The Role of Women towards Cleanliness Campaign Program: A Sociological Study Concerning Almora

Aligning with the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was initiated in 2014 to achieve universal sanitation coverage by 2 October 2019. This flagship program is, perhaps, the largest cleanliness drive as well as an attempt to effect behavioral change in the world ever. This paper relates to secondary data collected from various sources i.e. books, research journals, articles, e-sources, and newspapers to understand the cleanliness campaign of Indian society in the modern period. When it comes to the section of citizens most affected by sanitation and waste management in the country, women in India were in dire need of such a program. This paper is used for descriptive research based on the observation method. Human excreta forms an important cause of pollution and every society has a responsibility to ensure its safe removal. The problems of improper excreta disposal can lead to:-, Soil pollution, Water pollution, and Contamination of foods.

Introduction

2 October 2014, the Government of India launched a very ambitious and visionary campaign called Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, which aims to bring about practical changes in the mindset of people, as well as systematic improvements in solid waste management systems and sanitation habits. It aims to bring the responsibility of waste and sanitation into the hands of urban and rural local bodies as well as citizens. When it comes to the section of citizens most affected by sanitation and waste management in the country, women in India were in dire need of such a program. A lot of evaluations have been done on the effectiveness, impact, and awareness of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, but some areas of the program still need more in-depth research on the women’s front. Since women are active participants in the household waste management system, they should be included in the policy. There is a need to express one’s point of view even in construction [1].

Women in our country have had to suffer a lot for decades due to a lack of proper sanitation facilities. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has paved the way for women to become aware of their duty as citizens to keep them clean. The present study was conducted to measure the awareness and retention of women citizens of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.New Delhi. The decisive role of women in Swachh Bharat, Women, and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said that the habit of cleanliness should be developed in children from the beginning because a clean mind develops in a clean body. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating Swachhta Pakhwada today to spread awareness about Swachh Bharat Abhiyan among women and children. Maneka said in her message, that women have a decisive role in ensuring a clean India, and the habit of cleanliness should be developed in children from their early years [2]. It is noteworthy that Swachhta Pakhwada is being celebrated by various ministries of the Government of India to achieve the goal of universal cleanliness, sanitation, and open defecation-free India by 2019. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Grameen Phase 1 Guidelines 2017 states that “gender-related needs and guidelines, including dignity and safety, should be taken into account at all stages of sanitation programs from planning to implementation (Geeta Pardeshi, 2009). The Department of Sanitation and Hygiene issued guidelines to recognize the gender dimensions of freedom in India, focusing not only on the need for women’s participation in the planning and implementation of freedom interventions but also on their leadership among supporters and followers of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Grameen. ” was also emphasized. Under Sustainable Development (Goal 6.2), India must “ensure self-reliant and equitable access to sanitation and healthcare for all by 2030 and eliminate open defecation, and the protection of women and girls and people living in poverty”. Special attention will have to be paid to the requirement [3].

Role of women in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

The contribution of women during the Swachh Bharat Mission campaign has been astonishing, from breaking stereotypes to overcoming prejudices within their communities while contributing to the health and welfare of their communities and participating in key programs of the government. Various roles have been played to achieve the goals. Women operate and maintain community sanitation complexes to collect waste for the construction of toilets, health promoters to promote COVID-appropriate behavior, Have played various roles such as professionals dealing with interpersonal communication to create awareness about best practices related to cleanliness and hygiene, entrepreneurs starting utensil banks or manufacturing sanitary napkins, etc. All these roles have brought permanent benefits to their village/city. The determination of women and their voices have been proved by the versatile images displayed again and again. Given proper support, women are capable of doing anything, their attitude towards acquiring new skills, adopting new ideas, and putting in extra effort to empower themselves is often quite favorable. Women deserve to be appreciated [4].

Courageous examples of women leadership in the field of sanitation

Uttara Thakur, a disabled woman panchayat chief from Chhattisgarh, was committed to improving sanitation services in her village. She went door to door and inspired people to use toilets. Her commitment inspired the entire village to stand with him in this campaign and make their village open defecation-free. Trained women masons of Jharkhand built more than 15 lakh toilets in a year and helped achieve the goal of making the state open defecation-free. Apart from the government, non-governmental leadership like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, institutions like UNICEF, and many other NGOs have also made various efforts in this regard, which should be appreciated [2]. The government has also made very effective use of over 8 lakh Swachhgrahis (mainly women) who work to promote community sanitation change in exchange for a small honorarium. The FIR Administration Department is communicating with different Jayanti communities of every society in the Swachh Bharat Mission. There was a discussion on the role and contribution of women in this independence. In the dialogue, experiences were shared with the women representatives of the state, self-help interviewers, and freedom associates on the cooperation and contribution of the palaces in freedom [5].

