Profile – PVCHR, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background documents of JMN/PVCHR

Name of Organization	Jan Mitra Nyas
Date of Registration	10 May, 1999
Registration Type	Public Charitable Trust
Registration No.	1676
PAN	AAATJ4584A
Tax Exemption Certificate	12A(A)No: AAATJ4584AF20206
80G certificate
Registration under FCRA	Date of Registration	17/03/2016
	Registration number	136760102
NitiAyog Registration	Date of Registration	Sep 21, 2016
	Registration number	UP/2016/0102234

Back Ground Information:

People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) started in 1996 as a membership based human rights movement in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), one of the most traditional, conservative and segregated regions in India.

In 1999, PVCHR formed the public charitable trust Jan Mitra Nyas (JMN) to monitor and evaluate activities, to operate the bank account and to enable the organisation to have official clearance for receiving foreign grants. PVCHR/JMN works to ensure basic rights for marginalized groups in the Indian society, e.g. children, women, Dalits and tribes and to establish rule of law through participatory activism against extra judicial killing, police torture, hunger, bonded labour and injustice by the caste system.PVCHR/JMN ideology is inspired by the father of the Dalit movement, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, who struggled against Brahmanism and the caste hierarchical system prevailing in India.

The initial Objectives of PVCHR were:

The immediate and unconditional release of prisoners of conscience people detained for their beliefs or because of their ethnic origin, sex, color, language, national or social origin, economic status and, who have not used or advocated violence
The prompt and fair trial of political prisoners
An end to death penalty, torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
An end to political killings and disappearances
Eradication of slavery e.g. Child slavery and bonded systems, slavery in trafficking etc

OUR VISION

To establish a true, vibrant and fully entrenched democratic society through Jan Mitra concept where there shall be no violation of civil rights granted to a citizen by the state.

OUR MISSION

To provide basic rights to all, to eliminate situations, which give rise to exploitation of vulnerable and marginalized groups and to start a movement for a people friendly society (Jan Mitra Samaj) through an inter-institutional approach.

Core Values:

Equity
Fraternity
Non –Violence
Participatory Democracy
Secularism
Justice – Rule of Law

Core Focus:

Freedom
Education
Economic Empowerment
Digital transformation
Governance and Human Rights

Our Working Approach:

Accurate investigation and documentation of human rights violations connected with advocacy, publication and networking on a local, national and international level
Direct support and solidarity to marginalized and survivors in general and women, dalit, minorities, tribal, children in particular. Bringing learning of gap, challenges, and best practices for institutional reform against hegemonic masculinity.
Creating models of non -violent and democratic communities (People friendly villages, torture-free villages)
Building up local institutions and supporting them with active human rights networks
Creating a democratic structure for the ‘voiceless’ to enable them access to the constitutional guarantees of modern India in context of Universal Declaration OF Human Rights (UDHR)
Empowering marginalized communities through capacity building based on human dignity, hope, honour & justice process based organizational building and access to information
Promoting a human rights culture, and conflict transformation for sustainable peace based on pluralistic democracy, rule of law and participatory inclusive democracy
Linking local and international human rights together to support marginalized and survivors
Linking grass roots activities and international human rights networks and institutions

Strategy

Practice to Policy: Peoples’ Advocacy
Policy to Practice: THE MODEL OF JAN MITRA VILLAGE based on active listening, empathy for hope, honour and dignity
Organization building / Capacity building

Our comprehensive programs

Comprehensive program for survivors of torture and Organized Violence
Comprehensive program for model villages and model
Comprehensive program for women and children sectors
Program for national lobby, campaign and advocacy
Program for international solidarity, partnership and networking

Comprehensive program for survivors of torture and Organized Violence

1996 to till now intervened in around 7200 cases of police torture, extra judicial killing and organized violence
In 2006 JMN / PVCHR partnered as state partner in project National Project on Preventing Torture in India” the first project on torture victims implemented with the
In 2008 developed Testimonial Therapy in the Asian Context
In span of 5 years (2010- 2015) developed 2096 strong cadre of Human Rights Defenders.
In 2012 launched Detention Watch to monitor any type of detention happening with the adult and children.
In 2014 launched the campaign “Musician Against Torture”
Provided psycho- social support through testimonial therapy 2552 survivors of torture and organized violence.
Rescue and Rehabilitation of 11000 survivors of bonded labour and trafficking
Compensation of 2800 million INR in the case of torture and bonded labour from 2010 – 2018.

