Name of the Study: An assessment of violence against women in tea gardens of West Bengal.

Project Background: This section should show that you have thoroughly researched the topic, by
including relevant literature search. Your reference list can be uploaded as an attachment. (8000
characters).

India is the second largest tea producer after China. Assam contributes to 52% of the tea
production followed by West Bengal which contributes to 26% of the tea production in India. The
beginning of Tea Plantation in India traces back to 1839 with the commencement of the Assam
Company. To get cheap labour, tribals from the Chotanagpur region were made to migrate to
the plantation area. There are 276 organized tea estates in West Bengal spread over
Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar districts having a population of 11,24,907 which
constitutes 11% of the total population of West Bengal. Tea gardens can be classified into four
categories depending on their running condition - closed, sick, open and abandoned.

Closed Tea garden - A tea garden is termed as closed when neither the factory nor the garden
is operational. The government announces the tea garden as closed formally. In this case, the
workers search for employment opportunities outside the tea garden. Those who are unable to
go outside for employment could get the benefit of the FAWLOI scheme. However, the benefit is
restricted only to those who were in direct pay roll with the gardens. As a result, maximum
workers were left outside the scheme.

Sick Tea Garden - A sick garden is the one which was closed due to certain circumstances but
was recently reopened. Here the workers cannot avail any kind of employee benefit except only
the daily wages which is Rs. 202/- per day.

Open Tea Garden - An open tea garden is fully open where the workers can avail all kinds of
employee benefit facilities like PF, Pension, medical etc. Here the wage rate is Rs. 202/- per
day.

Abandoned Tea Garden - In this type of garden, the factory is closed but the garden is run by
local powermen who provide Rs. 130/- as daily wage or Rs. 3/- per kilogram leaves basis to the
workers. Here no employment benefits are provided.

Between 2002 and 2007, planter’s authority had closed 17 gardens in West Bengal, the
consequence is 1200 people have died due to hunger (Bhattacharya et al. 2019). Tea labourers
live in an acute inadequacy of basic civic and social amenities. Consumption of impure water,
improper toilet and sanitation worsens their exposure to communicable diseases and
aggravates mortality conditions. The planters closed many gardens without prior notice and
blocked labour payment, provident fund and gratuity. Thousands (nearly 20000) of tribal
labourers become jobless and die of starvation and malnutrition (N C Roy 2018). ActionAid
(2005) reported 240 tea workers died in starvation and suicide within eleven months in just four
tea gardens in West Bengal. Along with the economic crisis, many other hardships facing
women and children. A school drop-out, child trafficking, Child labour mobility, girl’s child
trafficking for prostitution, a rally of hunger and starvation death and extreme poverty is the
ongoing livelihood phenomena in closed tea gardens of Dooars and COVID-19-induced
lockdown had added more calamities. (Islam et al. 2021)

