'Media must become the voice of victimized children'
Kulsum Mustafa
LUCKNOW: "Media must take up cudgels for victimized children. Sans allegiance to any powerful lobby and simply because they are not a vote bank, these children seem to be on nobody’s priority list. Media must speak for them," urged leading human rights advocate Tulika Srivastava.
She asked the media to step forward and ensure through their power that speedy justice is ensured in cases relating to children.
"Justice delayed is justice denied, but in the cases pertaining to children it is truly criminal if their trial is dragged for years. Imagine children losing their childhood in search of justice," said Ms Srivastava who is Founder member and managing trustee of Lucknow based legal NGO- Association for Advocacy on Legal Initiative (AALI).
Ms Srivastava said all this while addressing media persons at the bi-monthly "Media for Children" organized at the Uttar Pradesh Press Club. An initiative of UNICEF and Media Nest, the latter is a forum of media professional working for the welfare of journalists and their families.
These bi-monthly programmes are a capacity building exercise for the media professionals and are arranged to sensitize them so that they can write more sensitively on children’s issue.
Specializing in women’s human rights, child rights and gender issues, Ms Srivastava has worked with international mechanisms for building and expanding normative standards of human rights.
She has led and participated in campaigns to enhance protection for children's rights, and has contributed to the bill on offences against children, which is still pending before the Parliamentary Committee.
She said that while the abandoned and street children, kids of sex workers, child beggars and child prostitute are well covered by the media but the misery of invisible children like those against whom crime is committed or who have to live in prison because their parent is a suspected criminal.
Asserting that children are a government responsibility Ms Srivastava media can play a major role in helping children in difficult situations if they do well researched stories on these issues.
"Your focus should be on systems in against which the children are cast. Media must also focus on state obligations that ensure protection to Child right, to physical integrity and safety, without compromising their fundamental freedoms," she said dwelling on the court procedures, as well as ways in which media interfaces with "critical" cases- the need for its presence, and discretion.
Urging the media to deal with stories involving children rather sensitively she said that the focus must always be on projecting “macro pathos” that will have impact on "micro pathos."
She said that though Uttar Pradesh does not fall in an area which is labeled globally as 'conflict zone' but it still life is difficult for children who live in areas where there are Naxalites like Sonebhadra in Varanasi and violence on religious and caste lines.
She said that writing about these children will ensure that they get protection and security.
Kulsum Talha, senior journalist and secretary general, Media Nest conducted the proceeding of the interaction while senior photo journalist of The Hindu, Subir Roy, presented the vote of thanks.
Kulsum Mustafa
(The author is a senior journalist and Secretary-General of Media Nest)
Published in
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Media for Freedom
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
Bihar and Jharkhand News, Bihar and Jharkhand
A long wait for Independence - special feature article on India's 62nd Independence day eve - 15 August 2009
A long wait for Independence
- special feature article on India's 62nd Independence day eve -
15 August 2009
Jajupur is a village in Sandila Tehsil, P.S. Atrauli, of Hardoi District of UP. 107 dalit landless families were allotted land pattas in 1976 by the Gram Sabha but till today the dalits have not been able to cultivate their fields. The reason is that a politically influential feudal family of the neighbouring village Majhgaon doesn’t give up its control on these lands which it exercises directly or indirectly. Ramchandra Singh’s brother Sri Ram Singh has been the Block Pramukh of Bharawan. They have a third brother Ramendra Singh. Cousin Nagendra Singh’s, who is an advocate too, wife is the Gram Pradhan of Jajupur even though they live in Majhgaon.
As soon as these land plots were allotted to the dalits the landlords planted trees on these pieces of lands so that they could lay a claim on them. They always give the excuse of these trees to assert their control over these lands. For some dalit families their ancestors might have taken some loan from the ancestors of landlords. The unpaid loans, fictitious or real, become an excuse for the landlords to continue holding on to their land.
Whenever a complaint is registered with the authorities, the revenue department officials begin the measurement of land plots afresh. The land is marked and handed over to the dalits every time. But either they are unable to sow or if they display the courage to sow they cannot harvest. The control of land goes back to the landlords. Under political pressure the revenue department officials lack the will to recommend registration of case under the ZALR Act against the encroachers or the police lacks the will to prevent landlords from encroaching after the lands have been handed over to the dalits following a due process.
Recently a dalit youth Rajesh cut two neem trees standing on his land to take care of the expenses required to treat his ailing 3 years old son. A case was registered against four dalits including Rajesh for illegal felling of green trees. Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh took away the driver and the helper on the tractor trolley which had come to take away the cut trees. Both these were also dalits. They were beaten at the house of Ramchandra Singh and then handed over to police. Policeman incharge of investigation in the case M.P. Singh created ruckus in the house of Rajesh when he couldn’t find him to arrest. He broke a cot and portion of the thatched roof. When it was enquired from the SDM whether felling trees was such a serious crime that the police would exercise undue pressure on the family of the accused the SDM responded that the police doesn’t register a case sometimes even on his complaint when whole orchards are cut. Finally Rajesh got relief only after he got bail from the court. But in the meanwhile his child had expired because of neglect of his situation.
A complaint was filed against Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh demanding registration of FIR under the Prevention of atrocities against S.C./S.T. Act and the ZALR Act. However, the landlord family is so powerful that it got action against its members stalled. It is amazing how the politically influential family escapes retribution even after violating serious laws and prompt and decisive action is taken by police against the dalits for felling trees on their own land. And all this is when there is supposed to be a dalit sympathetic government in power in UP and the DGP has issued clear cut instructions that FIR has to be registered against any encroacher on a land belonging to dalit allotted by the Gram Sabha.
About a couple of years back the revenue department had slapped a fine of more than Rs. 14 lakhs on Ramchandra Singh, Chandra Prakash Singh, Nageshwar Singh and others for encroaching upon land allotted to dalits by the Gram Sabha. Two people paid the fine but eleven others were able to obtain a stay order from the court.
Having lost all hope from the system the dalits have now decided that they’ll let the landlords cut all the trees which they claim were planted by them, even though technically the trees belong to the dalits as it is a Gram Sabha land and anybody else cannot lay a claim on it, and in return the landlords would allow them to till the land. The dalits don’t care that they are losing the trees so long as they finally get to become the owners of the land. The powerful landlords, interestingly want a guarantee from the dalits as well as the administration that no case will be registered against them for felling green trees, which is actually illegal.
All revenue department officials feel this is a good compromise practical solution. The dalits also feel that this is probably the best deal they’ll get because chances of them getting the land with the trees are remote given the prevailing circumstances. They are desperate to see after 35 long years the day when they can call the land which belongs to them their own. But this is a travesty of justice. This is a victory of brute muscle and money power and failure of Indian Constitution as well as Law and Order machinery. The police-administration have surrendered to the feudal elements and interests of dalits are not safe even in a dalit sympathetic government. The country may be independent for the past 62 years but these dalit families of Jajupur would not yet testify that they have had a chance to enjoy the fruits of freedom.
[Dr Sandeep Pandey is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for
emergent leadership, member of National Presidium, People's Politics Front (PPF), heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, USA. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people's movements in early 1990s. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo.com. Website: www.citizen-news.org]
Published in
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Rediff India News, India
Twitter.com
Citizen News Service (CNS)
ThaiIndian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Elites TV, USA
Ne Reporter.com
Webpicks.net
- special feature article on India's 62nd Independence day eve -
15 August 2009
Jajupur is a village in Sandila Tehsil, P.S. Atrauli, of Hardoi District of UP. 107 dalit landless families were allotted land pattas in 1976 by the Gram Sabha but till today the dalits have not been able to cultivate their fields. The reason is that a politically influential feudal family of the neighbouring village Majhgaon doesn’t give up its control on these lands which it exercises directly or indirectly. Ramchandra Singh’s brother Sri Ram Singh has been the Block Pramukh of Bharawan. They have a third brother Ramendra Singh. Cousin Nagendra Singh’s, who is an advocate too, wife is the Gram Pradhan of Jajupur even though they live in Majhgaon.
As soon as these land plots were allotted to the dalits the landlords planted trees on these pieces of lands so that they could lay a claim on them. They always give the excuse of these trees to assert their control over these lands. For some dalit families their ancestors might have taken some loan from the ancestors of landlords. The unpaid loans, fictitious or real, become an excuse for the landlords to continue holding on to their land.
Whenever a complaint is registered with the authorities, the revenue department officials begin the measurement of land plots afresh. The land is marked and handed over to the dalits every time. But either they are unable to sow or if they display the courage to sow they cannot harvest. The control of land goes back to the landlords. Under political pressure the revenue department officials lack the will to recommend registration of case under the ZALR Act against the encroachers or the police lacks the will to prevent landlords from encroaching after the lands have been handed over to the dalits following a due process.
Recently a dalit youth Rajesh cut two neem trees standing on his land to take care of the expenses required to treat his ailing 3 years old son. A case was registered against four dalits including Rajesh for illegal felling of green trees. Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh took away the driver and the helper on the tractor trolley which had come to take away the cut trees. Both these were also dalits. They were beaten at the house of Ramchandra Singh and then handed over to police. Policeman incharge of investigation in the case M.P. Singh created ruckus in the house of Rajesh when he couldn’t find him to arrest. He broke a cot and portion of the thatched roof. When it was enquired from the SDM whether felling trees was such a serious crime that the police would exercise undue pressure on the family of the accused the SDM responded that the police doesn’t register a case sometimes even on his complaint when whole orchards are cut. Finally Rajesh got relief only after he got bail from the court. But in the meanwhile his child had expired because of neglect of his situation.
A complaint was filed against Ramchandra Singh, Ramendra Singh and Sukhdeo Singh demanding registration of FIR under the Prevention of atrocities against S.C./S.T. Act and the ZALR Act. However, the landlord family is so powerful that it got action against its members stalled. It is amazing how the politically influential family escapes retribution even after violating serious laws and prompt and decisive action is taken by police against the dalits for felling trees on their own land. And all this is when there is supposed to be a dalit sympathetic government in power in UP and the DGP has issued clear cut instructions that FIR has to be registered against any encroacher on a land belonging to dalit allotted by the Gram Sabha.
About a couple of years back the revenue department had slapped a fine of more than Rs. 14 lakhs on Ramchandra Singh, Chandra Prakash Singh, Nageshwar Singh and others for encroaching upon land allotted to dalits by the Gram Sabha. Two people paid the fine but eleven others were able to obtain a stay order from the court.
Having lost all hope from the system the dalits have now decided that they’ll let the landlords cut all the trees which they claim were planted by them, even though technically the trees belong to the dalits as it is a Gram Sabha land and anybody else cannot lay a claim on it, and in return the landlords would allow them to till the land. The dalits don’t care that they are losing the trees so long as they finally get to become the owners of the land. The powerful landlords, interestingly want a guarantee from the dalits as well as the administration that no case will be registered against them for felling green trees, which is actually illegal.
All revenue department officials feel this is a good compromise practical solution. The dalits also feel that this is probably the best deal they’ll get because chances of them getting the land with the trees are remote given the prevailing circumstances. They are desperate to see after 35 long years the day when they can call the land which belongs to them their own. But this is a travesty of justice. This is a victory of brute muscle and money power and failure of Indian Constitution as well as Law and Order machinery. The police-administration have surrendered to the feudal elements and interests of dalits are not safe even in a dalit sympathetic government. The country may be independent for the past 62 years but these dalit families of Jajupur would not yet testify that they have had a chance to enjoy the fruits of freedom.
[Dr Sandeep Pandey is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for
emergent leadership, member of National Presidium, People's Politics Front (PPF), heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley, USA. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people's movements in early 1990s. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo.com. Website: www.citizen-news.org]Published in
Modern Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Rediff India News, India
Twitter.com
Citizen News Service (CNS)
ThaiIndian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Elites TV, USA
Ne Reporter.com
Webpicks.net
Another jolt to democracy in Burma
Another jolt to democracy in Burma
Despite growing global pressure for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar (Burma), she was sentenced to another 18 months' house arrest by a court in Rangoon.
"It is another big blow to democracy struggles in Burma" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and leader of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a 64 years old Nobel Peace laureate, leads the National League for Democracy (NLD) Party, which had secured 81% of the seats in the parliament in 1989 elections. However, despite of the overwhelming majority in the parliament, she has been in detention for "14 of the last 20 years, mostly under house arrest" (source: BBC).
Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest has triggered a tumultuous response from around the world. The European Union has expressed in a BBC news that it will "respond with additional targeted measures against those responsible for the verdict." In the same news, Australia was quoted to consult the international community, including the Asian regional forum - Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), "on the need to put even more pressure on the Burmese regime to move down the path of democracy". Similar statements of support for Aung San Suu Kyi and democracy in Burma came from United States of America (USA), Indonesia, Malaysia, United Kingdom (UK) and France in the said news.
Earlier in May 2009 (news), John Willian Yeattaw, a US national, had swam across a lake to meet the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the off-limits compund where she was then under house-arrest. She had, allegedly, allowed him in the house, for which both the US national and Aung San Suu Kyi were charged by the court now. The US national John was sentenced for seven years, including four years of hard labour as per the above mentioned news.
Aung San Suu Kyi's last period of incarceration had expired at the end of May 2009.
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) in India along with the People’s Politics Front (PPF – Lok Rajniti Manch) has expressed its grave concern on the setback to democracy struggles in the neighbouring Burma. The NAPM and PPF leaders demanded release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other measures to ensure democratic processes strengthen and go forward in Myanmar.
Published in
Counter Currents
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Scoop Independent News, New Zealand
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
Despite growing global pressure for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar (Burma), she was sentenced to another 18 months' house arrest by a court in Rangoon.
"It is another big blow to democracy struggles in Burma" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and leader of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a 64 years old Nobel Peace laureate, leads the National League for Democracy (NLD) Party, which had secured 81% of the seats in the parliament in 1989 elections. However, despite of the overwhelming majority in the parliament, she has been in detention for "14 of the last 20 years, mostly under house arrest" (source: BBC).
Aung San Suu Kyi's arrest has triggered a tumultuous response from around the world. The European Union has expressed in a BBC news that it will "respond with additional targeted measures against those responsible for the verdict." In the same news, Australia was quoted to consult the international community, including the Asian regional forum - Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), "on the need to put even more pressure on the Burmese regime to move down the path of democracy". Similar statements of support for Aung San Suu Kyi and democracy in Burma came from United States of America (USA), Indonesia, Malaysia, United Kingdom (UK) and France in the said news.
Earlier in May 2009 (news), John Willian Yeattaw, a US national, had swam across a lake to meet the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the off-limits compund where she was then under house-arrest. She had, allegedly, allowed him in the house, for which both the US national and Aung San Suu Kyi were charged by the court now. The US national John was sentenced for seven years, including four years of hard labour as per the above mentioned news.
Aung San Suu Kyi's last period of incarceration had expired at the end of May 2009.
The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) in India along with the People’s Politics Front (PPF – Lok Rajniti Manch) has expressed its grave concern on the setback to democracy struggles in the neighbouring Burma. The NAPM and PPF leaders demanded release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other measures to ensure democratic processes strengthen and go forward in Myanmar.
Published in
Counter Currents
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Scoop Independent News, New Zealand
Pakistan Christian Post, Pakistan
VidyaGyan for brilliant rural students
VidyaGyan for brilliant rural students
Alka Pande
The happiness of 11 year old Supriya knew no bounds and why not after her wish to continue her studies is fulfilled despite her father’s inability to pay for it.
Supriya became the proud student of sixth grade at VidyaGyan – the world class school in a remote village of Bulandshahr in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Supriya had always been very good in studies but her father Raj Kishore – who is a daily wage earning labourer – was helpless in letting his daughter continue her studies as he could not afford to purchase the books or pay the tuition fee.
VidyaGyan is an initiative of Shiv Nadar Foundation, which aims to provide an opportunity to meritorious students of the rural areas – who could not continue their studies due to poverty – to study further.
While the Education Bill of the UPA government which promises free education to all children till class twelfth – is yet to get implemented, the VidyaGyan school offers to bear the complete cost of a student’s studies from grade sixth to grade twelfth on CBSE curriculum.
Last week the first school of VidyaGyan was inaugurated at Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh in the presence of VidyaGyan Board members including Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL, TSR Subramanian, the former Cabinet Secretary to the government of India and Rossini Nadar, the Executive Director and CEO of HCL Corporation. Former captain of Indian cricket team Kepi Dev too was present at the function.
VidyaGyan is a radical concept that aims to induct and transform meritorious rural children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them free, world class education - allowing them to transcend the disadvantages they face. In partnership with the government of Uttar Pradesh, VidyaGyan will select rural toppers who are economically disadvantaged and provide them with world class education.
"There is a huge potential among rural students, which goes unrecognised because they do not get opportunities - so we decided to give these rural toppers the means to achieve their true potential and be at par with their urban counterparts", said Subramanian.
The first batch of 200 rural toppers of the fifth grade state board exam have joined sixth grade in VidyaGyan, Bulandshahr from across 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh. In a span of 5-6 years the school will scale up each year to grade twelfth. VidyaGyan endeavours to establish 7 such schools across 71 districts in Uttar Pradesh to provide quality education and mentor to 5,000 students from the rural areas of the state.
The VidyaGyan board member Roshni Nadar said, "The initiative will cover all expenses for students and focus on their holistic personality development by providing them the best school infrastructure with sports facilities and highly qualified instructors."
Speaking on the occasion, Shiv Nadar, Chairman, Shiv Nadar Foundation said, "I have known the power of education in transforming lives and decided to give back to society what it has given to me – education."
The Shiv Nadar Foundation has been established by Shiv Nadar, the Founder of HCL - a $5 billion leading Global Technology and IT Enterprise, which employs over 60,000 employees across 23 countries. The Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, meritocracy based society and to empower individuals to bridge the socio-economic divide. The Foundation aims to achieve these primarily through outstanding educational institutions, which provide meritorious students from all walks of life the opportunity to receive world class education.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Citizen News Service, Lucknow, India
Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Education Diary, India
Bihar and Jharkhand News, Bihar and Jharkhand
Kisaso.com
Alka Pande
The happiness of 11 year old Supriya knew no bounds and why not after her wish to continue her studies is fulfilled despite her father’s inability to pay for it.
Supriya became the proud student of sixth grade at VidyaGyan – the world class school in a remote village of Bulandshahr in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Supriya had always been very good in studies but her father Raj Kishore – who is a daily wage earning labourer – was helpless in letting his daughter continue her studies as he could not afford to purchase the books or pay the tuition fee.
VidyaGyan is an initiative of Shiv Nadar Foundation, which aims to provide an opportunity to meritorious students of the rural areas – who could not continue their studies due to poverty – to study further.
While the Education Bill of the UPA government which promises free education to all children till class twelfth – is yet to get implemented, the VidyaGyan school offers to bear the complete cost of a student’s studies from grade sixth to grade twelfth on CBSE curriculum.
Last week the first school of VidyaGyan was inaugurated at Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh in the presence of VidyaGyan Board members including Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL, TSR Subramanian, the former Cabinet Secretary to the government of India and Rossini Nadar, the Executive Director and CEO of HCL Corporation. Former captain of Indian cricket team Kepi Dev too was present at the function.
VidyaGyan is a radical concept that aims to induct and transform meritorious rural children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them free, world class education - allowing them to transcend the disadvantages they face. In partnership with the government of Uttar Pradesh, VidyaGyan will select rural toppers who are economically disadvantaged and provide them with world class education.
"There is a huge potential among rural students, which goes unrecognised because they do not get opportunities - so we decided to give these rural toppers the means to achieve their true potential and be at par with their urban counterparts", said Subramanian.
The first batch of 200 rural toppers of the fifth grade state board exam have joined sixth grade in VidyaGyan, Bulandshahr from across 20 districts of Uttar Pradesh. In a span of 5-6 years the school will scale up each year to grade twelfth. VidyaGyan endeavours to establish 7 such schools across 71 districts in Uttar Pradesh to provide quality education and mentor to 5,000 students from the rural areas of the state.
The VidyaGyan board member Roshni Nadar said, "The initiative will cover all expenses for students and focus on their holistic personality development by providing them the best school infrastructure with sports facilities and highly qualified instructors."
Speaking on the occasion, Shiv Nadar, Chairman, Shiv Nadar Foundation said, "I have known the power of education in transforming lives and decided to give back to society what it has given to me – education."
The Shiv Nadar Foundation has been established by Shiv Nadar, the Founder of HCL - a $5 billion leading Global Technology and IT Enterprise, which employs over 60,000 employees across 23 countries. The Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, meritocracy based society and to empower individuals to bridge the socio-economic divide. The Foundation aims to achieve these primarily through outstanding educational institutions, which provide meritorious students from all walks of life the opportunity to receive world class education.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Published in:
Thai-Indian News, Bangkok, Thailand
Citizen News Service, Lucknow, India
Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Education Diary, India
Bihar and Jharkhand News, Bihar and Jharkhand
Kisaso.com
The Spring Of Despair And The Winter Of Hope
The Spring Of Despair And The Winter Of Hope
The sultry Saturday afternoon of 7th August, saw around 70 odd academicians, social activists, writers, journalists and other members of civil society gather in the Academic Staff College of Lucknow University, for intense deliberations on state sponsored terror.
The programme, chaired by Professor (Dr) Nishi Pandey, Director, Academic Staff College and Dean, Students' Welfare, University of Lucknow, started with a reading by Shahira Naim (a senior journalist working with Tribune who received the 2nd International KCK Merit Award for Excellence in Journalism 2009) of her thought provoking and award winning article ‘Azamgarh: District In Discomfort’. It focussed on the infamous Batla House Encounter of Delhi, in which two ‘alleged’ terrorists (belonging to Azamgarh district) were killed along with a police officer. This, coupled with a few other happenings, senselessly branded Azamgarh as the ‘nursery of terrorism’ and a centre of religious orthodoxy, just as Bhojpur was called the cultivating ground of Naxalism in the late 70s.
The dubious role of the police in the Batla house incident raised many an eyebrow. Unfortunately, the National Human Rights Commission has recently given a clean chit to the police, cocking a snook to all evidences pointing to the contrary.
The animated discussion which followed this reading set the ball rolling for the screening of the internationally acclaimed film ‘Terror Storm’ by Alex Jones. This film (based on documentary proofs and recorded evidences) goes one step ahead of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ in indicting the US Government of stage managing the bombing of the World Trade Centre.
Without mincing any words, Alex Jones elaborates on State sponsored ‘False Flag Operations’ with the sole aim of controlling the minds of the people by instilling fear in them.
Hitler’s subterfuges in Germany; US actions in Vietnam, Cuba, Iraq and in its own territory; the Madrid and London bombings of 2004 and 2005; the Babri Masjid demolition and the Godhra carnage incidents in India --- all point to sleek government involvements carried out to perfection. The flag operations scare people into believing government rhetoric, filling their minds with hatred and dividing them on caste/communal lines. This prepares the ground to achieve the states’ nefarious objectives of ousting elected governments and/or maligning a particular sect/community for partisan and economic gains.
We are living in an age where, the sunshine of wisdom is darkened by clouds of foolishness, the age of incredulity overshadows the age of belief. There is mistrust and fear in the air we breathe. Our confidence in the police (the so called custodians of law and order), the judiciary and the executive has been eroded to the extent that we have become indifferent to their wicked demeanor in these turbulent times. Terror is being fuelled by state and society alike. We do not know when we will come under the police scanner, (particularly if we are young and belong to the minority community); we do not know when one of our own family will exterminate us (in the name of honour killing) if we dare to challenge age old orthodoxies (like not bringing enough dowry or marrying outside our caste); we do not know when we will be branded as anti social and anti national if we dare to question the government for the atrocities committed against marginalized sections of society (as has happened to the likes of Sharmila Irom and Binayak Sen). We cringe at the fate which would befall us (as happened to Manjunath) if make an attempt to fight the corruption so rampant in all walks of life . So our senses are dulled into a state of suspended animation and toe the line rather than swim against the tide.
Meanwhile fake encounters, incarceration of innocents, exploitation of dalits and heinous crimes against women continue unabated. We prefer to turn a blind eye to them and rather talk of the rising prices of pulses and the Target Rating Point (TRPs) of television soap operas/reality shows. Occasionally we also speak the bitter truth, and that too not for a noble cause, but for money (a la Sach Ka Samna).
