INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CECOEDECON works directly with the underprivileged and marginalized groups to enhance their capacities as well as remove structural and institutional barriers that are preventing them from improving their circumstances. One of the major strategies of the organization is to build the institutions of the people and strengthen them in such a way that in the long run they become the prime agents of development CECOEDECON started to establish Village Development Committees in all the villages, and formed their block level federations of Kisan Seva Samiti (KSS). This block level KSSs are further formed into KSSM ( Kisan Seva Samiti Maha Sangh) at the state level. So also the ‘Self Help Groups of especially of women were established separately and their block level federations were developed into cooperatives. A number of other Youth Groups, Bal Panchayat, Shaharia Vikas Manch etc were also formed to strengthen the community mobilization efforts. A lot of capacity building and hand holding support were provided to these institutions to become effective agents of development.
These efforts varied from leadership development training to social mobilizing to networking to lobbying to advocacy. Apart from the specific trainings in Rights Based Approaches, they were given a number of opportunities to participate in various conferences/ workshops/ meetings/ dialogues at the state, national and international level, on emerging issues like Climate Change, GMOs, Social Security, Civil Society Partnership, Dalit Women, MGNREGA, and Food Security etc. These efforts have not only increased their understanding but also facilitated the process of making linkages at different levels.
There are a number of issues where the people’s organizations along with KSS and KSSM have been able to take up successfully a number of issues both at the micro and macro levels. Some of the most prominent issues that have been taken up are- irregularities in PDS effective implementation of MGNREGA, Campaign against GMOs, Monitoring of Mid Day Meal and ICDS, water scarcity, Improving quality of education and health systems, drought monitoring, inclusion of Nomads in the census survey, Free Trade Agreement , minimum support price, Land rights etc. These issues were taken up with adopting democratic processes. In year 2013, KSS/M formulated their Vision Document which is being reviewed regularly by them.
Realizing the potential of youth in the development process, CECOEDECON has tried to mainstream the participation of youth in all its programs and themes. Invariably, in all the VDCs one or two youth representatives are included to support the initiatives of the other people’s institutions. Separate youth forums also have been promoted where it has been in existence. They have been actively involved along with KSS and other organizations in taking up issues related to girls education, mid day meal, voter education, water and sanitation etc.
