SAVE GANGA

SAVE GANGA

By:

SUSHMITA PAUL

Ganga-the beautiful cultural and traditional image of India is getting ruin day by day. Borning from the lap of Himalayans’ glacier Gangotri, carrying the lifeline of crores of Indians, Ganga makes itself the bizarre of all. River Ganga- the national river of India, serving great value importance to the country is being threatened by all of us. The pride of India-River Ganga’s story made its existence since the Veda period. The whole story of Ganga prelects the story of India. Ganga runs through 52 cities and 48 towns providing livelihood to many at the cost of its life. This holy river is considered as the river of great ritualistic and spiritualistic importance. But unfortunately Ganga is on verse of losing its valuable existence.

Ganga submerges in itself litres of industrial waste, sewages and hazardous chemical. About 730litres of wastes are being drained daily in River Ganga, from which only about 400 litres are being cleaned taking the life of Ganga near the mouth of black hole. Apart from these major wastes slaying Ganga’s heart, this river always cries seeing the day to day people’s activities following its route by harming Ganga. The jamboree of human body waste, open defecations, dumping poly bags into the River further makes the situation very pathetic. Indians claim prelacy on Gangajal which is actually full of toxics now a days.

The Government of India has initiated different projects to Save River Ganga. The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) –started in 1986, by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi launched Rs 462-crore project to clean the Ganga. This project failed but phase II of the programe got approval by Feb 2014 and an expenditure of 939 crores was made to take up 524 different projects to clean Ganga. Then The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NRBA) under the headship of Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was launched as a regulatory body during February 2009 with an objective to reduce pollution in Ganga. But due to lack of accountability and commitment this Cell soon got dissolved. Supreme Court of India has already ordered the closure and relocation of industrial plants along the Ganges. The flow of the river between Gaumukh and Uttarkashi has been termed as ‘eco-sensitive zone’ in 2010. Another movement called the Save Ganga Movement started by social activists and saints also gained a lot of fame which works on Gandhian philosophy of non violence.  This time the Government of India has created few administrative changes to meet the success in saving Ganga. The River is now under the Water Resource minister Uma Bharti which was previously under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Although these many programmes have been launched but there is least sign of betterment.

Actually we all need to inculcate our responsibilities in mind of being an aware and sensible citizen of India and understand the importance of Water Resources. Though the abiding truth of today’s Ganga makes the nation abash of its deeds but still it we can work together to save Ganga at our own level and make big differences.

The world is not 'maid ' for you, Maa !

          I am Pinki. I study in class 4^th.I go to school everyday because I want to be a big person one day. My favourite subject is Maths. My father is a labourer. He goes to work every morning. He comes home tired and shouts on us but that's okay, he is the main bread-earner. I study during day and help my mother with her chores at home in the evening. I want to help my family with income by completing my studies and doing a good job. But this is not about me. This is about my mother. My mother’s name is Sushma . She is a domestic worker at Saxenas, Sinhas , Mehtas, Shrivastavas and many more houses. She gets up at 5 am , prepares my two other sisters and me for school, makes lunch for us, packs food for Papa , does her daily chores of mopping the floor and washing utensils and after sending all of us to our work, she herself embarks on to her daily , hackneyed job.
         My mother is illiterate .She says it is a curse for her. She is not treated well by the society and I don’t like that. The aunties who employ her lambaste her if she doesn’t work up to their expectations. She doesn’t enjoy holidays on major festivals like Holi and Diwali like we do. Instead she has to work longer than usual during festivals. I have never seen her taking a break and giving time to herself. 

         Papa usually comes drunk at night because he says he has a lot of tension and alcohol is a way to attain peace for him. He often beats Maa when she disobeys him. I don’t like to see my Mother’s pillow soaked in tears overnight. Still she gets up, mustering the supressed, crushed , sobbing valour, like an iron lady to face the enemies all over again . When I sometimes ask her the cause of her plight, she smiles and lifts me up on her lap to say, “Complete your education and do something fruitful. The world will be at your feet. You little doll! You won’t understand what I mean now but some years later, you will know it all."
       This is the reality of life for not just Sushma, but thousands of other female domestic workers across the country. According to a Cabinet document about a draft national policy for domestic workers reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, domestic work is the largest female occupation in urban India. According to data from the ministry of labour and employment, the number of domestic workers in India vary from 4.75 million (Employment and Unemployment National Sample Survey 61st round, 2004-5) to 6.4 million (Census 2001). The data might be under-reported as domestic work is yet to be treated as ‘real’ work at many places, concede both NSS as well as census reports. This is one of the major reasons as to why domestic work largely remains ‘undeclared’.

        “The main issues that concern domestic workers are: lack of decent wages and work conditions, no defined work time, no weekly offs, loneliness, violence, abuse and sexual harassment in the workplace among others,“ the Cabinet note said.

Most domestic workers are from the marginalized sections of society and a large number of them are migrant workers. Workers range from full-time to part-time workers, skilled and unskilled workers.
         The root cause of all these troubles is illiteracy. Had these workers been given the basic education, they would not have been taken advantage of by their employers. Several studies have shown that a lower level of women literacy rates results in higher levels of fertility and infant mortality, poorer nutrition, lower earning potential and the lack of an ability to make decisions within a household. Women's poor educational level is also shown to adversely affect the health and living conditions of children. A survey that was conducted in India showed results which support the fact that infant mortality rate was inversely related to female literacy rate and educational level .The survey also suggests a correlation between education and economic growth.

