Pragya’s seminal research into the variety and distribution of Himalayan medicinal plants, as well as regional desertification processes and the threats to ecosystems from human development, has equipped us with the knowledge and insights to advocate and network effectively at all levels of society. At the grassroots, Pragya activates communities to engage in conservation actions for the protection and preservation of local habitats, and connects smallholding medicinal plants producers with local buyers, cutting out unscrupulous intermediaries. To promote larger-scale trade and regional trading networks, we establish and support farmer cooperatives to pool together medicinal plants produce for bulk supply to the market, enabling access to major buyers, whilst training these cooperatives in the collective bargaining principles necessary to secure fair prices for their produce.

Pragya has also organised and hosted national-level, multi-stakeholder workshops and forums with high-level officials, to promote understanding and discourse surrounding threats to Himalayan ecosystems and biodiversity. Pragya’s research has been influential in government policy development, with our Himalayan cold deserts research informing the national Desert Development Programme, whilst our medicinal and aromatic plants research across six Himalayan states impacted the programming of the National Medicinal Plants Board of the Government of India.

Building on the success of the initial DMS Himalaya Consultative Workshop, Pragya has continued to advocate DMS-Himalaya in various contexts and forums. A notable highlight, in April 2018 Pragya was invited to contribute to a high-profile international CBDRM workshop hosted by Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. This followed Pragya’s submission of DMS-Himalaya as a case study of a CBDRM model, which was selected by the workshop hosts and partners as one of the best cases in Asia. The workshop sought to identify critical success factors of sustainable CBDRM, and to assess ways in which CBDRM models can be scaled up and institutionalised. Pragya championed the pioneering DMS-Himalaya at the workshop, and contributed key insights to the wider discussion through recommending best practices based on our projects and extensive grassroots implementation experience.

Pragya India organised a Multi-stakeholder National Workshop on "Lessons Learnt in Primary Prevention of Violence against Women of Ethnic Minority Communities" in New Delhi to share the lessons learnt in the pilot districts of a project it implemented across 5 states. The workshop drew participation from institutions working to address violence against women, including government departments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, academia, and international development organizations. Participants represented UNICEF, Breakthrough, Centre for Women’s Development Studies, Institute of Social Studies Trust, Nirantar, IProbono, Center for Social Research, NCPCR, Nav Srishti and academic institutions such as Ambedkar University and Jawaharlal Nehru University as well as several local NGOs from target states. Field staff and community members from pilot districts joined the workshop to share their experiences. Ms. Ratna M. Sudarshan, Trustee and Former Director, Indian Social Studies Trust, New Delhi was the Guest of Honour for the multi-stakeholder national workshop.

As part of the model piloted by Pragya, campaigns have been conducted. In each district, Mentors have been trained in violence prevention, they prioritize the issues that the district need to focus on and campaigns to be conducted. Every district had come up with their own specific issues such as witch hunting, child marriage which the mentors have focused on. Over 15000 individuals in communities have been reached through our campaigns.

Women Peer Groups (WPGs) had been created. Hundred Women Peer Groups have been created in 10 districts and three leaders from different age groups have been selected from each of these groups so that the message goes out to the whole community. These leaders have been trained and they have been given materials and tools from various organizations such as Jagori, UN, Nirantar, Breakthrough. These tools are very simplified and useful. These tools have been further customized to the needs of the districts. There are 3039 women as part of the Women Peer Groups. Support group networks have been created of organizations and individuals drawn from Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), civils society and law enforcement agencies. They have been trained and sensitized to bring a change in their thinking and engagement. 300 panchayat, 60 state agency members and over 60 CSO members are part of this network. For surveillance data is collected from every panchayat on through the Empowerment Centres every quarter. Data is received from 300 panchayats on domestic violence, water and sanitation, education and various other sectors. Interagency Task Force (IATF) consisting of government department and various civil society organizations analyze the data and discuss the way forward for different issues. Over 250 policy makers and opinion shapers and 30 lawyers and judges are part of the IATF.

Analysis of the data from 10 district level lessons learning workshops revealed that awareness / knowledge has transpired into recognizable attitude shifts and have transformed into concrete actions. Further, the power of the collective is displayed in that far greater change visible in the collective than in individuals. These details were shared and deliberated on at the national workshop.

Pragya Kenya participated at the first substantive session of the ad hoc open-ended working group by UNEP “Towards a Global Pact for the Environment” that took place in Nairobi in January 2019. The opening and the conduct of the first substantive session was presided over by the two co-chairs of the ad hoc open-ended working group, who had been appointed by the President of the General Assembly: the Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations, Amal Mudallali, and the Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, Francisco Duarte Lopes. Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Principal State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya made a welcoming statement attending the session.

On day-2 of the event, due to limited time accorded to non-state actors, the participants decided on having sessions outside official hours so as to present a consolidated submission on behalf of all civil society actors. It was in this forum that Pragya shared its concerns on various aspects of the UN secretary general's report. The inputs were shared with the delegates through a presentation made by a representative, who compiled concerns raised by all NGOs (having consultative status with UN ECOSOC) participating at the event.