The Gender Youth Movement for young girls was launched at Ernakulam by Smt. Asha Sanal, District Panchayath President at Kakkanad, Ernakulam on 24 November 2018. Gender Youth Movement aims to provide self defense training, training for improving the artistic and athletic potential of members, workshops that inculcate leadership skill, assertiveness and personality development through residential programmes. 

The Gender youth Movement, through its convergence with other national and international agencies focus to support the members with carrier excellence as well. The study tours and camps would help  to explore certain unfamiliar areas and opportunities in this present trend of sedentary youth-hood. Instead of being  like a ‘couch potato’, the  gender youth movement aims to develop vigorous young people through blending with the’ Snehitha’s Calling Bell Support Programme’. The activities include house visits and interaction with the Snehitha Calling Bell support recipients and rendering voluntary service to tackle the needs of support recipients or beneficiaries.

Though Kudumbashree have ‘Balasabha’ for children till the age of 15, there is no such initiative for young girls after 15, during which girls freedom are limited due to security issues. Women act wisely and confidently when their physique is strong enough to defend any violence against her, which is to be developed from very young age. In order to maintain their gap and to bring a change in the present stereotype, gender youth clubs  named ‘Gender Youth Movement’ are formed in 101 Panchayaths, for young  girls, between the age of 15 -29 years. The youth clubs are formed with any numbers, not less than 10, in each CDS and one affiliated to the Kerala state youth Welfare Board and the Nehru Yuva Kendra.  

Gender based discrimination against women is pervasive across the world. The patriarchal world always treated girls inferior to boys and this had been deeply engraved in the mind of girls even from their childhood. When we analyse the cases registered in Snehitha from its beginning in 2013, it’s understood that, in most of the atrocities against women and girls especially in POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences ) cases the accused are either a relative or a person who is close to the victim, rather than a stranger. When boys are allowed to stroll outside with peers, or to involve in any recreational activities, girls are restricted inside like a ‘domesticated parrot’. 

The gender youth club can ensure the social participation of young girls without any gender bias and improves the confidence and self esteem of members. Through club activities eminent women leaders in Kudumbashree in local self governing can be developed in the upcoming future. A good percent of more than half of the Kerala women population are mainstreamed through Kudumbashree, but still the issue of women security and equal participation to be discussed and enacted further. Staying together help to defeat vulnerable situation. An able bodied, yet vigorous generation of women can be developed through Gender Youth Movement.

Marketing is the key component for the success of any enterprise. Kudumbashree have already developed a brand image in the minds of common people that the products from Kudumbashree are pure and is of best quality. Low market penetration and tough competition from the products and marketing strategies of large scale enterprises was posing a challenge to Kudumbashree products. It is as a solution to this issue, that Nano Markets were launched. In Nano Markets, Kudumbashree products are positioned in par with its near competitors.

Kottakkal Municipality Community Development Society has launched the Nano market at Municipal office with the intention of promoting the market opportunities of Kudumbashree products, to provide a constant income for NULM entrepreneurs, create local demands and provide permanent outlets, increase market visibility and reinforce the brand of Kudumbashree products in the minds of local customers. Kudumbashree Nano Market is installed in the front office of Kottakkal Municipality with the full support of Kottakkal Municipal council. The location is very much suitable to exhibit and promote sales of Kudumbashree products. Variety of curry powders of Kusumam Unit and Soparnika SHG, Pickles of Santhwanam SHG, Powders and dried chilly of Chaithanya SHG, Handmade Chocolates and cakes of Theertha SHG units of Kottakal are now selling their products through Nano Market.  Rs. 750 is the average sales recorded per day. The stock register and sales register are maintained by Community Development Societies(CDS) and entrepreneurs would get  their payments after 15 days. CDS  will get 5-10% commission on the basis of the recorded sales.

DPC Meeting on 15.12.2018 -02.00PM at  Conference Hall

Alappuzha District Planning Committee meeting scheduled on Friday 14 Dec 2018

The second phase of Kudumbashree School has been started in all districts across Kerala from 1 December 2018. Over 43 lakh Kudumbashree NHG members from 2.77 Lakh Neighbourhood Groups will become part of the Second phase of Kudumbashree School. Kudumbashree School is the informal education programme which is executed coordinating with the NHGs which envisages to improve the intellectual quality of common women. Kudumbashree School training programme was launched last year to create awareness among the Kudumbashree NHG members about their social responsibilities and improve their standard of living through knowledge. 

The classes will be conducted for a period of 7 weeks where each NHG member should spend 2 hours weekly.  There will be a master trainer at the ADS (Area Development Society) level who will facilitate classes at ward level. One master trainer at ADS level will facilitate classes in 7 NHGs. There will be two master trainers, if there are more than seven NHGs in a ward.  Six topics will be present before the members and over 43000 resource persons will be handling the classes at NHG level. Disaster Management and Family Financial management are the two important subjects included in the second phase of Kudumbashree School. After these sessions each family should prepare a disaster management plan and financial plan for reduce disaster situations and improve their standard of living. Each class of the Kudumbashree School will be monitored through a special designed mobile application. 

Kudumbashree School aims at the personality development and social, cultural, educational empowerment of women.The first phase of Kudumbashree School was officially launched by Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala on 21 October 2017.

As a part of the expansion of the Snehitha services, a Counselling Centre was opened in collaboration with the Police Department at Kannur district. The newly opened Snehitha counseling centre is working with all facilities at the campus of the Kannur Town Police Station.The services of Snehitha counsellor would be available on every saturdays from 10 AM to 1 Pm. So far 17 cases were reported from the police reference.

Cases relating to the women and children are directly referred to Snehitha Counseling Centre for counseling and guidance. Through the establishment of the Counseling Centre, cases and short stay services are directly reported to Snehitha. In such situations, Snehitha provides counseling and immediate follow ups. Students are also availing counselling services from Snehitha. The reported cases are mainly related to behavioural problems, family issues and study related problems of children. The centre started working when Mr.Sreejith Koderi, Town Sub Inspector inaugurated the same on 28 July 2018. The details of the project were explained during the inaugural programme.

Apart from this, various programmes had been conducted for children by the Snehitha counseling centre and town police station. The main aim of these activities is to construct a child friendly society, extending counseling activities to nearby schools. In association with Kannur town police station , Snehitha had conducted several programmes for student police cadets as well. In connection with the World Mental Health day, a seminar on the topic' Youth Mental Health' was conducted for Student Police Cadets (SPC) in convergence with Town Police Station Kannur on 10 October 2018 and a total of 40 students participated in the seminar. Snehitha had also organised ‘Kerala piravi’ Quiz competition for high school students, in which 55 students had participated. These programmes helped Snehitha to reach their activities to the society in a different way.

Snehitha Gender help desk is a 24 hours working system under Kudumbashree mission. The main aim of the centre is to provide help and support to those women and children who are in distress and provide voice for their issues and concerns, also to prevent, protect and prevail over domestic violence through advocacy, empowerment and social change. Snehitha is facilitating its services with the convergence of other like minded agencies like legal service authority, police department, Child Welfare Committe (CWC), NGOs and other Government departments. Snehitha is working on the principle of convergence, which is followed by a close interface and collaboration with the service providers and counselors.