         In India, it was found that there is a large disparity between female literacy rates in different states and regions. For example, while Kerala actually has a female literacy rate of about 86 percent, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have female literacy rates around 55-60 percent. Furthermore, the disparity of female literacy rates across rural and urban areas is also significant in India. Out of the 24 states in India, 6 of them have female literacy rates of below 60 percent. Rajasthan has a female literacy rate of less than 12 percent.

        Several positive steps are being taken in this direction to grant these female domestic workers the status and respect of a normal citizen. Tamil Nadu included domestic workers in their Manual Workers Act and created a separate board for them while Maharashtra is actively considering a law for them, with draft bills under discussion. Maharashtra has published a code of conduct. Under Section 27 (A) of the Maharashtra State Public Service Conduct Act, 1997, the Maharashtra government prohibits government employees from employing children below 14 as domestic workers. Such rules can be found in the rule books of 18 other states. Karnataka has notified minimum wages for domestic workers and Kerala has followed the suit. The Government of India has amended the Central Civil Service Conduct rules to prohibit Civil Servants from employing children below the age of 14 as domestics.

        The latest in a series of efforts to address the concerns of Domestic Workers are the two draft bills brought out in 2008 by the National Commission for Women and the National Campaign Committee of Unorganised Sector Workers also in 2008.

Literacy is the key to empower women of the country. Patriarchy has to end and give way for many Iron ladies like Sushma to rise and shine , without fear of being chained down by the shackles of the so-called superior gender.

The sun will rise from West

The mountains will move

The rivers will change the course

When the women of the country will be educated.

-Shivani Saxena

Can industrialization and socialization coexist?

“The problem of architecture as I see it is the problem of all art – the elimination of the human element from the consideration of the form.” 
  ― Evelyn Waugh, Decline and fall

Ever since industrial revolution started in the 1800’s, our society has evolved to become ‘Machine Oriented’ and ‘Materialistic’. When I use these two words I do not emphasize on an entirely negative notation about industrialization. From steam engines to the present day mobile phones, we have come to a stage where practically anything can be done or rather produced by technology. Rightly as we call ourselves techno-savvy, we are heading towards an automated world.

Now let’s see from a wider perspective. How is socialization affected by industrialization? Industrialization is all about transforming the society from agriculture dependent into machine dependent to increase economic activity. One of the major aspects of industrialization was to provide more employment, but it did not seem so. In the earlier stages of industrialization the need for work force was abundant due to reduced technological reach. Now with increase in innovative thinkers and technology, automation has come into picture, where human labor is less needed. Humans are starting to fear about unemployment. For most of the middle class families’ employment is the only way to lead a stable and a healthy life. Once machines started over powering manual labor, it threatened their jobs and eventually it led to people becoming insecure.

Before industrialization most of the countries were drawn towards agriculture for their revenue. Once industrialization evolved they transformed to being agriculture independent. Therefore, the farmers were losing income and were forced to migrate to cities in search of jobs. This led to largescale displacement to cities from towns and villages leading to the breakage of family ties. Another impact due to this was agricultural land acquisition to build industries. Farmers are even today forcefully made to sell their lands to multinational companies for expanding their empires. Now industrialization has shifted to being dominated by the ‘Rich’. To be more precise, ‘the rich is becoming richer and the poor is becoming poorer’. This led to the suppression of the financial stability of working class people. The concern about human development was declining and was more oriented towards self-improvement of only certain class of people. In a country like India, the consequences of industrialization is more widespread. Problems of infrastructure, poverty, increased taxes and corruption are prevalent.

Another impact of industrialization was its effect on the environment. With the increasing demand for goods, the usage of natural resources also rose. Technology and innovation demanded for scarping its resources from the environment leading to an ecological imbalance.

Now the question arises, can industrialization and socialization coexist? In my opinion, yes definitely they can. In a country like India, agriculture forms more than half of the revenue. To form a mature industrialized society we need to incorporate transformation in a harmonic way such that it does not disrupt the livelihood of the people. The local occupation of any place has to be encouraged and improved in such a way that their products can strongly compete in the international markets. The respective governments have to formulate policies to ensure equitable distribution of wealth, which is very difficult to achieve in the current political scenario.

Today, with change in the thought process of people especially the present age youngsters are seeking towards a more mature industrialized society with concern about humans and environment. Man is a ‘Social Animal’, this does not mean that man should be drawn towards his own self development. We should be concerned about us and our fellow human beings. We should therefore accept and invite positive and healthy changes in technology and industrialization without much hamper to the society.

- Maheshwari M

CHILD LABOUR

Child labour

 By:
Sushmita Paul

Mother gives birth to a child; a little innocent baby becomes the tree of juicy fruits full with hopes. Gradually he/she grows up and hopes from him/her increase its width and height. But what is happening is draining all the efficient potential of our strength of the nation. About whom is being mentioned is Child. Yes the future of our nation. Slaying the future of our nation by accepting the presence of child labour is very disheartening. All the bias of this evil practice should be penalized.

