Opinion & Comment

Read what experts have to say on serious development issues, politics, law and governance, environment and climate change.

Rural poverty and India's Maoist revolt

The Indian government has ordered hundreds of paramilitary troops into eastern parts of the country where Maoist rebels have increasingly been taking control, writes Mark Tully, former BBC Delhi correspondent. There is tremendous resentment among the tribals at their neglect by successive governments, he adds.

'Women's rights are human rights'

Women's political participation is a fundamental prerequisite for gender equality and genuine democracy, says Ines Alberdi, executive director, UNIFEM in an interview with Pamela Philipose. She avers that a lot has been achieved but there is still a great deal more to do.

Nobel peaceniks sowing seeds of non-violence

In a discussion held recently in India’s national capital, Nobel Peace Prize winners emphasised on the need for peace in today's world. They felt that that if the humanity wants to reap the harvest of peace and justice, there is a need to sow seeds of non violence, reports Swapna Majumdar.

'We can't fight climate with consumerism'

Researchers have found that buying green can establish the moral credentials that license subsequent bad behaviour. A change in consumption habits is seldom effective unless it is backed up by government action, writes celebrated journalist and climate crusader George Monbiot.

Barefoot solar engineers of India

Pulka and her friends after receiving training under a DFID programme in solar power technology came back to bring light and power in their villages. Known as India’s female barefoot solar engineers, today these tribal women are engaged in spreading solar power far and wide, writes journalist Alex Renton.

'US intentions are not good for the climate'

As the clock ticks to climate change summit, the world is ill-prepared to bring climate-renegade US on board. Is a bad deal in Copenhagen better than no deal? asks Sunita Narain, Director of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment.

Justice in waiting

Journalist Rahul Bedi does a stark recall of India’s 1984 anti-Sikh riots where Hindu mobs massacred 3,000 Sikhs following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards on 31 October. Twenty-five years later survivors await justice.

Makeshift lives under conflict's shadow

For the internally displaced people living in India's north-eastern state of Assam, life is nowhere near normal. Living in refugee camps under pathetic conditions, they lack basic facilities such as clean water, sanitation and education, writes Ratna Bharali Talukdar.

Lankan women still struggling for their rights

Women and Media Collective, an NGO, recently showcased the struggles of Sri Lankan women, their progress in a male-dominated and conflict-ridden country for 25 years. Many feminists believe that women’s movement has been more involved with policy making than mobilising rural women to fight for their rights, writes Feizal Samath.

'Diamond' women lead positive lives

Policymakers, strategists and activists have increasingly acknowledged the role of HIV Positive women in the fight against the dreaded disease. Susan Paxton’s new book, Diamonds, has testimonies of such women from as distant a place as Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam and more. Ranjita Biswas reviews the book.

India adapting to climate change chaos

As a developing nation with hundreds of millions trapped in rural poverty, India’s adaptive capacity is weak compared to others, writes Dr D.K. Giri, Director, Schumacher Centre. He feels adaptation is already an unfortunate necessity, even if it appears to some like surrender.

'India's problem is implementation'

India has a scheme for every problem but fails to implement it effectively, says Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign. On a recent visit to mark the global Stand Up campaign, he urges the government to invest more in MDGs to avert naxalism and make the goals instead a public demand.

'India trying to hide its underbelly on caste bigotry'

Nearly 200 million people globally are victims of discriminations based on the notions of purity and pollution. Recently, a UN body deliberated on the recognition of caste as race and proposed to ensure that this scourge needs to be fought against, writes noted social activist and author Ram Puniyani.

'Lack of access to food has triggered other threats'

Chronic under-nutrition is increasing the risk of mortality among women and children, says Ann Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF. On the occasion of World Food Day nations must invest wisely in nutrition interventions and renew their commitments to climate change and resource based conflicts, she adds.

Candle in the wind

Maharashtra, a state in western India, goes to poll today to elect a new government. Noted journalist P. Sainath writes that political parties, especially from the opposition camp, have failed to mount a strong campaign on the real problems facing the people – farmers’ suicides, job losses, food prices, and so on.

Hunger pangs of Pakistan

Recently several women lost their lives in their attempt to receive food in Pakistan’s port city Karachi. This should be a wakeup call for the political leadership of the country that the hunger pangs of a nation cannot be left unheard and unattended, writes Niilofur Farrukh.

The beautiful housewife and other stereotypes

Anwara Begum’s new book takes a look at women in the Bangladesh media. She argues that TV ads don’t only sell products but also attitudes and in the process set standards of beauty and mannerism, as defined by men. Hana Shams Ahmed reflects on the stereotyping of women.