Comprehensive program for model villages and model

In 2007 organized first folk School for Dalit in model village Belwa
In 2004 started to create child rights centric model village and created 200 child rights village in Varanasi, Sonbhadra and Jaunpur.
In 2005, JMN/PVCHR developed torture free model villages in the selected 70 villages in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India and Jharkhand states of India.

Comprehensive program for women and children sectors

Child Survival:

Working with 13691 people of 2726 on health and reproductive rights.
Created 512 women and girls caders for greater awareness and consciousness among community on health, hygiene and reproductive rights
451 families, who first time did kitchen gardening produced 8885 kg of different types of vegetables

Child Participation:

In 2001 formed children parliament now 10 parliaments are functioning in 22 with the participation of 195 children (127 female 94 male).

Child Education:

Providing duniyabitalim (Education for life) and ITE to 3981 children (2192 Male and 1789 Female) in 20 Madarsa of Bazardiha and Lohta
Providing quality education to dalits and minorities children. Providing scholarship to 150 girls for the higher education and provided bi-cycle to 85 girls as freedom to girls.
Provided human rights educations and linked with mainstream education to twenty-five thousand children and youths.

Women

In 2012 Built “Savitri Bai Phule women center”- a short stay home for women in Baghwanala, Varanasi. In 2002 created a platform/forum “Savitri Bai Phule Mahila Panchayat.
Launched neo dalit campaign and organized women Folk School as a process against hegemonic masculinity.
Provided psychological support through testimonies therapy to 1011 survivors of Gender based violence.

Program for national lobby, campaign and advocacy

Organized Banaras Convention in 2004 and 2014
In 2005 Conceived and convened People’s SAARC at Varanasi.
In 2009 Formed of “National Alliance on Testimonial Therapy” (NATT)
2010: New branding and outlook: more professional organizational structure, website and brochure
2011:Established Neo dalit movement as new non-violent people’s movement to formulate positive conflict resolution all different identities against injustice, culture of silence with impunity, neo liberalism and communal fascism.
In 2013 Submitted the comment to Justice Verma Committee Report on Gender Violence.
Organized several multi – stakeholder interface public hearing and National conference
Meeting with parliamentarian and policy makers
In 2014 Organized “Satyagraha” as a human rights movement
In 2010 submitted comment to the select committee for enactment of prevention of torture bill
Lenin Raghuvanshi was appointed as a member of the NGO core group
Lenin Raghuvanshi selected as National Coalition to end Bonded Labour & Human Trafficking Note and Coalition Letter

Program for international solidarity, partnership and networking

Submitted thrice in Universal Periodic Review and report to UN special Rapporteur during their visit to India
2012: Dr. Lenin along with Yap Swee Seng (ED, Forum Asia) participated in Bali Democracy Forum
Lenin Raghuvanshi was elected as a co-ordinator of South Asian Network against Torture and Impunity (SANTI)
Book “Justice Liberty Equality: Dalits in Independent Indiaⁱ” and Margin to Centerⁱⁱ published by Front page publication.
Global India project is a Horizon 2020 funded European Training Network. The network is based in Dublin City University. www.globalindia.eu
A chapter include on the work of PVCHR in book written Identity, Rights, and Awareness: Anti-caste Activism in India and the Awakening of Justice through Discursive Practicesⁱⁱⁱ,
Chapter featured on the work of PVCHR Touching the untouchable: Dalit empowerment through consciousness- raising in an Indian village published by Routledge publication^iv
Lenin Raghuvanshi is one of a 12-person strong Editorial board of Torture for next two years. The Torture Journal is an international scientific journal that provides an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of original research and systematic reviews by professionals concerned with the biomedical, psychological and social interface of torture and the rehabilitation of its survivors.
Lenin Raghuvanshi became member of advisory board at Journal of Tran disciplinary Peace Praxis (JTPP)^v.
Lenin Raghuvanshi is also member of the IRCT Data^vi and Research Methods Reference Group (Data Reference Group)^vii.
Deed Indeed Foundation profiled him as ‘Tireless Service to Humanity’ and describes, “Lenin Raghuvanshi is one of the Caste System’s greatest nemeses and is one of Society’s Downtrodden’s most dynamic champions and we can all take a humane leaf from his book.”^viii
Lenin has spoken at colleges and universities across the globe^ix.