By indulging an innocent life into this practice and making braches of his/her innocent dreams is a matter of great pity for the whole nation. This practice is well defined by these many words of a simple sentence defining a v complex life type of a child---- What is child labour is: Those children who are doing paid or unpaid work in factories, workshops, establishments, mines and in the service sector such as domestic labour. Imagining this creates blood shocks in body. Now what with those actually practicing this in reality?  There are only two main causes of this Child Labour practice- A. Poverty And B. Illiteracy

Although in developing country like India this issue has been in concern of the Government but still we need a lot to get control over this typical problem but India continues to host the largest number of child labourers in the world today which is about 12 million in number.  Recent census has shown some decrease in level of this problem.  But we need to think that is it so difficult to eradicate poverty in India where there are so many government schemes running like The Children (Pledging of Labour) Act, 1933 The Employment of Children Act, 1938, The Minimum Wages Act 1948 and rules made there under by the government-The Shops and Establishment Act in Various States Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 etc. We all need to give this issue our genuine concern so that these act’s benefit can reach all its legal sufferers. If we the citizen of one nation at least try to educate one or two and this little effort can make huge difference. Whatever change may happen but at minimum after educating poor children they for sure will realize the needs of education and take benefits from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)  Mid Day Meal Scheme to built up a better future for themselves and thus for the nation too. They should be make aware of article 21A- Right to Education AND 24- prohibition of employment of children in factories. No one of us should think of putting a child work in a hazardous condition. This not only creates health and mental problems but distract the future betterment of nation. We all should give our best to stop this critical problem creating hindrance at both micro and macro levels. This is indeed a challenging task, but can be attained with concerted effort and a clear perspective.

Drug Abuse

Drug Abuse

“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy”

                                                                                                                 -Albus Dumbledore

Teenage and the transition from a child into an adult is particularly a difficult time in an individual’s life. There are hormonal changes, mental development, and physical development leading to a complex web of changes in the human body which makes this stage of development quite confusing. To escape this pressure of change, adolescents look out for alternatives and often fall back to drugs. Drug abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances i.e. ‘Drugs’. However, drug abuse is not limited to adolescents suggesting that people of any age may fall a victim to them. Individuals try drugs for a variety of reasons; some take them out of curiosity while others may take it to improve their athletic performance, or simple to cope up with the increasing pressures of anxiety, stress or depression. Often it is perceived that drug abusers have no moral character or lack strong will power. The lesser known fact is that the effects drugs have on the human brain make it very difficult to quit even if a person is ready to.

Our brain works on the pleasure principle suggesting that if any activity that we perform pleasures the brain in any way, you tend to do it again. Our life sustaining activities like eating pleasure brain receptors in such a way that the brain signals the repetition of the activity at regular intervals. Drugs play a similar role; they activate the brain’s pleasure circuit. Almost all drugs affect the way our brain works by affecting chemical neurotransmission. Prolonged use of drugs changes the brain in long- lasting ways and these long- lasting changes trigger drug addiction. Drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug abuse.

Drug abuse doesn’t only alter the functioning of human brain but also affects the abuser, his/her family, the society and babies who are not even conceived as yet, in a number of ways. Drug abuse weakens the whole immune system of our body making it susceptible to diseases. It also affects the cardiovascular system increasing the incidence of attacks and other heart related problems. Apart from our body, drug abuse also affects our feelings and emotions. Drug abusers show higher rates of hallucinations, delusions, insecurity, paranoia, impaired judgment, loss of rational decision making and even loss of self- control. Drug abusers not only play with their lives but also the lives of their generations to come. In the United States about 4% of pregnant women are addicted to drugs like marijuana and cocaine leading to a great deal of abnormalities in their fetus. The infants of drugged parents often suffer from a number of defects ranging from mental disorders to physical disabilities. Such children are frequently characterized by slow mental growth as compared to their peers and may even be emotionally unstable. A United Nations report estimated that drug abuse kills about 200,000 people per year and estimated an expenditure of $250 billion per year for providing rehabilitation to all the addicts and abusers.

Drug abuse can be sensed in a number of ways. Early signs of drug abuse involve changes in patterns of sleep, sudden weight loss or weight gain, bloodshed eyes, deterioration in physical grooming etc. In terms of behavior, a drug abuser may have a sudden change in his/her social circle, they might start getting themselves into trouble and even engaging in secretive activities. Psychologically, a person abusing drugs might show sudden mood swings, a change in attitude or personality and a lack of motivation. Drug abuse can also be identified by increased irritability, anger outbursts and unusual hyperactivity.

It is normally believed that there is no hope for a drug addict, however, drug abuse and addiction can be effectively treated to helping patients live a meaningful and successful life. Recognizing that one has a problem is the primary step which takes the most effort and courage. Once a person accepts the problem, he/she is more than ready to seek a solution. Treatments generally cater to the specific needs of a patient. The most effective treatment includes counseling and therapies in individual and group sessions where individuals are motivated to introspect about their problems and break the shell. Sometimes, medications are also prescribed in order to supplement the therapy sessions to avoid any relapses. Since ‘prevention is better than cure’, a number of organizations work to spread awareness about drug abuse. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the fight against drug abuse. UNODC works to educate people throughout the world about the dangers of drug abuse and to strengthen international action against illicit drug production and trafficking and drug-related crime. To achieve those aims, UNODC has launched a range of initiatives, including alternatives in the area of illicit drug crop cultivation, monitoring of illicit crops and the implementation of projects against money laundering. Drug abuse is a problem that can be faced by anyone. It doesn’t come with a name tag. All of us need to accept the situation and work towards a complete eradication of harmful drugs and walk towards a better world.

Nikita Tandon

Life Worth Less Than Honor

Life Worth Less Than Honor

“Blood cleanses Honor, the killer said”

Human beings are a magical creation of God. Right from day one we start developing a thought process and after a certain age we become capable of making our own choices and taking a stand. While most of our choices are accepted by the society, there are numerous people who are accused of making faulty choices and bringing dishonor to the family and community. These victims are often subjected to honor crime i.e. violence committed by those who aim to protect the reputation and honor of their family. Honor killing is a more brutal form of honor crime where the person accused of bringing shame to the honor of the family is murdered. The United nations estimated that about 5000 honor killings are committed every year. Honor killings are committed for a variety of reasons like when a person refuses to enter into marriage with someone, making a choice that his/her family disproves or being in a relationship that displeases the relatives.

