iKNOW Politics volunteer Bhumi Shah interviews Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere who is an independent researcher with interests in political science, peace and conflict, gender and popular culture. Also, she was a former UGC fellow of the Department of Political Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat and currently a peace-building fellow with The Red Elephant Foundation. She is CONTACT Alumnus, core member at Friendships Across Borders: Aao Dosti Karein and city co-ordinator (Baroda) for Aaghaz-e-Dosti.

1. Can you tell us about your incursion into Political Science, International Relations, Peace and conflict studies right after your high school? What was the trigger that led you to be committed to it?

To be honest, this was not a planned incursion; rather to put it in the terms of planning would be to defeat the entire purpose of my love for all three subjects (which by the way are deeply interconnected). I believe it was the pull of destiny that led me to being a student of political science, and now a researcher in peace and conflict studies. Coming from a family background immersed in the field of medicine, I was keen to tread a different path. The kind of education that I received in school inclined me towards history, social and civic studies. I realized very soon that ‘science’ was something that did not excite me. Learning about society, Indian history, freedom movement, rights and duties was my calling. Once this was clear, taking up Political Science for bachelor studies was the natural path to follow. My initiation into peace and conflict research is more recent though and I attribute it to my doctoral work on the India-Pakistan conflict. I am glad and feel blessed to be a student of political science and peace studies. My thoughts about life remain highly influenced by these two domains.

2. What are the pressing issues about women rights and security in India? Which are the laws for women rights and safety, you believe are frail in terms of implementation and execution?

The fact that, more than six decades after independence we still need to worry about women’s safety and security! There is no one pressing concern that bothers me. Issues of women’s status in the public and private sphere, matters of gender injustice and inequality, rising incidences of violence against women are a matter of shame for a country where women are professed to be worshipped in the form of Goddesses. Inaccessibility to basic rights such as that of a life with dignity, the ability to take independent decisions, right to hygienic sanitation facilities are worrying. In fact, for many women, their lives are controlled either by men or other women in their house. We may discuss larger issues like economic empowerment, education, political rights etc but in my view that fact that many women in India do not have proper access to ‘toilets’ is a far more pressing concern. Talk about the basics first and then we can go on to discuss larger issues of political freedom. Addressing basic needs is what will lead us to other issues subsequently.

When referring to law, we ought to remember that drafting laws is one thing and executing them in public interest is another matter. We are a country which fashions law making but shys away from effective implementation. For the common citizen who may not be aware about the technicalities of various laws, these hold significance only if they deliver justice. In terms of implementation, I believe that laws against sexual harassment in the workplace (especially after the Vishaka guidelines), laws that curb the sale of acid (in wake of increased acid attacks on women), laws pertaining to dowry, domestic violence (Domestic Violence Act, 2005) need political and bureaucratic will to be systematically implemented. The structures are strengthened but the systemic implementations are weak. We as a society need to be geared up to address this loophole.

3. Your blog says a lot about your views ranging on different topics, it says about your SIT participation as well for cross cultural bonding and peace. Would you like to share with us how the participation transformed you; the beliefs and knowledge you acquired during the program?

The SIT (School for International Training) conflict transformation experience at Kathmandu happened for me at a very significant point in my life. I was only about to wind up my doctoral thesis when I got this pulsating opportunity to be part of an inter-cultural, residential peace and conflict transformation workshop hosted by SIT in December 2014. Over the course of my doctoral work, I was fortunate to connect with many Pakistanis working on Indo-Pak peace issues. But personally, I had never met someone from across the border. Though I was engaged in online peace conversations, but felt the need to expose myself to real life interactions. That is when CONTACT (Conflict Transformation Across Cultures) happened and I was overwhelmed to grab the opportunity.

Imagine the pleasures of living and learning with fellow South Asians – all under one roof for a period of two weeks. It did lot to me – transformed me emotionally and intellectually. More importantly, it motivated me to put in double the efforts for peace. Meeting and interaction with a wide range of people from the sub-continent was a humbling experience. I made friends for life and reaffirmed my commitment to South Asian solidarity. In short, I experienced a magical connection with fellow beings which years of reading and knowledge gaining would not give me. You can read more about my CONTACT experience on SIT’s blog - http://blog.sit.edu/graduate-institute/2015/03/03/contact-south-asia-lives-learns-together/

4. Would you like to share about your engagement with “Red Elephant Foundation” and “Friendship across borders: Aao Dosti Karein” initiatives for peace and women rights?

I feel fortunate to be associated with The Red Elephant Foundation in capacity of being a participant for Season I of The Building Peace Project (2014-15). I found a friend, guide and mentor in Ms. Kirthi Jayakumar who heads the Foundation. At each step, I am inspired by the innovation, clarity and commitment that she exhibits in working for peace and gender based issues. It is through the foundation that I virtually connected with my peace partner, Sehr Nisar from Pakistan (she is a student at The Lahore University of Management Sciences). My initiation, involvement and furtherance into peace is something I will credit The Red Elephant Foundation with. I hope to further cement my bond with it even after the peace project has culminated. I feel quite excited by the premise on which the foundation works – story-telling and the novel campaigns that it initiates for raising awareness on important issues. In the future, it is my keen desire to volunteer with the foundation and be permanently associated with its activities.

