• During 29-30 August 2022, SW-TN, PAALAM along with Co-organizers AKAM, Action Aid and Keystone Foundation organized the 8th Civil Society Consultation for Scheduled Tribes (ST) at Dhyana Ashram. Representatives from various Tribal Organizations across many Districts and Government Officers actively participated and highlighted the needs and concerns of ST People. Mr. Annadurai, Director - Department of Tribal Welfare – Government of Tamilnadu joined and noted the recommendations given by the Tribal Activists. (There were about 30 women and 109 men – in total 139 participants.) Click here for detailed report.

 

• On 28^th December 2021, Ms. Rajeshwari participated in ‘The Review Meeting on the implementation of Scheduled Tribes and Other traditional Dwellers (recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006) in the Nilgiris Constituency’ at Thamizhagam, Ooty. Chief Guest - Thiru. A Raja, Member of Parliament, Minister of Adi Dravidar & Tribal Welfare and Collectors of Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode also participated to plan for empowering the Tribal People by Forest Rights Affairs.  

• On 29^th & 30^th November 2021, SWTN along with PAALAM, AKAM, ASSET, NAWA, ADIVASI FOUNDATION; organized A State Level “CIVIL SOCIETY CONSULTATION ON TRIBAL SUB PLAN” at Dhyana Ashram, CHENNAI.

• On 21^st August 2021, Fr.Kumar presented a session on “Government Schemes for Tribals in  Tamilnadu” during the seminar on ‘World Tribal Day’; Organized by Integrated Centre for Tribal Research Resource and Rehabilitation (ICTRRR), Villupuram.

• On 10^th July 2021, SWTN along with Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) hosted the ‘First Online Discussion on SC/ST Issues at Anna University’.

• On 27^th June 2021, SWTN along with Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) hosted a DISCUSSION with “Tamilnadu State Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Revenue Officers Association (TNSC-ST ROA)”; To prepare our DEMANDS to the New Government.

• On 24^th June 2021, Fr.Kumar along with Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd)  organized a Online Discussion with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) – On Concerns in Implementation of PVTG schemes, Running of Tribal Schools by Tribes, New Proposals of Schemes – And facilitated the grassroots to present their Demands to Director Tribal Development.

• On 27^th May 2021, SWTN and Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) organized a Discussion with ‘Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups- PVTG’. The key concerns discussed were: 1. What schemes to propose for the coming budget? 2. Proposals for PVTG schemes. 3. Issues in implementation of PVTG schemes. 4. Running of Tribal schools by tribes. Ms. Usha, Joint Director of Tribal Welfare Department actively responded to the key concerns raised by the people. All the key Recommendations discussed were submitted to Tribal Welfare Director, Government of Tamilnadu.

• On 22^nd April 2021, from Social Watch - Tamilnadu, Rev Fr John Kumar (Director), Ms.Nivetha S R  (Field Coordinator) along with Fr Williams (Director) Jesuit Migrants Service (JMS) and Mr.Albert Jeyakumar (Field Coordinator, JMS) visited 5 Irula settlements in Thiruvallur district to assess their needs and form a nodal centre at the district. (The Jesuit Chennai Province has been recently bifurcated from Madurai Province. The Jesuits have been serving the underprivileged people through their ministries and Social Action centres for many decades. After the evolution of the Chennai Province, the nearby districts such as Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Villupuram etc are concentrated to do welfare activities for the SC & ST population.)

 

During December 2020, SWTN along with PAALAM, published a compilation on “UNDISCLOSED FACTS of SC/ST” and circulated amongst Thousand Stakeholders.

On 14^th December 2020, SWTN hosted the zoom Discussion with Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) on BUDGET ADVOCACY - for the ST & SC activists in Pondicherry.

On 4^th December 2020, SWTN hosted the zoom meeting for Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) to Discuss on "Regularising Temporary Tribal Teachers".

On 24^th and 25^th October 2020, SWTN along with PAALAM, Irular Tribal  Foundation organized a Consultation for “Irular Panchayat Presidents” at AICUF House, Nungambakkam, Loyola, Chennai.

On 29^th August 2020, SWTN organized an online planning meeting to form a federation for SC/ST Panchayat Presidents in Tamilnadu; Co- Organized by Social Awareness Society for Youth – SASY, human Resource Development Forum – HRDF, National Adivasis Solidarity Council – NASC, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights – NCDHR.

On 3^rd July 2020, SWTN along with PAALAM, AGAM, ST, Irular Association organized a Meeting for Irular Tribes Panchayat Presidents at AICUF House, Nungambakkam, Chennai. There were representation across many districts in Tamilnadu. Mr. Christudas Gandhi IAS (Retd) was the key resource person.

SW-TN in collaboration with PAALAM, AKAM, ASSET, NAWA, ADIVASI FOUNDATION organized a "Civil Society Consultation on TRIBAL SUB PLAN" on 10th January 2019 at Asha Nivas, Chennai. 

SW-TN in collaboration with PAALAM, Internation Institute of Tamil Studies and Panuval organized a "Tribal Civil Society Consultation" during 26-27 July 2018 at IITS, Taramani, Chennai. Click here to view the detailed report.

SW-TN in collaboration with PAALAM organized a "Civil Society Consultation on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) in Tamilnadu” during 8 - 9 February 2018 at Dhyana Ashram, Santhome, Chennai. Click here to view the detailed report.

SW-TN in collaboration with PAALAM, ASSET and ‘civil society organizations’ organized a ‘State level Consultation on Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) in Tamil Nadu’  on 18th April 2017 at State Planning Commission Conference Hall, Ezhilagam, Chennai. Click here to view the detailed report.

Fr.John Kumar, Director of SW-TN, presented a paper on “Upholding Rights of the Tribal Child Tamil Nadu” during the ‘Round Table on Public Policy and the Child in Tamil Nadu’ organized by The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy and UNICEF on September 2, 2017 at Hindu Board Room, Anna Salai. Fr. Kumar, Director, Social Watch-Tamil Nadu, calls for pointed interventions for the Tribal child, presenting findings from a case study of Kaadar children. (Click here to refer the detailed paper.) Excerpts: …Though Tamil Nadu still can claim that a child born here has better opportunities compared with one born in many other States, this broadly justifiable claim is put to the test when children living in the margins are not able to keep pace with the rest of the population, because of want of focus through specific provisions of budgets and institutional approaches. Currently these are not inclusive enough with respect to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)… Highlighting the above study, further in-depth coverage was flashed in The Hindu Newspaper on 11th November 2017. Click here to refer the newsarticle.

SW-TN in collaboration with Tamilnadu State Planning Commission and Network organizations has organized two State Level Consultations on Tribal Sub Plan during March 4th 2015 and 30th November 2015. (Please click the respective links for detailed reports)