India warms up to Copenhagen

With the Copenhagen meet on climate change drawing closer, the fractiousness between the developed and the developing nations is getting increasingly strident. In a clever move, the Western nations have swiveled the spotlight on India and China, who can make or break the deal, writes Neeta Lal.

Climate change blows hot and cold in Sri Lanka

The people of Sri Lanka are battling the drastic effects of changing weather patterns. Some parts of the country are severely crippled by a heavy monsoon, while others are in the grip of water scarcity and drought, writes Amantha Perera.

Was Mahatma Gandhi a feminist?

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was one of the few in his generation who recognised the central role of women in society. Yet, he was no feminist. Kamayani Bali-Mahabal, explores the many facets of the Father of the Nation.

'COP must take gender to the microphone'

Gender advocate Cate Owren wants to make gender issues integral to climate change policies. At the latest round of climate talks at Bangkok, she talks of her expectations from Copenhagen and the lack of research data about climate change impacts on women.

Water lessons

The 'blue gold' remains the privilege of few and a scare resource for a billion and more, says Elena Trentini on the completion of an internation course on community water supply and sanitation. Education is key to communities managing their water better, she adds.

'Imported values' fail Afghan women

Whether or not the greater cause of 'women's rights' will move beyond rhetoric in Afghanistan remains to be seen. There is, however, a sense that the initial enthusiasm among donors and Afghan returnees to push forward an agenda of women's rights is dissipating, write Tanya Goudsouzian and Fatima Rabbani.

Spinning death for children

This year nine workers including minors have fallen prey to snakebites and pesticide inhalation in the Bt cotton fields of Gujarat in western India. Shobhita Naithani investigates the unabated practice of child labour amidst corruption and absence of legal action.

Depoliticising education in Nepal

Recently a group of professionals submitted a petition to Prime Minister of Nepal, drawing his attention towards campus violence and political interference in university administration. Dr Alok K. Bohara, professor at the University of New Mexico, suggests some of the measures to improve standards of education in his country.

'Every drop of water will help to rebuild economy'

Economists are taking a shortsighted and uninformed view of the failure of this year’s monsoon that has affected a vast number of people living on the margins of survival, says Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. There is a need to take adequate action to push the water agenda more strongly, she adds.

Making the 50-50 formula work for women

Hailing the Indian government’s move to reserve 50% quota for women in local bodies, Pamela Philipose, Director, Women’s Feature Service, says it is important to translate numerical strength into meaningful empowerment. The proposed amendment must create spheres of influence where women can act decisively.

Bodo women in India writing to rouse consciousness

Bodo women in Assam, a state in northeast India, have been asserting their ethnic and nationalistic pride by participating in the struggle for political self-determination. They are now penning the grim realities of repression and mindless violence that their community is facing, writes Uddipana Goswami.

'Training and awareness at work can help combat HIV'

Sensitising senior management and educating men and women about health and safety is key to preventing the spread of HIV at workplace, says Behrouz Shahandeh, Senior Technical Advisor, ILO/AIDS, Geneva. Speaking to OneWorld South Asia, he emphasises that a comprehensive policy must be formulated through broad consultation and dialogue.

'Strike while the iron is hot'

Polluting industries across India have been allowed to grow unhindered, says film critic Dr Shoma A Chatterji in her review of Loha Garam Hai. Recipient of the best environmental film award, the film documents the struggles of people against the highly polluting sponge iron industry.

Timor-Leste: A new nation sets ambitious gender goals

Timor-Leste in Southeast Asia is making efforts to bring about gender equality in its traditionally patriarchal society. Timorese women have made considerable progress in the political arena, as women's rights started getting prominence soon after the country gained independence in 2002, writes Elena Masilungan.

Mumbai slum gets a reprieve from its 'benefactors'

Urban planners have proposed an alternative development plan for one of Asia’s largest slums. The upcoming state elections in India's commercial capital provides the much-needed breathing space to discuss the efficacies of these alternatives, writes journalist Kalpana Sharma.

'Mandatory standards necessary for paint industry in India'

Leading paint brands in India have alarmingly high levels of lead in their products, says a new study. In the absence of regulatory standards, it’s imperative that public pressure is mounted on the industry to secure a poison-free environment, feels Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment.

'Voter cynicism should not be mistaken for apathy'

Amidst allegations of fraud in the presidential elections in Afghanistan, the very wisdom of having a democratic system for the country has come under cloud. Raja Karthikeya, an international observer for the elections, says that it is important to restore people’s faith in democracy by rectifying the fraudulent practices.