As for Friendships Across Borders (FAB), I am currently a core team member and its volunteer. FAB is a part of my life. It is difficult to imagine a day when I don’t converse with Chintan Girish Modi (FAB’s founder) and discuss with him how to take peace activities further. It feels special and privileged to see the concrete work that is being done by organizations like FAB for peace and friendships in the sub-continent. I have even written a story of my friendship with Sehr Nisar on FAB’s website (you can read the story here - http://www.friendshipsacrossborders.org/2015/02/fab-story11-dawn-of-special-friendship.html) The story was subsequently translated into Marathi and Gujarati. In fact, myself, Kirthi and Chintan are a team and we enjoy the spirit of collaboration and sharing that bonds us in ways more than one. For FAB and The Red Elephant, my engagement goes beyond an association that is merely professional. Personal connection is what I cherish with both these wonderful, striking and citizen driven forums. You can read my blog with Sehr Nisar here (http://nidhiandsehr.blogspot.com/)

5. You have co-authored a book named “Contemporary Challenges to Media Education in Gujarat”. Would you like to share some insights about it here? Can you mention major of those issues?

It was always my dream to write a book. In fact, presently I am working to translate my doctoral work in a book form. “Contemporary Challenges to Media Education in Gujarat” has been co-authored with my student Himali Doshi who worked on this subject for a master’s dissertation. Publishing was a spontaneous but well informed decision that we took. A student’s work, especially the research that she carries out, remains confined mostly to the library shelf. This is not what we wanted. We were keen to disseminate our work far and wide, especially for the benefit of media students and media professionals. The book highlights challenges that the media education scenario faces in the state of Gujarat. In terms of infrastructure, course curriculums, opportunities for research; media education in the state has a long way to go.

This book is our attempt to bring to light the realities and challenges faced by media education in an increasingly digital age. We have also talked about how these challenges could be met with and how the future of media education in the state can be shaped. This book is a product of more than a year of dedicated and systematic research efforts.

6. What do you seek from the international South Asian community for peace and reconciliation?

For peace and reconciliation in South Asia, my firm opinion is for all nations in the sub-continent to come together and ‘talk’. Dialogue is a key to peace and reconciliation in the region. Consistent, focused and systematic dialogue that involves people from all walks of life. And why only the international South Asian community? Every person in the region has an important stake in peace. And hence, it is quite expected of people to be involved in the betterment of this region. We, South Asians are so entrenched in our own national identities that we forget that we are ‘South Asians’. Talking, meeting and exchange is needed to remind us of this crucial fact. I urge everyone to think of and act for South Asian cooperation and solidarity. We need to visualize the benefits of living and working together as one region and not as multiple fractured units that keep fighting with each other. Think about people; think about a South Asian fraternity! I cannot imagine how South Asia would steer ahead on the path to progress if we do not think of ourselves as South Asians committed to bringing peace and prosperity to this region.

7. What do you think about women’s participation in Politics in India currently?

Earlier, politics was not a woman’s domain. Now, women are all over in the political sphere. It is heartening and gratifying to see a huge number of women take part in the political sphere in various capacities and in ways that are both formal and informal. For me, participation in politics does not end at becoming members of political parties or occupying power positions. Fruitful and meaningful political participation signifies democratization of politics at the grassroots. You will definitely find an increased number of women who are now spearheading political change in India. But that may not mean anything for women’s political participation as constructive participation goes well beyond numbers. I mean, just look around and you will find many women in politics and this is inspirational. But does that make any difference to the status of women in society? Has their life become less difficult? Not really! That is why looking at women’s political participation from the prism of numbers only impart s a skewed picture. The real difference will be women are free to occupy the public sphere, with prejudice, fear and offer the best that they have for the country.

8. Glancing at the 16th Lok Sabha elections, can you give your view about proposed Women’s Reservation Bill that seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies, The Constitution (110th Amendment) Bill for reserving half the seats in panchayats for women, The Constitution (112th Amendment) Bill seeking reservation one third of elected seats in municipalities for women?

My response to this would be in connection to the one that I offered in the earlier question. The Women’s Reservation Bill has been in the loop for a long time now. As far as it empowers women and gives them the right to represent their views, it is all good. But we ought to extend our view of women empowerment and take it beyond bills, laws and policies. No doubt, these will serve as supplementing structures and positive enabling measures, but these ‘only’ will not lead to women’s empowerment. Reserving seats for women in legislative houses is only a part of the solution, and not the solution. What I mean to say is that though I support the movement for women’s reservation, I believe that it should not be the only medium through which women’s voices can be heard. It may bring about temporary structural changes, but we need to also target society’s attitudes and perceptions about women. These will not change merely through women occupying 33% seats in law making bodies. It is also important to look at who will benefit from the reservation policy; will it be only those who are already a part of the politically powerful elite? That for me is of primary concern.