One needs to ponder a little more as to why the development index of regions rich in natural resources is abysmally low and as to why these areas become the breeding grounds of people’s reactionary movements turning violent (like in the Punjab, Bihar and the North East). Without endorsing violence, all of us have to work towards a more just social order where everyone lives in harmony, without predating upon each other. If we have the will we can do it. Amen.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in
Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, India
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Scoop World News, New Zealand
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS), Bihar and Jharkhand
Citizen News Service (CNS)
The sultry Saturday afternoon of 7th August, saw around 70 odd academicians, social activists, writers, journalists and other members of civil society gather in the Academic Staff College of Lucknow University, for intense deliberations on state sponsored terror.
The programme, chaired by Professor (Dr) Nishi Pandey, Director, Academic Staff College and Dean, Students' Welfare, University of Lucknow, started with a reading by Shahira Naim (a senior journalist working with Tribune who received the 2nd International KCK Merit Award for Excellence in Journalism 2009) of her thought provoking and award winning article ‘Azamgarh: District In Discomfort’. It focussed on the infamous Batla House Encounter of Delhi, in which two ‘alleged’ terrorists (belonging to Azamgarh district) were killed along with a police officer. This, coupled with a few other happenings, senselessly branded Azamgarh as the ‘nursery of terrorism’ and a centre of religious orthodoxy, just as Bhojpur was called the cultivating ground of Naxalism in the late 70s.
The dubious role of the police in the Batla house incident raised many an eyebrow. Unfortunately, the National Human Rights Commission has recently given a clean chit to the police, cocking a snook to all evidences pointing to the contrary.
The animated discussion which followed this reading set the ball rolling for the screening of the internationally acclaimed film ‘Terror Storm’ by Alex Jones. This film (based on documentary proofs and recorded evidences) goes one step ahead of ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ in indicting the US Government of stage managing the bombing of the World Trade Centre.Without mincing any words, Alex Jones elaborates on State sponsored ‘False Flag Operations’ with the sole aim of controlling the minds of the people by instilling fear in them.
Hitler’s subterfuges in Germany; US actions in Vietnam, Cuba, Iraq and in its own territory; the Madrid and London bombings of 2004 and 2005; the Babri Masjid demolition and the Godhra carnage incidents in India --- all point to sleek government involvements carried out to perfection. The flag operations scare people into believing government rhetoric, filling their minds with hatred and dividing them on caste/communal lines. This prepares the ground to achieve the states’ nefarious objectives of ousting elected governments and/or maligning a particular sect/community for partisan and economic gains.
We are living in an age where, the sunshine of wisdom is darkened by clouds of foolishness, the age of incredulity overshadows the age of belief. There is mistrust and fear in the air we breathe. Our confidence in the police (the so called custodians of law and order), the judiciary and the executive has been eroded to the extent that we have become indifferent to their wicked demeanor in these turbulent times. Terror is being fuelled by state and society alike. We do not know when we will come under the police scanner, (particularly if we are young and belong to the minority community); we do not know when one of our own family will exterminate us (in the name of honour killing) if we dare to challenge age old orthodoxies (like not bringing enough dowry or marrying outside our caste); we do not know when we will be branded as anti social and anti national if we dare to question the government for the atrocities committed against marginalized sections of society (as has happened to the likes of Sharmila Irom and Binayak Sen). We cringe at the fate which would befall us (as happened to Manjunath) if make an attempt to fight the corruption so rampant in all walks of life . So our senses are dulled into a state of suspended animation and toe the line rather than swim against the tide.
Meanwhile fake encounters, incarceration of innocents, exploitation of dalits and heinous crimes against women continue unabated. We prefer to turn a blind eye to them and rather talk of the rising prices of pulses and the Target Rating Point (TRPs) of television soap operas/reality shows. Occasionally we also speak the bitter truth, and that too not for a noble cause, but for money (a la Sach Ka Samna). One needs to ponder a little more as to why the development index of regions rich in natural resources is abysmally low and as to why these areas become the breeding grounds of people’s reactionary movements turning violent (like in the Punjab, Bihar and the North East). Without endorsing violence, all of us have to work towards a more just social order where everyone lives in harmony, without predating upon each other. If we have the will we can do it. Amen.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in
Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, India
Modern Ghana News, Accra, Ghana
Scoop World News, New Zealand
Bihar and Jharkhand News Service (BJNS), Bihar and Jharkhand
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Overhaul policing system to arrest the alarming human rights violations by police
Overhaul policing system to arrest the alarming human rights violations by police
The Indian government should take major steps to overhaul a policing system that facilitates and even encourages human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said in a report released in Lucknow on 7 August 2009 at UP Press Club. For decades, successive governments have failed to deliver on promises to hold the police accountable for abuses and to build professional, rights-respecting police forces, according to the report 'Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police.'
The report launch was organized by 'Uttar Pradesh Shehri Gharib Kaamgar Sangharsh Morcha', People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Human Rights Watch.
"This 118-page report -Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police - documents a range of human rights violations committed by police, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and extrajudicial killings. The report is based on interviews with more than 80 police officers of varying ranks, 60 victims of police abuses, and numerous discussions with experts and civil society activists. It documents the failings of state police forces that operate outside the law, lack sufficient ethical and professional standards, are overstretched and outmatched by criminal elements, and unable to cope with increasing demands and public expectations. Field research was conducted in 19 police stations in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and the capital, Delhi" said Asheesh Awasthi, Convener, 'Uttar Pradesh Shehri Gharib Kaamgar Sangharsh Morcha.'
"India is modernizing rapidly, but the police continue to use their old methods: abuse and threats," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch in a press statement. "It's time for the government to stop talking about reform and fix the system."
A fruit vendor in Varanasi described how police tortured him to extract confessions to multiple, unrelated false charges:
"[My] hands and legs were tied; a wooden stick was passed through my legs. They started beating me badly on the legs with lathis (batons) and kicking me. They were saying, ‘You must name all the members of the 13-person gang.' They beat me until I was crying and shouting for help. When I was almost fainting, they stopped the beating. A constable said, ‘With this kind of a beating, a ghost would run away. Why won't you tell me what I want to know?' Then they turned me upside down... They poured water from a plastic jug into my mouth and nose, and I fainted."
Several police officers admitted to Human Rights Watch that they routinely committed abuses. One officer said that he had been ordered to commit an "encounter killing," as the practice of taking into custody and extra-judicially executing an individual is commonly known. "I am looking for my target," the officer said. "I will eliminate him. ... I fear being put in jail, but if I don't do it, I'll lose my position."
Almost every police officer interviewed by Human Rights Watch was aware of the boundaries of the law, but many believed that unlawful methods, including illegal detention and torture, were necessary tactics of crime investigation and law enforcement.
The Indian government elected in May has promised to pursue police reforms actively. Human Rights Watch said that a critical step is to ensure that police officers who commit human rights violations, regardless of rank, will face appropriate punishment.
"Police who commit or order torture and other abuses need to be treated as the criminals they are," said Adams in the statement. "There shouldn't be one standard for police who violate the law and another for average citizens."
Human Rights Watch also said that while not excusing abuses, abysmal conditions for police officers contribute to violations. Low-ranking officers often work in difficult conditions. They are required to be on-call 24 hours a day, every day. Instead of shifts, many work long hours, sometimes living in tents or filthy barracks at the police station. Many are separated from their families for long stretches of time. They often lack necessary equipment, including vehicles, mobile phones, investigative tools and even paper on which to record complaints and make notes.
Police officers told Human Rights Watch that they used "short-cuts" to cope with overwhelming workloads and insufficient resources. For instance, they described how they or others cut caseloads by refusing to register crime complaints. Many officers described facing unrealistic pressure from their superiors to solve cases quickly. Receiving little or no encouragement to collect forensic evidence and witness statements, tactics considered time-consuming, they instead held suspects illegally and coerced them to confess, frequently using torture and ill-treatment.
"Conditions and incentives for police officers need to change," Adams said in the statement. "Officers should not be put into a position where they think they have to turn to abuse to meet superiors' demands, or obey orders to abuse. Instead they should be given the resources, training, equipment, and encouragement to act professionally and ethically."
"Broken System" also documents the particular vulnerability to police abuse of traditionally marginalized groups in India. They include the poor, women, Dalits (so-called "untouchables"), and religious and sexual minorities. Police often fail to investigate crimes against them because of discrimination, the victims' inability to pay bribes, or their lack of social status or political connections. Members of these groups are also more vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and torture, especially meted out by police as punishment for alleged crimes.
Colonial-era police laws enable state and local politicians to interfere routinely in police operations, sometimes directing police officers to drop investigations against people with political connections, including known criminals, and to harass or file false charges against political opponents. These practices corrode public confidence.
In 2006, a landmark Supreme Court judgment mandated reform of police laws. But the central government and most state governments have either significantly or completely failed to implement the court's order, suggesting that officials have yet to accept the urgency of comprehensive police reform, including the need to hold police accountable for human rights violations.
"India's status as the world's largest democracy is undermined by a police force that thinks it is above the law," said Adams in the statement. "It's a vicious cycle. Indians avoid contact with the police out of fear. So crimes go unreported and unpunished, and the police can't get the cooperation they need from the public to prevent and solve crimes."
Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police report sets out detailed recommendations for police reform drawn from studies by government commissions, former Indian police, and Indian groups. Among the major recommendations are:
* Require the police to read suspects their rights upon arrest or any detention, which will increase institutional acceptance of these safeguards;
* Exclude from court any evidence police obtain by using torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment in suspect interrogations;
* Bolster independent investigations into complaints of police abuse and misconduct through national and state human rights commissions and police complaints authorities; and
* Improve training and equipment, including strengthening the crime-investigation curriculum at police academies, training low-ranking officers to assist in crime investigations, and providing basic forensic equipment to every police officer.
The Indian government should take major steps to overhaul a policing system that facilitates and even encourages human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said in a report released in Lucknow on 7 August 2009 at UP Press Club. For decades, successive governments have failed to deliver on promises to hold the police accountable for abuses and to build professional, rights-respecting police forces, according to the report 'Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police.'
The report launch was organized by 'Uttar Pradesh Shehri Gharib Kaamgar Sangharsh Morcha', People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and Human Rights Watch.
"This 118-page report -Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police - documents a range of human rights violations committed by police, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and extrajudicial killings. The report is based on interviews with more than 80 police officers of varying ranks, 60 victims of police abuses, and numerous discussions with experts and civil society activists. It documents the failings of state police forces that operate outside the law, lack sufficient ethical and professional standards, are overstretched and outmatched by criminal elements, and unable to cope with increasing demands and public expectations. Field research was conducted in 19 police stations in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and the capital, Delhi" said Asheesh Awasthi, Convener, 'Uttar Pradesh Shehri Gharib Kaamgar Sangharsh Morcha.'
"India is modernizing rapidly, but the police continue to use their old methods: abuse and threats," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch in a press statement. "It's time for the government to stop talking about reform and fix the system."
A fruit vendor in Varanasi described how police tortured him to extract confessions to multiple, unrelated false charges:
"[My] hands and legs were tied; a wooden stick was passed through my legs. They started beating me badly on the legs with lathis (batons) and kicking me. They were saying, ‘You must name all the members of the 13-person gang.' They beat me until I was crying and shouting for help. When I was almost fainting, they stopped the beating. A constable said, ‘With this kind of a beating, a ghost would run away. Why won't you tell me what I want to know?' Then they turned me upside down... They poured water from a plastic jug into my mouth and nose, and I fainted."
Several police officers admitted to Human Rights Watch that they routinely committed abuses. One officer said that he had been ordered to commit an "encounter killing," as the practice of taking into custody and extra-judicially executing an individual is commonly known. "I am looking for my target," the officer said. "I will eliminate him. ... I fear being put in jail, but if I don't do it, I'll lose my position."
Almost every police officer interviewed by Human Rights Watch was aware of the boundaries of the law, but many believed that unlawful methods, including illegal detention and torture, were necessary tactics of crime investigation and law enforcement.
The Indian government elected in May has promised to pursue police reforms actively. Human Rights Watch said that a critical step is to ensure that police officers who commit human rights violations, regardless of rank, will face appropriate punishment.
"Police who commit or order torture and other abuses need to be treated as the criminals they are," said Adams in the statement. "There shouldn't be one standard for police who violate the law and another for average citizens."
