that are able to network, share expertise, strengthen human resources, and create tools to raise awareness around women’s ESCR. Our leadership development programme is aimed at addressing these needs from the local to the global.

One in every two women in South Asia faces violence in their daily life (Unifem, 2007). There are 50 million fewer women in South Asia than what a balanced demography demands. PWESCR’s work gives special attention to implementation and 3monitoring of women’s rights in South Asia by working with UN Treaty Bodies.

PWESCR seeks partnerships with other networks and continues to strengthen its relationships with key organizations working on an agenda similar to ours in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe and North America.

What Does PWESCR Do?

PWESCR carries out its work for ESCR on a number of fronts. We conduct action-oriented research to provide deeper analysis of women’s economic, social and cultural issues and to facilitate new strategies for defending human rights.

PWESCR’s programme facilitates collaboration between various networks and organizations to work at all levels for the
actualization of women’s human rights. We are actively engaged in pushing for social security as a right for workers in the unorganized sector. The Social Security Now campaign is aimed at highlighting the survival needs of the poor, particularly women and the marginalized. While leading the campaign in two states of India, PWESCR has also trained others in monitoring skills.

We engage in advocacy, working to strengthen standards and full implementation of government’s commitments within the international human rights framework. In order to monitor women’s economic, social and cultural rights in India, PWESCR has initiated a collective action process. The short term goal for this peoples’ collective is to develop a shadow report to India’s Government report for the UN Committee on ESCR. India is scheduled to report in May 2008.

PWESCR also provides technical assistance and imparts human rights education to individuals and to women’s groups on monitoring and self-representation skills through leadership development programs. Towards this objective PWESCR also organizes its leadership development school each year. Grassroots women leaders from South Asia benefit from the trainings by acquiring knowledge and new leadership skills. These women leaders in turn train others.

PWESCR provides human rights education and training to enable participation of other social organizations in the monitoring of human rights bodies such as the Council for ESCR and CEDAW among others.

Goals

To establish links and foster collaborations in order to enhance learning, as well as develop shared strategies to advocate problem- solving alternatives at all levels in the context of gender.
To build leadership and capacity of groups, organizations, activities and other actors in the field of human rights and economic justice to promote women’s ESCR

Principles

All human rights are universal, indivisible, and interdependent. Civil and political rights are mutually interdependent on
economic, social and cultural rights.
Women’s economic and social empowerments are fundamental to full realization of women’s human rights.
Gender analysis is crucial to advance all ESCR.
Human rights mechanisms are on organizing, mobilizing and empowering tool in addition to an international legal framework.
An intersectional analysis ensures that women from marginalized communities are not left behind.

Be a part of PWESCR

We take this opportunity to invite you and your organization to join us in this endeavour — to develop shared vision and to strengthen partnerships to advance women’s human rights. Your input based on your experiences working in this area would be critical as we start conceptualising on women and ESCR priorities.

Do you work on women’s economic, social and cultural rights? What are the areas of your focus?
What has your experiences been both in terms of successes and challenges promoting women’s ESCR?
What priorities would you suggest PWESCR to consider?
What advice can you give us as we develop this new programme?
Would you like to receive information about PWESCR’s future activities?
Would you like to join our list serve?

Who we are: Board, Advisory Board and Staff

Governing Board

Priiti Darooka,
Managing Trustee, Executive Director

Priiti Darooka is the Founder and Executive Director of the new international Program on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR) and has over 12 years of extensive experience in the field of social justice. Priiti has a Masters in Women’s Studies from Rutgers University, US. She was previously at the Ford Foundation, in New York Human Rights unit and has focused to promote Women and Economic empowerment. Prior to the Ford Foundation, she was at UNIFEM (United Nation’s Development Funds for Women) where she worked on violence against women indicators and assessment and coordinating UNIFEM’s work in Afghanistan. As a consultant to the Center for Women's Global Leadership, she organized a women's rights hearing at the UN conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa. She was the National Campaign Coordinator with UNITE for their Global Justice for Garment Workers Campaign. Priiti has also worked with Manavi, a South Asian women’s organization working with women and children who faced violence in their lives. At Urban Justice Center (UJC), she worked with the NYC Welfare Reform & Human Rights Documentation Project, where she developed policy brief on welfare reform and women, which were used as a media and advocacy tool by welfare advocates of New York City to expose human rights violations. She was also involved in the Stop FTAA (Free Trade Area of Americas) campaign and focused on different aspects of trade, and women’s lives, from a feminist and human rights perspective.

