By Silvanus Lamin

BARCIK believes in a pluralistic society and wants to facilitate community people practicing democratic cultures and norms. A pluralistic society is a diverse one, where the people in it believe in all kinds of different things and tolerate each other’s beliefs even when they don’t match their own. A pluralistic society ensures the equal participation of both men and women in all sorts of family and society levels’ decision-making process that relate their life and livelihood. It also ensures and encourages democratic cultures and practices among the people in the society either they are men or women. This society ensures social justice and paves way for the emergence of enlightened citizens.

However, it is not an easy job to contribute in establishing a pluralistic society. Pluralism is a broad concept and it requires the supports and assistances of other social actors to ensure its practice in society. As said before, if the characteristics of pluralistic society prevail in any given society people of those society respect each other views and harmonized relationship gets established where all sorts of violence will be absent. Nonetheless, BARCIK through its different activities has been making efforts to encourage community people practicing democratic norms in their family and society level which is one of the perquisites of pluralistic society. In doing so, the organization facilitated dialogues, intergenerational conference; seminar on cultural discrimination & social conflict ensuring the participation of both men and women including the young generation. Besides, the organization organized campaigns to ensure quality education, reduce violence against women and girls as well as publishes different publication both print and digital to persuade the policymakers and create mass opinion on formulating policies and guidelines that safeguard women and girls and promote their rights and access.

As result of the constant facilitation made by BARCIK people in its working areas are now comparatively have better understanding on social justices and democratic norms which are important for establishing pluralistic society. They try to allot space for women and girls in daily family affairs and decision making process. On the other hand, youth and other social actors (representatives of social and cultural organizations) get involved in campaigns to stop violence against women, girls, and other life forms. This resulted in the declined women and girls violence in the working areas of BARCIK. The organization also implements a project in Manikhonj which directly focuses on women empowerment through establishment of pluralistic society Additionally, the youth get involved in campaigns for eradicating illiteracy, reduce the number of drop out students, the community people are encouraged and motivated to send their kids to schools. Thus, poor households have access to public and private services and facilities. Their access to those services and facilities enables them to develop a realization on the importance of pluralism and democratic practices in society.

Another aspect of the intention to contribute in establishing pluralistic society is that this society firmly considers women issues and allows spaces for women to take initiatives for addressing their problems by themselves. BARCIK discussed gender issue in different meetings and dialogues by which the important messages of gender roles, issues and development are shared to wider audience and policymakers. Thus, it has been seen that representatives of local elected bodies, local administration and farmers’ realizing the importance of women contribution in overall aspects of development did try to ensure friendly environment for women to continue their efforts for solving their problems and improving their livelihood.

BARCIK hopes if such women and girl friendly environment prevails in its working areas someday the organization could have the ability to initiate a greater alliances and network which will educate the general mass and persuade the state authority to formulate guidelines and policies that accelerate the journey towards establishing pluralistic society where all human-beings are respected irrespective of their races, classes, sex and religions.