The history of honor killing can be traced back to the ancient Rome Empire where the senior male of the household held the Right to kill an unmarried but sexually active daughter or an adulterous wife. In Arab and Ottoman Empire, the killer would sprinkle a few drops of the victim’s blood on his own clothes which gained him respect from the others in the community for protecting the honor of his family. Often the murders are supported by the whole family which is a great source of motivation to cover up the murders. Gradually, no trace of the victim’s survival is left in the society sweeping it clean and erasing his/her existence and thus honor based crimes are particularly difficult to assess.

The practice of honor killing is not limited to a particular religion or community. It is a worldwide phenomenon from South America to Asia taking lives of numerous individuals who dare to step outside the family rules. In France, the fifth five of Henry VII was brutally beheaded after being accused of involvement in adulterous activities. In ancient Peru, husbands were permitted to take the lives of their wives based on allegations of adulterous activities. Our own country is filled with numerous instances of honor killings. Every other day a new wedded couple is murdered by their family in the name of inter caste marriages. Honor crimes and subsequent killings are often carried out in male dominated societies that believe in limiting female autonomy. Often honor killings are justified on the name of religion; however, none of the major religions in the world approve honor killings.

Putting an end to honor crime is a particularly tricky ideal. Honor crimes often differ from plain and psychopathic crimes in their motivation. Also, there is a great lack of data when it comes to honor crimes because these are mostly committed with the approval of the whole society and thus are rarely reported. In spite of a number of road blocks, initiatives are being taken to rid the society of this gruesome practice. NGOs worldwide are taking out active campaigns raising the issue and also providing support to the potential victims of honor crime. But no amount of campaigns can change the way some people perceive the rights and wrongs, to combat honor killing, the feeling has to come from within. What the society needs to understand is that ‘there is no honor in killing.’

Nikita Tandon

HONOR KILLING-KILLING FOR THE HONOR OF WHAT?

Couple found hanging from the tree under mysterious circumstances, pregnant woman beaten to death by her family members for marrying the man of her choice, a young married woman strangled to death by her parents for marrying a man outside her caste, two young girls shot dead by their father for having boyfriends etc. As subtle as the name sounds, the very character of ‘Honor Killing’ is much daunting and horrendous. This treacherous act is conducted by the very people who are termed as ‘Parents’ and blood relatives for protecting the ‘Honor’ of their so called ‘Caste’.

The word caste is a very strong word, which plays a very important role in India and many South Asian countries. Right from birth to death, the major decisions in life are influenced by caste.

One of the many honor killing cases that sent shock waves throughout the entire country was the gruesome murder of Manoj and Babli in 2007. After eloping, least they would have thought that their love story would end so tragically. Forcefully fed with pesticides and their bodies being thrown into a canal, no one came to their rescue not even the law. For what were they killed? Well, the answer to this question is because the law making and controlling body in Haryana i.e., the Khap Panchayat thought Manoj and Babli who were from the same clan were considered to be brother and sister and marrying within the same clan is a sin. Whereas, Bhavna Yadav who hailed from a Rajasthani family was strangled to death by her parents for marrying Abhishek Seth, a Punjabi. In another case of honor killing a 22 year old girl was shot dead by her brother in Muzaffarnagar for being in a relationship with a boy. And so are many young and ambitious men and women killed in the name of protecting the honor of their caste. I would not like to go into the depth of these cases as it is well known to all. Why were they murdered? For falling in love with a girl/boy from another caste? Or for marrying against the wishes of their family and community? Whatever the reason may be the fact remains the same that ‘Lives’ are lost.

People are so blinded by their caste and community that they could not understand the feelings of their loved ones. We are born into this world as pure as water and as free as a bird without the burden of caste. But as we grow old, the beliefs of caste and community overshadows us and makes our lives tough to live.

 According to statistics from the United Nations, one in five cases of honor killing internationally every year comes from India. Of the 5000 cases reported internationally, 1000 are from India. Non-governmental organizations put the number at four times this figure. This is clear enough to show that we are still very backward in our thoughts and beliefs.

The law in our country is not strong enough to protect the young lives from these false beliefs. Although police protection was given to Manoj and Babli, least could they do to protect them. They could just stand there and watch the proceedings from the crowd, whereas the members of the Khap Panchayat were having full control of the situation. The law has failed here from every possible angle. The National Human Rights Commission set up a statutory body to address honor killing in 1990. Alarmed by the rise of honor killings, the Government planned to bring a bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament July 2010 to provide for deterrent punishment for 'honor' killings. Many more laws are framed and organizations formed to fight against honor killing. Then why are the honor killing cases on the rise? In my opinion there is no stable and powerful body to implement such laws.

People should be educated about the importance of life. Even though it is not possible to abolish the caste system, awareness has to be created that beliefs are only meant to be followed in a right way and not in a blind way. This approach has to be accompanied by an uncompromising and powerful law system. It has to be stringent enough so that people realize that they have actually committed an intolerable crime. Most importantly we all should remember that we belong to one and the same race called ‘Humanity’.

Maheshwari M

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice

“Another world is possible. But only if we all get busy and clean up this one.”

