Our Events
Talash engages with national and global day observance/campaigns to raise awareness against bias, take collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity at the grassroots level. This is to build a bridge between local activism and worldwide actions.
National Girl Child Day, January 24
In 2008, Ministry of Women & Child Development, with the purpose to spread awareness about inequalities faced by girls in Indian society, started observing the day.
In 2019, like previous years, Talash observed the day on the theme of ‘Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow’ across our intervention areas. Storytelling sessions were organised across the communities, where local role models, who has combatted social challenges and made a mark, were identified and felicitated. Discussions were held around the need to empower our girls.
One Billion Rising, February 14The global campaign, One Billion Rising,founded by Eve Ensler to end rape and sexual violence against women, is observed by Talash every year within the intervention areas.
In 2019, Talash organized a series of events to mark the day in urban communities of Kolkata. Young people were engaged to take actions within their educational institutions and communities.
International Women’s Day, March 8
IWD is a global day celebrating social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and girls. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
In 2019, Balance-for-Better has been the theme globally. We are entering a period in history, where the world expects balance. We notice its absence and celebrate its presence. Balance drives a better working world.
To mark the day, Talash organized a Cycle Rally by adolescent girls and boys. Cycle signifies balance and autonomy. Cycle is also a common vehicle used by adolescents in rural Bengal. The rally aimed at spreading messages of balance & equality in society with a focus on stopping child marriage, necessity of girls to enroll for higher education, increased mobility for girls, safer public spaces and bringing gender equality in our perceptions and practices. Led by Ms. Lipika Biswas, first Indian solo cyclist to travel across 8 European countries in 2018, the rally covered 8 km in Malda.
Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28
Menstrual Hygiene Day is being observed worldwide every year to bring awareness about the linkage between human rights and menstrual management. The biological fact of menstruation, the necessity of managing menstruation, and society’s response to them both is linked with women’s and girls’ human rights and gender equality. The observance raises the importance of creating enabling environment for women and girls to manage their menstrual hygiene adequately, with normalcy and dignity. This also brings at the surface the negative impacts on the enjoyment of human rights and gender equality when women and girls face difficulties with managing their menstruation.
Like previous years, Talash observed the day in collaboration with District Health and District Social Welfare Departments of Malda across 4 Blocks. Quiz competitions, film shows and interactive sessions were facilitated by Youth Leaders of Talash with Counselors of Anwesha Clinic.
International Children’s Film Festival
International Children’s Film Festival in Malda has been initiated in 2017, as collaboration between Talash, Cine Central Calcutta and UNICEF. This is the first ever children’s film festival organized by children themselves in India. Organising committee is being constituted every year and they are mentored to take up responsibilities of planning, invitation, anchoring, registration, logistical arrangements, documentation and meeting with the press.
International Child Rights Week, November 14 – November 20
Every year, across the globe, this week is being celebrated. November 20 is the Universal Children’s Day. In 1989, on this day, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) came into being. UNCRC is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children.
Like previous years, Talash observed the week in collaboration with District Social Welfare Department and District Child Protection Unit across 9 Blocks of Malda. Street Theatre performances, film shows and interactive sessions were facilitated by Youth Leaders of Talash to bring up challenges and violations of rights faced by children worldwide. Local governance was engaged into the process.
Violence against Women Fortnight: 16 Days of Activism
Initiated in 1991, this fortnight has been observed locally, nationally and globally to eliminate gender based violence and to raise awareness of the fact that women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence; furthermore, one of the aims is to highlight that the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.
Young Leaders of Talash observes the fortnight every year through a series of events, performances and interfaces.