Volume -3 | Issue - 5 | July 2023
Lead Story
GRAAM conducts G20 International Conference on Delivering Democracy
The G20 International Conference on “Delivering Democracy - Retrospect and Prospect'' was held at The Art of Living, Bengaluru. The program was organized by Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement (GRAAM), the India Co-ordinator for the Delivery Democracy Working Group under Civil 20 G20. The program was attended by 250 delegates from 15 states of India. The two-day program, which was also live-streamed on GRAAM's YouTube channel, brought together individuals and civil society organizations from around the world to discuss the significance of democracy in the 21st century.
The event's first day commenced with a Bharatnatyam performance by Dr. Padmaja Suresh and the Atmalaya group, centered on the theme of "Vasudhaiva Kutu
Grassroots Initiative
Data Collection: Inclusion of Vulnerable Sections in MGNREGA
In June 2023, GRAAM completed field data collection in 10 districts of Karnataka for its field study being done for Dept of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Govt of Karnataka, titled ‘A study on inclusion of vulnerable sections in the MGNREGA of Karnataka’.
The study report, which is being prepared, is expected to reveal rich insights on the extent of scheme participation of STs, SCs, women, PWDs and senior citizens, and the factors shaping the participation of these groups and also of another highly vulnerable group, the transgender community.
Final Study Report: The/Nudge Institute
Field data collection was completed for the baseline study being done by GRAAM for The/Nudge Institute, titled ‘Evaluation of an implementation of Graduation Approach by The/Nudge Institute in North Karnataka’.
Data was collected in April 2023 through an exhaustive survey instrument from women respondents or ‘didis’ of ultra-poor households in select blocks of Bidar and Gulbarga districts of North Karnataka.
GRAAM submitted its final study report for the baseline study in June 2023.
Know more about the project here: Link
Jan Arogya Samiti: Capacity Building & Jan Arogya Divas Celebration
The Gender Training module, conducted in April, as part of the USAID-NISHTA support project in Jharkhand, aimed to enhance the capacity of Jan Arogya Samiti (JAS) or People's Health Committees in addressing diversity, gender, and social inclusion.
Objectives:
-sensitize JAS members on the importance of diversity, gender, and social inclusion in healthcare services and community development.
Enhance the understanding of JAS members regarding the specific healthcare needs of diverse communities
-Equip JAS members with knowledge and skills to promote and implement inc
Annual Public Dialogue: USAID-NISTHA Support Pilot Project (Jharkhand)
The Annual Public Dialogue was conducted in the last week of May 2023 under the USAID-NISTHA Support Pilot Project in Jharkhand. The USAID-NISTHA Support Pilot Project in Jharkhand Implemented by JHPIEGO in partnership with GRAAM aims to strengthen the healthcare system by establishing JAS and Community monitoring of HWCs. These centers play a vital role in delivering primary healthcare services, promoting preventive care, and addressing the healthcare needs of the community.
Objectives: Through this dialogue stakeholders had the opportunity to review the progress of HWCs, identify & address emerging issues,
Research at GRAAM
Tracer study: TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)
GRAAM commenced data collection for its tracer study on TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), a study of employment outcomes of ITI graduates in Karnataka.
GRAAM in association with Karnataka Evaluation Authority inagurated the 2-day training programme at Mysuru to evaluate the outcome of Technical Vocational Education and Training under TVET programme.
The training programme which was organized in GRAAM Mysore in May 2023, was graced by Dr Syeda Noor Fathima, Additional CEO, Karnataka Monitoring and Evaluation Authority (KMEA) and Dr Basavaraju R Shreshta, ED GRAAM and Team Lead
Tribal Healers: Mixed Method Study
As part of its study titled ‘Perspectives and practices of tribal traditional healers on health and health systems across different states of India: Mixed method study’ in partnership with Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute (PSMRI), the GRAAM research team coordinated and monitored the commencement of the line listing of traditional tribal healers in 28 districts in 7 states of India in April 2023. The exercise is expected to culminate in a database of up to 8000 tribal healers in these locations.