Human Rights Watch also said that while not excusing abuses, abysmal conditions for police officers contribute to violations. Low-ranking officers often work in difficult conditions. They are required to be on-call 24 hours a day, every day. Instead of shifts, many work long hours, sometimes living in tents or filthy barracks at the police station. Many are separated from their families for long stretches of time. They often lack necessary equipment, including vehicles, mobile phones, investigative tools and even paper on which to record complaints and make notes.
Police officers told Human Rights Watch that they used "short-cuts" to cope with overwhelming workloads and insufficient resources. For instance, they described how they or others cut caseloads by refusing to register crime complaints. Many officers described facing unrealistic pressure from their superiors to solve cases quickly. Receiving little or no encouragement to collect forensic evidence and witness statements, tactics considered time-consuming, they instead held suspects illegally and coerced them to confess, frequently using torture and ill-treatment.
"Conditions and incentives for police officers need to change," Adams said in the statement. "Officers should not be put into a position where they think they have to turn to abuse to meet superiors' demands, or obey orders to abuse. Instead they should be given the resources, training, equipment, and encouragement to act professionally and ethically."
"Broken System" also documents the particular vulnerability to police abuse of traditionally marginalized groups in India. They include the poor, women, Dalits (so-called "untouchables"), and religious and sexual minorities. Police often fail to investigate crimes against them because of discrimination, the victims' inability to pay bribes, or their lack of social status or political connections. Members of these groups are also more vulnerable to arbitrary arrest and torture, especially meted out by police as punishment for alleged crimes.
Colonial-era police laws enable state and local politicians to interfere routinely in police operations, sometimes directing police officers to drop investigations against people with political connections, including known criminals, and to harass or file false charges against political opponents. These practices corrode public confidence.
In 2006, a landmark Supreme Court judgment mandated reform of police laws. But the central government and most state governments have either significantly or completely failed to implement the court's order, suggesting that officials have yet to accept the urgency of comprehensive police reform, including the need to hold police accountable for human rights violations.
"India's status as the world's largest democracy is undermined by a police force that thinks it is above the law," said Adams in the statement. "It's a vicious cycle. Indians avoid contact with the police out of fear. So crimes go unreported and unpunished, and the police can't get the cooperation they need from the public to prevent and solve crimes."
Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse, and Impunity in the Indian Police report sets out detailed recommendations for police reform drawn from studies by government commissions, former Indian police, and Indian groups. Among the major recommendations are:
* Require the police to read suspects their rights upon arrest or any detention, which will increase institutional acceptance of these safeguards;
* Exclude from court any evidence police obtain by using torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment in suspect interrogations;
* Bolster independent investigations into complaints of police abuse and misconduct through national and state human rights commissions and police complaints authorities; and
* Improve training and equipment, including strengthening the crime-investigation curriculum at police academies, training low-ranking officers to assist in crime investigations, and providing basic forensic equipment to every police officer.
Hiroshima Day: Citizens oppose nuclear energy and nuclear weapons
Hiroshima Day (6 August)
Citizens oppose nuclear energy and nuclear weapons
To raise public consciousness about issues related to Indo US Nuclear Deal including the radioactive nuclear energy and life-threatening hazards, a demonstration was held in city centre of Lucknow by citizens opposing both: nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.
"This demonstration is to strengthen efforts towards protecting India's sovereignty, which is under threat as the Indo US Nuclear Deal is going forward" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) who heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
"Even after 63 years of the most ghastly act of violence on Earth – the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing in 1945, the country that masterminded that deadly bombing – USA – hasn't apologized even once. The keenness with which India is going ahead with the Indo US Nuclear Deal with USA, is of utmost concern" said Arundhati Dhuru, firebrand social activist of Narmada Bachao Andolan.
"The dream to provide electricity across the country by signing the Indo US Nuclear Deal is not true. Nuclear power is not a safe, affordable or better option for producing electricity. Rather nuclear power is a very dangerous and expensive option. The Indo US Nuclear Deal is actually a political and military deal" further added Dr Pandey.
"There is a deliberate misinformation being created that nuclear plants will be a quick fix to our huge shortages and power cuts. Nuclear plants have to have detailed studies regarding where and how to put them up and take a long time to build. The import of reactors have to be negotiated commercially and their fuel has to be guaranteed. Typically, the entire process takes 8-10 years. It will take not less than 8-10 years before any electricity is produced. And this is an optimistic figure; the last plant that the US commissioned -- the Watts Bar 2 Reactor -- took 23 years to complete. So the belief that nuclear energy will provide an immediate solution to our power crisis is a deliberate fraud on the people" explained Dr Pandey.
"The India US Nuclear Deal is not about India's energy security. Energy security lies in using indigenous energy resources such as coal, gas, hydro, etc., and ensuring our future energy supplies from Iran and other countries in West and Central Asia. Obviously, augmenting indigenous coal production, building hydro plants, investing in oil exploration, securing gas supplies through Iran Gas Pipeline are much more important for India's energy security than buying imported reactors and importing uranium for such nuclear plants" said SR Darapuri, Vice President of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), UP who is a retired Inspector-General of Police.
"The Nuclear Deal is a part of a larger vision which seeks to subordinate India to the US's strategic vision" further said Darapuri.
The disabilities and diseases attributed to radioactive nuclear radiation have upped in the neighbouring areas where nuclear reactors, nuclear mining or nuclear waste dumping is done in India. Places like Jadugoda, where uranium mining and nuclear waste dumping is carried out, is an example where virtually every household is a living testimony of nuclear radiation hazards. A documentary film, 'Buddha weeps in Jadugoda' showcases the grotesque and gory radiation hazards faced by residents.
Published in
The Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and chhattisgarh, India
The Weeklyblitz, Bangladesh
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Orissa Dairy, Orissa, India
Ghana News, Accra, Chana
Scoop World News, New Zealand
ARPS News, Australia
Twitter.com
Citizens oppose nuclear energy and nuclear weapons
To raise public consciousness about issues related to Indo US Nuclear Deal including the radioactive nuclear energy and life-threatening hazards, a demonstration was held in city centre of Lucknow by citizens opposing both: nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.
"This demonstration is to strengthen efforts towards protecting India's sovereignty, which is under threat as the Indo US Nuclear Deal is going forward" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) who heads the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
"Even after 63 years of the most ghastly act of violence on Earth – the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing in 1945, the country that masterminded that deadly bombing – USA – hasn't apologized even once. The keenness with which India is going ahead with the Indo US Nuclear Deal with USA, is of utmost concern" said Arundhati Dhuru, firebrand social activist of Narmada Bachao Andolan.
"The dream to provide electricity across the country by signing the Indo US Nuclear Deal is not true. Nuclear power is not a safe, affordable or better option for producing electricity. Rather nuclear power is a very dangerous and expensive option. The Indo US Nuclear Deal is actually a political and military deal" further added Dr Pandey.
"There is a deliberate misinformation being created that nuclear plants will be a quick fix to our huge shortages and power cuts. Nuclear plants have to have detailed studies regarding where and how to put them up and take a long time to build. The import of reactors have to be negotiated commercially and their fuel has to be guaranteed. Typically, the entire process takes 8-10 years. It will take not less than 8-10 years before any electricity is produced. And this is an optimistic figure; the last plant that the US commissioned -- the Watts Bar 2 Reactor -- took 23 years to complete. So the belief that nuclear energy will provide an immediate solution to our power crisis is a deliberate fraud on the people" explained Dr Pandey.
"The India US Nuclear Deal is not about India's energy security. Energy security lies in using indigenous energy resources such as coal, gas, hydro, etc., and ensuring our future energy supplies from Iran and other countries in West and Central Asia. Obviously, augmenting indigenous coal production, building hydro plants, investing in oil exploration, securing gas supplies through Iran Gas Pipeline are much more important for India's energy security than buying imported reactors and importing uranium for such nuclear plants" said SR Darapuri, Vice President of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), UP who is a retired Inspector-General of Police.
"The Nuclear Deal is a part of a larger vision which seeks to subordinate India to the US's strategic vision" further said Darapuri.
The disabilities and diseases attributed to radioactive nuclear radiation have upped in the neighbouring areas where nuclear reactors, nuclear mining or nuclear waste dumping is done in India. Places like Jadugoda, where uranium mining and nuclear waste dumping is carried out, is an example where virtually every household is a living testimony of nuclear radiation hazards. A documentary film, 'Buddha weeps in Jadugoda' showcases the grotesque and gory radiation hazards faced by residents.
Published in
The Central Chronicle, Madhya Pradesh and chhattisgarh, India
The Weeklyblitz, Bangladesh
Citizen News Service (CNS)
Orissa Dairy, Orissa, India
Ghana News, Accra, Chana
Scoop World News, New Zealand
ARPS News, Australia
Twitter.com
In Emergencies, Breastfeeding Is A Lifeline - World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) -
In Emergencies, Breastfeeding Is A Lifeline
- World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) -
Emergencies can happen anywhere in the world. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness, and death in these situations. Emergencies whether caused by conflict or natural disasters are extraordinary events that can jeopardize the health and survival of large populations. Children are among the most vulnerable groups during emergencies, and small children are the most vulnerable of all, as they face a triple risk of death from diarrhoeal disease, pneumonia and undernutrition. Whatever the emergency, the story is the same: breastfeeding is a lifeline and a shield that protects infants in emergencies.
From 1-7 August 2009, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and breastfeeding advocates in more than 150 countries worldwide are celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) for the 18th year. This year, WABA teams up with the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) and the International Baby Food Action Network- Geneva Infant Feeding Association (IBFAN-GIFA) who represent an international collaboration of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations (IFE Core Group) concerned with protection and support of safe and appropriate infant and young child feeding in emergencies.
"Together we call for the active protection and support of breastfeeding during emergencies and the prevention and refusal of donations of breast-milk substitutes, bottles and teats that, too often, do more harm than good" said Dr Arun Gupta, Regional Coordinator, International Baby Food Action Network(IBFAN) Asia. Dr Gupta is also a member of the Indian Prime Minister's Council on India's Nutrition Challenges.
"When an emergency strikes, simple measures can make all the difference in the world. Emergency preparedness is the key to quick appropriate actions. Mothers need to be secure and have priority access to food for the family, water, shelter and safe places to breastfeed" adds Dr Gupta.
The life-saving role of breastfeeding during emergencies is firmly supported by evidence and guidance. The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding outlines actions to improve infant and young child feeding in emergencies. In all situations, the best way of preventing malnutrition and mortality among infants and young children is to ensure that they start breastfeeding within one hour of birth, breastfeed exclusively (with no food or liquid other than breast milk, not even water) until six months of age and continue breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods up to two years or beyond. Even in emergency situations, the aim should be to create and sustain an environment that encourages frequent breastfeeding for children up to at least two years of age.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations - early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond - are even more critical in emergencies. Breastfeeding is the one safe and secure source of food and fluid for infants - instantly available, providing active protection against illness and keeping an infant warm and close to his/her mother. It also reduces the risk of post-partum haemorrhage in the mother, the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In the challenging and risky environment of an emergency, how infants are fed is key to their survival.
"Protecting breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding from inappropriate marketing influences is an essential component of emergency interventions" cautions Dr Gupta. Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions are frequent. International guidance developed by the IFE Group clearly states that donations of breast-milk substitutes, bottles and teats should not be sought nor accepted in emergencies.
- World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) -
Emergencies can happen anywhere in the world. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness, and death in these situations. Emergencies whether caused by conflict or natural disasters are extraordinary events that can jeopardize the health and survival of large populations. Children are among the most vulnerable groups during emergencies, and small children are the most vulnerable of all, as they face a triple risk of death from diarrhoeal disease, pneumonia and undernutrition. Whatever the emergency, the story is the same: breastfeeding is a lifeline and a shield that protects infants in emergencies.
From 1-7 August 2009, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and breastfeeding advocates in more than 150 countries worldwide are celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) for the 18th year. This year, WABA teams up with the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) and the International Baby Food Action Network- Geneva Infant Feeding Association (IBFAN-GIFA) who represent an international collaboration of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations (IFE Core Group) concerned with protection and support of safe and appropriate infant and young child feeding in emergencies.
"Together we call for the active protection and support of breastfeeding during emergencies and the prevention and refusal of donations of breast-milk substitutes, bottles and teats that, too often, do more harm than good" said Dr Arun Gupta, Regional Coordinator, International Baby Food Action Network(IBFAN) Asia. Dr Gupta is also a member of the Indian Prime Minister's Council on India's Nutrition Challenges.