Dr. B.B. Dutta
Governing Board Member

Dr. Dutta (M.A Ph.D in Economics) retired as Head of the Department of Economics, St.Anthony’s College, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong.. He was a member of State Planning Boards of the State of Meghalaya and the State of Assam during 80s and 90s. He was also a member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha- Upper House) from 93 – 99 as a Presidential Nominee. He served in Standing Committees of Defense, Human Resource Development and Rural Development and also as a member of the Consultative Committee of External Affairs.

Dr. Dutta is the Founder member of the NEICSSR (North East India council for Social Science Research; Founder Member and President of the Women’s College – Shillong and the Shillong Academy High School; Founder Chairman & Managing Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture, Shillong. He has published many articles, edited books on Economics, Social Science and Political Science.

Mr. Alok Khemka
Governing Board Member

He is an engineer by training with Masters in Business Administration. He is a successful entrepreneur in Delhi, heading
Epsilon Technology

Mr. Gagan Sethi
Governing Board Member

Mr. Gagan Sethi, Executive Secretary of Janvikas since 1987 and Managing Trustee since 1997, has been involved in initiating and co-ordinating Janvikas sponsored programmes. As an expert, he provides training, organisational development (OD), project planning and evaluation support towards institution building to various NGOs, government programs and funding agencies in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Mr. Sethi’s areas of specialization include Team Building, Conflict Resolution and turnaround OD Intervention and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation for NGOs and development support organizations. In the course of his career, he has designed and conducted over 400 training programs for these client groups in the field of rural & urban development related to the following issues: Social Forestry Co-operatives, Ecology related grassroots programs, Organization of Schedule Castes and Tribes, Legal Awareness, Lobbying and Advocacy work, Youth & Women and Development and Training of Trainers for support organizations. Mr. Sethi has consulted for notable clients and projects, conducting Zopp Moderation, Planning, OD and Review Workshops for GTZ, Swiss Development Co-operation, Misereor, IGSSS and others. He has also consulted on Curriculum Development and Long Term Training Program in Gender for Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation and
Diploma in Human Rights for Centre for Social Justice.

PWESCR – BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mr. Gagan Sethi, Executive Secretary of Janvikas since 1987 and Managing Trustee since 1997, has been involved in initiating and co-ordinating Janvikas sponsored programmes. As an expert, he provides training, organisational development (OD), project planning and evaluation support towards institution building to various NGOs, government programs and funding agencies in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. Mr. Sethi’s areas of specialization include Team Building, Conflict Resolution and turnaround OD Intervention and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation for NGOs and development support organizations. In the course of his career, he has designed and conducted over 400 training programs for these client groups in the field of rural & urban development related to the following issues: Social Forestry Co-operatives, Ecology related grassroots programs, Organization of Schedule Castes and Tribes, Legal Awareness, Lobbying and Advocacy work, Youth & Women and Development and Training of Trainers for support organizations. Mr. Sethi has consulted for notable clients and projects, conducting Zopp Moderation, Planning, OD and Review Workshops for GTZ, Swiss Development Co-operation, Misereor, IGSSS and others. He has also consulted on Curriculum Development and Long Term Training Program in Gender for Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation and Diploma in Human Rights for Centre for Social Justice.

Mr. Alok Khemka
Governing Board Member

He is an engineer by training with Masters in Business Administration. He is a successful entrepreneur in Delhi, heading
Epsilon Technology

Dr. B.B. Dutta
Governing Board Member

Dr. Dutta (M.A Ph.D in Economics) retired as Head of the Department of Economics, St.Anthony’s College, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong.. He was a member of State Planning Boards of the State of Meghalaya and the State of Assam during 80s and 90s. He was also a member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha- Upper House) from 93 – 99 as a Presidential Nominee. He served in Standing Committees of Defense, Human Resource Development and Rural Development and also as a member of the Consultative Committee of External Affairs. Dr. Dutta is the Founder member of the NEICSSR (North East India council for Social Science Research; Founder Member and President of the Women’s College – Shillong and the Shillong Academy High School; Founder Chairman & Managing Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture, Shillong. He has published many articles, edited books on Economics, Social Science and Political Science.

