Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi and Shruti Nagvanshi, founders of PVCHR, have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to achieve peace and international co-operation; particularly for their initiative to end the use of patriarchy and caste system as the source of war, fascism, and armed conflict.
The nomination is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working against fascist forces, for peace and reconciliation in India and South Asia.
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Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi and Shruti Nagvanshi, who lead People’s Vigilance Committee for Human Rights (PVCHR), have been confronting and building campaigns against hegemonic masculinity, in all its forms, including its link to the patriarchy and caste system associated with the Indian society.
Academicians, intellectuals and activists have come forward to nominate Dr Raghuvanshi and Nagvanshi and the PVCHR for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022.
While writing the online nomination to the Chairperson and jury members of Norwegian Nobel Committee, Dr Vinod Kumar Singh, associate professor in the department of social work, Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramoday University (MGCGV), emphatically puts forth:
“Nomination of Lenin, Shruti and PVCHR shall promote Nobel’s idea of a peaceful world order, above all through global cooperation on disarmament, international law and strong international institutions, and further mindful that patriarchal/masculinist and militarist traditions are important in keeping the world locked in a war system instead of the co-operative, peace culture. I strongly nominate them for their efforts to combat masculinity-driven militarist traditions; for their contribution to bettering conditions for peace in the world; and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of masculinity-driven militarist traditions as a weapon of war and conflict.”
Why Was The PVCHR Founded?
The PVCHR was founded by the both in 1996 as an inclusive social movement that challenges patriarchy and caste in India, by advocating for the marginalised sections of the Indian society.
By embracing a neo-Dalit approach, “The PVCHR brings together Indians of all backgrounds, including Dalits and Adivasis, in order to dismantle caste and promote diversity. Now, the PVCHR has 72,000 members working against caste discrimination, across five states.”
They believe that eliminating corporate fascism, sectarianism, and conflict, based on hegemonic masculinity and war, is a major pre-condition to creating a better world. Raghuvanshi called for establishing a Neo-Dalit movement in 2011, to end the caste system.
In south Asia, this innovative approach to conflict resolution ends the use of patriarchy and caste as causes of war, fascism and armed conflict based on hegemonic masculinity.
Putting their personal safety at risk, they have courageously fought fascism. Through the application of international law, they have sought justice for the victims, bringing about the fraternity of nations.
Raghuvanshi correctly said hat, “Human security built on inclusiveness and justice, is one of the main factors for stable peace built on resilience and humane relationships.”
Human Rights Are Important
Raghuvanshi believes that inclusiveness and justice are important factors for building sustainable peace, based on continuity and humane relations.
It is certain that their work will strengthen the cause of human dignity in India, which is the second-most populous country in the world and has one of the world’s largest economies.
A stable, peaceful and prosperous India will have many positive side effects, and will strengthen fraternity among the people and nations in the region: a great step towards a better and more peaceful world.
Early experiences taught them confrontation was dangerous and ineffective as an emancipatory tool. The greater they understood that caste played a role in all kinds of conflict, the greater they wanted to do something about it.
Therefore, they envisioned a movement that could break the closed, feudal hierarchies in conservative villages and slums, by building up local institutions and supporting them with a high-profile and active human rights network.
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This article was originally published here.