God created this earth and all of us, giving each of us an equal share. With the passage of time, the greed of man has increased and what we witness today is that a part of our species is being discriminated against in terms of a healthy environment. Mostly these discriminatory practices involve a disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on the people of colour referred to as environmental racism. Environmental Racism is the intentional placement of hazardous waste sites, landfills, incinerators, and polluting industries in communities majorly inhabited by the people of colour. These are environmental policies, practices or directives that differentially affect or disadvantage individuals, groups, or communities based on race or colour. The communities of colour are generally targeted because they are perceived as weak and passive individuals who will not revolt against the poisoning of their environment fearing an obstacle in their economic survival.

Practiced majorly in the United States, environmental racism has donned a global face. The injustices range from South Dakota where Native Americans are the primary targets of waste disposal, responsible for cleaning after the whites exposing themselves to threats of health and life to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in India, where a gas leak destroyed the lives of 1000s of individuals for generations. These two examples among many show a clear picture that government and industries fulfill their greed at the cost of health and lives of the people of colour owing to their vulnerability and being politically inactive, giving rise to an environmentally unjust society. Not only are these communities exposed to environmental hazards but also they are ripped off of the available resources holding a potential for their future developments. This doubly disadvantages the people of colour, leaving them economically as well as environmentally degraded retarding any scope of development.

To bring about an end to the injustices faced by the people of colour, the environmental justice movement began in the United States and soon it spread around the globe. The Environmental Justice Movement is about trying to amend the lives of those 1000s of individuals who have constantly faced environmental inequalities due to their respective race. The movement seeks to address the issues of power imbalances and disproportionate impact of hazards and aims at developing a healthy and sustainable environment for all. The environmental justice movement works with the environmental issues affecting the communities of colour who have been a part of discriminatory patterns of housing, land use, transportation, employment, etc. creation of a physically and psychologically healthy, and economically and ecologically stable environment appears to be the unifying theme of the environmental justice movement.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines environmental justice as “Fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, colour, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. In a very short period, environmental justice has evolved tremendously. It is involved not only in addressing issues of environmental racism but has also offered a maturing vision for the future developing a holistic society having a healthy and sustainable environment. This includes a world based on environmental protection, pollution prevention, integration of urban public policy and government accountability to the public.

Despite significant improvement in environmental protection in the recent years, about 1.3 billion individuals worldwide still live in environmentally unsafe habitats. Dumping of hazardous and toxic wastes still poses a global problem on the lives of millions of communities of colour. The systematic destruction of habitat of indigenous people is simply a way for big industries to fill their pockets. Even after stringent conditions, the OECD countries dumped about 2,611 metric tons of toxic waste into non OECD countries risking the lives and creating health issues.

In spite of the obstacles in the path, the number of encounters, conferences and publications about environmental justice continue to increase. Communities of colour are no longer solely dependent on government intervention to achieve an environmentally just society. An excellent example in this context would be of the citizens of Louisinia who fought against the dumping of Nuclear trash by accusing the Louisinia Energy Services (LES) of practicing environmental racism. The courts finally judges in favour of Louisinia Blacks upholding the essence of environmental justice. Issues of environmental justice are also being taken up by different groups united by, among other realities, being people of colour, having low income and needing to confront the issues related to their health and environment. The effective participation of each individual making a personal effort is sure to bring about a change in the world we live in making it safer and environmentally just for our generations to come.

Nikita Tandon

The Rights of an Innocent Life

The Rights of an Innocent Life

‘Humanity has to do its best for the child’

                                                                               –Declaration of Geneva

Children are the future of mankind. How a society treats its children is the sole determinant of the fate of that society. Until quite recently, there was no legal protection for these young fledglings. Adopted in the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) became the first legally binding text for protecting and safeguarding the rights of the child. The UNCRC defines child rights as “specialized human rights that apply to all humans below the age of 18.” Child Rights under the UNCRC include-

Article 12- The child’s rights to express views freely in all matters affecting them.

Article 13- The child’s rights to freedom of expression, which is restricted by law ‘when necessary for the protection of national security, public order…. or public health or morals.’

Article 16- Protection against interference on ‘privacy, family, home… honor or reputation.’

Article 17- Recognition of the importance of media and encouragement of dissemination of material ‘of social and cultural benefit to the child’ and ‘the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information and material injurious to his/her well being.’

According to the convention, there are four principles that must be followed while implementing the rights it advocates- Non- discrimination; Best interest of child; Right to life, survival and development and; Respect for the views of the child.

Child rights not only deal with the protection of a minor against any form of abuse but also take into account the need for a suitable environment for a sustainable growth of the child. Since children have an understanding of the world quite distinct from the adults, their needs are also unique and different which make child rights highly suited and heeding to the needs of a typical child. When we talk about child rights, we do not refer to the conventional rights that apply to the adults but to more age appropriate political, social and legal aspects that affect the children. The recent years have seen an uprising wave in the field of child rights with a series of debates and discussions on the need to treat children as ‘natural persons’ respecting their needs and demands.

The original focus of child rights was the prevention of child abuse that majorly included protection during wars, against malnutrition and even from parental abuse. But with the passage of time child rights engulfed a number of other issues spreading its wings into almost every aspect of child life. They started addressing the demands and the needs of the children and moreover made their voices heard across the globe.

