IT’S POSSIBLE: THE CAMPAIGN

It’s Possible: To build a fairer and gender equitable society!

Gender inequality is ever prevalent in society irrespective of caste, class, or community. Over the years several organizations and movements have campaigned on various aspects of gender equality and have had influence in time and spaces. We acknowledge the effort that has gone in and we also recognize the need for continued action and dialogue!

PHIA strongly believes that gender inequality is one of the most crucial issues that need to be tackled in India. Working with youths, therefore, is the basic premise around which the project is designed, and in addition, it focuses on young men and boys with whom it finds the immense scope of engagement and catalyzing change in self and through that change in the society. We strongly believe unless there is direct action with men and boys – inequality, exploitation, and violence will continue only to aggregate and spread.

States

Workshops

Cities

Change Makers

It’s Possible aims to challenge the popularly perceived notions around masculinity to bring about a change in attitude that ultimately affects behavior. It initiates dialogues around the ‘Self’ – exploring values, and beliefs as these are the basis of one’s actions, consciously or unconsciously, and ‘public’, where the personal perceptions are manifested basis of how the herd is moving! We reach the unreached areas where civil society partners, networks, and collaborators are present on the ground. It also envisages building a critical mass of men and boys who will lead the change in their respective local contexts.

Campaign Rationale:

The project recognizes the immense vulnerability in which men and women are placed when they do not challenge the power and patriarchy-driven notions of self and society and therefore it deeply engages with youths for awareness and sensitization and enables them to bring about a change in which they perceive and act on issues of gender inequality, starting from self and consequently bringing about a change in the society.

Why on changing attitudes, beliefs and values
It addresses the root causes of gender disparity and violence against women
Why Domestic sphere
Attitudes, beliefs, and values that promote gender stereotypes are mostly formed and reinforced within the domestic sphere and play a crucial role in shaping the personality of an individual.
Why young people as potential change makers

India has a massive youth population. About 600 million people, more than half of India’s population, are under 25 years old; no country has more young people. It’s time to look at the country’s youth not just as a demographic dividend but to engage with them and leverage them as a ‘Democratic Dividend’. Bringing changes in their attitudes, beliefs, and values positively impacts gender equality while creating a cadre of gender leaders/champs.

Why on Redefining Masculinity
Sanctioned norms and values reinforce notions of masculinity; the campaign aims at redefining masculinity which questions the existing social norms that perpetuate inequality.

Our Focus:

The campaign work on changing the perceived ‘masculine’ attitudes and behavior around the following five key themes:

  1. Language
  2. Honour
  3. Freedom of choice
  4. Division of labour at home
  5. Parenting

Campaign Spread and Target

To positively impact the discourse on gender equality among young people by challenging and changing gendered stereotypes, norms, attitudes, and behavior including notions of masculinities and femininities the project has engagement in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Delhi. All the focus areas/states are ones for which there is empirical evidence of existing caste-based prejudice and socio-economic disparity which then lead to a massive amount of oppression and subjugation based on gender. Some of the most horrific incidents of violence reported in the last decade have come from the states of Delhi, UP, and MP.

The campaign engages with youths aged 18-35 as ‘Change Makers’ who are identified, oriented, trained, and intensively engaged throughout the campaign period across the above-mentioned states. The other set of interventions is ‘public facing’ and towards a larger outreach including the use of digital space, discussions, debates, and engagements.
The project also engages with academic institutions (colleges and universities) in the mentioned states where the intention is to engage with youths (with an added focus on men). As a part of the project design, we consciously engage with institutions that cater to a diverse portfolio of students with the intention to bring on board change makers from diverse social, religious, and economical backgrounds. Partnering with organizations and groups working with youth from diverse communities in semi-urban or rural areas is another key stakeholder in the programme. Our online engagement which is powered through different digital platforms targets a varied demographic with a mix of both urban and semi-urban populations.

Education Partner