‘Yuva Samvad' Initiative in Mumbai

Project ‘Yuva Samvad’ (meaning ‘Dialogue with Youths’) was started in 5 select colleges of Mumbai in August 2008 aiming towards promoting gender-sensitive behaviour among young men and reconstructing masculinity. The select colleges are : Guru Nanak College, GTB Nagar – Sion, Kirti College, Dadar, D.G.Ruparel College, Matunga, Siddharth College, Fort and Dr. T.K.Tope (Night) College, Parel. Interested NSS (National Service Scheme) students from the 5 colleges are being sensitized and trained to engage peers and other young men on a wide range of gender and sexuality matters.

During 2008, focused group discussions on gender topics were organized in each of the select Colleges. An average of around 30 - 35 students participated in these sessions per college. A one-day Inter-Collegiate Workshop, with support from Mumbai University, was organized in Guru Nanak College, wherein students from 9 city-based colleges also participated. Games, Film- Screenings followed by discussion were organized. A talk on declining sex ratio by Dr. Ravindra R.P. was organized for students from the colleges during September 2008.

A 3-day intensive residential training in street-theatre by cultural activist Sambhaji Bhagat was organized for a group of 20 students from the colleges.  A play on gender-based violence, focusing on sex-selective abortions, emerged from the students who scripted and organized music collectively. This was through a series of sessions held in colleges. The first performance was held at Holy Family School for a 500-plus audience of women and youths, during Protest Fortnight on Violence Against Women in December 2008. 

A 6 day residential workshop was organized on ‘Gender-Sensitization’ from the 4th to 9th April, 2009 at Mangaon, Raigad for 25 students from 5 colleges of Mumbai, with whom MAVA has been working long-term towards promoting gender-sensitive behavior among youths. At the workshop, there were group-discussions, games, informative sessions on ‘Gender and Sexuality’ and film - screenings followed by interaction with the participants.