Despite so much awareness and legal binding, there are still millions of children who have no access to education, lack the basic necessities for survival, under hazardous conditions and endure assaults on their dignity every single day. Even though there has been significant emancipation in the field of child education, with the introduction of Right To Education (RTE) and the UN led Millennium Development Goals and Education for all, but the other spheres that affect a child have been largely neglected and a large number of United Nations states have failed to fulfill their obligations to the UNCRC. A report by the Unicef said, “We cannot afford to continue at the same pace for the next 25 years. Unless efforts are stepped up, the rights of millions of children will continue to be violated. When we come together to focus commitments, investments and actions on the right interventions, true progress ensues.”

All sorts of violations of child rights have a common characteristic that they are majorly based on tradition, culture, religion or superstition and these sorts of violations are often carried out by the adults in the child’s circle. According to the UNCRC, a child can face violation of his/her rights in two ways- (1)Physical abuse where a child may be subjected to physical violence and beating resulting in fractures and multiple injuries. Violation may also include depriving the child of food and water retarding his growth and development. Physical abuse can even go to the extent of torturing he child, abusing them sexually and even inflicting self harm. (2)Psychological abuse includes depriving the child of his right to education and development and often inculcating negative forms of socialization creating a false and distorted image of the society in the young minds. The most common violation of child rights is in the form of child labor. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimated an approximate 168 million child laborers in 2013, accounting for about 11% of the world population. It is heartbreaking to see that the hands which should be playing with blocks and dolls and the minds that should be engaged with books are being violated and abused in hazardous industries that are stealing away the innocence of their childhood from them and draining out any potential talent of the young bud.

In spite of a number of limitations to child rights, there is still scope to fight these violations and protect the future of our species. As the UNCRC turned 25 last year, we could see a trajectory of positive changes in its life span. 74% of countries no longer allow children to engage in hazardous activities, however, half of these still allow children to work in jobs that may endanger their lives. This picture clearly signifies that the efforts being undertaken are bearing fruits but are not enough to keep up with the rising pace of new issues spurring in everyday. What we now need to save mankind from its own evils is a co operated action supported not only the governmental bodies, but also people as individuals, Non Governmental Organizations and media houses to bring about a revolution in the lives of those millions of children who continue to suffer in inhuman conditions. Let’s make a difference. Let’s make this world a better place. Let’s do our bit.

- Nikita Tandon

EMBRACE THE CHANGING ATTITUDE OF A WOMAN

“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.”

   -- Roseanne Barr

A lot of articles are being published lately in the newspaper and social media regarding crime against women, women empowerment and sexism. One article that caught my attention was ‘Attitudes on Indian women must change’ published in The Hindu dated Monday, June 22, 2015 by Vishakha N. Desai.

The writer emphasized about her meeting with a senior Indian diplomat. He was raised a question about the horrendous treatment of women in India. He went on to intricate that it was not a ‘Country Specific’ problem. Rather US has more number of rapes and sexual assaults than India and he concluded that the media, should stop singling out India on this issue.

Well, this has been the abhorrent attitude by all class of people towards women in our country right from the time when a man thought he was superior to a woman for all the right and wrong reasons. It is still a mystery about who or rather what brought this misconception about women. May be it is engraved in the thought process of man going on from ages and ages.

The actual problem is the attitude of women towards themselves. We women are yet to discover the real power that we possess. We tend to suppress our thoughts to the age old credence that were inculcated into us from the very beginning of our existence. When I was in school, any important circular that sent home was said to be read and signed by my father from my teacher who belonged to very race of womanhood. As a child I always thought my father had an upper hand in the decision making. Consequently it is assumed that women are not capable of making decisions.

Another derisory incident which I personally faced was when I took up a course which involved mechanical subjects. A few of my well-wishers and friends doubted whether I would be able do the mechanical work involved. That was the mentality of my friends who were girls and belonged to this present and so called ‘modern techno savvy’ generation.

We are desperately in need of an embracing change in the attitude of a man and a woman. As rightly said by Roseanne Barr we women have to learn to just take over the power that rightly belongs to us rather than letting someone else to take it over and misuse it. We have to pave our own paths to make our ‘Identity’ strong and intact in our society. We need to change our preferences, empower ourselves to fight the challenges with an infallible attitude and style. Lastly we need to be brave enough to say, “Yes, I am a woman”.

 - Maheshwari M                                                                                           

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence is one of the most underrated crimes in India. Our society thinks it is okay to hit your spouse causing him or her injury. Notice how I wrote ‘him or her’. This is because people assume domestic violence means a man hitting his wife or children. But that’s not the case. There have been many cases of men who have suffered from domestic violence from their spouse. Still, the number of cases against women are far greater than against men. Again, may it be man or woman, domestic violence is an unacceptable act and must be stopped under all circumstances.

So why does domestic violence take place? The first and foremost reason is the lack of a stable mind. No man or woman in their right minds would want to intentionally hurt their soul mate. Next, men have this false ego they need to constantly satisfy. Some do it by making their woman happy, others by beating her or getting aggressive with her. This is quite traumatising. The physical scars might go away after sometime, but the damage that’s been done with the mental state and trust of the wife can never be mended. Once again the problem is complaining about such incidents because of social stigmas and family pressure. Marriage is the coming together of two people who decide to spend their lives together always standing up for each other. This doesn’t give anyone the right to treat the other person like heartless punching bags where they can take out their frustration!


Over the years the cases of domestic violence have increased. Best way to fight domestic violence is with the help of NGOs, since they reach the base root level and interact with the people and their problems. They are far more approachable than police stations. They help people suffering from domestic violence and also spread awareness about this so that people can take as many precautions as they can to avoid being in such a situation.