"When an emergency strikes, simple measures can make all the difference in the world. Emergency preparedness is the key to quick appropriate actions. Mothers need to be secure and have priority access to food for the family, water, shelter and safe places to breastfeed" adds Dr Gupta.
The life-saving role of breastfeeding during emergencies is firmly supported by evidence and guidance. The Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding outlines actions to improve infant and young child feeding in emergencies. In all situations, the best way of preventing malnutrition and mortality among infants and young children is to ensure that they start breastfeeding within one hour of birth, breastfeed exclusively (with no food or liquid other than breast milk, not even water) until six months of age and continue breastfeeding with appropriate complementary foods up to two years or beyond. Even in emergency situations, the aim should be to create and sustain an environment that encourages frequent breastfeeding for children up to at least two years of age.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations - early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond - are even more critical in emergencies. Breastfeeding is the one safe and secure source of food and fluid for infants - instantly available, providing active protection against illness and keeping an infant warm and close to his/her mother. It also reduces the risk of post-partum haemorrhage in the mother, the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In the challenging and risky environment of an emergency, how infants are fed is key to their survival.
"Protecting breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding from inappropriate marketing influences is an essential component of emergency interventions" cautions Dr Gupta. Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions are frequent. International guidance developed by the IFE Group clearly states that donations of breast-milk substitutes, bottles and teats should not be sought nor accepted in emergencies.
Activists oppose reintroduction of land acquisition and resettlement bills
Activists oppose reintroduction of land acquisition and resettlement bills
The proposed introduction of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bills by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the last day of the Budget Session despite of the objections by struggling peoples movements and one of the UPA key allies Trinamool Congress smacks of a conspiracy and only reflects the government succumbing to the demand of the industries, builders and corporations, said the activists of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
"This completely belies the struggles of the millions of people who have been displaced in last sixty two years and millions more that will be displaced in coming years" said Medha Patkar, leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan and national convener of NAPM.
The Bills in their current form will only facilitate the acquisition of land as demanded by industries bypassing any liability of companies and government to rehabilitate and provide alternate means of livelihood to those affected. India has a poor track record of rehabilitating people in last 62 years and these two Bills by legtimising the private interest as public interest will only accelerate displacement from the land and natural resources, pauperizing farmers to fish workers. "It can't be an agenda for the aam aadmi, as is falsely claimed" said activists.
In 2006, National Advisory Committee (NAC) headed by Smt. Sonia Gandhi had recommended to the government drafting of a 'National Development, Displacement and Rehabilitation Act', most of the provisions of which were also endorsed by the people's movements across the country. However, shelving that Draft, the two Bills in their current form were brought out, which completely reject these recommendations and the demands which NAPM and many other movements across the country have been making for more than two decades now.
The Bills were earlier passed without any debate on the last days of the 14th Lok Sabha by UPA government in February 2009; thankfully it was rejected by the Rajya Sabha. The recommendations made by the previous Parliamentary Standing Committee or suggestions by people's organizations were also not considered. Repeating the same and bringing those same Bills in this session again now is a travesty of justice to the millions of suffering poor farmers
and adivasis.
It is to be noted that the current provision of the land acquisition by the State for industries were only introduced in the Land Acquisition Act in 1984 in independent India, prior to which the Act drafted by British in 1894 only permitted acquisition of land for village development, resettlement of displaced people, distribution of land to landless and other 'public' and socially purposeful projects.
The proposed amendments have gone a step ahead and redefined 'public purpose' as only activity of any public use by any person... where person includes a 'company', although a company has to purchase 70% of the land and 30% will be acquired; 100% for the project will obviously be 'marked' and threat of forcible acquisition will compel people to sell land even at lower price. The clause of 70:30 is also meant to completely evade any responsibility of resettlement and rehabilitation (R & R) and facilitate compulsory land acquisition for companies. As per the provisions of these two Bills any R & R benefits will only accrue to families in this 30% category from whom the land has been acquired compulsorily and that too if their number is higher than 400 in plain areas and 200 in hilly areas. Both the ratio of 70:30 and number of families (400 in plain and 200 in hills) is completely arbitrary, said NAPM leaders.
Retaining the 'urgency' clause in the British definition, which is no more applied to selected projects in the time of natural disasters, but to many projects considered to be of 'strategic importance' is misuse of the powers enshrined in the State authority. This will only muzzle any resistance by the people where these projects are to be implemented and increase State repression. In the news Bills, it has also been made now impossible for project affected families to go to the Court for demanding increased compensation, but any such claims will be settled by a group of administrative officials.
Social Impact Assessment and Environment Impact Assessment clauses are included, but they are not binding criteria for deciding on the project and also ‘National Rehabilitation Commission’ to be set up under this has not been enshrined with any power in approving a the project. The results of these assessments are not to be treated as a formality but should be actively considered as bases for design and implementation of any project. There has to be 'options assessment' to minimize displacement due to development projects as is the stated objective. We can't accept limitless disbursement, said activists.
The draft approved by NAC in 2006 addresses many of these lacunae, however, attempts at introducing two weak legislations by the UPA government is a conspiracy by those reeling under pressure from vested interests against the aam aadmi and towards pushing forward the neo-liberal economic agenda of the government, said NAPM leaders.
"These Bills at best are only attempts at whitewashing the pain and misery of the suffering displaced families across the country and nothing more. NAPM demands that the NAC draft be brought back in the public domain and Land Acquisition Bill be repealed. We resolve that as long as the UPA government works to fulfill the pro-industry agenda; poor farmers, artisans, dalits, advasis men and women of this country will continue to resist any attempts at take over of their land and other natural resources. If these Bills are pushed, no one can stop more of Nandigrams and indefinite delays as in Narmada. The conflict between the corporatized state and the people would continue" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and national coordinator of NAPM and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front).
The proposed introduction of the Land Acquisition (Amendment) and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bills by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) on the last day of the Budget Session despite of the objections by struggling peoples movements and one of the UPA key allies Trinamool Congress smacks of a conspiracy and only reflects the government succumbing to the demand of the industries, builders and corporations, said the activists of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM).
"This completely belies the struggles of the millions of people who have been displaced in last sixty two years and millions more that will be displaced in coming years" said Medha Patkar, leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan and national convener of NAPM.
The Bills in their current form will only facilitate the acquisition of land as demanded by industries bypassing any liability of companies and government to rehabilitate and provide alternate means of livelihood to those affected. India has a poor track record of rehabilitating people in last 62 years and these two Bills by legtimising the private interest as public interest will only accelerate displacement from the land and natural resources, pauperizing farmers to fish workers. "It can't be an agenda for the aam aadmi, as is falsely claimed" said activists.
In 2006, National Advisory Committee (NAC) headed by Smt. Sonia Gandhi had recommended to the government drafting of a 'National Development, Displacement and Rehabilitation Act', most of the provisions of which were also endorsed by the people's movements across the country. However, shelving that Draft, the two Bills in their current form were brought out, which completely reject these recommendations and the demands which NAPM and many other movements across the country have been making for more than two decades now.
The Bills were earlier passed without any debate on the last days of the 14th Lok Sabha by UPA government in February 2009; thankfully it was rejected by the Rajya Sabha. The recommendations made by the previous Parliamentary Standing Committee or suggestions by people's organizations were also not considered. Repeating the same and bringing those same Bills in this session again now is a travesty of justice to the millions of suffering poor farmers
and adivasis.
It is to be noted that the current provision of the land acquisition by the State for industries were only introduced in the Land Acquisition Act in 1984 in independent India, prior to which the Act drafted by British in 1894 only permitted acquisition of land for village development, resettlement of displaced people, distribution of land to landless and other 'public' and socially purposeful projects.
The proposed amendments have gone a step ahead and redefined 'public purpose' as only activity of any public use by any person... where person includes a 'company', although a company has to purchase 70% of the land and 30% will be acquired; 100% for the project will obviously be 'marked' and threat of forcible acquisition will compel people to sell land even at lower price. The clause of 70:30 is also meant to completely evade any responsibility of resettlement and rehabilitation (R & R) and facilitate compulsory land acquisition for companies. As per the provisions of these two Bills any R & R benefits will only accrue to families in this 30% category from whom the land has been acquired compulsorily and that too if their number is higher than 400 in plain areas and 200 in hilly areas. Both the ratio of 70:30 and number of families (400 in plain and 200 in hills) is completely arbitrary, said NAPM leaders.
Retaining the 'urgency' clause in the British definition, which is no more applied to selected projects in the time of natural disasters, but to many projects considered to be of 'strategic importance' is misuse of the powers enshrined in the State authority. This will only muzzle any resistance by the people where these projects are to be implemented and increase State repression. In the news Bills, it has also been made now impossible for project affected families to go to the Court for demanding increased compensation, but any such claims will be settled by a group of administrative officials.
Social Impact Assessment and Environment Impact Assessment clauses are included, but they are not binding criteria for deciding on the project and also ‘National Rehabilitation Commission’ to be set up under this has not been enshrined with any power in approving a the project. The results of these assessments are not to be treated as a formality but should be actively considered as bases for design and implementation of any project. There has to be 'options assessment' to minimize displacement due to development projects as is the stated objective. We can't accept limitless disbursement, said activists.
The draft approved by NAC in 2006 addresses many of these lacunae, however, attempts at introducing two weak legislations by the UPA government is a conspiracy by those reeling under pressure from vested interests against the aam aadmi and towards pushing forward the neo-liberal economic agenda of the government, said NAPM leaders.
"These Bills at best are only attempts at whitewashing the pain and misery of the suffering displaced families across the country and nothing more. NAPM demands that the NAC draft be brought back in the public domain and Land Acquisition Bill be repealed. We resolve that as long as the UPA government works to fulfill the pro-industry agenda; poor farmers, artisans, dalits, advasis men and women of this country will continue to resist any attempts at take over of their land and other natural resources. If these Bills are pushed, no one can stop more of Nandigrams and indefinite delays as in Narmada. The conflict between the corporatized state and the people would continue" said Dr Sandeep Pandey, Magsaysay Awardee (2002) and national coordinator of NAPM and member, National Presidium, Lok Rajniti Manch (People's Politics Front).
Dramatic reduction in AIDS and non-AIDS mortality and morbidity: report
Dramatic reduction in AIDS and non-AIDS mortality and morbidity: report
dramatic reductions in TB and malaria incidence in HIV-positive individuals
The International AIDS Society (IAS) applauded the South African government for moving quickly to consider a more aggressive approach to scaling up provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV across the country, in the wake of strong evidence of individual and community benefits of earlier treatment presented at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, held two weeks ago in Cape Town. The South African Health Council is reviewing its ART roll-out plans over the coming weeks.
Recent reports from WHO and UNAIDS on the global AIDS pandemic have indicated that substantial increases in HIV investments over the past several years have expanded access to ART and HIV prevention interventions, reducing AIDS-related morbidity, mortality and HIV incidence in many high-burden countries. The success of the global response to AIDS has also catalyzed increased funding for tuberculosis and malaria.
Evidence presented at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, demonstrated dramatic reductions in TB and malaria incidence in HIV-positive individuals. Furthermore, a number of presentations urged that universal provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to people living with HIV would have a major impact on reducing HIV transmission, in addition to keeping people alive, well and productive in their communities.
IAS President Dr. Julio Montaner noted, "The evidence is absolutely clear. We must treat people earlier, and we must achieve universal access to ART for all people living with HIV who need it. Future generations will judge how quickly the global community responds to this urgent priority. We must move from an emergency response to a sustainably financed plan to control the HIV epidemic within a generation."
At their July 2005 summit in Gleneagles, G8 leaders committed to universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions by 2010, commitments which all UN Member States committed to at the end of that year. However, progress on these commitments was noticeably absent from this year's G8 communiqué, and most countries are not on target to meet universal access goals.
A report released by Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) immediately prior to the Cape Town conference noted that delays, logistical failures and reductions in HIV financing are already having an impact on the availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drug supplies and other medical commodities. The report provided details of stock-outs of ARVs and other medical commodities in six African countries.
"G8 nations have committed billions of dollars in economic stimulus packages and bailouts for the very institutions that triggered this recession, while AIDS and other health care priorities have diminished on the political agenda", said Dr Montaner. "HIV is not in recession, and greater investments in HIV and other public health priorities are required from the international community, particularly given that ART is now known to have preventive as well as therapeutic benefits." He added, "Health is a fundamental prerequisite of global development, not a fringe benefit which can be cut during difficult economic times."
dramatic reductions in TB and malaria incidence in HIV-positive individuals
The International AIDS Society (IAS) applauded the South African government for moving quickly to consider a more aggressive approach to scaling up provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for people living with HIV across the country, in the wake of strong evidence of individual and community benefits of earlier treatment presented at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, held two weeks ago in Cape Town. The South African Health Council is reviewing its ART roll-out plans over the coming weeks.
Recent reports from WHO and UNAIDS on the global AIDS pandemic have indicated that substantial increases in HIV investments over the past several years have expanded access to ART and HIV prevention interventions, reducing AIDS-related morbidity, mortality and HIV incidence in many high-burden countries. The success of the global response to AIDS has also catalyzed increased funding for tuberculosis and malaria.
Evidence presented at the 5th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, demonstrated dramatic reductions in TB and malaria incidence in HIV-positive individuals. Furthermore, a number of presentations urged that universal provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to people living with HIV would have a major impact on reducing HIV transmission, in addition to keeping people alive, well and productive in their communities.
IAS President Dr. Julio Montaner noted, "The evidence is absolutely clear. We must treat people earlier, and we must achieve universal access to ART for all people living with HIV who need it. Future generations will judge how quickly the global community responds to this urgent priority. We must move from an emergency response to a sustainably financed plan to control the HIV epidemic within a generation."
At their July 2005 summit in Gleneagles, G8 leaders committed to universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment interventions by 2010, commitments which all UN Member States committed to at the end of that year. However, progress on these commitments was noticeably absent from this year's G8 communiqué, and most countries are not on target to meet universal access goals.
A report released by Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF) immediately prior to the Cape Town conference noted that delays, logistical failures and reductions in HIV financing are already having an impact on the availability of antiretroviral (ARV) drug supplies and other medical commodities. The report provided details of stock-outs of ARVs and other medical commodities in six African countries.
"G8 nations have committed billions of dollars in economic stimulus packages and bailouts for the very institutions that triggered this recession, while AIDS and other health care priorities have diminished on the political agenda", said Dr Montaner. "HIV is not in recession, and greater investments in HIV and other public health priorities are required from the international community, particularly given that ART is now known to have preventive as well as therapeutic benefits." He added, "Health is a fundamental prerequisite of global development, not a fringe benefit which can be cut during difficult economic times."
Wake up call on childhood obesity after years of neglect
Wake up call on childhood obesity after years of neglect
Shobha Shukla
Seventy million Indians with an ever expanding waistline; nearly half of the country’s 250 million adolescents suffering from junk food related obesity. Isn’t it high time to rewrite our health agenda?
A seminar was recently organized in New Delhi by Heal India – a health and wellness magazine- in collaboration with Diabetes Federation of India, to discuss issues related to obesity, and the unhealthy eating habits of our children. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anoop Misra, Director, department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Fortis Hospital, set the alarm bells ringing. He lamented the alarming rise of childhood obesity, which in Delhi alone has increased from 16% in 2002 to 24% in 2007. Dr Misra called for a nationwide campaign on the health hazards of fast food products like pizza and burgers.
The galloping strides which the multinational fast food giants have made in our country are indicative of the unhealthy eating habits triggered and supported by them. McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Dominoes made humble beginnings in 1996 by opening branches in Delhi and Mumbai. Today, within a short span of 13 years, Dominoes boasts of 220 outlets across the country followed closely by McDonalds (160 restaurants) and Pizza Hut (137 branches). This, coupled with aggressive marketing techniques, has certainly increased the number of people, especially young people, who patronize these outlets.
Such factors have pushed India to the threshold of a childhood obesity epidemic which will leave us with an entire generation of overweight and disease prone youths, addicted to junk food.
Nutritionists, doctors and parents blame the big marketing muscle of international fast food chains and Quick Service Restaurant companies. They call for a multipronged approach to fight the malaise. At the community level we need community fitness programs through resident welfare associations. Health walks and health food festivals organized by them can go a long way in inculcating good life style habits. At the family level there is an urgent need to restrict the TV/computer viewing time of children and have a mandatory one hour of physical activity under the supervision of parents. The pregnant women of the household should have an intake of a balanced nutrition to maintain a healthy foetus and avoid future heart disease/diabetes.
The role of the schools is, by far, the most important and crucial in contributing towards the health of the nation. Physical activity should be a high priority item on the school’s agenda. Our honourable Health Minister would do a great service by making yogic exercises compulsory in schools. This will help students and teachers alike to remain fit and fine. School cafeterias must ensure to provide healthy food and ban sweetened beverages and energy dense junk food. Small children look up to their teachers as role models, and so their eating habits can be moulded for better health. Nutrition workshops for parents can sensitize them on this very important issue of the well being of their children.
At the government level, a concerted effort is needed to prevail upon the food companies to voluntarily limit their advertising of sugary snacks, soft drinks and other junk food items, as part of their corporate social responsibility. In fact, advertisements for commercial foods on television should not be aired in children’s programmes. Transnational food companies should feel encouraged to manufacture healthy snacks.
It is we as parents, elders and teachers, along with the multinationals, who have created the epidemic of obesity with the deadly recipe for disaster – high calorie consumption and low physical activity. Let us join hands with the likes of Dr Misra and Heal India to make a healthy India by rubbishing the rubbish food, and by paying equal attention (if not more) to healthy lifestyles.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in
1- The Seoul Times, Seoul, Korea
Shobha Shukla
Seventy million Indians with an ever expanding waistline; nearly half of the country’s 250 million adolescents suffering from junk food related obesity. Isn’t it high time to rewrite our health agenda?
A seminar was recently organized in New Delhi by Heal India – a health and wellness magazine- in collaboration with Diabetes Federation of India, to discuss issues related to obesity, and the unhealthy eating habits of our children. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Anoop Misra, Director, department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Fortis Hospital, set the alarm bells ringing. He lamented the alarming rise of childhood obesity, which in Delhi alone has increased from 16% in 2002 to 24% in 2007. Dr Misra called for a nationwide campaign on the health hazards of fast food products like pizza and burgers.
The galloping strides which the multinational fast food giants have made in our country are indicative of the unhealthy eating habits triggered and supported by them. McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Dominoes made humble beginnings in 1996 by opening branches in Delhi and Mumbai. Today, within a short span of 13 years, Dominoes boasts of 220 outlets across the country followed closely by McDonalds (160 restaurants) and Pizza Hut (137 branches). This, coupled with aggressive marketing techniques, has certainly increased the number of people, especially young people, who patronize these outlets.
Such factors have pushed India to the threshold of a childhood obesity epidemic which will leave us with an entire generation of overweight and disease prone youths, addicted to junk food.
Nutritionists, doctors and parents blame the big marketing muscle of international fast food chains and Quick Service Restaurant companies. They call for a multipronged approach to fight the malaise. At the community level we need community fitness programs through resident welfare associations. Health walks and health food festivals organized by them can go a long way in inculcating good life style habits. At the family level there is an urgent need to restrict the TV/computer viewing time of children and have a mandatory one hour of physical activity under the supervision of parents. The pregnant women of the household should have an intake of a balanced nutrition to maintain a healthy foetus and avoid future heart disease/diabetes.
The role of the schools is, by far, the most important and crucial in contributing towards the health of the nation. Physical activity should be a high priority item on the school’s agenda. Our honourable Health Minister would do a great service by making yogic exercises compulsory in schools. This will help students and teachers alike to remain fit and fine. School cafeterias must ensure to provide healthy food and ban sweetened beverages and energy dense junk food. Small children look up to their teachers as role models, and so their eating habits can be moulded for better health. Nutrition workshops for parents can sensitize them on this very important issue of the well being of their children.
At the government level, a concerted effort is needed to prevail upon the food companies to voluntarily limit their advertising of sugary snacks, soft drinks and other junk food items, as part of their corporate social responsibility. In fact, advertisements for commercial foods on television should not be aired in children’s programmes. Transnational food companies should feel encouraged to manufacture healthy snacks.
It is we as parents, elders and teachers, along with the multinationals, who have created the epidemic of obesity with the deadly recipe for disaster – high calorie consumption and low physical activity. Let us join hands with the likes of Dr Misra and Heal India to make a healthy India by rubbishing the rubbish food, and by paying equal attention (if not more) to healthy lifestyles.
Shobha Shukla
(The author is the Editor of Citizen News Service (CNS), has worked earlier with State Planning Institute, UP, and teaches Physics at India's prestigious Loreto Convent. Email: shobha@citizen-news.org, website: www.citizen-news.org)
Published in
1- The Seoul Times, Seoul, Korea
Lend me your ears, not just your voice
Lend me your ears, not just your voice
Bindu Gurtoo
It seems that we in India cannot converse, discourse or speak coherently and courteously on an issue. For all our constant glorification of our venerable arts and culture, the art of conversation seems to have completely eluded us. We think nothing of butting in, of rudely interrupting a speaker in mid sentence or of expressing our dissent by out shouting other participants. As for politely waiting for one’s turn, whatever is that?
This habit becomes magnified in televised discussions and debates. The television camera amplifies the empty sound and fury of the Indian speaker. It vividly reveals the Indian speaker’s unwillingness to lend his ear to anyone but himself. Last year’s furore over the Shri Ram Sene attack on women pub goers had yielded a bumper crop of panel discussions on all television channels. People of all ages, backgrounds, and sexes went on air to volubly hurl forth their points of view at each other.
Let me describe one such heated discussion on the pub culture which I happened to catch on one news channel. The panel consisted of an old gentleman in grey tweeds, quite the stereotype of the stern patriarch, a middle aged conservatively dressed and confidently bi-lingual lady representing the Indian woman, a suave hotelier from Bangalore and last, but definitely not the least, a representative of the Indian youth, an MTV roadie, a specimen (one couldn’t quite call him human)…but more on him later.
Now as far as television is concerned, the trend seems to be that greater the number of news channels, the more trivial the issues under discussion and the more raucous the debate. This particular show was no different. The panel members talked all at once and then inexplicably fell silent, although for a very brief moment, after which the babble was resumed with fresh vigour. They regularly fiddled with their earpieces which made one suspect an ear wax problem. There probably was a buildup of ear wax for they failed to hear each other out at all. In the ensuing verbal bedlam, the moderator lost sight of the real issue, that of personal choice and public censure.
The geriatric gentleman seemed to believe that his grey hair entitled him to shove his views down the collective throat of the youth. He spoke loudly. (When will speakers on television realize that the idiot box is equipped with volume control? They needn’t shout to be heard!) He swore by the sanctity of Indian culture. He also, quite annoyingly, grumbled and sniggered constantly when the others spoke! In the process, he lost the respect that age and experience should have granted him.
The lady was no less, though she kept to lower decibels (then again, it could be that she did not possess the requisite vocal chords…). A highly qualified person, she stuck to her line like a leech, regardless of what her fellow speakers had to say. Things were a tad tough for her considering that she was representing the emancipated Indian woman. And the trouble with representing the emancipated Indian women is that they come in a great variety, each as plausible as the other.
The hotelier was the mildest of the lot. He faithfully clung to the officially correct line of argument trying to please both the law and the customer … He did look bored, but, he was probably there for the publicity. After all, these are the times of global recession …
At last we come to that representative of the Indian youth, the MTV roadie. By the way, that’s a rather sixties term for an icon of the twenty first century youth. The term is a bit ridiculous too. Imagine calling a frequent flier airie or worse, a windie? Or the one who sails, can he be called waterie? Seriously though, the Indian youth must lodge an official protest to that news channel for foisting that miserable being as an icon upon them. First, because he seemed to be in his thirties (though, to be fair to him he did make a brave attempt to fit the role). Secondly we, as Indians, are extremely proud of our young women and men. The Indian youth is intelligent, hardworking, spirited and the reason behind “India Shining”. This particularly uncouth representative was none of the above. He brandished the juvenile, “Teachers, leave them kids alone!” school boy mantra as his perspective on the issue. His manner was churlish, melodramatic and well, quite, quite roadie.
