Partners in Wellbeing is a high-impact training initiative, which seeks to transform beliefs, attitudes, and behavior to stop violence against women and girls in the National Capital Region. The project focuses on the 15–30 age-group, bringing together boys and girls, men and women for gender-sensitization dialogues and capacity building workshops on gender equity.
WISCOMP launched this initiative to counter the pandemic magnitude of gender-based violence in the National Capital, which has been named the ‘rape capital’ of India. Estimating that over 40% of married women are physically abused by their husbands/in-laws, the National Crime Records Bureau states that ‘violence against women and girls’ constitutes the majority of crimes in New Delhi—a city which is now perceived as ‘the most violent place in India, even more than states affected by insurgency’.
Gender-based violence poses a risk to the wellbeing of all Indians. Domestic violence and sexual assault are often perceived as women’s issues where men are the perpetrators with little or no role to play in efforts to end or prevent such violence. WISCOMP believes there is an urgent need to change this perception by advancing the view that the prevention of gender-based violence requires the active participation of men as it does of women. While the focus on helping women to access their rights must be sustained, there is a need to address the equally important reality of hegemonic and macho masculinities—which are dominant in India and whose practice is often linked to aggression and the exercise of power over women. Narratives of positive, inclusive, and nonviolent masculinities are thus woven into all the educational and capacity building initiatives undertaken in this project.
The project uses three approaches:
The project draws on interactive and non-conventional pedagogical tools such as theater, art, music, role plays, television and cinema to focus on the cultivation of critical thinking skills among stakeholders.
A large number of grassroots organizations in Delhi-NCR have partnered with WISCOMP to increase the constituencies for gender equity and peace. Some of these have included: Samarpan Foundation, Chintan, KarmMarg, Manzil, Kutumb Foundation, Feminist Approach to Technology and Sunaay Foundation.
WISCOMP has reached over 500 young people and their associates. In 2016, it will scale up its work to impact another 500, using the resources of popular culture for public messaging.