Campaigning with grassroots comics
Grassroots comics have played a major role in several campaigns led by World Comics India. The organisations involved understood that locally generated material is much more forceful and interesting than professionally made campaign material from the big cities. A campaign manual, produced by World Comics India shares the experiences of these campaigns.
- 1 “Spare the Rod” – campaign against corporal punishment
- 2 Child rights campaign by Goenkar Changemakers
- 3 Campaign on girl child rights, Rajasthan
“Spare the Rod” – campaign against corporal punishment
“What is this punishment?” A villager tells a man that Gopal often hits his sons. The man explains what is meant by corporal punishment, which is still used in many schools and homes. In many states it has been banned, and under Child Rights provision it is even a crime. The villager says that if this is the case, everyone should be informed about it. - This is why this campaign is taking place in our area. “No more punishment, handcuffs to the rod”. Story and artwork by Ms. Dimple Jaiswal
Main events
The campaign started in 2008 with a series of workshops, organised on the issue of corporal punishment in the Maharjganj district of Uttar Pradesh. 18 school children aged 10 – 18 participated. They were later trained as trainers and became the core team of the campaign. The aim of the campaign was to sensitise teachers and parents on all aspects of corporal punishment.
The new trainers then ran comics workshops in their respective areas. All of them were members of the local children’s group called Babu Behni Manch (BBM). After this, another round of trainers’ workshops followed, and later more workshops developing new comics on the issue.
Gram Niyojan Kendra (GNK), Maharajganj, was World Comics India’s (WCI) partner organisation. The campaign was funded by Plan - India.
More than 800 comics were produced, in the local Bhojpuri dialect, on corporal punishment, gender based violence, and the legal aspect of the issue. Out of these comics, 18 were selected, and printed in different formats for campaign distribution.
Comics formats
Wallposters (6), 8-page booklets(8), postcards(2), and comics strips as stickers(2). In total, 12,000 copies of comics were offset-printed on colour paper and distributed.
Distribution
The comics were distributed in a systematic 10-day campaign. The core team of BBM, GNK and WCI visited two villages a day. Meetings were organised in schools and open places and there was a lot of public debate. The comic stories were also composed into songs by local Bhojpuri singers. Parents and teachers signed an oath banner at the end of the meetings saying ”we will not commit any form of violence on children from today onwards”.
Follow-up and current activities
An informal group of parents, teachers and BBM core team was formed. The new trainers conducted several workshops on their own and even trained new trainers. Several new wallposter comics on the campaign issues were brought out.
Pictures
More
A 20-minute documentary film Chadi ke lagal Hathkadi is being produced by WCI. Some of the comics were compiled and published in a book form. Campaign pictures available on www.flickr.com/photos/worldcomics/sets/72157607216118373/s. Campaign blog: www.cpcwci.blogspot.com.
Child rights campaign by Goenkar Changemakers
The strip is about the Child Help Line in Goa. A man tries to sell his baby, but the wife reports him to the Help Line. They call the police and the man is arrested. Story by Tushar Bandokar.
Main events
The campaign started in 2006 with around 200 participants in four workshops which were held in four colleges (Xavier’s College, Salgaoncar College of Law, DMC college and Rosary college) in Goa. These workshops focused on children’s rights, paedophilia and migrant issues.
Metamorphosis in Delhi was WCI’s partner organisation. The campaign was funded by UNIFEM. 250 comics were produced on the above subjects. They were laminated and exhibited at Kala Academy in Panjim.
Comics formats
Wallposters, 8-page booklets. Of these, 2,000 photocopies were made and distributed.
Distribution
A mobile exhibition was organised and a van took it to 60 villages. The exhibition was supported by the Goa State Commission for Children.
Follow-up and current activities
Selected students from previous workshops were trained in a TOT workshop in Goa. The new trainers conducted about 15 workshops on their own. New wallposter comics were brought out by local groups on a regular basis. The informal comics group ”Goenkar Changemakers” was formed by comics trainers and registered as an NGO in February 2009. The group regularly organises comics workshops in the state for various organisations, schools and colleges. One of the main focus areas of the group are legal issues.
Pictures
More
A 17-minute documentary film ”Goenkar Changemakers” was produced by Metamorphosis in collaboration with WCI. The campaign is also described in the book ”Grassroots comics – a development communication tool”, pp 38-41. The book is also available in Hindi.
Campaign pictures available on www.flickr.com/photos/worldcomics.
Campaign on girl child rights, Rajasthan
Child marriage and risks involved in early pregnancy. In a village, two young sisters are married off early together because their father wants to save money. Afterwards there are many complications.
Story by Kabbu, (12 years)
Main events
The campaign started in 2005 with 75 participants in the first workshop, which was held in Agarwal Dharmsala, Barmer. Several informal meetings were organised to develop the content of the campaign and the comics. ”Vikalp”, Barmer, and ”Dream on Wheels”, Delhi, were WCI’s partner organisations. The campaign was funded by individuals and received also on-the-spot support in kind.
Eighty comics were produced, and the issues covered were infanticide, foeticide, girl child rights, education, water, dowry, discrimination. Of these, 12 were selected and printed for the campaign.
Comics formats
Wallposters, 8-page booklets, postcards, comics strips stickers. In total, 15,000 copies were printed by offset on colour papers.
Distribution
In gatherings, during the motorbike rally (January 2006), which covered more than 100 villages of Barmer and Jodhpur Districts, through activists and individuals of organisations. The motorbike rally, led by Bittoo Bikewallah Sondi, together with local youth, grabbed a lot of attention. In some places torch processions were held.
Follow-up and current activities
Youths of the area were invited to participate in WCI’s TOT workshops in Goa, MP and Jharkhand. The new trainers conducted 15l workshops on their own. New wallposter comics were brought out by local groups on a regular basis. The informal comics group ”Barmer Comics Manch” was formed by local youth in 2007. Many comics trainers in the area are still (2009) active and produce comics and run workshops.
Pictures
More
A 19-minute documentary film, Dariya Ki Kasam ( Swear by the River), on the campaign, was produced by WCI. The campaign is also described in the book ”Grassroots comics – a development communication tool, pp 32-37. The book is also available in Hindi.
Campaign blog address www.halfworld.blogspot.com.