'India's PDS fails to ensure food for all'

The National Food Security Act has failed to reform the discriminatory public distribution system leaving many high and dry, says development journalist Kathyayini Chamara. The costly targeted system excludes the genuinely poor and encourages corruption, she adds.

'Green Tribunal Bill has many flaws'

India’s National Green Tribunal Bill has evoked much criticism over the issues of accountability, biasness and restricting appeals from rights groups, notes environment and health policy analyst Gopal Krishna. A lot of reform is needed before it is passed by the Parliament, he says.

Artificial trees to combat climate change

Geo-engineering will help 'decarbonise' the global economy, claims a new report. Artificial trees, among other solutions, can help capture a thousand times of carbon dioxide than a real tree and store it. Judith Burns reports.

Getting the sense of 'perfect justice' from Amartya Sen

Nobel laureate Dr Amartya Sen maintains that the theory of justice must be more concerned with the elimination of removable injustices rather than engaging itself with a hypothetical ‘perfectly just society’. He finds it appalling that India has not done enough to eliminate hunger, deprivation and gender inequality.

'Localise MDGs to benefit the poor'

The global campaign director for MDGs Salil Shetty believes India's ambitious unique identification project can help track delivery of basic entitlements and services to the poor. Technology can fight corruption and its leakages if linked to the right to information, says Shetty.

Hotlines in the US for women in distress

Many young Indian girls these days are getting married to NRIs in the hope of brighter future and comfortable life. To their dismay, more often than not they find their dreams shattered when they become the victims of deceit, harassment and domestic violence, writes Sakuntala Narasimhan.

Transgenders in Pakistan get recognition

Close on the heels of India decriminalising homosexuality, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has granted citizenship rights to transgenders. The decision would pave the way for all round development of this oppressed and ostracised minority, writes Zofeen T. Ebrahim.

War in the making

A classic capitalistic battle is being staged in Chhattisgarh in central India as the state agencies connive with corporates to drive tribals away from land rich in natural resources. Gandhian activist Himanshu Kumar fights to rehabilitate people displaced by the state-backed Salwa Judum.

Tourism a major ecological concern in Ladakh

Tourism is flourishing and providing livelihood opportunities to the people of Ladakh but is also playing havoc with its fragile eco-system, writes Shobha S.V. To protect the spectacular landscape of this region in Jammu and Kashmir, tourism needs to go green.

'Villages can prosper only if their water woes are solved'

In a first attempt of its kind, a village in western India will be developed as a role model for use of water resources, according to the guidelines set by Waterman Rajender Singh. In this interview to OneWorld South Asia, he outlines the need for better water conservation methods.

'Climate change is occurring all the time'

The urgency of climate change is such that instead of pointing fingers at each other we need to sit down and develop a pragmatic worldview, says economist and environmentalist Jeffrey Sachs. India needs to address its population problem to end the growing food, health and water problems, he adds.

Telling the Burma story against all odds

The Democratic Voice of Burma broadcasts news in English and Burmese through radio, satellite television and the Internet. Its team has been courageously and tenaciously chronicling events in Myanmar since the Saffron Rebellion in 2007, writes V. Radhika.

Swine flu will be biggest pandemic ever: WHO chief

As swine flu sweeps the world, WHO chief Margaret Chan tells how she is trying to turn the tide against it. The Guardian journalist Aida Edemariam writes about the journey of this valiant fighter, who has now earned a nickname of 'Iron Lady'.

Modern freedom fighters of India

As India celebrates its 62nd independence day, a leading Indian magazine, Tehelka takes a look at those who are fighting to keep its democracy alive. These torchbearers for the poor and oppressed are trying to show us the way forward for a more humane society.

Fading in the background: Women in free India

A film, Lightning Testimonies, captures the haunting images of violence against women spanning over six decades of independent India. Aanchal Kapoor, a cultural activist based in Delhi, writes her impressions about the documentary – frame by frame.

'Battle to make education more inclusive will go on'

Indian Parliament recently passed the Right to Education Bill, which promises to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the country. OneWorld South Asia spoke to Dr Vinod Raina, a noted educationist and social activist, and sought his views on the various facets of this newly enacted law.

'GDP ignores vital indices of national wealth'

The global obsession with robust gross domestic products is giving way to a novel and controversial concept – the Green GDP that seeks to evaluate and place a monetary figure for a country’s environmental resources. Prerna Singh Bindra takes a look at the new ways to save the earth.

