Building on global discussions and action research in Kenya, in 2009 Equalinrights began to explore how transformation and human rights are considered in India. In particular, Equalinrights entered dialogue with a series of organisations on how transformation is being facilitated in the human rights-based development field, in particular to redress underlying power imbalances and norms that create and perpetuate poverty, inequality and exclusion. In order to bring more substance to discussions and collectively probe more deeply these issues, Equalinrights is supporting two organisations through a critical reflection and learning process to develop a Story of Change which reflects on their journey and the process of transformation they have witnessed within their work, the triggers, process, challenges and implications.

This will form the basis of a roundtable meeting with interested parties in mid-2010 to explore, critique and strategise around the following questions:

1. How is transformation taking place in innovative human rights-based development programmes, at a personal and social level? What are the underlying models of change, as well as in practice the triggers for change, the critical conditions for transformation, the factors supporting transformation come to fruition, both personal and social, and factors blocking or inhibiting transformation?
2. What are the linkages between personal and social transformation?
3. What is the role for human rights within these transformation processes, both actual and potential, and how do communities see, define and locate human rights?
4. What are the implications of these factors for human rights-based development work?

The ultimate aim of this process is to strengthen human rights-based development work through deepening understanding of how personal and social transformation occurs.

Participating organisations

SPARC

SPARC is one of the largest Indian NGOs working on housing and infrastructure issues for the urban poor. SPARC has worked persistently for decades to support groups of the urban poor to organise, to participate in decision-making on the management and development of their cities and to access housing and infrastructure. See for further information 

Nyayagrah

Launched as a mass, community based campaign of people’s resistance for justice and reconciliation formally on October 2, 2005, Nyayagrah works with the most affected community from the 2002 Gujarat communal violence to ensure access to justice and ultimately reconciliation. Nyayagrah joined hands with survivors and young lawyers to battle the fear, hate, despair and injustice with instruments of the law, truth and people’s courage and compassion. Nyayagrahis have reached out to at least 10,000 survivors offering their support to pursue justice, rebuild their lives, and brave boycott and threats of their neighbours. Of them, around 2000, in more than 240 criminal cases, took courage to fight the legal battle with Nyayagrah’s support. Nyayagrah has also secured the recognition and rights of around 30,000 residents living in 86 relief colonies, specifically secured AAY ration cards (ensuring rice at 2 rupees a kg), pensions for the aged, and pre school feeding centres for small children for each family. Ultimately, Nyayagrah works towards reconciliation, seeing efforts for justice as paving the only way for estranged communities to come together on egalitarian terms. See for further information