Women and Tea Plantations

1) The whole activity of plucking tea leaves is generally associated with women due to the
essentialist stereotype of women being delicate and hence efficient only as pluckers.
This results in these tea workers' inability to learn other skills and which restricts their job
opportunities.
2) There is a absence of SRHR facilities which means high rate of unintended pregnancies,
unintended abortions and impact on overlay mortality rates of women and children. In
the closed garden, in the absence of PHCs, there is no access to health care services
when required.
3) Women in virtually all tea gardens reported violations of their maternity protection rights
under Indian Law (Section 32 of the PLA and the Indian Maternity Benefits Act of 1961),
ICESCR (Arts. 7 and 12), CEDAW (Arts. 11, 12, and 14 and General Recommendation
34), CRC (Art. 24), and World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolutions.75 In particular,
these violations are related to the protection of the health of the mother during
pregnancy, maternity leave benefits, breastfeeding breaks, and prenatal and postnatal
care.
4) Pre-natal and post-natal care was also reported to be inadequate and inaccessible in the
tea gardens. Physicians in government hospitals reported that a large number of
pregnant women from tea gardens suffer from nutritional anemia and eclampsia and a
high number of them die due to labour complications. Furthermore, teenage pregnancy
was reported to be common amongst this population and to exacerbate the already
precarious situation of these pregnant women as the young women’s growing bodies
compete with their fetus’ development with dire results for both.
5) Family Planning measures are inadequately found in tea gardens and generally women
are unaware of the measures. Abortion is often done by quacks in absence of certified
medical providers.
6) Lack of food items and nutritious food is severe in many tea plantations because of the
extremely low wages. Most families in closed gardens only eat food once a day, and
their regular meal consists mainly of rice and salt, mixed with tea flowers. The effects of
food shortage are often borne by the women of the household.
7) In closed tea gardens the schools are closed which has increased the dropout rates. The
majority of the families are unable to send their children to secondary school and higher
education due to their inability to pay for costs associated with schooling. The dropout
rate among the girls is generally seen to be high in these areas. Moreover, since the
mother has migrated in many families, the elder girl sibling has to quit school to look
after the family and other siblings.
8) Very often, there is either a lack of adequate potable water (both in quality and quantity)
or a total lack of potable water at the labour lines as well as at the plantations. In some
 plantations, the burden of fetching water falls disproportionately on women and girls. The
management often fails to provide toilet/latrines at the labour lines and at work.
9) Literacy rate among women is another issue impending development. A research paper
has studied the literacy rates of males and females of tea gardens located in Dooars
region and one of their findings was a comparatively lower literacy rate of females than
males. (Paul et al.)
10) The incident of violence is a common phenomenon in every household, especially when
the garden closes down and stops providing wages and necessary amenities.
11) Knowledge about the laws and resources are limited, as they believe law or police
cannot intervene in their family matter. They are not even interested about their children
who are missing from a long time because they know that the other members who are
working outside can survive from starvation. Due to poor knowledge about the outside
world they fear to go to the police, if not the case is very serious.
12) The problem of trafficking has become rampant in the tea districts of West Bengal mostly
in closed tea gardens. Despite the large scale of migration and trafficking in the closed
and sick gardens of women and the children, the family members and the parents are
relatively less interested about it. They had a common belief that the person who has
gone outside should earn something and revert the money back to the family. They are
not very fully aware of the illegal networks of the trafficker’s web. When a child or the
female member of the family stops communicating with the family, they take it for
granted that the members are ‘missing’.

Impact of Covid: Initially the government had said that gardens can operate with 30% of the
work force which was later changed to 50%. This has an impact on their earnings. During the
second wave, there were no such restrictions, as a result of which the number of infected cases
in the garden became very high. Moreover, there is absence of testing as well as vaccination
among the tea garden workers.
The study aims to find out the root causes, impacts and outcomes for gender-based violence
among women in the tea gardens of West Bengal. The project is innovative because:

1. Anahat is proposing to integrate and layer this research on its ongoing Project Unnati
which provides durable menstruation options and livelihood opportunities to women in
two blocks of terai tea gardens. Apart from livelihood, we also focus on creating an
enabling environment for women and girls by sensitization programs with the community
on menstrual hygiene management and sexual reproductive health rights. So as an
advantage, it can be said that research is proposed in the area which is well known by
the team of Anahat especially in respect to women rights.

2. Since Anahat is proposing the research in the area where the foundation is already
working, the study will be using a human-centric approach where the work will be done
involving the target population. The innovation of the study lies in the fact that a creative
approach will be used for problem-solving that starts with people and ends with
innovative solutions that will be tailor-made ultimately to suit their needs.
 3. In this study, the target population comes from a very niche area which is the
representative of one of the most exploited communities worldwide. Women constitute
more than 50% of the total labour force. This is the only industry in the organised sector
that employs such a high proportion of female labour. This study aims to highlight the
marginalized position of the women worker in the tea industry and the exploitation faced
by them.

4. Though there are several studies on the tea industry and tea workers of West Bengal,
there exists limited studies and data to create evidence for GBV prevention and
response against women tea workers of West Bengal. This study aims to fill that gap
and will also provide information and recommendations to all kinds of stakeholders for
improving the current situation.

5. Covid said to have aggravated all kinds of already prevailing problems in tea gardens.
The study will be one of its kind to study the impact of Covid in respect to gender-based
violence among workers in tea gardens of West Bengal.