Publication

Voice of voiceless newsletter
Bachokiduniya (Children magazine: World of children)
Manual: TT, ITE, Sadbhawana and orientation and pedagogy.

Infrastructure

Community centers and school:

Raja Suhail Dev Jan Mitra Sikshan Kendra, Varanasi
Weaver center, Varanasi
Sushil Tripathi Jan Mitra Sikshan Kendra, Sonbhadra
Birsa Munda Jan Mitra Samudaiyik Kendra, Jaunpur
Eklavya Jan Mitra Samudaiyik Kendra, Varanasi (kindergarden)
Kabir Jan Mitra Samudaiyik kendra, Varanasi
Community center, Belwa, Varanasi
Kindergarten at Ayer and one room in Primary school at Shivrampur
Women center, Varanasi
Land for Government Primary School at Belwa, Varanasi

Pumping set:

AneiMusahar ghetto 2. Sakara 3. Raup 4. Baghawanala

Geographical Focus:

Intensively in Eastern (Varanasi, Jaunpur, Sonbhadra, Allahabad, and Ambedkar Nagar) and western (Aligarh, Moradabad, Meerut, Badaun and Aligarh) regions of Uttar Pradesh and Koderma district of Jharkhand. Through networking working in 16 states of India with Involvements of 99 organizations.

Our Advocacy

We had intensified its advocacy campaigns in raising the voices of marginalised people in the pursuit of policy changes at varying levels:

Through interface with different stakeholders
UPR submission
Meeting with different stakeholders
Submission of reports and comments at NHRIs, Government and UN

OUR MEMBER AND NETWORKS

We are linked with a multitude of organizations, student unions, trade unions, and grass-root level NGOs. PVCHR is member of Forum Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) and associated with Solidarity of Asian Peoples’ Advocacy (SAPA), Human Right Defender Alert, All India Network of NGOs working with National Human Rights Institutions (AINNI), NAFRE-National forum on right to education, Voice of People (VOP), Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA) based in USA, Migrant Forum in Asia, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Frontline (Dublin, Ireland), National Alliance on Testimonial Therapy (NATT), Indo–German Society of Remscheid, Zebra (Austria), May 18 Foundation (Gwangju, South Korea), INSEC (Nepal), Right to food campaign(India), Namati (Global legal empowerment Network),Atma Network, Wada Na Todo,National Coalition to Eradicate Bonded Labour and Human Trafficking (India), International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)NACG-EVAC,India (National Action and Coordination Group for Ending Violence Against Children, India, a recognised National Civil society platform of South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children, an inter-Governmental apex body of SAARC), South Asian Network against Torture and Impunity (SANATI), CSO coalition to end child marriage in India (Formed in support of the NHRC-SAIEVAC National Conference to End Child Marriage in India), The International Network of Psychologists for Social Responsibility (INPsySR) and Partnership to End Violence against Children etc.

Our target communities:

Tribes (Ghasia, Kol and Bihor)
Muslim minorities
Dalits (Chamar and Musahar)
Other backward caste:
Membership: 72000 as neo dalit communities comprising progressive people from upper caste, OBC, tribal and minorities

Our current project:

Children and youth Participation and education and empowerment

Tata trust
Child Rights and You (CRY)
NOREC- PVCHR – INSEC
Childline India Foundation

Torture and organized violence including slavery

Indo – German Society of Remscheid and DIG
United Nation Trust Fund for Torture Victims
International Rehabilitation council for torture victims
Harihar Associates Private Limited Company

Individual donor: for emergency and Direct Support

Parul Sharma, Sweden
Helma Ritscher, Germany

Award:

2001: Ashoka Fellowship
2007: Gwangju Human Rights
2008: ACHA Star Peace Award
2010: International Human Rights Award of Weimar, Germany
2012: Karmveer Award
2016: M.A Thomas Human Rights Award
2016: Wockhardt foundation selected him as a Child Rights Activist of the year in a nationwide online voting
In September 2017, India Times listed Lenin Raghuvanshi as one of the 11 Human Rights Activists in India whose Life Mission is to provide others With A Dignified Life^x
2018: Public Peace Prize
2018: Bharatiya Manavata Vikas Purskar
2018: Special Mention award Of Human Rights of The French Republic
2018: Public Peace Prize
2019: Karmaveer Maharatna Award
Many local, regional and national awards