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Rights of Adivasis (Indigenous People)
Adivasi communities have paid a high price for “mainstream”
development ; displaced and subjected to loss of livelihoods, they
had their culture under seize. CWS effort is to strengthen community
organization, livelihood approach and value their
environment-friendly practices. In this work CWS works with
like-minded national networks.
Democratic Decentralization - Development Where People Matter
Given the potential of local governance, CWS aims to strengthen
the Panchayati Raj Institutions to empower the marginalized sections
of society such as women, dalits, indigenous peoples and minorities.
CWS campaigns for voter awareness and undertakes capacity building
of newly elected grassroots leaders to help them old their own
vis-a-vis bureaucracy. In this CWS works closely with all those
sharing this approach to strengthen the process of decentralization.
CWS reaches 7,000 villages with 4 million population in Andhra
Pradesh. A similar initiative is on in the state of Orissa; and
there is a campaign to ensure elections are held in Pondicherry.
State level campaign is on for devolution of funds and functions to
the local bodies so that planning from grassroots becomes a reality.
Conserving, Managing Natural Resources and Promoting Sustainable
Agriculture
CWS along with the organizations--- Center for Sustainable
Agriculture, Watershed Support Services and Activities Network, and
Center for People’s Forestry works with indigenous and marginalized
people in several ways:
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To protect degraded village common
lands to make them productive. Usufruct rights have been earned by
the communities.
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Conserving and developing degraded
private lands owned by the poor through water and soil
conservation measures.
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To Protect and develop forest
resources to improve productivity
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To help communities to take control
of forest resources
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To help the poor and women through
watershed development
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Drought prevention and mitigation
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Alternative food security model is
implemented by technical support of Deccan Development Society in
more than 1200 acres providing household food security.
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Influencing policy to prevent flood
and water-logging in the Gangetic region of Bihar.
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Promotes social regulation of water
resources.
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