Women who made Swachh Bharat Abhiyan successful were honored

The Prime Minister said that his main inspiration behind the announcement of the Swachh Bharat Mission on August 15, 2014, from the ramparts of the Red Fort was the safety and respect of women. The Prime Minister appreciated the contribution of women in leading the Swachh Bharat Jan Andolan. The Prime Minister was addressing 16000 women cleanliness champions from across the country who had come to participate in the Swachh Shakti 2019 conference in Kurukshetra. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister discussed the symbolism of organizing this conference in Kurukshetra, the birthplace of Bhagwat Geeta [6].

SahooKrushna Chandra [4], reported in their study titled “Sanitation-related psychosocial stress: A grounded theory study of women across the life-course in Odisha, India”, that while sanitation initiatives have traditionally focused on child health, the particular health hazards, that women face as a result of poor sanitation, are becoming more well recognized. This study looks at a variety of sanitation-related, psychological stresses in Odisha, India, during everyday sanitation procedures. Researchers performed in-depth interviews with 56 women in four life stages: teenage, recently married, pregnant, and established adult women in three settings: urban slums, rural villages, and Indigenous communities, between August 2013 and March 2014. The study team transcribed, translated, categorized, and discussed interviews using comprehensive analytic memoranda to identify and define stresses at each life stage and study site, utilizing a grounded theory method [7].

Winter & Barchi [5], in their study titled “Access to Sanitation and Violence against Women: evidence from Demographic Health Survey (DHS)data in Kenya”, examined data from the 2008 Kenya Demographic Health Survey and discovered that women who typically practiced Open Defecation (OD), especially in disorganized groups, had a greater risk of recent non-partner violence. This research presents quantifiable evidence of a link between sanitation and violence against women, which is gaining traction in the public and academic journals in Kenya and other poor nations. The findings of this study give quantifiable proof of a link between violence against women and a lack of cleanliness. In recent qualitative and grey literature, this link has gotten a lot of attention. The study’s findings imply that this link is particularly strong in socially disordered cultures. In her lifetime, one out of every five women is predicted to be sexually assaulted. These findings have significant implications for academics, policymakers, and developers engaged in violence against women and/or sanitation in Kenya and, more broadly, in poor nations. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) of the Indian government seeks to eliminate open defecation in India by 2018 to meet Sustainable Development Goal 6. From the standpoint of women and water in the context of toilets, a study titled “Beyond toilets [8].

Pardeshi [6], for the study “Women in total sanitation campaign: a case study from Yavatmal District, Maharashtra, India”, in four Nirmal Gram Villages. The review was guided by quantitative (door-to-door review), subjective (Focus group chats), and participative rapid evaluation techniques (cut across strolls). As beneficiaries, targets, and assets for the operation, women played an important role. Individual, family, and community advantages were illustrated by the ladies. Only 18 of the 55 Ladies’ Toilet facilities Complexes were operational, with the majority of them being of poor quality and lacking in maintenance and cleanliness. The people’s group and the institution acknowledged the significance of women in attaining the total sanitation campaign’s goals. Fundraisers, motivators, initiators, surveillance workers, and implementers were all roles played by women. Women were primarily responsible for the cleaning and upkeep of the family toilets after the total sanitation campaign. Women in only one village were participating in some development efforts after the aim of open defecation-free communities was achieved. Women in the remaining communities had ceased attending local meetings and had returned to their domestic duties [9-12].

The states/UTs are required to formulate project proposals under the TSC (Total Sanitation Campaign) to claim central government assistance. To add vigor to the implementation of TSC government of India has separately launched an award scheme ‘Nirmal Gram Puraskar’ (NGP) for fully sanitized and open defecation-free Gram Panchayats, blocks, and districts Under the TSC, so far 559 projects in 30 States/UTs have been sanctioned with the total project outlay of about Rs.6240.27 crore. The Central, State, and Beneficiary/Panchayat contributions are about Rs.3675.38 crore, Rs.1424.09 crore, and Rs.1140.80 crore respectively [1].

Conclusion

The Swachhta a Sava Campaign (SHS) 2024 was held from September 17 to October 2, 2024, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign’s theme was “Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata”. The campaign’s main goals were to: Promote environmental stewardship. Sanitation has been introduced as a major component to encourage wider acceptance of sanitation among rural masses. The states/UTs are required to formulate project proposals under the TSC to claim central government assistance. To add vigor to the implementation of TSC government of India has separately launched an award scheme ‘Nirmal Gram Puraskar’ for fully sanitized and open defecation-free Gram Panchayats, blocks and districts Under the TSC, about 559 projects in 30 States or UTs have been sanctioned with the total project outlay of about Rs.6240.27 crore. The Central, State, and Beneficiary-Panchayat contributions are about Rs.3675.38 crore, Rs.1424.09 crore, and Rs.1140.80 crore respectively.

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