Contribution of the study:

Gender violence touches all social classes and types of people in almost every country of the
world. Violence against women causes human suffering, impediments to personal development,
and a reduction in the contributions women can make to the lives of others. The issues is
complex and reaches the highest international level in the debates about sustainable
development, good government, and quality of life. Strategies must be directed to equalizing the
well being and status of men and women in all sectors, and to reducing women's political and
economic vulnerability. Women must have their social status raised, and their ability to gain
control over their own lives must be strengthened. The research will have the following
contributions:

1) The study will identify the causes of gender based violence in a holistic manner in the
tea gardens of West Bengal. Similar causes can be identified in tea gardens of other
parts of the world. So the study will be relatable.
2) In addition to practical implications, the present study will also contribute to existing
literature. This study will contribute to the current understanding of how the causes of
GBV can be effectively managed. The holistic analysis of this study will reveal important
recommendations which can be followed by policy makers of the state, central and
worldwide.
3) The study will present recent data and statistics which will also define the impact of
Covid on tea gardens. Grassroot NGOs and funding organizations can utilize the data to
design program strategies in tea gardens with special focus on women.
4) The research will help the tea planters association to identify root causes of vulnerability
of women and they can take actions or formulate policies for improving the overall well-
being of the workers.
 5) Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its
victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer
sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted
pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, sexually transmitted infections including
HIV, and even death. The tea garden workers are one of the most exploited workforces.
The rate of gender based violence is very high in closed tea gardens. Through the
research, the voices of this unheard population will come to the forefront.

Theory of Change: Outline the links between your research, programme, the issues and context you
are seeking to influence and the longer term social, developmental outcome you are trying to
change. Discuss strategies on research to practice and ways in which policy-makers/programmers
are engaged in the project. (6000 characters).

Despite the role of women in tea garden, various form of gender discrimintaion and VAW is
evident in the form of high rates of child marriage, trafficking, physical abuse, maternal mortality
in those areas. The study will aim to find out the root causes and then link the causes with the
probable solutions for reducing VAW.

Some of the root causes of GBV in the tea gardens of West Bengal are:

1. Women are working here through generations and have very little skill or knowledge of
other occupations. So even if they feel the exploitation, they are unable to move out from
there.
2. The concept of patriarchy has the potential for theorizing violence against women
because it keeps the focus on dominance, gender, and power. Patriarchy demarcates
the social norm in the society and the way women are treated throughout the
generations in their houses and outside their houses has remained the same.
3. The literacy rate is very low among the women workers in the tea garden which make
them more vulnerable. The drop out rate is high among girl children as they are left in
the house to take care of their siblings. This is true if the women of the household have
migrated for a job or are working in the tea gardens.
4. Due to poor wage rates or due to no work in closed tea gardens, out migration of women
have increased. There is no knowledge or awareness on “safe migration”, as a result
many of this migration actually turns out to be “trafficking”.
5. There is very little knowledge regarding family planning or sexual & reproductive health
services among the community. Also, very few health centres are operating inside tea
gardens. So, in case of an emergency, they have to travel as far as 20km to reach the
nearest health care facility. Hence, accessibility is also an issue.
6. No maternal benefits, pre- post natal care facilities are available for the workers. A
pregnant women is expected to give the same effort as other women employees.
7. Alcoholism and drug abuse is prevalent in the tea garden area.

AS A RESULT:
Women in tea gardens have become marginalized and vulnerable which makes them more
prone to violence. The entire community is unaware of the rights and entitlements of women.
Moreover, even if some are aware, there is not enough power among women to exercise the
rights, hence the rights remain inaccessible. This unawareness and inaccessibility of rights have
led to increased GBV. Lower literacy and no skill have also added on to the violence.

Therefore it is necessary:

1. For gender equality and to ensure women’s safety, it is imperative that solutions are
specific to the local context, workers – both women and men – are part of designing the
solutions and are committed to investing in the solutions.
2. It is also essential that government, private sector, civil society and expert service
providers come together to form a common agenda along with a legislative policy and
commitment to address gender-based violence through policies and law implementation
and effective response mechanisms.
3. Local government, community groups, youth, men and women all play a significant role
in successful and sustainable prevention and redressal of gender-based violence.
4. Favorable social norms, attitudes & behaviours should be promoted at community and
individual levels to prevent VAW.
5. Women & girls should be able to access quality essential services which will empower
them to recover from violence.

