Untitled Document

WOMEN OPEN SCHOOL (WOS)

Women Open School was constituted to train the rural cotton pickers (women) to aware them agianst pesticide risks. Women Open School approach is same with FFS aproach as its education method is non-formal where 25 to 30 women attend 2-3 hour weekly sessions at village. WOS is a forum to train rural women on pesticide exposure and risk reduction within their traditional, cultural and socio-economic setup.

WOS involves participatory approach where the information flows both ways: facilitator-participants. There are group activities, role plays, demonstrations, making pictorial charts, group dynamics etc. The main idea is learning by doing, hence participants themselves work in the field to clearly understand the concepts.

WOS Objective

1- Awareness about the pesticides risk reduction

2- Awareness about the ways in which women, childrens and men are exposed to pesticides in agricultural production as well as differential unsafe patterns of pesticide application.

3- Information to women about pesticides, increases understanding of impacts of use and improved agricultural practices and consumer habits which reduce exposures.

4- Create awareness among rural women about the negative health and environmental impacts of use of pesticides and alternatives of pesticides.

5- Transfer of necessary skills to the rural women so that they can take action at the family and village level to reduce these risks.

6- Organize women in village level organizations.

7- Build a team of women facilitators able to work for rural development projects in future.