The Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) programme celebrated its community leadership in Madhya Pradesh with the launch of a three-day event titled ‘PACS Inclusion Utsav’, Madhya Pradesh.
This event shared the innovative models and approaches through which PACS has been able to make a difference in the lives of socially excluded groups. Social exclusion is a major factor which creates hindrance in the development of the society. PACS hadthus taken up this initiative to empower various socially excluded groups lead a dignified life which in turn also leads to the development of society.
leaders of community-based organisations from many villages across Madhya Pradesh came together to share their learning and experiences of empowerment under the seven-year programme at the event. Rampal Singh, Cabinet Minister, Revenue, Government of Madhya Pradesh was the chief guest at ‘PACS Inclusion Utsav’.
The event was also attended by members of civil society organisations that have partnered with PACS, CSOs working for the similar cause, Chairperson of Minority Commission, government functionaries, donor organisations and influential voices in the State.
An initiative of the Department for International Development (DFID), UK, since 2009 PACS has been working in partnership with Civil Society Organisations in 90 of India's poorest districts across 7 States to empower and enable socially excluded groups (SEGs) to claim their rights and entitlements envisaged in the national programmes/Acts more effectively. PACS chose to work with five socially excluded groups - women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, economically poor Muslims and persons living with disabilities.
“PACS was introduced with the goal of reducing the welfare gap between socially excluded groups and the rest of the population,” said PACS national director Anand Bolimera.He added, “I believe we have been able to do this quite effectively by addressing discrimination, giving our communities a strong voice, training them to expect more accountability from service providers, and finally, instilling in them the confidence to negotiate successfully for their rights.”