#Measurement, and #Monitoring and #dataEvaluation, has been getting increasing importance, having started in the market sphere and now also in the NGO field.
The community has always measured and monitored itself by different methods. Perhaps, these methods don't match with the technical and so-called mainstream terms. But when I observe the nomadic community, their migration, routes, survival methods, I find that these are their methods of measurement. More so in context of Mental health, when we speak of monitoring and evaluation, we need to ask that who will do this, and for what purpose. The simple answer to this question is that the community will do this for itself, for its own development, with its ownership and agency .
That is, there needs to be a blueprint for the community having the right and control over its own measurement. Because many a times, the validity or power to validate community-based research, remains in the hands of the powerful.
Due to language and technical barriers, or rather these barriers are even created so that the community cannot access and lead their own research which will be accepted. What steps can we take to make this process more organic and natural, that is community centric, with their practices and leadership.
Also, in context of measurement of Mental health interventions , mental health itself is not isolated but intersections of caste, migration, gender, land ownership, water, scholarship, disaster, climate change, environmental impact, criminalization and so on, have very deep impacts. Keeping this in mind, I believe it is very important that Constitution, Feminism, and Human rights perspective, along with the perspectives and stands given to us by the Anti caste social revolutions, for eg that of pioneering leader Savitribai Phule, informs community measurements and research. History reclaiming from point of view of Nomadic and Denotified Tribes, Adivasi, Dalit communities, and thus positing mental health as a historical #justice issue, is necessary.
#Decolonising #mentalhealth is very important, and one of the first steps for this is adoption of community centric languages, practices, knowledge - by their leadership.
For the funding community, developing a Grassroot perspective and accountability for community centric mental health will help in identification of power and privileges, and thus moving towards sensitivity and solidarity.
thanks you Shinjini Singh for this opportunity. Ami Misra wonderful moderating 💕
Natasha Joshi Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies Big Congratulations for this Amazing And thoughtful #Manostava
and Thanks for this open space for expression.