By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Dowry System

Dowry system was practiced in many parts of the world earlier, but by now it’s prevalent in only some countries like India. Earlier ‘dowry’ included gifts and jewellery that the groom gave to the bride’s family on marrying her. But over the years this system had a complete reversal, so much so that now it’s very common for groom’s side of the family to harass the bride for dowry.


Almost every other day we find in the news that the girl was harassed or beaten when she failed to fulfil the demands of her greedy husband. Many a times the bride resorts to suicide when she fails to give the promised dowry. Parents save not for their daughter’s marriage but for the dowry they’ll have to pay. Why this unnecessary custom? To take care of the greed of some people, people put their all only to face further demands. As a result dowry was banned in India but simply banning doesn’t mean it’ll stop. Dowry is still a part of most Indian weddings.


So how do we stop this social evil?

It’s not possible to crash each wedding and ask for a list of all the pleasantries exchanged. The best shot we have is spread awareness about dowry exchange and the punishment it fetches with the help of NGOs. We can also set up helpline numbers where the bride may call up and complain about dowry demands or other illegal behaviour by the groom or bride. Make sure the law is enforced. At present in India, the whole family of the groom can be put behind bars over a complaint by the bride. Hence it’s also necessary to make sure false complaints are not entertained by the bride in order to extort money from the groom’s side.


By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Rape

Everyone knows about the Nirbhaya Incident which took place on a cold December night in 2012, where a girl in her mid twenties was brutally raped and left to die by six men in a moving bus. This incident highlighted some very messed up issues of our country which need to be tended to as soon as possible.


Rape inflicts not only physical pain but also mental torture upon the female. A rape under no circumstances ever can be justified. Especially in a country like India, where in the 21st century women are still oppressed to a certain limit, it’s essential that crimes like rape be prevented at any cost. This will happen only when each and every individual starts making an effort to bring down crime. Remember, the number of good people is always more than the bad ones. Let’s then come together and unite in the fight against evil.


The very first step is to not only make stricter laws but to make sure they are enforced. Being in a democracy doesn’t mean people have the right to do whatever they want even if it’s illegal. Unless the judiciary starts punishing the guilty without considering caste or creed or status or money, the innocent will keep living in fear and the culprits will roam around free.

Also NGOs should come forward and spread awareness about such issues, right from the very basic level – morals are something a child keeps with him for life. If is made morally sound right from childhood he won’t deviate from it. Because as they say, prevention is better than cure. Why not create a world where everyone lives in peace and harmony with a sense of security. Sure this looks like a far-fetched dream right now, given the present condition of the country. But if everyone starts walking towards it, one day it might just become reality.

Child Marriage

I think it’s safe to say almost everyone has watched the famous sitcom ‘Baalika Vadhu’on the television. It came with a strong message at the end of each episode, but majority of the population watched it for pure entertainment. To those who haven’t watched, Baalika Vadhu was a show on the social evil ‘child marriage’.


Although it has fallen sharply, child marriage still takes place in some backward areas of the country. Parents marry off their children at the mere age of 9-10 years. The bride then goes back to living with her parents. Sometimes the groom may die and the small girl becomes a widow before even leaning what marriage is. Such traditions really need to be stopped completely. At the time of marriage the children have neither reached mental maturity nor are their bodies fully developed for this matrimony. It’s really sad when parents are more concerned about marrying their child at a small age rather than worrying for his/her education and carrier.


The most effective counter to stop child marriages has been to physically stop marriages from taking place after being tipped off from somewhere. Other than that it’s extremely difficult to check on child marriages. That’s where NGOs come in. They work on the grass root level and have a direct interaction with the people. With their help only child marriage can be brought to complete halt. We must also take a pledge that if we come to know about any such activity taking place near our area or to someone we know, we must inform the concerned authorities immediately. After all, it’s only when everyone comes together will the plight of this nation become better.



By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Flesh Trade

Flesh Trade is the trading of little girls to middlemen who force them into prostitution for their own gains. It’s a horrific act but sadly it’s taking place throughout India. These so called ‘middlemen’ have established a well connected network using which girls are bought and sold like a commodity. Mostly these girls are from poor family backgrounds and so most end up accepting their fate and learn to live with it. Of those who try to escape, only very few are able to make it all the way. Even then, society doesn’t let them live in peace and look at them as if they are the criminals.


Another problem is a very weak enforcement system. Even if the police manage to nab these culprits, most are able to bribe their way out and roam around free in hunt of their next prey. What the police do not understand is that the trauma a girl faces during all this is permanently damaging. So it’s far more beneficial to target the very roots of this flesh business and remove it completely. This would have a very positive impact on society. The number of childhoods saved and futures made can’t be matched.


 As an individual, it’s very hard for us to do something significant to help them. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. We can help the NGOs to open rehabilitation centres where the victims can go through therapy so that they can go back to living their normal lives. We can also volunteer to teach such girls because education has the power to liberate minds and make a person rise up in society. Last but not the least, ample awareness should be spread about such issues so that more and more people come forward to help.


By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Female Foeticide

The sex ratio in India is 940 females per 1000 males according to the 2011 census. Surprisingly, it’s lower than many backward or poverty stricken nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria. This fact highlights how society’s petty views can be more harmful than actual adversaries like poverty and war.


In places like Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi the sex ratio is worst than other states. This is mainly due to the conservative views existing there. Having a girl child is frowned upon. Even though determining the sex of the child is illegal, people get it done anyhow and if it’s a girl child they get her aborted. Just imagine the cruelty behind this – murdering the girl before she even comes to this world.


