SAFP’s core strengths lie in its research, advocacy and networking skills. SAFP recognizes that effective reform comes about as part of a two-way process, both from the bottom-up, as well as top-down.
Grassroots initiatives should promote local ownership and decision-making. This should create the climate for policy changes at the individual, local, state, national and international level. However, at the same time, it is also necessary to engage with institutions and civil society to promote inclusion of the excluded by addressing gender resource gaps through planning to alter gender relations at all levels in our social and governance systems. We work in partnerships with excluded people to impact individual and group empowerment processes through associations and our training.
SAFP work began in 2004 with the advocacy to include programmatic interventions in favor of women’s livelihood and land rights in the Beijing+10 review process. This brought together five networks and 35 organizations in India and 32 in other countries to think together on the issue. Acknowledging their long standing work and building a common opportunity to focus on women and land rights, Sathi worked with some of these groups through workshop and documentation support. Most of these formed independent networks, while SAFP began developing work on gender resource gap to address it at the spatial planning level. As a result SAFP promotes that each area be designed to develop as a sustainable inclusive zone within which people of ages, gender roles and sexual orientations have an equal access, ownership and control over resource, public and private to live in dignity.
SAFP programs Kritagyata, clubhouse and Hum Sathi trained volunteers and paid workers to assist the recovery of a person impacted with the pandemic, exclusion and mental illness. At present we focus on individual change to feel empowered through associating with support groups. In the past SAFP was involved at the international level through active participation in meetings with UN agencies and their forums such as WUF of UN Habitat, UNCSW, UNIFEM and UNDP. It had a pivotal role in encouraging Asian governments to recognize the importance of issue through continuous advocacy work. SAFP Consulting is an important part of sustaining the organisation. We take on work on issues that concern us.