In all the shouting, the vociferous arguments and the gesticulating, the issue under consideration received hardly any serious consideration at all. The moderator could do precious little as the participants assaulted the viewers’ ears and intelligence with their cacophony.
Cut to a discussion on an international news channel at the same time. The issue under discussion was the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and the speakers represented the two perpetually warring nations. The two countries had just finished fighting a bloody battle that had left thousands dead or wounded, yet, the participants were dignity personified. They were coherent, articulate, courteous and completely shorn of any histrionics. They placed their arguments with objectivity and gravity that the issue deserved. Most importantly, they did not shout! As a viewer, one could comprehend their points of view. The neat summation by the moderator at the conclusion of the discussion left one with the satisfaction of having heard something of substance.
Urban Indians, flush with their well earned wealth, are quickly acquiring a taste for the good things of life. They need to take lessons in the fine art of conversation as well. Only then will the urban Indian become truly urbane. We are an educationally accomplished and economically vibrant country. Let us also make a sincere effort to be a polite, well mannered one, whose citizens voice their opinions in well modulated polite tones allowing all a fair chance to express themselves without being verbally lynched for daring to speak.
Bindu Gurtoo
Bindu Gurtoo
It seems that we in India cannot converse, discourse or speak coherently and courteously on an issue. For all our constant glorification of our venerable arts and culture, the art of conversation seems to have completely eluded us. We think nothing of butting in, of rudely interrupting a speaker in mid sentence or of expressing our dissent by out shouting other participants. As for politely waiting for one’s turn, whatever is that?
This habit becomes magnified in televised discussions and debates. The television camera amplifies the empty sound and fury of the Indian speaker. It vividly reveals the Indian speaker’s unwillingness to lend his ear to anyone but himself. Last year’s furore over the Shri Ram Sene attack on women pub goers had yielded a bumper crop of panel discussions on all television channels. People of all ages, backgrounds, and sexes went on air to volubly hurl forth their points of view at each other.
Let me describe one such heated discussion on the pub culture which I happened to catch on one news channel. The panel consisted of an old gentleman in grey tweeds, quite the stereotype of the stern patriarch, a middle aged conservatively dressed and confidently bi-lingual lady representing the Indian woman, a suave hotelier from Bangalore and last, but definitely not the least, a representative of the Indian youth, an MTV roadie, a specimen (one couldn’t quite call him human)…but more on him later.
Now as far as television is concerned, the trend seems to be that greater the number of news channels, the more trivial the issues under discussion and the more raucous the debate. This particular show was no different. The panel members talked all at once and then inexplicably fell silent, although for a very brief moment, after which the babble was resumed with fresh vigour. They regularly fiddled with their earpieces which made one suspect an ear wax problem. There probably was a buildup of ear wax for they failed to hear each other out at all. In the ensuing verbal bedlam, the moderator lost sight of the real issue, that of personal choice and public censure.
The geriatric gentleman seemed to believe that his grey hair entitled him to shove his views down the collective throat of the youth. He spoke loudly. (When will speakers on television realize that the idiot box is equipped with volume control? They needn’t shout to be heard!) He swore by the sanctity of Indian culture. He also, quite annoyingly, grumbled and sniggered constantly when the others spoke! In the process, he lost the respect that age and experience should have granted him.
The lady was no less, though she kept to lower decibels (then again, it could be that she did not possess the requisite vocal chords…). A highly qualified person, she stuck to her line like a leech, regardless of what her fellow speakers had to say. Things were a tad tough for her considering that she was representing the emancipated Indian woman. And the trouble with representing the emancipated Indian women is that they come in a great variety, each as plausible as the other.
The hotelier was the mildest of the lot. He faithfully clung to the officially correct line of argument trying to please both the law and the customer … He did look bored, but, he was probably there for the publicity. After all, these are the times of global recession …
At last we come to that representative of the Indian youth, the MTV roadie. By the way, that’s a rather sixties term for an icon of the twenty first century youth. The term is a bit ridiculous too. Imagine calling a frequent flier airie or worse, a windie? Or the one who sails, can he be called waterie? Seriously though, the Indian youth must lodge an official protest to that news channel for foisting that miserable being as an icon upon them. First, because he seemed to be in his thirties (though, to be fair to him he did make a brave attempt to fit the role). Secondly we, as Indians, are extremely proud of our young women and men. The Indian youth is intelligent, hardworking, spirited and the reason behind “India Shining”. This particularly uncouth representative was none of the above. He brandished the juvenile, “Teachers, leave them kids alone!” school boy mantra as his perspective on the issue. His manner was churlish, melodramatic and well, quite, quite roadie.
In all the shouting, the vociferous arguments and the gesticulating, the issue under consideration received hardly any serious consideration at all. The moderator could do precious little as the participants assaulted the viewers’ ears and intelligence with their cacophony.
Cut to a discussion on an international news channel at the same time. The issue under discussion was the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and the speakers represented the two perpetually warring nations. The two countries had just finished fighting a bloody battle that had left thousands dead or wounded, yet, the participants were dignity personified. They were coherent, articulate, courteous and completely shorn of any histrionics. They placed their arguments with objectivity and gravity that the issue deserved. Most importantly, they did not shout! As a viewer, one could comprehend their points of view. The neat summation by the moderator at the conclusion of the discussion left one with the satisfaction of having heard something of substance.
Urban Indians, flush with their well earned wealth, are quickly acquiring a taste for the good things of life. They need to take lessons in the fine art of conversation as well. Only then will the urban Indian become truly urbane. We are an educationally accomplished and economically vibrant country. Let us also make a sincere effort to be a polite, well mannered one, whose citizens voice their opinions in well modulated polite tones allowing all a fair chance to express themselves without being verbally lynched for daring to speak.
Bindu Gurtoo
16 year girl, old enough to have sex but too young to vote
16 year girl, old enough to have sex but too young to vote
Alka Pande
IT is a welcome move by a forward thinking judiciary official of an Indian High Court to challenge the law made centuries ago by the British. The old law set by the British in 1860 (which is in practice even today) considers a 16 year old girl mentally and physically fit for giving consent to a person for having sex with her. The said law is in force in India even today when the legal age for a boy or a girl to vote is 18. This is the age when they are considered to be adult citizens.
Justice VD Chaturvedi, the judge at the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, has termed this provision of law "outdated and invalid." According to him, "The 1860 British law was designed to suit the then British rulers only."
Justice Chaturvedi has asked both the Government of India as well as the Government in the state of Uttar Pradesh to have a fresh look at the old law. He has shot off letters to Attorney General of India and the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh besides both the governments at the Centre and in the state asking them their opinion on raising the 16 years age parameter to 18.
The move of Justice Chaturvedi has given an opportunity to legal experts and social activists to raise a debate on the said law mentioned in the Section 375 IPC (Indian Penal Code).
The issue cropped up when a man convicted for raping a 17 year old girl, filed an appeal in the High Court. A trial court had announced seven years' of rigorous imprisonment to the rapist, who sought amnesty from the High Court on the plea that the girl was above the age of 16 and was therefore, under the law, entitled to give her consent for having sex with him.
In his appeal, the convict had pleaded that the girl was 17 years of age at the time of rape. She had given her consent to him for making physical relations. Therefore, his conviction was not proper under Section 376 of IPC for rape as section 375 of IPC provided that he or she could give consent for sexual intercourse after attaining the age of 16.
Looking to the circumstances of the case, the High Court dismissed the appeal upholding the conviction, also holding that the consent was not voluntary.
The court went to the extent of observing that "the law relating to consent for sex was apparently designed keeping in mind that most of the British officers had to live here without their families so they were bound to indulge in extra-marital sex with women of all ages."
The High Court commented that a girl below 21 is not normally fit to decide good or bad for her and therefore, if any decision taken before that age is damaging to her welfare or interest, it must be deemed that such a decision was taken under inducement. The judge has also drawn comparison with other laws of the land which do not give several rights to persons of the age of 18 or even 21.
"It is an absolutely right observation", says Shalini Mathur, Director of Suraksha, an anti-dowry organisation. "The age of marriage is 18 and a 16 year old girl is considered adolescent which causes a grey area as to what a child in the age group of 16 to 18, is. However, the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 clearly states that "there is nothing like adolescence. Up till 18 a girl or boy is a child and after 18 he/she is an adult." Shalini Mathur, who has worked with young girls living in shelter homes argues, "If a girl is not fit for marriage till she is 18, how can she be fit to have sex with a man?"
Besides, in cases of rape in India, the age of a girl is judged by an X-ray of the girl’s pelvic girdle and the age determined by this system is always two years plus or minus, which causes a hurdle in justice.
If the observation of the High Court is considered and an amendment is brought into the IPC, it will certainly eliminate the ambiguity and will bring clarity in the law.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Alka Pande
IT is a welcome move by a forward thinking judiciary official of an Indian High Court to challenge the law made centuries ago by the British. The old law set by the British in 1860 (which is in practice even today) considers a 16 year old girl mentally and physically fit for giving consent to a person for having sex with her. The said law is in force in India even today when the legal age for a boy or a girl to vote is 18. This is the age when they are considered to be adult citizens.
Justice VD Chaturvedi, the judge at the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, has termed this provision of law "outdated and invalid." According to him, "The 1860 British law was designed to suit the then British rulers only."
Justice Chaturvedi has asked both the Government of India as well as the Government in the state of Uttar Pradesh to have a fresh look at the old law. He has shot off letters to Attorney General of India and the Advocate General of Uttar Pradesh besides both the governments at the Centre and in the state asking them their opinion on raising the 16 years age parameter to 18.
The move of Justice Chaturvedi has given an opportunity to legal experts and social activists to raise a debate on the said law mentioned in the Section 375 IPC (Indian Penal Code).
The issue cropped up when a man convicted for raping a 17 year old girl, filed an appeal in the High Court. A trial court had announced seven years' of rigorous imprisonment to the rapist, who sought amnesty from the High Court on the plea that the girl was above the age of 16 and was therefore, under the law, entitled to give her consent for having sex with him.
In his appeal, the convict had pleaded that the girl was 17 years of age at the time of rape. She had given her consent to him for making physical relations. Therefore, his conviction was not proper under Section 376 of IPC for rape as section 375 of IPC provided that he or she could give consent for sexual intercourse after attaining the age of 16.
Looking to the circumstances of the case, the High Court dismissed the appeal upholding the conviction, also holding that the consent was not voluntary.
The court went to the extent of observing that "the law relating to consent for sex was apparently designed keeping in mind that most of the British officers had to live here without their families so they were bound to indulge in extra-marital sex with women of all ages."
The High Court commented that a girl below 21 is not normally fit to decide good or bad for her and therefore, if any decision taken before that age is damaging to her welfare or interest, it must be deemed that such a decision was taken under inducement. The judge has also drawn comparison with other laws of the land which do not give several rights to persons of the age of 18 or even 21.
"It is an absolutely right observation", says Shalini Mathur, Director of Suraksha, an anti-dowry organisation. "The age of marriage is 18 and a 16 year old girl is considered adolescent which causes a grey area as to what a child in the age group of 16 to 18, is. However, the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 clearly states that "there is nothing like adolescence. Up till 18 a girl or boy is a child and after 18 he/she is an adult." Shalini Mathur, who has worked with young girls living in shelter homes argues, "If a girl is not fit for marriage till she is 18, how can she be fit to have sex with a man?"
Besides, in cases of rape in India, the age of a girl is judged by an X-ray of the girl’s pelvic girdle and the age determined by this system is always two years plus or minus, which causes a hurdle in justice.
If the observation of the High Court is considered and an amendment is brought into the IPC, it will certainly eliminate the ambiguity and will bring clarity in the law.
Alka Pande
(The author is a senior journalist)
Men against violence-5: Men also face violence but...
Men against violence-5
Men also face violence but...
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Men against violence-4: Men engagement is the need of women's movement
DHAKA: Do the men also face violence within domestic sphere? I come across this question from my friends. They alleged, activists do not want to see violence faced by men in the home. Sometimes, they cite examples of men in abusive relationships. I also wanted to share this question with activists. I was afraid that I will be blamed politically incorrect if I ask this question to anyone from the women’s movement. I thought I will be branded with certain ideological terminology. But during Dhaka Consultation, I gathered courage and raised this question.
