SRHR Fellowship: Youth Ki Awaaz Action Network

What it is: A 2-day, fully-funded, residential bootcamp for you to learn powerful social media campaigning skills to launch your next big campaign to demand better menstrual health, and win a ₹50,000 grant to support your campaign.

What will I learn: Learn campaign design and strategy, social media skills, storytelling skills and how influence the media and decision makers to demand action.

Tell me more about the issue: 355 million people - 30% of India's population - menstruate. A 2014 report by Dasra found that nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually due to lack of proper menstrual hygiene management facilities, which include the availability of sanitary napkins and logical awareness of menstruation. Lack of proper menstrual health and hygiene continue to be major contributors to gender disparity, health risks and environmental damage.

Demanding better menstrual health and hygiene is integral to empowering menstruating people and creating a safe and gender-just space. Which is where the Youth Ki Awaaz Action Network comes in.

I'm in! How do I apply: Hit the button below and fill out the form with an existing campaign pitch, or a new idea. Make it as detailed as possible, targeting local decision makers. If you clear the first round, we will interview you for the final selection.

Application Deadline: March 20, 2020

Count me in!

Understanding Intersectionality

How menstrual hygiene and health influence diverse issues from education, SRHR, employment to water, sanitation and economic growth

Understanding Intersectionality

How menstrual hygiene and health influence diverse issues from education, SRHR, employment to water, sanitation and economic growth

Designing Successful Campaigns

Understanding the gaps in the MHM narrative and policies, and identifying your objectives, target audience and challenges.

Designing Successful Campaigns

Understanding the gaps in the MHM narrative and policies, and identifying your objectives, target audience and challenges.

Going Hyperlocal

Identifying problem areas in your immediate areas - awareness, stigma, education, waste etc and structuring your campaign to suit your target audience.

Going Hyperlocal

Identifying problem areas in your immediate areas - awareness, stigma, education, waste etc and structuring your campaign to suit your target audience.

Developing A Network

Build connections with partner organisations and allies working in the same field to develop a mission-oriented network that can create bigger impact.

Developing A Network

Build connections with partner organisations and allies working in the same field to develop a poweful, local, mission-oriented network that can create bigger impact.

How To Fundraise

Understanding diverse sources - from crowdfunding to individual fundraising - and identifying partners who can help create better opportunities to mobilise funds.

How To Fundraise

Understanding diverse sources - from crowdfunding to individual fundraising - and identifying partners who can help create better opportunities to mobilise funds.

The Power Of Data

Learning the economics of MHM and how to collect, analyse and utilise data in order to create a more powerful, impact-oriented campaign.

The Power Of Data

Learning the economics of MHM and how to collect, analyse and utilise data in order to create a more powerful, impact-oriented campaign.

Is there a fee to apply or attend?

The Action Network is an all expense-paid opportunity, so everything from your application to the workshop are free of cost!

What's the duration for the Action Network programme?

Once you apply, you will be a part of an all expense paid workshop-training programme for two days - your meals, travel and stay will be on us! We're also on the lookout for committed changemakers, who will spend time on building their project after the workshop - we're talking 6 months or more!

How can I make my entry compelling?

Quick tips to make your entry stand out:

Make sure that the issue you wish to tackle is specific and localised
Keep your plan to highlight solutions to the issue handy - if you have a clear idea as to which decision maker you want solutions from with your campaign, nothing like it!
Your plan should be realistic. Set an achievable goal for yourself.

PS. Not every issue around MHM needs to be addressed to a Union Minister! The more specific and localised your plan of action, the higher chances of impact!

Can I send someone on my behalf?

Your application only covers your participation in the workshop and only you are eligible for the grant, should you be selected. However, if you have someone in mind who would be interested, we urge you to spread the word and have them apply for the Action Network too!

How can I apply for the grant?

The process to apply for the grant will be made clearer after you've attended the workshop training. There are some prescribed benchmarks you would have to meet to qualify!

I have another query.

If you have another question, don't hesitate to drop us a line here!

A former Assistant Secretary with the Ministry of Women and Child Development in West Bengal for three months, Lakshmi Bhavya has been championing the cause of menstrual hygiene in her district. By associating herself with the Lalana Campaign, a holistic menstrual hygiene awareness campaign which is conducted by the Anahat NGO, Lakshmi has been slowly breaking taboos when it comes to periods and menstrual hygiene.

A Gender Rights Activist working with the tribal and marginalized communities in india, Srilekha is a PhD scholar working on understanding body and sexuality among tribal girls, to fill the gaps in research around indigenous women and their stories. Srilekha has worked extensively at the grassroots level with community based organisations, through several advocacy initiatives around Gender, Mental Health, Menstrual Hygiene and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for the indigenous in Jharkhand, over the last 6 years.

Srilekha has also contributed to sustainable livelihood projects and legal aid programs for survivors of sex trafficking. She has been conducting research based programs on maternal health, mental health, gender based violence, sex and sexuality. Her interest lies in conducting workshops for young people on life skills, feminism, gender and sexuality, trauma, resilience and interpersonal relationships.

A Guwahati-based college student pursuing her Masters in Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bidisha started the #BleedwithDignity campaign on the technology platform Change.org, demanding that the Government of Assam install
biodegradable sanitary pad vending machines in all government schools across the state. Her petition on Change.org has already gathered support from over 90000 people and continues to grow.

Bidisha was selected in Change.org’s flagship program ‘She Creates Change’ having run successful online advocacy
campaigns, which were widely recognised. Through the #BleedwithDignity campaign; she organised and celebrated World Menstrual Hygiene Day, 2019 in Guwahati, Assam by hosting a wall mural by collaborating with local organisations. The initiative was widely covered by national and local media, and the mural was later inaugurated by the event’s chief guest Commissioner of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) Debeswar Malakar, IAS.