The Lok Manch (People’s Forum), a significant Jesuit initiative established in 2014, is dedicated to empowering marginalized and voiceless communities across India. The forum’s core mission is to promote social justice, ensure legal entitlements, and foster grassroots empowerment for those often left behind.
A Unified Platform for Change
Lok Manch serves as an inclusive and secular platform, uniting individuals, governments, corporations, civil society, and grassroots communities to address the pressing needs of the poor and marginalized. The initiative specifically focuses on vulnerable groups, including Dalits, Adivasis/tribals, minority groups, the urban and rural poor, women, and farmers. By empowering community leaders and strengthening grassroots organizations, Lok Manch enhances access to essential state entitlements.
This work directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
Vision and Goals for an Inclusive India
The Vision of Lok Manch is to help build an egalitarian, just, inclusive, democratic, and secular society in India.
Its Mission is to drive social transformation through training, socially relevant research, and policy engagement. The ultimate Goal is twofold:
- Ensure marginalized groups receive the full state social benefits to which they are legally entitled.
- Advocate for local, state, and national government institutions to become more inclusive and democratic.
Lok Manch partners with like-minded groups, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), human rights groups, and ecological movements to achieve integral development for these communities.
Nationwide Impact and Local Collaboration
The Lok Manch program boasts a wide reach, operating in nearly 16 states across India and involving 18 Jesuit provinces. It successfully collaborates with more than 100 religious, diocesan, and lay organizations.
These collective efforts have been vital in advocating for better access to social security benefits and the protection of people’s rights to land and food at the district and state levels. The program also prioritizes addressing necessities in regions facing severe environmental challenges, such as dry lands heavily dependent on rainfall.
The Congregation of Jesus, Mary, Joseph (JMJ) in the Bangalore Province has been actively collaborating with Lok Manch in Bijapur, Karnataka, since 2014. Together with other religious congregations, they form a unified force to raise awareness and provide holistic support, addressing social, educational, and economic needs for sustainable development, especially for groups such as the Devadasi community in the region.
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