1. Presentation on “national award for the BEST GOVT
Presentation on “national award for the BEST GOVT.AGENCY FOR Enhancing ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION”
Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women
Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj
Tamil Nadu

2. Women Empowerment Of Mahalir Thittam
TNCDW established in 1983
Major Schemes implementing by TNCDW
Mahalir Thittam
Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihoods Mission (TNSRLM) since 2011 – 2012

3. Coverage area & SHG profile in tn1
Districts 32 2
Block
385 3
Panchayat
12,524 4
No. of SHGs
6.08 lakhs
No. of SHG Members
92.09 lakhs 5
No. of Rural SHGs
4.23 lakhs
No. of Members in Rural SHGs
62.76 lakhs 6
No. of Urban SHGs
1.84 lakhs
No. of Members in Urban SHGs
28.33 lakhs

4. Summary of the initiatives
TNCDW has created awareness on voting as a core democratic right among public by involving
the members of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs)
the Officer bearers of Panchayat Level Federations (PLFs)
the Members of Village Poverty Reduction Committees (VPRCs)
and Community Resource Persons(CRPs)
through their active participation in various awareness programmes, special campaigns, Rallies and celebration of National Voter’s day.

5. Details of the initiatives
Specific objectives.
Improving awareness and Enhancing the electoral participation.
Direct and indirect participation:
Direct participation through Campaigns, Rallies etc
Indirect participation : By Creating a viable platform to improve the electoral participations through,
Social mobilization & Institutional Building.
Capacity building .
Social Development & inclusion.
Livelihood programmes.

6. Initiatives Campaigns Rallies Handouts, Posters etc
Sharing the experience in SHG meetings.
Capacity building programmes at all levels
SHG Literacy programme - Literacy Award
Creating awareness on rights & Entitlements.

7. SOCIAL CAPITALs
Nearly 35,000 Project Ambassadors from the community who carries the information & impart awareness to the community.
12,524 PLF Book keepers
5,926 VPRC Book keepers
12,792 Community SHG Trainers
2,323 Community Disability Facilitators
1,131 Community Resource Persons.

8. Implementation
SHG members and community cadres are using the communication materials provided by the Election Department to spread the awareness in all levels and parts of the community.
6.08 Lakhs SHGs,12,524 PLFs and 5,926 VPRCs - Discussing about the enhancing the electoral participation in their meetings and passing resolutions to conduct awareness programmes.

9. Continuation…
Following are the evidence to ensure the platform to create awareness on electoral participation for the socially excluded Groups.
6,300 Special SHGs - Differently abled , Vulnerable, Tribal and Elders are also covered under the direct interventions of the Mission.(Heterogeneous groups)
Youth are also involved in the campaigns. It helps to enhance the No. of new voters

10. Continuation… Participation of SHG members in Grama Sabha is improved.
Retrospective Impact Evaluation of the TN Empowerment Poverty Reduction Project (TNEPRP) – May 2014 Study done by World Bank .
65.48 % of women participation in Grama Sabha is higher after the SHGs intervention.
It all ensures the scope to spread the awareness among the people on electoral participation.

11. Reaching out to SHGs through communication materials
Monthly magazine
All Government schemes
Mission Activities
Important laws
Success stories of SHGs
Tips on health
Career counseling
Current affairs - National VOTER’S DAY
Case studies
MUTRAM

12. Political Empowerment Framework
Political Awareness
Political Engagement
Political Participation
Political Representation
Political POWER
In the 2011 , Local body elections – 8,842 Women candidates who were elected out of 39,112 in the state belongs to SHGs.

13. CAMPAIGN

14. Collector visiting the Campaign

15. Collector of Appreciating the SHGs and distributing Certificates

16. VOTERS Resolution at MudhalLA Kurichi Panchayat , Kankyakumari District

17. Rallies

18. Voters day - perambalur
Date of Programme
Name of Programme
District Level Voters Day - Rally and awareness Programme
Programme Venue / Place
Collectorate Compus, Perambalur.
Participants Details
SHGs, PLFs, CRPs, VPRCs, School and College Students
(SHGs / PLFs / CRPs)
PLFs SHGs CRPs
No. Participated
742
Department Conducted
Revenue Department , Mahalir Thittam & PVP.

19. Reservation of seats for women - Local body elections,2011
Category
Elected Percentage
Districts panchayat chairperson
35%
Panchayat Union Council Chairperson
36%
Village Panchayat President
34%
Districts Panchayat Ward member
Panchayat Union Ward member
Village Panchayat Ward members
33%
Percentage of elected Women is more than 33% of reservation due to the SHGs intervention

20. A study on Political Empowerment of Women in tn Through SHGs – 10th sep 2012
60% of the respondents have been SHG members for more than 5 years.
92.55% of the SHG Women elected are contested for the first time – others are 2nd or 3rd time.
Coming to the motivations for contesting elections – SHGs are the top choice in dipstick survey.
Women in SHGs are more confident to take part in the unreserved seats.
Success rate of SHG Women going up 123% from to 2011.
SHGs are also instrumental in deciding members of the group to contest.

23. Results Increased awareness among public on voting
Increased awareness among women on voting
Increased participation in enrolment
Increased voting % in Parliamentary and By- elections.
Increased representation as well as elected members.
SHGs is the first interaction of a Women with politics and also her most supportive platform.

24. Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women
Thank you
Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women