By no means are women any less than men in today’s world. No individual has the right to take her life. Our country is progressing and so must our thoughts and opinions. There has been a slight increase in the sex ratio according to the 2011 census as compared to the 2001 census. This can be attributed to rise in education level which helps people break free from outdated ideas and rituals. Female Foeticide is quite low in urban areas though in rural areas it still prevails. Hence people must come together and with the help of NGOs awareness among backward rural areas where such incidents still take place. Small scale doctors offer to determine the sex of the child so as to earn hefty sum of money. Police must crack down on such offenders and punish them.


By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Acid Attacks

In the past few years the cases of acid attacks have increased very rapidly. Majority of these attacks are on women by their estranged lovers. They can’t take rejection and seek revenge through such petty, cowardly and gruesome acts. Even if a woman survives this terrible, painful act, she lives a life hiding from the world. Acid attack can even cause third degree burns. Up until now acid was available over the counter, just as water is. After a recent surge in the number of acid attacks, the government made a check on the acid being sold. It’s now compulsory to produce an ID proof before purchasing it.


But that’s not enough. Acid should be licensed just like guns. Also police must be prompt to catch such criminals and take necessary action against them. NGOs must also come forward and help acid attack victims to recover. In most cases the attackers target the face causing it to disfigure completely. This destroys the victim’s dignity and she finds it hard to fit into society like she used to before. It’s extremely important that such women are provided rehabilitation so that using therapy they can have their self confidence back and try to lead a normal life. It really takes a toll on the victim. People like Laxmi, an acid attack victim set an example for others. She was attacked a 32 year old whose advances she refused. After recovering she founded Chhanv Foundation, an NGO which helps other acid attack victims.


Still, life can never be the same for them. So it is better such crimes are stopped beforehand rather than tending to them afterwards. There is still a ray of hope. If everyone comes together they can really get some serious changes done to make the living conditions of this country better.


By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Marital Rape

Rape. The word is enough to send shivers down the spine. It’s one of the most gruesome and heinous act of crime. What if a person you trust does it? What if the person you think cares for you does something like this?


I’m not saying marital rape is worse than rape. There’s no comparison. Rape of any kind is a criminal offence and must be punished. Rape puts the person through both physical and mental harassment. This is worsened when the crime is committed by someone who’s supposed to look after you and protect you. Marital rape is unfortunately quite common in India. Worst still, it’s not punishable under the Indian Penal Code. Some men treat their wives as property and not a human being. They force them to have intercourse thinking it’s their right. Such mentality has to be changed to lower the crimes.


Another problem women face is coming out to complain against their husband. Social stigma, lax laws and family pressure are only few of the many factors that stop her from complaining. She decides to just live with it, hoping it’ll stop. But this is just out rightly stupid. A woman has as much of a right to live her life with dignity as a man does. We need to get rid of this sick mentality that the society has come up with. Women need to stand up to their rights and lead a life no different than men. NGOs must come forward to help such women since it’s very tough for her. Also, our laws must be amended – just because that man is the woman’s husband doesn’t make him any less of a criminal. Strict laws should be there which should not have any loop holes so that such lowly people cannot escape.

By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal

Child Labour

Ever been handed a newspaper by a little boy in rags? Ever seen a little girl working as a maid in someone’s home? Ever seen little kids running here and there begging for food and money? For most of us the answer would be yes, yes and yes. And how many of these people have actually done something to help them get out of this forced labour? Hardly anyone.


Humans have a tendency to feel pain when they see their loved ones in pain. Well they have another tendency, to turn a blind eye towards people we don’t know who are in trouble. This is exactly the case. Child labour is all around us in every form – may it be begging or working as maids or working at construction sites. But what do we do to stop it? In the years of play and study poor children are forced to earn bread for their family, most of the times risking their life for it. Then there’s the utterly disgusting flesh trade which goes on, in which young girls are sold to dealers and forced into prostitution.


Such heinous crimes must be stopped. Childhood is playing, studying, enjoying and learning new things! By taking a child’s right to his childhood, one has already taken away his life.

So how to bring a stop to this social evil?

First, we must speak up when we see some wrong taking place. It’s easier to stay quiet but it’s honourable if you speak up. One can complain to police about such incidences or take the help of NGO’s to get the children out of this dark business. Also proper arrangements should be made to send these children to school so that they can study and make a better future. Also, strict and stringent laws must be put in place so that the wrong doers fear the law and come on the right track.


  By -
  Pashmina Lakhanpal

Women’s Empowerment

‘Yatra Naryastu Pujyante, Ramante Tatra Devata’. This famous Sanskrit Shlok translates to ‘Where ever a woman is respected, honoured, God will reside there’. Sadly, this is no more true in present India. It’s shameful that women in India face such atrocities even though we have such a rich and ethical culture. It’s time women all over are given the same dignity and respect they once had. Rather than further going on about the problem which everyone is already aware of, lets for a change look at some probable solutions to help bring a difference.



I believe the first and foremost step towards empowering women is education – not only to females, but males as well. This is because education is the light that chases away the darkness of a narrow minded human. Thus it’s not enough to only educate the female, but male as well and to instil in them from a young age about gender equality and moral values. As a result of this, society as a whole forms contemporary opinions and becomes ethically strong.


Another step that might bring some changes is to generate as many jobs as possible for women. Having a job gives them a sense of independence and boosts their confidence. They learn to deal with the outside world and to stand for their ideas and opinions. Instead of getting involved in dirty politics based on comments and false promises, the government should start working hand in hand and bring about a change in this society deemed unfit for women.


By-
Pashmina Lakhanpal