INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA RISING!
by Kamla Bhasin
(OBR South Asia Regional Coordinator/ Sangat South Asia Feminist Network)
June 2017

The 8th Jagori Grameen and Sangat Sangat two country feminist capacity building course started yesterday in Tara Centre of Jagori Himachal. Thirty seven women, men and transgender people from India and Nepal are attending this two week long course. Amazing energy, togetherness, sharing in these feminist capacity building courses. And look at the colours, of joy and excitement. I consider myself lucky that I continue to do them. I salute all those who makes it possible. OBR is discussed and planned at this course – and new OBR activists emerge from here.

Property For Her Campaign

One Billion Rising South Asia is part of a new and important campaign called “Property for Her”. At the launch of the campaign last month, about sixty women and men activists, academics, media persons, artists, teachers, lawyers discussed the issue of property for women for two days and then launched the campaign to get rid of violence against women and patriarchy. Property For Her is a campaign for securing land and property rights for women in South Asia. The campaign will be at the forefront of the One Billion Rising South Asia Risings for 2018.

This week, Sangat South Asia Feminist Network (OBR South Asia Coordinators and Organizers) began their two week long Feminist Capacity Building Course for activists from Nepal and India. In this annual course ran by Sangat, One Billion Rising South Asia is discussed and planned – and new OBR activists are created. In August, Sangat begins their month long Feminist course in Kathmandu, where many OBR South Asia national coordinators will be in attendance, as well as having their Sangat Core Group meeting. On September 4, 2017 Sangat South Asia national coordinators, together with women from 12 countries (including Palestine, Bangladesh, Afhganistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Bhutan, Maldives) and hundreds of civil society groups in Nepal, will launch OBR 2018.