Theory of Change: If women have an enabling environment which is aware of and upholds their
rights and entitlements, and they have access to and use of services which prevent, respond,
and support to VAW, and if issues which marginalize women are addressed and dismantled,
then incidence of VAW will be significantly reduced.

Strategies on research: The vision of the project is to find out by 2024, effective approaches for
reducing violence against women in tea gardens of West Bengal, identified and cumulatively
informed through ongoing and new work by Anahat and other stakeholders. The research is
built on the following hypothesis.

Violence against women can be reduced if:

1. Favourable social norms, attitudes and behaviours are promoted at community and
individual levels.
2. If the quality essential services are accessible and used,
3. If a legislative and policy environment is in place and translated into action and;
4. If women are aware of their rights and are empowered to access their rights and
entitlements

Assumption: If the above hypothesis is not in place, there will be gender discrimination and
violence aganist women in tea gardens of West Bengal. The research study will provide
evidence in order to take decisions to nullify the hypothesis and will provide the following
outcomes:

1. Understand causes of violence against women and identify responses (non-COVID +

COVID-19)
2. Understand impact/implications of violence against women and identify responses (non-
COVID + COVID-19)
3. Understand outcomes of violence against women and identify responses (non-COVID +
COVID-19)
4. Social purpose organisations develop propositions informed by the research to
strengthen on-going work.
5. Social purpose organisations develop new propositions informed by research to design
and develop VAW/VAC work and support services.
6. Outcomes of research provide evidence for advocacy to all relevant stakeholders.

Since GBV is also dependent on the policy framework of the state, interviews from the policy
frameworkers/programmers will also be a vital aspect of this project. It will help the study to
focus on the findings depending on their involvements for addressing the solutions. The
research findings will be shared with the policy makers at all levels and also with the planters
association so that the data can be used to make necessary reforms or to undertake programs
aiming towards reduction of GBV in tea plantations of West Bengal.

Project Aim and Objectives: Clearly articulate the project aim and objectives (3000 characters). (Up
to maximum of 5 objectives)

The aim of the project is to find out by 2024, causes and effective approaches for reducing
violence against women in tea gardens of West Bengal. Following are the main objectives of the
project:

1. To understand the major causes behind the exploitation and gender based violence
against women tea garden workers in both Covid and Pre covid era.
2. To understand the major implications of VAW on the community, household and society
at large for both Covid and Pre covid era.
3. Anahat is currently working on SRH in the targeted community. Research work on VAW
will help understand the causes and will identify the various approaches needed for the
solution. Moreover, the research will help other partner research organizations or
implementation organizations to design a program which will be best suited for the
locality and for providing solutions.
4. The findings of the study will be shared with the policy makers- both at centre and state
which will help them to form legislative policy or to reform existing policy focussed on
addressing gender-based violence or women empowerment in the area.
Project Methods: Please describe how this project will achieve the project’s aim and objectives. If it
is a research study, provide information on study design, study site, study population, sampling, data
management and analysis. Where appropriate, also include information on the intervention,
including type, target group, delivery mechanisms, setting etc.. For other projects outline key project
activities. (8,000 characters).

The aim of the study is to find out the causes and effective approaches to address VAW in tea
gardens of West Bengal. The methodology will be designed to address the research problem
through data gathering using various techniques, providing an interpretation of data gathered
and drawing conclusions about the research data. Following steps will be ensured while
designing the study:

1. Literature Review: A secondary data analysis will be done with the help of the existing
research available on the similar topic and on the similar areas.
2. Questionnaire design: Since Anahat has already been working in the area for the last
two years, the team has knowledge of prevalent practices followed in the area directed
towards VAW. So, research questions and a detailed questionnaire will be generated
keeping in mind the problems to be addressed through the study. The questionnaire will
be translated to the local languages and will be put in a CAPI format.
3. Sample Finalization & Stakeholder selection - The proposed sample size will be
finalized. Sample size for both qualitative and quantitative surveys will be selected.
These stakeholders for the survey will be finalized and their appointment would be
sought through letters for in-depth interviews. The sample size finalization will make
sure that we equally covered all formats of tea gardens in West Bengal.
4. Pilot testing of the questionnaire - The questionnaire will be tested in the field and
minor changes will be made depending on the field observations. Pilot testing will also
help us identify the particular capabilities required by the investigators which can be
fulfilled.
5. Selection & training of a survey team - A survey team will be identified for the study
purpose. Investigators will be mostly female as respondents will be comfortable to
provide answers to female investigators. The team will be trained for the purpose of
collecting answers as key questions are sensitive and approach is participatory.
6. Initiation of Survey - Both qualitative and quantitative surveys will be undertaken with
the respondents. In qualitative study FGDs as well as IDIs will be conducted with
identified stakeholder groups.
7. Data Analysis - After completion of the survey, data cleaning will be done. Data
analysis framework will be prepared and analysis will be done using statistical
frameworks. Data output table will be prepared as one of the final outcomes.
8. Report preparation - A final report will be prepared which will highlight the aims and
objective of the study and also the outputs.
9. Sharing the outcome - The final outcome will be shared at all levels with the
government and with other partner NGOs and organizations working in the area so that
a holistic program for prevention and response to VAW could be undertaken.
Sample Design: There are altogether 276 gardens in West Bengal among which 81 tea estates
are in Hills, 45 tea estates are in Terai and 150 tea estates in Dooars. If 10% of the total number
is taken, then 27 tea estates will be considered for study (8 in Hills, 4 in Terai, 15 in Dooars).
Random sampling is used for selection of specified number of gardens in hills, terai and duars.
Following is the sample selected:

Hills - Makaibari, Puttabong, Ambeok, Happy Valley, Ringtong, Kalej Valley, Peshok,
Dhooteriah

Terai - Naxalbari, Gungaram, Merryview, Panighatta

Duars - Gopalpur, Dalgaon, Hantapara, Oodlabari, Ramjhora, Dhumchipara, Dalmore,

Dimdima, Bandapani, Dheklapara, Madhu, Red Bank, Dharanipur, Radharani, Lankapara

Area of enquiry:

Key cause 1: What are the harmful social norms and practices which tolerate and promote
VAW?
Key cause 2: Level of awareness of women regarding their rights and entitlements
Key cause 3: Prevalence of alcoholism in the target area
Key cause 4: Level of literacy and awareness among women
Key cause 5: Land rights and titles among women
Key cause 6 :Level of SRH awareness among women
Key cause 7: Accessibility of essential and quality services (healthcare/education/employment)
Key cause 8: Level of skill among women workers
Key cause 9: Availability of alternative scope of livelihood
Key cause 10. Average age of marriage and child bearing
Key cause 11: Average size of a family. Gap between last two births
Key cause 12: No. of earning members in a family

Key impact 1: What is the extent of domestic violence in tea gardens?

Key impact 2: How many women have migrated in an unsafe manner and currently have no
connections with the family?
Key impact 3: Incidence of maternal deaths or infant deaths
Key impact 4: Incidence of dowry deaths
Key impact 5: Incidence of sexual abuse at workplace
Key impact 6: Decision making power of women
Key impact 7: Incidence of gender disparity- pay gap
Key impact 8: Incidence of child marriage/early marriage/elopement
Key Impact 9: Cases of suicide

Key output 1: Number of women affected by GBV

Key output 2: Number of women affected by sexual violence
Key output 3: Number of women affected by IPV
Key output 4: Number of women who went “missing”
Key output 5: Number of untended abortions and unintended pregnacies
Key output 6: Number of dropouts
Key output 7 :Number of women skilled and working
Key output 8: Number of women who use family planning measures and have knowledge.
Key output 9: Number of women having freedom to make informed choice regarding
health/education/employment

1. Source of Information : Primary data-Women and Men tea garden workers/Members of ,

Secondary data- Literature review.
2. Methodology of collection : Quantitative (household questionnaire) and qualitative
(Focus group discussion, In Depth interviews)
3. Capability Required : Female investigators for women-respondents and male
investigators for male-respondents.
4. Timeframe: Survey time frame
5. Resource required: Field investigators and supervisors.

Ethical Considerations: All SVRI and WBDM supported projects must have ethical approval. State if
your project has ethical approval, or if ethical approval is pending, or if ethical approval will be
sought if funding is granted (and from where). Outline the ethical considerations specific to your
project. (6000 characters).