9. What do you think is the impact of the political and social unrest in India and in your region, on domestic violence against women and their rights?

The country is passing through strange times. On one hand, while we celebrate our booming economy and technological advancement, there are regions afflicted by dire poverty. This is the contrast which has left me dumb-founded. Despite claims of growth and development, we hear of and often witness incidences of political and social violence. I think it has a magnitude of impact on the way women are treated and looked upon in the public and private sphere. A region which is economically and socially in turmoil, which does not have enough to feed its young children, will definitely not treat its women in a dignified way. In fact, economic, social and political deprivation are often told to be major causes of women’s secondary status in a society like ours. Unfortunately, we seem to pay scant attention to such issues which are at the root of the problem. We only seem to be interested in solving problems superficially. If there is no dignity and respect in a person’s life, how can we expect him to uphold the rights and dignity of others? Lets go back to where we went wrong and the answer will be found in the deprivation, injustice and inequalities that are spread at the roots.

10. What are the governmental efforts you would like to mention to address gender based violence and peace in conflict?

This is a tricky question because to my understanding, most efforts concentrated towards addressing gender based violence in conflict stem from civil society organizations, pressure groups and international organizations like The United Nations. I say this because many times, it is the state which perpetrates violence and since this is so evident, I rarely see governmental machinery ensuring that gender based violence in conflict is addressed. When states are at war, they tend to use women and children as an instrument for inflicting ‘shame’ on the enemy. Women have so often been used by states as an instrument of warfare. Governments, of late, have incorporated guidelines to curb gender based violence in conflict situations, but unless they do some introspection, these would stand to be meaningless. State machinery in most cases gets away with the use of violence and unless some concrete action is taken to address this, I fear that we don’t have much hope.

11. Would you like to mention notable experiences when women’s participation improved peace process?

How is peace possible without women? In a world where violence is increasing day by day and when the most vulnerable victims of violence and conflict are women, it is sheer tragedy that women’s voices in peace processes are drowned into the oblivion. In fact, their voices must be the most prominent ones as post war reconstruction, rehabilitation and building a tolerant society cannot happen with women. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 calls for increased participation of women in peace processes. Instances of peace processes in Northern Ireland, Guatemala, Nepal and Africa amply demonstrate that women can and do make a difference. However, their systematic absence from peace processes has a lot to do with structures and dynamics of power politics and power play in conflict situations. Since, women are the most affected by conflict, their exclusion from peace needs to be addressed. Women possess the power to transform conflict ridden societies not just because they are care givers and nurturers but because they hold within themselves powers of healing, justice and transformation. Successful examples of women’s role in peace processes should serve as models for their proactive involvement in the same. A case in example would be The Naga Mother's Association and the Kuki Women's Association both of which have an important role in conflict transformation in North East India. Women, irrespective of which conflict zone they are placed in, have tremendous potential to alter the course of conflict towards peace and reconciliation.

12. It is a long way to achieve, but how far do you foresee India-Pakistan peace in this conflict? Any message you would like to convey to break some stereotypes about both the countries’ relationship before the society?

I have interacted with people from across the border. With the initial hesitation that I experienced, I have realized that they are no different. I am filled with so many positive experiences of talking to Pakistani friends that I have no reason to brand them as ‘enemies’. In fact, I can talk to them for hours and hours without even feeling that sense of difference which is so hyped. I can’t speak from the point of officialdom because that is an entirely different thing. But when it comes to people, “peace is possible” and there are so many living examples of this. I would say – bold and underline – “Indians and Pakistanis can be the best of friends” and I am living this right now. To break prevalent stereotypes, my only message is – just talk, meet and interact on as many avenues as is possible and you will realize that you have a friend across the border. How can one expect to break stereotypes, when one is not willing to move out and initiate a bond? So, just go out and open all channels of communication. You will definitely witness the difference!

13.   How would you like to be remembered?

Hmm! Such a simple question but extremely difficult to answer. Frankly, I have never thought of this before. To put it simple and short, I want to be remembered as who I am – Nidhi – as what I stand for. Not for a milestone I achieved, but for the everyday life I lived, for the compassion that is within me and for my commitment to peace. I would want to be remembered as someone who was generous, willing to listen and share and willing to think beyond her own life. I would want to be remembered as a daughter, sister, wife, friend, and teacher and above all of this someone who led a meaningful existence not just for herself but also for those around her.

14. Would you like to give any message for iKNOW politics?

I am thankful to iKNOW politics and their wonderful team for letting me speak on a variety of important issues. I am thankful that I was considered worthy enough to voice my views at such an important forum. In a way, speaking at such forums helps you discover your own self in a way that you may not have known before. I feel overwhelmed to be introduced to this forum and the wonderful work that it is spearheading on issues of politics, gender and advocacy. May the forum continue to steer and consolidate women’s voices in politics and public life! May the forum continue to impart strength to those who want to make a difference!

You can follow Nidhi on her Twitter ID @           mailtonidhi and read more about her on her personal blog on www.68pagesofmylife.blogspot.com.