OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Magical tricks have always been used by magicians for entertainment, but of late they are being used for other purposes also, for instance to sensitize communities on various developmental and gender related issues.

The Indian Institute of Young Inspirers organized a workshop at the India Social Forum on the 11th November 2006. The workshop focused on sharing creative ideas through magical tricks and puzzles to initiate discussion on sensitive issues among communities. It targeted social practitioners who are involved in creating community awareness through trainings advocating for attitudinal change among communities.

Thinking out of the box, it is not necessary that all boxes have to open the same way. It can be different indicating that we can move divergently in the ways we think and talk about gender, and in our attitudes towards women. The idea that a small box required a special technique to be opened, related to the fact that one needs to think out of the box to deal with gender related issues.

In an interesting trick, two similar - looking white feathered rings were taken and then they were turned to red, blue, and purple on demand of the audience. Taking this as an example, a relation was drawn to the fact that when born as babies, a boy and a girl are equal. But later the society moulds the two according to its demands and thus brings about a difference between them.

Games like “tower of patriarchy” and “pack of playing cards” were used to depict the age old customs and practices followed in decision-making by women, right from birth to education, health, family and reproduction.

Another trick, “bowl of demand” was used to initiate a discussion on sensitive issues like dowry. In the trick, a bowl was used, which had a hole for air pressure. It was filled with water and the water used to be released little by little water through the hole. Through this trick it was explained that the demand for dowry is never ending and once given it has always to be given.

‘Opportunities and Obstacles’ was a game of dice which was played through a series of questions by two teams representing male and female. The answers would be yes or no to questions like, ‘will I get a chance to see the world if I am a girl,’ or ‘will I be able to pursue a career of my choice,’ or on decision making etc. This game depicted that the male team always scores more and they are able to move up the ladder at the cost of the female team which has to go down for them.

After presentation of these games and tricks, participants discussed various other issues where such tricks could be used - like peer pressure, adolescent health, etc. Mention was also made of the need to change attitudes from the very beginning. The resource persons Mr. Manish Kumar and Ms. Vasuda Arora from the Indian Institute of Young Inspirers have been working as peer counselors and educators since April 1993 and have encouraged youth to conduct innovative and meaningful activities for creating awareness on development issues in urban and rural areas. Vasuda said that such methodology helps to break monotony, increase community participation, and encourage youth to be a part of the development sector. In addition to that, these creative activities help in a better understanding of the issues and developing solutions for them.

To know more about the Indian Institute of Young Inspirers, visit : www.iiyi.org