Community needs assessment among the Gujjars in Northern India.

The perceived needs of the Gujjars of northern India were investigated in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab, India. The purpose of this study was to provide baseline data on the Gujjars who migrate to and from the states of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh by assessing their basic human needs within Johan Holmberg's sustainable development framework. These baseline data were gathered using a Needs Assessment Survey that represents approximately seventy-five Gujjar families who suffer problems of under-representation and social, economic and geographic marginalization. The analysis encompassed in the approach, defined as advocacy anthropology, suggested that the Gujjars do perceive a need for development and advocacy, specifically in the areas of education, land distribution, medical access, freedom from exploitation, political empowerment, and relief from poverty.