'Climate funds must be made available to the needy'

Instead of blaming each other for emissions, countries need to support the most vulnerable by providing adequate resource, says Mohamed Aslam, Minister of Housing, Transport and Environment, Maldives. According to him, the island nation needs more investment and partners to explore alternative ways of producing power.

'India's income distribution is going to get worse'

India’s high growth rate does not mean that it will readjust quickly to the economic crisis, says Columbia University economist Guillermo A Calvo. He thinks that pervasive poverty in the country is because the growth has been limited to only a few sectors.

'Scientific strategies can save dryland agriculture'

Shifting rainfall patterns due to climate change are hitting Indian dryland agriculture harder. William D. Dar, Director- General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, says a scientific strategy can be devised that can offer real hope to farmers.

A filmmaker's vision for Sri Lanka

Peace is the dividend Harvard-trained filmmaker Poongkothai Chandrahasan seeks after quarter of a century of the conflict between the separatist Tamil rebels and the Sri Lankan government that recently came to a gory end. Papri Sri Raman takes a look at the life of this extraordinary woman.

Repackaging unmet promises

Boosting food security by increased investment in agriculture, more aid to Africa and setting emission targets were among many of the commitments made at the L'Aquila summit. But did the G8 merely repackage old promises? Salil Shetty makes a critical assessment from Italy.

Water births in India gaining popularity

Already popular in the West, water birth in India is emerging as a promising alternative to painful traditional delivery methods. It’s relatively painless, needs minimal medical intervention, and is an ideal medium to bring a child into the world, writes Tripti Nath, after talking to mothers and doctors.

'Virginity tests are inhuman and demeaning'

In Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India, about 150 dalit and tribal women were subjected to virginity tests during a government-sponsored mass marriage recently. Kamayani Bali Mahabal takes a look at the outrage it has caused among feminists and other social activists.

Sanitation no longer a dirty word in India

Sulabh Sanitation Movement has brought the idea of safe and sanitary facilities along with a change in people's attitude towards scavengers, notes Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, 2009 Stockholm Water Prize laureate. Sustainable and affordable technologies can help India reach its MDG on sanitation, he adds.

Corps of teachers out on a mission to educate India

Recently launched ‘Teaching for India’ programme deploys the country’s most outstanding college graduates and young professionals as teachers in low-income schools for two years to expand educational opportunities to thousands of underprivileged children. It can make a monumental difference, says writer and commentator Rakesh Mani.

'Law on homosexuality will help bring national consensus'

Executive Director of The Naz Foundation, Anjali Gopalan hopes the recent judgment by an India court that decriminalised homosexual relationships will bring about a change in attitudes and reaffirm the values of equality and inclusiveness. In an interview, she dwells on many aspects of the importance of this landmark judgment.

'Killing a woman is like killing a bird in Afghanistan'

Afghan parliamentarian and women’s rights activist Malalai Joya personifies courage and serenity. In an interview, she discusses the plight of her countrywomen and remembers several other brave women who laid their lives fighting for freedom and equality.

Dream to make India hunger free

The Indian government’s announcement to introduce a Right to Food Act has already generated an intense debate, says social activist Harsh Mander. In a country where millions still suffer from chronic hunger, enforcement of such a law holds tremendous promise of exiling hunger from every home, he argues.

Candid camera shooting Afghani women

Nelofer Pazira, an Afghan-Canadian filmmaker tries to find out men and women’s relationship with the camera that alternates between fear, wariness, curiosity, courtship or all of these. She locates this uneasiness in the Afghan society's conservative social mores, writes V. Radhika.

NREGA 'breaking the feudally enforced silence'

The flagship programme of the Congress-led alliance in India for rural employment helped the incumbent government come to power for another term, say social activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey. With an increase of 144% budgetary allocation for the NREGS, the government has shown a strong commitment for inclusive growth.

'Let the burqa disappear on its own'

French president Sarkozy’s comment on banning burqa or veil in his country reflected a flawed understanding of society and politics, says Shabnam Hashmi, a social activist. Rejecting the politics of ban, she argues that the struggle to create an equal society for both genders is long and slow.

'It feels good to be legitimate in the textbooks again'

Decriminalisation of homosexuality by the Delhi High Court in India last week has provided a glimpse of hope for the country's beleaguered community. Former India editor of Maxim magazine Sunil Mehra writes on what it means to be gay in India.

What invisible India wants from the budget

Development of local infrastructure including access to a fully functional school and health centre tops the list of demands put forth by the All India People’s Manifesto. Lysa John from Wada Na Todo Abhiyan flags some of the key expectations of citizens from India’s budget this year.

