Why Network?

The Genesis of SRIJAN

Who can be member of SRIJAN?

How are the young people involved in SRIJAN?

What issues are promoted by SRIJAN?

What activities do SRIJAN Undertake?

Why Network?

Networking has many of its advantages, some of which are listed below:

v      Enables autonomy to establish linkages

v      Assists communication, sharing information

v      Act as a vehicle for identifying, articulating and discussing issues of major concern that are difficult to deal with within their existing framework

v      Overcomes isolation of individual actions

v      Provides access to like-minded, experienced individuals, groups and organisations

v      New ideas and concepts get elaborated through interactions among members and these interactions in turn leads to a common base around specific issues.

The Genesis of SRIJAN

Network on Young People’s Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights was initiated with the objective of promoting a conducive and enabling environment for young people and promote effective policies and programmes related to Young People’s Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (YSRHR).

MAMTA with its vision to ensure an environment for optimum health and development for young people adopted networking as a strategy in the year 2000. The concept of YRSHR network was shared with various institutions on India and in International arena (Government and Non Government) and individuals in order to explore their interest on YRSHR Network and mobilise their support to give it functional shape.

A structure was evolved for the network with a central level facilitating agency, state level facilitating agencies and state level partners. A working group of experts from varying backgrounds were empanelled to facilitate decisions on the direction in which the network moves and the shape it takes. The central level agency is also called the secretariat. The members of SRIJAN entrusted MAMTA with the role and responsibility of SRIJAN.

Who can be a member of SRIJAN?

The Working Group of SRIJAN along with the empanelled experts evolved a basic Guiding Principles for functioning of SRIJAN. This document on Guiding Principles has been revised and updated with learning and experiences of its partners on an Annual basis. The Guiding Principles for SRIJAN Network also had guidelines for membership to the Network. To view the latest edition (updated in December 2003) Guiding Principles of SRIJAN Network, please click on (hyperlink) Attachment: srijan/d/venkat/working group meetings/wgm/Guidelines for the YRSHR Network.doc.

How are the young people involved in SRIJAN?

Young People are the primary beneficiaries of SRIJAN’s initiatives. Partners in SRIJAN strongly believe that young people should also actively participate in planning, implementing and disseminating information on young people’s concerns.

SRIJAN supports a forum of Young People, selected with support of its network partners. These young people come from areas where SRIJAN is networked and have either experienced or finely understand the health and development issues of people in their age group. SRIJAN undertakes regular capacity building and skill development of the members of Young People’s Forum. This year, members of young people’s forum undertook many activities, some of which are highlighted below:

a)     Met with Mr. Oscar Fernandes, Honourable Member of Parliament and an important member of the ruling coalition Government in India. They shared with him their concerns over health and development issues. They also presented a letter to him, addressed to Ms. Sonia Gandhi, President of Indian National Congress and the leader of the party with largest number of members in Parliament. (Hyperlink to letter). Attachment: srijan/D/Megha/Advocacy/ Political/ Jairam Ramesh Files/ Letter to Sonia Gandhi

b)     Formed the Editorial Board fro Arushi. Arushi is a smartly designed and packaged informative kit that appeals to young people of all age range from 10 to 24 years. They collected and collated materials for Arushi – a 4-monthly newsletter designed by young people for young people. To order a copy, please write to mamta@ndf.vsnl.net.in

c)     Fredericke Sidney Correa, a youth ambassador on Young People’s Health and Development, wrote an article on how his association with MAMTA- RFSU supported program helped him do away with stigma towards HIV/AIDS. His article got published in “Eye on AIDS” – a newsletter published by SIDA.

What issues are promoted by SRIJAN?

SRIJAN Network primarily addresses issues that either impacts the sexual and reproductive health of young people or transgresses on their sexual and reproductive rights as equal human in a larger dimension. These issues include:

a)     Early Marriage and Early Pregnancy

b)     Adverse Sex Ratio

c)     STI/RTI in young people

d)     HIV/AIDS and young people

e)     Sexuality Education

f)       Education Retention in schools

g)     Youth Friendly Health and Information Services

Encompassing these seven core issues, YRSHR initiatives are designed to be gender sensitive, rights based and with poverty context.

What activities do SRIJAN Undertake?

Partners of SRIJAN are motivated to include the issues of YRSHR into their ongoing programs. To support integration of young people’s concerns, SRIJAN facilitates the following activities in a collaborative environment:

a)     Capacity Building Programmes for Partners on YRSHR related issues

b)     Capacity Building of Peer Educators with SRIJAN Partners

c)     Joint Advocacy to synergies efforts at Central, State and District levels

d)     Research on key issues and identified gaps in information base

e)     Sharing of information and technical expertise

f)       Building Administrative and Technical Capacities of Partners