PREM programme staff at a community meeting on the
ECCD programme

PREM’S ADVOCACY STRATEGIES YIELD RESULTS

PREM has a long history of involvement in advocacy for development of Adivasi, Dalit, fisher people and rural poor.

In 1988 PREM became concerned when primary and secondary schools run by the state government in the Adivasi dominated regions of Gajapati and Ganjam districts of Orissa were seriously under-performing in delivery of education as a result of chronic teacher absenteeism. Teachers from urban areas were employed by the government but remained absent from their positions at the schools as they pursued other economic activities, leaving the Adivasi students with little opportunity for learning. PREM took initiatives to empower and motivate the Adivasi people, through village committees, to address the issue with higher government officials and organize rallies and demonstrations to raise the profile of the issue among the general public. As a result state

A rally to raise awareness of forest rights issues

educational officers were sensitized to the problem and the serving Minister of State in the Government of Orissa intervened, personally visiting the affected schools to address directly the culture of absenteeism with teaching staff. The campaign was successful in seeing a return to acceptable and sustained staffing levels at the schools.

Since 1990, PREM has promoted 72 local NGOs in Orissa and eight organizations in Andhra Pradesh and supported them in the implementation of various projects on community empowerment. In the process advocacy strategies have been initiated for

Land for landless
Assertion of land rights to small farmers
Protection of minimum wages for labourers
Prevention of atrocities against women and children
Protection of the environment
Sea ecology

The process of advocacy includes organization of regular training camps, workshops, lobbying with media and government organizations, and creating public awareness in various corners of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

In 1992 the network of NGOs working for development of Adivasi, led by PREM, organized statewide advocacy for the implementation of Bhuria Committee recommendations which ensured greater political and administrative power to grass roots level democratic organizations such as Gram Sabha and Palli Sabha in the Adivasi areas. On 24th December 1996, in what was a great achievement for the marginalized people, the recommendations were adopted by Parliament. The network partners again lobbied the state government to implement the central legislation. In 1997 the Government of Orissa ratified the central rules.