Exposure and Dialogue
Programmes (EDP) is a means to sensitise members, organises, colleagues, and institutional
leaders towards the poverty and work-related issues faced by our members.
In the basic EDP
programme, participants live with a SEWA member and follow her daily activities for three
days and nights. After the visit, the participants and women come together to share their
experiences, analyse the policies and structures contributing to poverty, and develop
alternate approaches that meet real needs. EDP helps participants move beyond a
theoretical, abstract understanding to experience first-hand the realities of village
life, the needs of self-employed women, and the effect of SEWA’s services, and the
strengths of the women.
Initially, SEWA used EDPs
as a means to orient visitors and institutional leaders, beginning with its first EDP with
visitors from Germany in 1991. Over the years, SEWA has participated in many EDP
programmes with groups from all over the world.
External
participants for EDP
| World Bank |
Home-Net South East |
| IFAD |
Yaman |
| German |
StreetNet |
| Philippines |
Tazikistan |
| Iran |
|
Participants have
included national-level parliamentarians and World Bank officials. Given the initial
success of the programme, we have begun using the basic programme methodology, with slight
adjustments, with NGO colleagues and other visitors.
Beginning in 1999, SEWA
began using EDPs internally also - as a means to begin to sensitise members and organisers
within SEWA. This Internal EDP is designed to help sensitise members and organize to the
diversity of SEWA’s membership. Many middle class organisers do not have an in-depth
understanding of the lives and poverty of women with whom they are working. The Internal
EDPs are held once a year and are specifically geared towards our district level
coordinators, new and young organisers, and those in responsible positions. Each
facilitator and host accommodates two participants. SEWA is also considering developing
mini-Internal EDPs including a one-day/night stay in a rural or urban neighbourhood with a
SEWA member.