Dr. Uma Ramaswamy

Dr. Uma Ramaswamy is a sociologist by discipline. She has a Ph.D from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi. She has several years of teaching experience, having taught sociology at Miranda House, the University of Delhi and the Central University of Hyderabad. She has also worked as a senior advisor in the women’s project of Friedrich Ebert Stifttung, a German foundation. Dr. Ramaswamy has been freelancing for the past twenty years as a development professional, offering her expertise to several institutions and funding organisations in the areas of women and gender, project reviews and evaluations, impact studies and documentation, and organisational and institutional development. Dr. Ramaswamy’s research work has been published by Oxford University Press and in well-known journals

Advisory Board

Pramada Menon
Anuradha Rajan
Joy Deshmukh Ranadive
Yamini Mishra
Govinda Kelkar
Barbara Y. Phillips
Manuel F. Montes

Our Staff

Priiti Darooka, Executive Director

Priiti Darooka is the Founder and Executive Director of the new international Programme on Women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (PWESCR). She was previously at the Ford Foundation, in New York Human Rights unit, and has focused to promote women and ESCR. Prior to the Ford Foundation, she was at UNIFEM where she worked on violence against women indicators, assessing and coordinating UNIFEM’s work in Afghanistan. As a consultant to the Center for Women's Global Leadership, she organized a women's human rights hearing at the UN Conference against racism in Durban, South Africa. She was the National Campaign Coordinator with UNITE for their Global Justice for Garment Workers Campaign.

Priiti has also worked with Manavi, a South Asian women’s organization working with women and children who faced violence in their lives. At Urban Justice Center (UJC), she worked with the NYC Welfare Reform & Human Rights Documentation Project, where she developed policy brief on welfare reform and women, which were used as a media and advocacy tool by welfare advocates of New York City to expose human rights violations. She was also involved in the Stop FTAA (Free Trade Area of Americas) campaign and focused on different aspects of trade, and women’s lives, from a feminist and human rights perspective

Sanjay Dhadwal, Office Manager

Sanjay holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He is an administration and finance professional with 17 years of experience in the field. A great believer in the NGO sector, he was the National Director (Admin) with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) for seven years. With tremendous interpersonal and administrative skills, Sanjay has organized and implemented several staff benefit schemes. He has also initiated and activated systems and procedures in accounting, finance, and administration.

Manjeet Singh, Finance & Accounts Officer

Manjeet received the B.Com Degree from Delhi University of Delhi in the year 1980.He has over 30 years of work experience in Finance, Account and Administration with Corporate Houses.He has the expertise in the area of management, supervision, financial and human resource planning and budgeting and monitoring of project reports. He is also experience of Travel Agency and worked for the project of HHEC, CSIR, NPL, ICMR, Hindustan Lever Ltd. Manjeet has the capacity to establish and implement effective systems for financial reports.

Amit Ahuja, Administrative & Communication Officer

A motivated, young and enterprising person with extensive knowledge of the working of the NGO Sector, Amit started his career by assisting Dr. Sanjai Bhatt, Professor, Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi University. He joined PWESCR as Administrative Officer in September 2005 and has helped in setting up the administrative systems of the organization. An IT savvy person, he has a Masters in Business Administration with specialisation in finance from M.D. University.He also has a Diploma in Office Management with significant expertise in computers, business correspondence and office management.
He has wide ranging experience in office administration, vendor management, office management, event management, computers hardware, software and networking

Kripa Basnyat, Pogramme Associate

Kripa Basnyat completed her Master’s in Politics with a specialization in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and B.Com (Hons) at Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC). She has worked as a Programme Officer in a NGO called Himalayan Human Rights Monitors (HimRights), Nepal where she was responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of the Women, Peace building and Reconciliation programme. She is currently working as a Programme Associate- South Asia in PWESCR, Delhi. Her main role is to build leadership and capacity of South Asian groups, organizations, activists and other actors in the field of human rights and economic justice to promote women’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. She advances, implements and monitors PWESCR’s programme in South Asia to establish links and foster collaborations.

Sunil Kumar Kohli, Office Assistant

Sunil is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from IGNOU. He has a wide-ranging knowledge of software and technology, which makes him a valuable asset to the office. Sunil is a motivated and enthusiastic worker with a will-do attitude. A quick learner with the ability to grasp new technology, he is an energetic team player with the capacity to work under a hectic schedule.