When this issue was presented to Gary Barker of International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), he paused for a few minutes. Pressed his lips and started to speak very cautiously. His every word was well thought out, "we do not equate violence against men to violence against women. Because, men have greater socio-economic power. All over world men have economic power. This power is used to subjugate women. So, there status is incomparable."
But, he also says, "Some women have limited power in their house. Few of them use this power to resort to violence. Sometimes against their children...sometimes against their husband and sometime against their in-laws." After Saying this simultaneously he puts a big BUT...
The next question was, what type of violence women engages in, Gary says, "generally men face psychological and mental violence. Due to process of socialization, some women also have ability of emotional expression. They also use their voice as a tool of domination by modulating it."
However Dr. Abhijit Das of Centre for Health and Social justice, Delhi said, whosoever, resorts to violence, is wrong. However, we have to see, the roots of violence very carefully otherwise, we will reach a wrong conclusion. We should see, whether this is the result of social structure i.e. structural violence and outcome of gender discrimination or reaction of oppression? If it is happening due to social structure which means to create power, obviously it is grave issue..." He says, "Generally men do not face violence by women due to social structure." Subhash Mendhapurkar of SUTRA, who is working with commmunity in Himachal pradesh, voices the same opinion. He says, "sometime women do violence but it has many psychological reasons like feeling of insecurity etc."
When these three wise men, Gary, Abhijit and Subhash say all these words, they also put a strong word of caution. Subhash said, "if you take the sample of 1000 cases, 999 will be the violence against women and only one against men. We have to be careful when we talk about violence against men by women otherwise men will use it as an excuse to minimize the impact of violence against women."
Bimala Chandrashekha, Director of Madurai based organization Ekta, also accepts violence against men by women. Though, she is very emphatic, "Vulnerability of women and men to violence is not comparable. Women are more vulnerable. Violence against women is incomparable. They live under the shadow of violence. Their mobility has greater risk. Men do not have to think before taking each step."
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Men against violence-4: Men engagement is the need of women's movement
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
[The author is a senior Hindi journalist based in Lucknow and a noted researcher on gender issues. His website is Gender Jihad (www.genderjihad.in) and he can be reached at nasiruddinhk@gmail.com ]
Men also face violence but...
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Men against violence-4: Men engagement is the need of women's movement
DHAKA: Do the men also face violence within domestic sphere? I come across this question from my friends. They alleged, activists do not want to see violence faced by men in the home. Sometimes, they cite examples of men in abusive relationships. I also wanted to share this question with activists. I was afraid that I will be blamed politically incorrect if I ask this question to anyone from the women’s movement. I thought I will be branded with certain ideological terminology. But during Dhaka Consultation, I gathered courage and raised this question.
When this issue was presented to Gary Barker of International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), he paused for a few minutes. Pressed his lips and started to speak very cautiously. His every word was well thought out, "we do not equate violence against men to violence against women. Because, men have greater socio-economic power. All over world men have economic power. This power is used to subjugate women. So, there status is incomparable."
But, he also says, "Some women have limited power in their house. Few of them use this power to resort to violence. Sometimes against their children...sometimes against their husband and sometime against their in-laws." After Saying this simultaneously he puts a big BUT...
The next question was, what type of violence women engages in, Gary says, "generally men face psychological and mental violence. Due to process of socialization, some women also have ability of emotional expression. They also use their voice as a tool of domination by modulating it."
However Dr. Abhijit Das of Centre for Health and Social justice, Delhi said, whosoever, resorts to violence, is wrong. However, we have to see, the roots of violence very carefully otherwise, we will reach a wrong conclusion. We should see, whether this is the result of social structure i.e. structural violence and outcome of gender discrimination or reaction of oppression? If it is happening due to social structure which means to create power, obviously it is grave issue..." He says, "Generally men do not face violence by women due to social structure." Subhash Mendhapurkar of SUTRA, who is working with commmunity in Himachal pradesh, voices the same opinion. He says, "sometime women do violence but it has many psychological reasons like feeling of insecurity etc."
When these three wise men, Gary, Abhijit and Subhash say all these words, they also put a strong word of caution. Subhash said, "if you take the sample of 1000 cases, 999 will be the violence against women and only one against men. We have to be careful when we talk about violence against men by women otherwise men will use it as an excuse to minimize the impact of violence against women."
Bimala Chandrashekha, Director of Madurai based organization Ekta, also accepts violence against men by women. Though, she is very emphatic, "Vulnerability of women and men to violence is not comparable. Women are more vulnerable. Violence against women is incomparable. They live under the shadow of violence. Their mobility has greater risk. Men do not have to think before taking each step."
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Men against violence-4: Men engagement is the need of women's movement
Nasiruddin Haider Khan[The author is a senior Hindi journalist based in Lucknow and a noted researcher on gender issues. His website is Gender Jihad (www.genderjihad.in) and he can be reached at nasiruddinhk@gmail.com ]
Men against violence-4: Men engagement is the need of women's movement
Men against violence-4
Men engagement is the need of women's movement
This will add to women's movement
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
DHAKA: Dhaka consultation on engaging men and boys for gender equality and violence prevention was on its last leg. I was going through lots of questions and dilemmas - ideological, political, and strategic. I am actively associated with many organizations working for women. Therefore, I think myself as a part of women's movement. The most important question for me was, is the women's movement ready for this engagement? Will the men, 'the culprit', hijack movement against violence? Will the movement derail from its goal for gender just society? I thought it prudent to ask women, who are part of the movement and not to the men who are trying to engage themselves with movement.
Madhubala Nath, associated with United Nations Fund for women (UNIFEM) based in Delhi, answered some of these apprehensions. And she starts with straight words, "only those will feel threatened to such important engagements whose understanding of gender is problematic. If the movement feels threatened then we have to reclaim the real meaning of gender relation that involves both men and women." She continues, "and this whole issue of men involvement has been settled many years ago. In Nairobi World Women Conference it was decided that work with men is very important and necessary."
Maria Rashid, co-director of Islamabad, Pakistan based organization ‘Rozan” said, "We are a women organization and we are working with men for the last ten years. And this need was felt by the women's movement itself."
She has a different perspective and says, "Women organisations saw men only as a problem. Now they have to see them as a solution too." Not only that, she said, men also have to see the violence against them in outside world to understand violence against women.
Dr. Rakshanda Parveen of SACHET from Islamabad, has different opinion, "I think there was not much done on this issue with women's movement. There is a need to create linkages. It should be." She said, "Yes, there will be little discomfort or opposition but we have to face it. Because engagement of both the streams is necessary for gender justice."
Whereas, an activist of Indian women's movement and Director of Madurai based organization Ekta, Bimla Chandrashekhar is more straightforward, "involvement of men is our need." What is the need, she explains, "When we go to the community, women say we do not have power to do anything. Why don't you talk to our men? Therefore, women have pushed us on this path." She elaborates a little, "With our experience and growth we (women's movement) only focused on violence against women. Now we say all issues are women issues. Women issues should be everyone's issues."
However Dr. Rakshanda points out, "we are not competing with women's movement and rights. No, not at all. I believe in gender harmony." She also cautions, yes there might be certain discomfort on the issue of allocation of resources.
Maria also has important point. She said, we have to be cautious. Otherwise, overemphasis on the male engagement will lead to disconnect with women's movement. We should watch carefully, there should be no competition. We have to keep both connected to the movement.
Madhubala talks about initiative, "We will certainly talk to women's movement to be part of this initiative. This will add to their work and enhance their work." She ensure women groups that they do not have reason to feel threatened at all.
Vimala underlines an important disclaimer, "Not all men are the same. Not all are violent. They have burden of masculinity. Society also expects them to behave in certain masculine way. Society expects a man to be violent and legitimize it. Society also puts burden on men to be a bread earner. This creates lot of pressure on them. This also has to be understood."
But will there be any positive outcome of all this initiatives... engagements...? Madhubala is quick to respond, UNIFEM has firm conviction that engagement with men and boys will give positive result in the direction of gender equality and violence prevention." She gives an example that in prevention of HIV infection it is very necessary to involve men to help women. Engagement with men will prevent them from risky behaviour.
Maria has worked with men. She shares her experience, "we work with police personnel and we observed remarkable change in their attitude and behaviour towards women. So engagement is effective."
(A slightly different version of this series had been published in Hindi daily Hindustan)
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
[The author is a senior Hindi journalist based in Lucknow and a noted researcher on gender issues. His website is Gender Jihad (www.genderjihad.in) and he can be reached at nasiruddinhk@gmail.com ]
Men engagement is the need of women's movement
This will add to women's movement
Nasiruddin Haider Khan
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
DHAKA: Dhaka consultation on engaging men and boys for gender equality and violence prevention was on its last leg. I was going through lots of questions and dilemmas - ideological, political, and strategic. I am actively associated with many organizations working for women. Therefore, I think myself as a part of women's movement. The most important question for me was, is the women's movement ready for this engagement? Will the men, 'the culprit', hijack movement against violence? Will the movement derail from its goal for gender just society? I thought it prudent to ask women, who are part of the movement and not to the men who are trying to engage themselves with movement.
Madhubala Nath, associated with United Nations Fund for women (UNIFEM) based in Delhi, answered some of these apprehensions. And she starts with straight words, "only those will feel threatened to such important engagements whose understanding of gender is problematic. If the movement feels threatened then we have to reclaim the real meaning of gender relation that involves both men and women." She continues, "and this whole issue of men involvement has been settled many years ago. In Nairobi World Women Conference it was decided that work with men is very important and necessary."
Maria Rashid, co-director of Islamabad, Pakistan based organization ‘Rozan” said, "We are a women organization and we are working with men for the last ten years. And this need was felt by the women's movement itself."
She has a different perspective and says, "Women organisations saw men only as a problem. Now they have to see them as a solution too." Not only that, she said, men also have to see the violence against them in outside world to understand violence against women.
Dr. Rakshanda Parveen of SACHET from Islamabad, has different opinion, "I think there was not much done on this issue with women's movement. There is a need to create linkages. It should be." She said, "Yes, there will be little discomfort or opposition but we have to face it. Because engagement of both the streams is necessary for gender justice."
Whereas, an activist of Indian women's movement and Director of Madurai based organization Ekta, Bimla Chandrashekhar is more straightforward, "involvement of men is our need." What is the need, she explains, "When we go to the community, women say we do not have power to do anything. Why don't you talk to our men? Therefore, women have pushed us on this path." She elaborates a little, "With our experience and growth we (women's movement) only focused on violence against women. Now we say all issues are women issues. Women issues should be everyone's issues."
However Dr. Rakshanda points out, "we are not competing with women's movement and rights. No, not at all. I believe in gender harmony." She also cautions, yes there might be certain discomfort on the issue of allocation of resources.
Maria also has important point. She said, we have to be cautious. Otherwise, overemphasis on the male engagement will lead to disconnect with women's movement. We should watch carefully, there should be no competition. We have to keep both connected to the movement.
Madhubala talks about initiative, "We will certainly talk to women's movement to be part of this initiative. This will add to their work and enhance their work." She ensure women groups that they do not have reason to feel threatened at all.
Vimala underlines an important disclaimer, "Not all men are the same. Not all are violent. They have burden of masculinity. Society also expects them to behave in certain masculine way. Society expects a man to be violent and legitimize it. Society also puts burden on men to be a bread earner. This creates lot of pressure on them. This also has to be understood."
But will there be any positive outcome of all this initiatives... engagements...? Madhubala is quick to respond, UNIFEM has firm conviction that engagement with men and boys will give positive result in the direction of gender equality and violence prevention." She gives an example that in prevention of HIV infection it is very necessary to involve men to help women. Engagement with men will prevent them from risky behaviour.
Maria has worked with men. She shares her experience, "we work with police personnel and we observed remarkable change in their attitude and behaviour towards women. So engagement is effective."
(A slightly different version of this series had been published in Hindi daily Hindustan)
Read the first three parts of this article series by Nasiruddin Haider Khan, online at:
Men against violence-1: Learn masculinity from Mahatma Gandhi?
Men against violence-2: Socio-economic inequality leads to gender-based violence
Men against violence-3: Violence strike at one's heart
Nasiruddin Haider Khan[The author is a senior Hindi journalist based in Lucknow and a noted researcher on gender issues. His website is Gender Jihad (www.genderjihad.in) and he can be reached at nasiruddinhk@gmail.com ]
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