Activities

1. Advocacy on Tribal Issues

• Protection of Constitutional rights of the tribals as in the Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution
• Support to tribal community struggles for protection of their rights against the proposed bauxite and other mining activities in tribal and forest lands
• Facilitating assertion of forest rights of tribal people and resolution of conflicts vis-à-vis State forest policies
• Campaign against largescale displacement of tribal people for proposed irrigation projects
• Monitor public policies relating to tribal people and dialogue with government
• Advocate for and support sustainable community managed alternative systems of development

2. Strengthening Tribal Self Rule and Decentralized Governance

• Realization of the goal of Tribal Self Rule through promoting decentralized governance institutions like the Gram Sabhas (village councils)
• Building capacities of communities to assert for constitutional and customary rights
• Training tribal women to take leadership in governance institutions and in community struggles.
• Strengthening collective actions and solidarity among Gram Sabhas to support local campaigns

3. Development Support
Education:

• Support in setting up primary level community schools and dialogue with government to fulfill its mandate of universal primary education
• Assist children in enrollment into government residential and primary schools
• Mobilise community responses to ensure better school management
• Develop tribal contextual curriculum and promote tribal culture through education
• Explore resources to support higher education for meritorious tribal students

Health:

• Training of Community Health Workers and promotion of traditional health knowledge systems
• Referral Services to district and state public hospitals
• Coordinate with local health departments and advocacy on tribal health policies
• Social health counseling for tribal girls

Alternative Development:

• Mobilise resources and technical expertise for providing potable drinking water
• Mobilise resources for providing housing material
• Explore alternatives to energy and irrigation needs like construction of micro-hydro electric projects and check-dams with community management
• Lobby with government for implementation of development programs for infrastructure

4. Monitoring Mining and other Industries:

• As National Secretariat, facilitate the work of a national alliance of mining struggle groups and communities in India called “mines, minerals & PEOPLE”
• Campaign for protection of rights of communities and workers affected by mining from green-field areas to abandoned mine-sites
• Monitor global mining industry and mineral policies
• Coordinate support to the “International Women and Mining Network”
• Network with mining struggles within the country and with international groups

5. Support to Community Based Organizations (CBO’s):

• Support local campaigns of CBO’s in the region of north coastal Andhra Pradesh
• Capacity building and training of CBO’s for organization management, linkage, resource mobilization, documentation and community mobilization skills
• Mobilise financial and other resources for the grass-roots work of CBO’s
• Facilitate linkages with government and other institutions for local issues
• Facilitate legal aid, media advocacy, campaign, documentation, research and development support

6. Advocacy on Urban Environment Concerns:

• Mobilise urban public opinion on public policies and state programmes
• Participation and support to urban citizens forums like “Forum For a Better Hyderabad” and “Forum for a Better Visakha”
• Support CBO’s represent the problems of urban poor and migrant communities