An Appeal for volunteer contribution to PMARC: Dalit Media Advocacy Initiative!

An Appeal for volunteer contribution to PMARC: Dalit Media Advocacy Initiative!

Dear Friends

Greetings From PMARC !

After a longish spell of more than 11 months, we are again compelled by circumstances to make an open appeal for contribution to all of you to sustain the intervention –Dalits Media Advocacy&'Dalit Media Watch'.

From last six month we are facing very crucial situations and again we are under huge debt. Our organizational activities, personal and family life are facing huge crises.

Without support from you all, civil society, empowered section of Dalits, Dalits national & International networks & platform it is become very hard for us to continue our intervention . It is responsibility of each one of us as an individual to take up this challenge and do as maximum possible contribution from your end.

PMARC is regularly monitoring mainstream media for cases related to Dalits and, disseminating them through our E-Group, "Dalits Media Watch". Most of you are aware about this.

This purposeful intervention of PMARC was initiated in January, 2007 and, till date thousands of cases has been registered by NHRC alone, besides other commissions. The registration of cases by NHRC implies that FIR is filed and ensures that the victims get immediate relief/compensation and protection and, that the accused are arrested.

It is, however, to be noted that NHRC registered 101 complaints of atrocities and discrimination against Dalits on a single day: 14^th September, 2014 and, made us complainants on the basis of our news updates.

It is a just an example that how our intervention converting in to the positive results in favor of victims of caste base atrocities and discrimination..

To sensitize and make aware mainstream media, civil society, mainstream society about the suffering of Dalits due to caste are objectives of PMARC. These results shows impact of our interventions.

'Dalit Media Watch'reaching about 3.5 lakh people in 72 countries on daily basis. Here follows a fact sheet of this intervention during past six months (January to June, 2015):

Besides, a program of developing profile of Dalit activists – 'Dalit Speaks' was initiated in the year 2011. So far, we have about 130 such video films being used in mass/social movements. These all film are available on You Tube.

Since Jan 2007 PMARC also conducts 150 capacity building workshops( formal& informal) with grass-root activists with the idea of equipping them with necessary skills of media advocacy. We have also developed a complete videography unit. Gradually, over the years, this unit evolved into a small Resource Centre for media professionals/activists, researchers, intellectuals, mainstream media and human rights organizations etc.

Many more universities national & International, researchers, national & International human rights commission, organizations are using our data base and resources.

PMARC become a core resources center for journalists from mainstream media and intellectuals and we are facilitating them on regular basis.

Last year on August 2014 in response of our appeal some of concern individuals has came forward and extended a bit support. We are thankful to an alumni from JNU and now IAS from UP cedar officer has rescued PMARC from huge debt partially. He came forward as a huge relief which made us to continue our intervention.

 We are thankful to all our friends and well-wishers who extended support and solidarity which has given a bit relief to relieve from some part of debt.

We owe all this to our contributors and users. You all made it possible. It is indeed a comradely enterprise.

Now, after a longish spell of more than 11 months, we are again compelled by circumstances to make an open appeal of financial support to all of you to sustain the intervention – Dalits Media Advocacy&'Dalit Media Watch'.

We also feel the necessity of sharing our recurring monthly expenses:

§  Office rent: Rs15,000 ( Including electic bill)

§  Communication/internet: Rs 10,000

§  Travel (volunteers and audio-visual unit): Rs. 20,000

§  Honorarium (04 persons)

§  Other Expense Rs. 10,000

Dear friends !

PMARC is an execlusive and only platform working on the issue of Dalits Media Advocacy having strong visible oout comes in hand. Therefore We appeal you all to come forward and join us.

Please contribute !!!!!!!!

Warm regards

Arun Khote

Our Bank details are: