The very reason behind the creation of Khoj has been to work for the empowerment and development of women. Khoj sees the roots of women’s subordination in their socialization and education right from early childhood that consequently breeds economic dependence as well. A process oriented alternative education with grass roots women with a focus on empowering them with tools of analysis, literacy and numeracy skills, knowledge base responding to their learning needs, leadership skills and provision of opportunities to assert themselves was seen as the most meaningful response.
The key strategies have been
- Building critical consciousness through issue based, gender responsive education and grooming women as community education leaders.
- Building critical consciousness through issue based, gender responsive education and grooming women as community education leaders.
- Building critical consciousness through issue based, gender responsive education and grooming women as community education leaders.
Interventions
In order to ensure meaningful and result oriented interventions a locally relevant approach and methodology of community development through applied education among women has been developed that is famously known as Khoj methodology.
Campaigns focus on issues like women’s contribution in agriculture, impact of pesticides on women, reproductive health and importance of ecological agriculture.
Women’s indigenous knowledge in agriculture and health has been documented which was published by Pesticide Action Network Asia & Pacific under the title of Women’s Wisdom.
Participatory action research with women has resulted in issue based teacher’s manuals, training handbooks, teaching and learning materials, post literacy and continuing education materials.
Studies have been conducted to make visible the role and contribution of women in the rural economy and the use and impact of chemical pesticides on women. Two studies have been published by Pesticide Action Network Asia & Pacific under the titles of Invisible Farmers and Pesticide Peril and Pakistan.
Training has been conducted for women as community leaders, ecological agriculture practitioners, adult education and elementary education teachers, health workers and extension workers.
Alternative women leadership has been successfully created. About 3000 illiterate grass roots women have been enabled to play leadership roles in their communities.
As a result of the long term engagement with grass roots women a Health Center and a School for Community Education have been built.
Development of a comprehensive gender responsive curricula for women’s development.
Successful contribution in making the role of women in agriculture visible.
