The Department of Social Work at Jamia Millia Islamia hosted an insightful extension lecture on the pressing issue of housing and homelessness on August 19, 2024. The speaker, Mr. Sandeep Chachra is the Executive Director of ActionAid Association, a renowned social anthropologist, and development activist. Mr. Chachra's extensive experience in supporting peasant movements across Asia and Africa and his advisory role on homelessness and poverty issues in India (such as National Advisor to the Commissioners of the Supreme Court) made his lecture especially impactful.
He began the lecture by communicating that it was only apt that he was speaking on World Humanitarian Day to an audience of social work students who are globally a key part of first responders in any humanitarian Crisis. The lecture delved into the complexities of urban homelessness and housing rights. Addressing a gathering of students, faculty, and social work professionals, Mr. Chachra raised crucial questions about the very nature of cities and the political constructs that define urban spaces. He posed challenging inquiries such as, "What is a city?" and "Housing should be for whom?" encouraging the audience to critically engage with these fundamental issues.
Mr. Chachra highlighted the intersectionality of class, caste, gender, identity, and climate in the discourse on housing and homelessness. He discussed the ongoing challenges of rehabilitation and dislocation in areas like Bhalswa Dairy and Kalkaji, drawing attention to the plight of marginalized communities. He emphasized the hypocrisy of urban cities wherein the labour of Dalits, daily wage workers, and other marginalized groups is foundational to existence of urban India, yet the ‘city makers’ are forced to live on the peripheries of cities without safe or adequate housing.
The lecture also touched on the agrarian transition, exploring how those who contribute to the city's growth and functionality are often the most vulnerable and excluded. Mr. Chachra urged the students to deepen their understanding of these issues by reading extensively and connecting with organizations working on housing rights and homelessness. Many social work students, who are presently engaged in fieldwork with organizations focusing on these issues, found the discussion particularly resonant. Mr. Chachra's insights provided a profound understanding of the structural inequalities that underpin housing crises in urban India.
The Head of the Department of Social Work, Prof Neelam Sukhramani highlighted the importance of engaging with practitioners like Mr Chachra to enrich and develop an understanding of how social workers can further social justice. The students and faculty members who helped organize the event Dr. Habeebul Rahiman V M (Coordinator BSW Orientation Programme 2024) and Dr. Hem Borker (Extension Lecture Coordinator Social Work and Public Health 2024) thanked the speaker. The Department of Social Work, JMI remains committed to fostering critical dialogue on social issues.