In May, GRAAM conducted regional tools pilots and ethnographic observations of tribal healers in various locations in Uttar Baster Kanker (Chhattisgarh), Barwani (Madhya Pradesh), Lohardaga (Jharkhand) a
WHO Study on Nomadic Tribes
GRAAM commenced a study for World Health Organization, titled ‘A study of the health status, needs and access of the nomadic tribes of Jammu and Kashmir’ in May 2023. This study involves a comprehensive examination of multiple facets of health needs, using epidemiological, comparative and corporate perspectives, of the nomadic Bakharwal community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Qualitative tools session was led by Dr Kaveri in Training for Data collectors at Srinagar.
This study will involve extensive field research in the mountainous terrain in the districts of Ganderbal and Bandipora. It will involve the notable challenge of collecting data from a nomadic group who are frequently on the move in mountain pastures in th
Events by GRAAMers
CSIR-CFTRI: GRAAM’s WE Mill Project won the Award for Best Poster in the Women SHGs/FPOs/Entrepreneurs/NGOs category
As a part of CSIR’s ambitious One Week One Lab (OWOL) campaign, GRAAM’s WE Mill Project won the Award for Best Poster in the Women SHGs/FPOs/Entrepreneurs/NGOs category. The poster was presented on 4th July 2023 in IFTTC Auditorium, CFTRI, Mysuru.
Mr. Janardhan, Senior Program Manager received the award.
Know more about the Project here: WE Mill Project
G20: C20 Regional Roundtables
4 regional roundtables were conducted as a part of C20 working group:
1. The Regional Round table by G20-C20's Delivering Democracy Working group was held at Jaipur, Rajasthan, on 07th June 2023. Leading civil society representatives across Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh attended the Northern Regional round table. About 35 CSO representatives and notable public service representatives from Jaipur MP Mr. Ramcharan Bohra, Former Deputy Mayor of Jaipur Mr. Manish Pareek and the Mayor of Bharatpur Mr. Abhijeet Kumar were present.
The round table was organised by CUTS International in partnership with National Coordinator for the Delivering Democracy WG. The findings from the Round table will be fed into the over
Webinars: C20 Working Group
Various webinars were held by GRAAM as a part of C20 Working Group on Delivering Democracy.
An international webinar on ‘Youth for Democracy – Youth Led Democracy’ was conducted as part of a series of events organised by the C20 Working Group on Delivering Democracy.
Delegates from Brazil, South Africa, Argentina and India took the stage to discuss how active youth participation will strengthen the practice of democracy.
Another webinar on Inclusive democracy brought in speakers from Australia, France and Japan.
Dr. Basavaraju R S
Academic Engagements
Dr. Basavaraju R Shreshta invited by AIGGPA BHOPAL, Madhya Pradesh
GRAAM’s Executive Director Dr. Basavaraju R Shreshta was invited by AIGGPA BHOPAL, Madhya Pradesh to deliver an inaugural lecture at the Summer School on Understanding Evaluation and Impact Assessment Methods. Over 40 scholars from social science discipline are participating in the course.
The Program was Chaired by Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, the Honourable Vice Chairperson of MP Planning Board and AIGGPA.
MoU between GRAAM and MAHE PSPH (Prasanna School of Public Health)
Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) and MANIPAL ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION (a deemed to be university) Prasanna School of Public Health (PSPH) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on public health programs in India. The main focus of the MoU is collaboration in research, policy engagement and knowledge building programmes. In addition to these programmes, The MoU also includes exchange of faculty and experts, thereby providing an interface between academia and implementation of public health policies at the grassroots level.
The MoU was signed and exchanged between Dr Basavaraju R Shrestha, Executive Director of GRAAM and Dr Helmut Brand, Founding Director of PSPH at the G20’s &lsquo
