Gender transformative approach among tribal married men to promote gender equality: qualitative findings emerging from field study in Jharkhand, India

Vipul Pandey, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

In tribal system of social organization where there is no distinct category of dominant groups it becomes relevant to investigate the nature of these tribes more clearly. This study presents qualitative evidence from nine villages in central and eastern India, drawn from open-ended interviews with 22 women's life history narratives, 10 group discussions (5 with young men age 18-29, 5 with old parents age 30 and above). The findings strongly suggest that GBV is mounting in these tribal communities as gender roles still intact in the hands of strong patriarch norms. While response from IDIs includes supporting the victims, ensuring the safety of the young women experiencing the abuse; and holding the perpetrator accountable through criminal prosecutions. Periodic surveys are recommended to measure trends in the incidence of GBV in settings where gender transformation among young men are under way and women roles must expand and they gain a stronger sense of their rights.