AWAAZ DO – “Speak Up”
AWAAZ DO (meaning “Speak Up”) is a campaign to address Violence Against Women (VAW) in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. It was launched in 2013 in the state capital Bhubaneswar by the Institute for Social Development (ISD).
The campaign primarily engages youth across state of Odisha to raise awareness and mobilize collective action against gender-based violence.
Through AWAAZ DO, young people are trained and supported as ‘Change Makers’ who challenge gender stereotypes, promote equality, and take a stand against all forms of violence. The campaign actively involves youth in the annual global observance of the 16 Days of Activism to end violence against women and has initiated a range of awareness and capacity-building activities across communities and campuses.
As a result, college campuses have become safer spaces, with increased attendance of girl students and improved gender relations. The campaign has encouraged healthy interaction between male and female students, inspiring many to question and overcome gender restrictions within their families and communities.
Today, AWAAZ DO has created a dynamic network of young change makers who continue to mobilize their communities toward gender equality and support survivors of violence at the grassroots level.
Key Issues Addressed under the Campaign
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- Sexual harassment at workplaces (public and private sectors)
- Trafficking of women in the name of job or marriage
- Domestic violence and its societal impact
- Rape and sexual assault
- Public forms of violence: eve-teasing, stalking, molestation, acid attacks
- Witch-hunting and the killing of women in tribal areas
- Child sexual abuse (at school, home, and other public spaces)
- Property rights, especially daughters’ rights in parental property
- Declining sex ratio in the context of Odisha
- Acid Attack