The case of Meena Raju Manch : A school-based gender intervention program in Maharashtra, India

Abstract

The focus of this master’s thesis is a school-based gender intervention called Meena Raju Manch implemented from 2012 to 2015 in Maharashtra, Western India. Through the lens of gender theory from India as well as multiple approaches to gender norm change, this research aimed to find answers to two questions: How does the curriculum of Meena Raju Manch address traditional gender norms in the context of Maharashtra? How do the gender facilitators describe their experience(s) of using the Meena Raju Manch curriculum?

The study followed a retrospective, single-case instrumental design as this intervention ended in 2015. The curriculum of Meena Raju Manch is the case which is being used as a medium to understand how the curriculum itself aims to address gender norms and what were the experiences of the gender facilitators who worked with the curriculum. The primary data sources comprised of document sources (curriculum of Meena Raju Manch in Marathi and English) as well as interviews with four gender facilitators. The data was analysed using Creswell and Poth’s (2017) data analysis spiral. The findings of the study suggest that Meena Raju Manch aims to challenge gender norms using a critical gender lens, but it lacks content related to intersectionality, sexuality and abuse. Gender facilitators who worked with Meena Raju Manch curriculum recalled using the curriculum to tackle certain gender norms. However, gender facilitators were faced with difficulties while trying to address deep-rooted patriarchal norms. Based on the analysis of curriculum and interview data from gender facilitators, Meena Raju Manch shows potential to challenge and change unequal gender norms in the Indian context.

This research has broader implications such as how Sustainable Development Goal 5 is interpreted and implemented at the grassroots level, cultural sensitivity while addressing gender issues, sex education in India and finding intersectionality in even the seemingly homogeneous populations. In addition, this research aims to contribute to the research on gender done by the scholars in the Global South which is underrepresented in the field of gender and education.