1. Challenging traditional scripts for girls and breaking down gender stereotypes: Community Engagement

2. Why community engagement is important in girls education program? Community engagement in girls education program is widely recognized as a vital force in the effort to remove barriers to achieving high retention of girls in high school as well as continuation Where traditional practices or beliefs prevent marginalized populations, particularly girls, from attaining education, government mandates alone are not enough to remove these barriers. Communities themselves must address the underlying factors that prevent girls from accessing education and then develop solutions that are relevant to their particular situation.

3. What are the prevailing beliefs and norms …. In a patriarchal society where social norms are much more stronger and powerful several norms operates to restricts girls retention in school: – The key responsibility of women and girls are within household. – Public space is for men The existing norms manifests several beliefs which reinforces and determines girls education: – Even if a girl is educated her primary role is to take care of her home – Instead of spending money on a girl’s education, it should be saved for her dowry – Girls who are highly educated indulge in improper behaviour

4. The context…About Parivartan Urban slum of Shijavinagar in Mumbai. Composition of the community:  Population of 8.09 lakhs  Muslims make up 87% of the total population Facts about the community:  35% children out-of-school  HDI:0.05  Rank: 24 out of 24 wards (Mumbai Human Development Report 2009)

5. Challenging traditional scripts for girls and breaking down gender stereotypes Involve parents Identify parents of athletes to form a ‘reference group’ that will help address the barriers to girls’ participation in sports Involve stakeholders Identify influential community leaders, other NGOs/CBOs, and educational institutions Engage men and boys Engage them to reflect on norms Making them gender equitable Involve them in creating a safe space through community mobilization

6. Rolling out of community component  Partnered with Independent Television Services‘ (ITVS) on-going global project, Women and Girls Lead Global.  Engaging male mentors from the community who were part of men and masculinity sport based program  Gender equitable, going through transformative process  Trained on film facilitation and community mobility  Mobilizing men and boys as well as women from the community through their personal contacts by involving CBOs and stakeholders from the community  Films identified by ITVS, ICRW and Apnalaya were screened in the community  Mentors facilitated the discussions as well as commitment on the issues by the community

7. The process of involvement and change Critical thinking Connection & Reflection Commitment

8. What has happened till now… 10 film screened in 06 different pockets of the community The issues touched upon in these screenings were  Girls education and child marriage  Substance use and VAW  Girls and sports  Issues in the community – WHAT??  Issues community could connect??  Commitments

9. What’s working….  It is becoming easier for the people to identify issues in the community through the medium of films  Helping to form a group within the community to address issues  It is giving the participants a line of thought to think about how to reduce the issues that are affecting the development of girls in the community.  The picture of the community perception on the addressed issues is becoming clear through the screening and the reflection process that follows.

10. Key lessons for better implementation…. Engaging the community was not an easy task. The challenges face include: Mobilisation Availability of space Controlling the conflicting discussions Getting the participants to concentrate and prioritise one issue