We promote local visionary leadership, especially women’s leadership in local governance. Through targeted training, mentorship programs, and advocacy initiatives, we build the confidence, skills, and knowledge of elected PR representatives and members of Gram Sabha and support them to effectively address community issues, promote inclusive policies, and drive sustainable development in the panchayats. We aim to empower and uplift women within the local governance sphere to increase their representation and participation in villages, wards and gram sabha. We organise training to enhance their knowledge and build their confidence, exposure visits to learn and implement in their villages and gram sabha, and capacity building on developing the village development plans and take it the gram sabha. Our strategy is to empower women to break barriers and assume leadership roles, not only shaping more equitable and responsive local governments but also inspiring future generations to actively engage in shaping their communities. Other initiatives encourage young girls and women to engage in advocacy around making gender equality measures central to public programs and policymaking.

Youth in southern Odisha are isolated and underrepresented in governance across the region. This is often the case in most parts of the state, but the ratio of under-representation of youth in the Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, and Raygada districts, is alarmingly high. They are left out of key decision-making processes. In many cases, the younger generation is more knowledgeable, equipped, and prepared to address the fast-moving issues of today than the establishment leadership.With 36% of its 1.7 crore (17 Million) youth population in Odisha,this young majority is not being represented in governance. This fundamental disconnect between policymakers and youth amplifies problems and causes, in general, to digress and feel dated. The governmentpays lip service to the issue but rarely does anything to correct it. There is no awareness of youth inclusion in the electoral or village governance process. Sadly, this leaves us with old leadership and institutions that are unable to take any meaningful action to address the issues most relevant to young people.

We believe that the youth are the most important human capital of any society and economy. Not only are they agile, adaptable, and receptive, but the modern youth also understand employment in the millennial age. They are tuned in to opportunities of the gig economy, constantly aware of and ready to seize upon the newest and latest trends. Wehave planned promising pathways to boost youth empowerment and employmentto enhance their social position for better economic and personal well-being. We form child clubs and adolescent and youth clubs to create inclusive spaces and mechanisms that facilitate youth participation in governance processes. This includes ensuring that they have access to information, opportunities for meaningful engagement, and platforms to voice their opinions and concerns. We invest in their education, skills development, and leadership training to prepare them for active participation in governance processes. This includes providing opportunities for civic education, political literacy, and policy advocacy training that equips young people with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage effectively in governance.

The customary practices and traditional norms among the tribal communities are an age-old practice and every tribal community has their established customs in place to guide them and move ahead in their socio-economic and cultural lives. They have a system that decides on behalf of the community and maintains the integrity and sacredness of being the decision-maker through their approach to doing good for the community. However, these traditional systems are focused on protecting their cultural and traditional rights, they have minimum interface and engagement with the current systems of village governance systems. In the current scenario, these traditional systems and their leaders need to be sensitised and educated on the strategies that will not only protect their cultural rights but also support their struggle for equality and human dignity in the long term.

SOVA aims to develop a more critical understanding of the tribal customary practices and integrate these elements to find the solutions to the problems that disturb community life among the tribals. Our initiative is modelled on the complete village transformation which is anchored in the local Gram Sabha. Through the Gram Sabha, active participation of the tribal traditional leaders is promoted to build their ownership over development processes taking place in their area. In doing so, we empower the traditional structures and build the capacity of their traditional leaders to establish governance structures hold service providers accountable for rights and entitlements and ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at local levels.