EMCOR - (Empowering Marginalized Communities for Rights and Poverty Reduction through Community Radio) is a Rights Based Project implemented in 60 Villages of KBK region (Nuapada, Bolangir and Kalahandi Districts) in India by CHALE CHALO – Orissa (India) and Integrated Village Development Trust (IVD Trust) – UK in collaboration with DFID – UK. This 57 months project that started on 1st July 2009, aims to empower the voiceless marginalized communities to articulate their problems, demand their rights & entitlements and to engage the community & local governing structures through community radio to deal with their issues.
The project targets rights such as - Right to Information, Right to Work, Right to Participation in Governance, Right to Education, Right to Health including Right to Drinking Water and Sanitation, Right to Forest; Land and Water, Right to Social Security, Right to Food Security, Right to Sustainable Livelihood, Right to Inclusiveness and Equality and Right to Expression etc. of the poor marginalized people by using community radio as an important tool for education, empowerment and advocacy.
The project works within the legal frameworks such as - Government of India's Right to Information Act - 2005, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) - 2005, 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act on Panchayati Raj -1993, Article 45 of Indian Constitution on Free & Compulsory Education & National Policy on Education – 1986 (it will also work within the framework of expected Right to Education Act), National Rural Health Mission Guidelines - 2005, Supreme Court Verdict on Food Security - 2001, Tribals Forest Rights Act-2006, Indian Constitution dealing with basic human rights and entitlements and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – 1948 etc.
More than 6000 marginalized families are being organized, educated, capacitated and empowered to demand their rights from the local and district officials and people's representatives through their forums and networks. More than 500000 poor people are getting aware about their rights and entitlements through broadcasting of community radio episodes by Bhawanipatna and Sambalpur All India Radio Stations on issues of their concerns, policies and laws that affect their lives, livelihoods and environment and contribute for poverty reduction. The issues are also being highlighted and addressed through collection, publication and dissemination of relevant information, regular narrowcasting of community radio episodes, organizing meetings, workshops, trainings, interface of excluded communities with duty bearers, engaging poor people's forums and media coverage. The demands are also being put before the state and central government who are ultimately responsible to uphold human rights & address the people’s issues/ problems. It strengthens the collaboration and cooperation among the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Government on Rights and Poverty Reduction Issues in the region.
Each tiny Development Initiative of CHALE CHALO ultimately contributes for realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Our Sustainable Development Actions with very strong inclusive, rights based, marginalized communities’ led and multi-stakeholders’ involvement approaches have always been contributed to strengthen the processes to:-
- Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
- Promote Sustainable Livelihoods with focus on Sustainable Agriculture, NTFP & other Non-Farm based Productive & Income Generation Activities
- Ensure Environmental Sustainability while giving top priority in addressing the Global Warming & Climate Change Issues through Local and Global Actions
- Promote Gender Equity & Social Justice and Empower the Voiceless Marginalized People including Women, Children, Youths, Tribals, Dalits, Disables and Income Poor etc.
- Promote Human Rights, Human Values, Peace, Democracy and Social Harmony
- Promote Basic Rights and Entitlements of the Poor Marginalized People (Right to Education, Health, Employment, Food Security, Drinking Water, Nutrition, Sanitation, Housing, Social Security, Land, Forest, Water, Information, Participatory Governance etc.) and Strengthen Inclusive Development Process
- Reduce Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health and Develop Human Resource
- Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis & other Diseases
- Promote Participatory, Transparent, Accountable & Responsive Good Governance
- Develop Local, State, National and Global Partnership for Sustainable Development