Peoples Control Over Livelihood Resources

Ekta Parishad (Unity Forum) is a social movement active in 8 states of India. It mobilises people for action three broad basic rural livelihood issues; people’s right to land, water and forests.  To tackle injustices and exploitation, Ekta is revitalising Mahatma Gandhi’s method long marches (yatras) and satyagraha.

Mission Principles Vision Focus

Campaigns AVI funded projects

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You can read more about Ekta Parishad on
Ekta's own website,

Mission – Ekta Parishad’s mission is to assist people from the most marginalized communities to gain control over natural livelihood resources such as land, water and forest.  It also works to train people in effective resource management so that they may strike a balance between consumption and regeneration.

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Principles - Ekta Parishad is a Gandhian organisation, which works towards community-based government (Gram Swaraj), local self-reliance and responsible government.  To achieve this it:

•       brings deprived sections of the population together to struggle for their livelihood rights, taking action only when dialogue has proven impossible.  It uses methods of non-violent struggle such as padyatras (long marches), satyagraha (non-violent protest), dharnas (sit-ins) and gheraos (encircling people who wield power) etc.

• ·     develops community based economic systems that promote local self-sufficiency, reduce dependence on welfare and dysfunctional government programmes and give unemployed people another opportunity to support themselves.  Examples of constructive programmes include grain banks, development of village industries and women coming together in mutual help groups.

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Vision – Ekta Parishad is guided by a vision of a just society that sees people as equal and gives respect and dignity to all persons regardless of class, caste, sex and regional background.  It empowers the poor by using pro-poor development programmes and by paying special attention to the most marginalized communities.  Ekta Parishad channels the creative energy and enthusiasm of people (especially youth and women) and those who once felt directionless and had little hope have been inspired to work towards social, political and economic reconstruction.

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Focus – Ekta Parishad is working to combat the ‘structural violence’ which is embedded in the existing development paradigm and to achieve social, political and economic change through non-violent and democratic methods. It now works in 8 states, touching 4000 villages with a population of more than 5 million, concentrating its efforts in remote areas where the main livelihood is farming.  As it works towards this goal Ekta Parishad has been involved in the following:

1.      A Land Rights Campaign to demand that control over livelihood resources should be in the hands of local people/communities so that their basic survival is guaranteed.

2.      Protecting tribal culture and tribal peoples’ way of life, especially that of the primitive tribes, which is increasingly threatened by a ‘mainstream’ model of development.

3.      Implementation of pro-poor policies and legislation, especially land reform, which have not been implemented.

4.      Assisting people based development that strengthens peoples’ voices especially women and deprived sections.

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