Kadam Badhate Chalo
Collective footsteps to address sexual and gender-based violence
Collective footsteps to address sexual and gender-based violence
Young people around the world are navigating significant transitions in their lives. In the midst of these transitions, they continue to show remarkable energy, creativity, and a strong desire to shape a better future. Time and again, young people have shown that they are ready to step up, emerging as powerful voices and active participants in the movement for social justice.
Kadam Badhate Chalo, Martha Farrell Foundation’s flagship programme, is built on this very potential. It brings together adolescents, communities, institutions, authorities and civil society organisations to take collective action against sexual and gender-based violence by equipping them with the space, tools, and skills to recognise and address violence.
For nearly ten years, the programme has worked hand-in-hand with young people across India – nurturing leadership, building role models, and co-creating everyday solutions to tackle sexual and gender-based violence. By partnering with institutions and empowering youth, Kadam Badhate Chalo is fostering a generation that leads with courage, compassion, and commitment to a more just world.
adolescent partners
institutional partnerships
Under the Kadam Badhate Chalo programme, youth fellows from across the country are selected to participate in Antargoonj, a three-day residential leadership workshop held in Delhi.
Antargoonj workshop offers the fellows a powerful space to connect with one another, build a sense of community, and grow as leaders. Through immersive sessions, they engage in intensive training designed to deepen their understanding of key issues, strengthen their advocacy skills, and sharpen their leadership abilities. This is both a celebration of youth voices and a catalyst for action in the ongoing fight against sexual and gender-based violence.
“After the Kadam Badhate Chalo program, I believe the stigma attached with “agar hum ladki hai toh hame aise karna hai” has been lifted. I had ‘boyish’ habits earlier, and I thought I had to see a doctor, but now I realize it’s completely normal. Also, now, if someone tries to harass me, I know how to take action against it. I understood my capabilities and my flaws as well.” Anandita (16), Bhubaneswar, Odisha
“Whoever I am, it is because of Kadam Badhate Chalo. I want to be a social worker one day. My father is also a social worker and I like his thinking. It overlaps with what we learn in KBC as well. I want to work for the development of slum areas, and better education should be provided in those areas.” Biswapriya (14), Bhubaneswar, Odisha
“There are gender roles assigned to males and females that are not natural or normal, and we should raise our voices against them. I have changed a lot because of Kadam Badhate Chalo. I have learned to speak up at home as well, and tell my parents if they’re doing something wrong. I told them that my brother should be equally aware of how to cook, not just me.” Aaliya (16), Pawti, Haryana
“When I came to Delhi for Antargoonj, I learned and realised for the first time that gender discrimination doesn’t just happen around us, it also happens in our own homes. The experience helped me reflect on how in many ways, I too have been perpetrating gender bias and discrimination and what I can do to change myself and my family.” Sheila (14), Jharkhand
