Manas Foundation

The Gender Justice Program, established in 2014, had its origins both within the organisation and in response to the external environment. Insights gleaned from our work on mental health with incarcerated men and women provided a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships between mental health behaviours and various socio-economic determinants, along with structural elements like gender and patriarchy. Simultaneously, widespread public protests following the tragic gang rape incident on a Delhi bus in December 2012 shook the world's second-most populous nation, spurring the Government to enact more stringent penalties for gender-based offences.

In contrast to the prevailing biomedical approach in modern psychiatry, services and research aim to address the cultural, social, economic, and gender-related contexts of the communities supported. The core mission is to enhance mental health in communities and institutions by fostering awareness to reduce stigma and ensuring the availability of accessible mental health services. Central to the approach is the provision of training and education, empowering professionals and newcomers with diverse programs and knowledge, contributing significantly to their career advancement and personal growth.

The goals of the Manas Mental Health Curriculum for Schoolchildren encompass direct group interventions at schools to demystify pertinent mental health topics, involve teachers in these interventions, and conduct mental health campaigns for awareness and dialogue. Training programmes are designed for school counsellors to equip them to address various psychological and emotional issues among students. Additionally, teachers undergo capacity-building sessions to better understand children's mental health needs and create supportive environments. Psychometric assessments are conducted to identify issues affecting a child's development and psychological growth, adhering to ethical standards.

Raising awareness about mental health is a vital step in understanding both one's own and others' psychological and emotional needs for overall well-being. Dispelling myths surrounding mental health is crucial to combat stigma and encourage individuals to seek help when needed. Manas Foundation, since its inception, has been dedicated to spreading evidence-based mental health awareness in academic institutions through workshops, campaigns, action research, and advocacy. In collaboration with The Live Love Laugh Foundation, school mental health workshops were conducted in Delhi, reaching over 24,000 students and 7,000 teachers across 200 schools in two years.

The 2013 Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act aims to safeguard women from workplace sexual harassment. Within its broader Gender Justice Programme, Manas contributes to creating safer public environments for women by offering POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) training to employers and employees in diverse establishments, ensuring gender-based violence-free workplaces. Over the last 5 years, Manas has delivered such training to numerous partners, including Hero Honda, Rupeek, Urban Clap, and more.

The "Barabari ki Dagar Surakshit Safar," widely recognized, strives to establish secure and equitable environments for women. It achieves this by partnering with public transport drivers, emphasizing mental health and promoting gender equality. Today, this initiative ranks among Asia's most extensive efforts to engage men in advancing gender equity.