Workshops Conducted

State Consultation on the National Policy on Voluntary Sector, Andhra Pradesh on 20th February 2008:

Voluntary Association Network of India (VANI) in association with Andhra Pradesh Government - NGO State Committee organised a  one-day state level consultation on National Policy for the voluntary sector as enunciated by the Government of India to discuss the road map of national voluntary sector policy operational. 

The objectives of the consultation:
 

1. Discuss and understand issues of national policy in order to develop the suitable sate policy for voluntary organisation.
2. To build up strong and sustained relationship between CSOs and government in the state.
3. Analyse and understand the role and responsibility of the government, funding agency and media in strengthening CSOs.

Workshop on GO and MNGO/FNGO collaboration for effective implementation of various programmes under NRHM on 10th April, 2008L:

National Health Rural Mission aims at effective integration of health concerns with determinants of health and utilize local health traditions to provide a healthy life style. Mission seeks to build greater ownership of program among the community through involvement of Panchayat Raj Institutions, NGOs and other stake holders at National, State, District, Sub-District levels to achieve goals of National Population Policy and National Health Policy.

Recognizing the need to identify the specific role of NGOs in the context of the MNGO/FNGO scheme and NRHM, a one day workshop involving identified GO, MNGO/FNGO from Andhra Pradesh was organised with the support of CFW-GoAP at Indian Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Hyderabad.

The objectives of the workshop were -

1. To understand the core strategies and interventions under NRHM.
2. To contribute to the implementation of various Programmes under NRHM as an MNGO/FNGO

The expected outcomes :

1. Identify specific areas of participitation for MNGO/FNGO in the implementation of various programmes under NRHM.

Workshop for Go-NGO Collaboration on National Aids Control Programme on 01st March 2008

The workshop was organised to emphasize the role of GO-NGO on issues of Medical and Health Department. The following issues were discussed in the workshop:

• Lack of training in RNTCP, 
• Lack of personnel in ART Centre of Guntur General Hospital, 
• Lack of space and hygiene in ART Centre in Guntur General Hospital

The workshop was conducted as there is a  need for synergetic action by organisations to ensure that duplicity is reduced and the target populations are provided with augmented services and also to provide a common platform for all agencies involved in HIV/AIDS work to ensure that the spread of HIV is stopped and reversed. 

The Role of INGOs and NGOs in HIV/AIDS programmes, discussions on area for collaboration between GOs and NGOs and Programmes taken up on HIV/AIDS were issues covered in the workshop.

State and Regional Workshops with NGO representatives on NREGS-AP on 17th March 2008: 

One-day State level workshops and three regional workshops were organised by the GO-NGO Collaboration Committee, Commissioner of Rural Development, APARD and NREGS state Director and People's Monitoring Committee to improve the effectiveness of the NREGS. Media and civil society organisations have been raising issues on the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in the state, its achievements and failures. Even the social audit, which is an integral part of NREGS implementation, pointed out inefficiency, diversion and corruption. This workshop was oragnised to check the above issues and find ways to improve the efficiency of the NREGS program.

1. State Level Workshops:
   Around 220 participants representing worker unions, NGO's, NGO network and social activist participated in the state level workshop. Several sessions and presentations were made on implementation of the NREGS in Andhra Pradesh and Social Audit Process in implementation of NREGS in Andhra Pradesh. Following are the suggestions made during the workshop:
   
   
   • Government can provide training on applying, estimating, etc., to workers with government's cost.
   • It will be good if 4,000 families' work needs and budget estimates are prepared per panchayat.
   • Even though 63% of laborers are SCs only 43 to 46% SCs got NREGS benefits. Special efforts need to be put to address this gap. NGOs have to create awareness in SC colonies on applying for NREGS with focus.
   • Social audit process is being going in our state only. NGOs and unions are participating as resource persons. This is the one way of getting involved in the programme.
     
     
2. Regional Level Workshops:
   Go-NGO Committee organised regional level workshops.
   Regional level workshop for Rayalaseema was held at Anantapur on 23rd April 2008
   Regional level workshop for Telengana was held at Warangal on 28th April 2008
   Coastal Region Workshop was held at Vishakapatnam on 5th May 2008
   All four workshops had several discussions and also shared the concerns of the wage seekers, NGOs and other stakeholders with the government and necessary recommendations were suggested.