Capacity Statement: Please detail previous experience / expertise in building evidence for GBV
prevention and response in low and middle income countries. If the project is being done in
partnership, please outline the distribution of responsibilities among co-applicants. Also detail the
expertise/experience of your institution in managing similar types of projects. (8000 characters).

Please provide an overall description of the entire project. It should include a brief statement of the
need or problem being addressed, the methodology(s) to be employed in accomplishing the tasks
outlined, project goals or expected outcomes, the time duration, and the approximate cost. Not to
exceed 3000 characters, including spaces.

India is one of the major tea producers and exporter in the world. To work in the tea gardens,
labors were indentured from various places. But the laborers were subjected to inhuman
conditions of living and the women labors faced gender discrimination since ages. Most of the
tea gardens workers suffer from the rampant hunger, poverty and unemployment, problems like
illiteracy, drop-out, malnutrition, and various incurable diseases and combined with the effect of
vulnerabilities of trafficking of children and women in particular. West Bengal comprises a huge
tea belt and has experienced more and less of this kind of traumatic experience from the past
few years. It has been noticed that some of the northern districts of West Bengal like Jalpaiguri
and Darjeeling became relatively backward in economic prosperity because of the closure of tea
gardens which initiate some social ills among which genderbased violence which constitute the
domestic violence,sexual abuse, trafficking etc became dominant.So the problem statement
identified for the research is: Due to absence of awareness and accessibility of rights &
requiredlegislative policies and an supporting & enabling envionment in the community, women
in tea gardens of West Bengal experience various forms of violence which has an impact in
their emotional and physical well being and status of life.

The aim of the research study is to find out the causes and effective approaches to address
VAW in tea gardens of West Bengal. Through random sampling , 27 tea estates are chosen
from hill, duars and terai region of West Bengal. Among the selected 27 tea estates, 7 are open,
9 are sick, 8 a re closed and rest are abandoned.The total number of households in 27 tea
estates are 25224. A 10% of the total household i.e. 2522 household will be taken for the
household interview. Both qualitative and quantitative study will be conducted in the gardens.
Households from the teagarden and the required stakeholders (details provided in the
stakeholder matrix in research uptake)will be interviewed.

The theory of change identified for the project is: If women have an enabling environment which
is aware of and upholds their rights and entitlements, and they have access to and use of
services which prevent, respond, and support to VAW, and if issues which marginalize women
are addressed and dismantled, then incidence of VAW will be significantly reduced.

The major outcomes of the project is understanding the causes and implications of VAW in tea
gardens of West Bengal and sharing of the fundings with other social purpose organizations &
policy makers so that they can formulate or reform legislative policies against VAW.

Provide between 1-5 key outcomes that this project aims to achieve. The project outcomes must lie
within the scope of the project and be clear and concise.

Anticipated Outcome How will you measure the outcome

Understand causes of ● No of women aware about their rights and entitlements.

violence against women ● Level of literacy among women.
● No of households where alcohol is consumed daily.
and identify responses ● Average income and expenditure of the family.
(non-COVID + COVID-19) ● Average hh size.
● No of earning members
● No of women aware about SRH
● No of women having alternative skill
● No of women married before 18 yrs

Understand ● No of women faced sexual abuse in work

impact/implications of ● No of women faced domestic violence
violence against women ● No of women had children before reaching 18yrs.
● No of maternal deaths in the estate
and identify responses
● No of infant deaths in the estate.
(non-COVID + COVID-19) ● No of “missing” cases in the estate

Understand outcomes of ● No of women who are aware and could use FP

violence against women measures
and identify responses ● No of women who are sterilized.
● No of women who have decision making power.
(non-COVID + COVID-19)
● No of women who could use their own earned money.
● No of women who migrated for work
● No of women who want to migrate for work.
● No of suicide cases in last one year
● No of unintended pregnancies/abortions in last 2 years.

Social purpose ● Awareness and use of SRH services

organisations develop ● Availability of PHCs and registered practitioners.
propositions informed by the ● Level of education and availability of creche facility.
● Number of SHGs operations
research to strengthen on-
● Number of women availed loan through SHG
going work / design and ● No of women who want to learn other skills and choice
develop VAW/VAC work of skills
and support services
 The findings will provide result. This is not a measurable
outcome.

Outcomes of research
provide evidence for
advocacy to all relevant
stakeholders.