Women's work in globalising India

Professor Jayati Ghosh’s Never done and poorly paid makes an exceptional study of women’s role in Indian economy against the backdrop of fast globalising world. Nirmala Banerji, a feminist economist, critically examines the key issues raised in the book and the ones that failed to find a mention.

'India's shallow rhetoric of inclusive growth'

The proposed Food Security Act in India is flawed, says Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)). She argues the public distribution system should be made universal, as it existed prior to the targeted system introduced in the 1990s as part of the neo-liberal agenda.

Delhi sacrifices its past for future

In a bid to look swanky and up-market before the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Indian capital is changing at breathtaking speed. In the process the city is sacrificing some of its magnificent past, writes Sam Miller, former BBC South Asia correspondent.

Kashmir's borderline women live in 'abode of ghosts'

Volatile situation on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir between 1999 and 2003 shattered the lives of people living on the border. Women have particularly been affected by the Kargil intrusion and the resultant displacement, writes Prakriiti Gupta.

Travelling right

Heather Allen of the International Association of Public Transport wants to make public transportation sustainable in a market driven world. In an interview with Down to Earth, she talks of the bus business and pedestrians’ rights in developing countries, and why public transport should figure in climate debates.

Inexplicable bailouts explicable poverty

Over the past year the world has spent 18 trillion dollars to bail out financial institutions, while only two trillion dollars account for overseas development assistance given in the last 50 years. Through this striking revelation, the UN Millennium Campaign questions the priorities of governments claiming to reduce poverty.

Mapping the progress of women in media

Highlighting concerns like occupational status, salary, reporting assignments, opportunities for training and promotion, and company policies, Elisa Munoz, director of research of the International Women's Media Foundation, examines the media industry from a gender angle. The key objective is to measure the progress of women in media, she says.

Budgeting the needs of the marginalized

The perspective and choice of the ruling class encroach upon the human rights of the marginalised. Analysing allocations and plans for critical sectors in Bangladesh’s current budget, A.K.M. Masud Ali, Executive Director, INCIDIN, notes that ensuring access to resources still remains a major challenge.

'Making education a fundamental right is a top priority'

India’s Human Resource and Development minister Kapil Sibal, in an interview with Economic Times, discusses his plans to give a facelift to the country’s education sector. He outlines his plans for elementary, secondary and vocational education and the need to regulate private players to ensure quality.

Poor are no 'lifeless bricks'

Studies have demonstrated that given the right opportunities, the poor in India are very much capable of helping themselves in order to move out of the vicious cycle of poverty. They have shown surprising sophistication when dealing with finances, writes Niranjan Rajadhyaksha.

Proposing a green world order

The Green Economic Zones proposed by tribal communities in Indian state of Gujarat will spur developmental activity without having to destroy the biodiversity and local livelihoods. Promoting self-sufficiency, the concept is nothing short of a revolutionary alternative to Special Economic Zones, writes freelance journalist Harmony Siganporia.

'Women need proportional representation in all spheres'

Women’s liberation in India is intertwined with the emancipation of the backward and oppressed castes, says Kancha Ilaiah, political scientist and social activist. The principle of reservation in eliminating gender disparity should simultaneously address the caste inequality within women folk, he argues.

Women writers in Sri Lanka come of age

In 1928, Rosalind Mendis became the first woman from Sri Lanka to have ever written a novel. A half-a-century-long drought followed before creative writing, especially by women, could take root and flourish in the island country, writes Vijita Fernando.

Welfarist policies won the elections for parties in India

Political parties and governments that addressed people’s poverty concerns before last month’s elections in India emerged as clear winners. In a country that has no rival when it comes to absolute number of people living in chronic hunger, promise of cheap rice acquires huge significance, notes journalist P. Sainath.

Political empowerment must for gender equality in India

The Women’s Reservation Bill holds immense potential for transforming Indian politics and correcting an unjust and unrepresentative system, notes Devaki Jain, a development economist. Taking cue from the success of women’s quota at the grassroots, she defends the Bill for paving the way for meaningful empowerment.

Grassroots partnerships help curb tuberculosis in India

Increasing awareness and better health services have resulted in a higher rate of detection of tuberculosis, which has helped in lowering number of infections in India, says Nadia McGill public relations assistant, ADRA International. With 3.3 million existing TB cases, communities need to be more vigilant in combating the disease.

Accept 'inconvenient truth' about climate change

Financing emission cuts in developing countries now and helping them adapt to climate change will reap rewards in the future, says James Ensor, Director of Policy at Oxfam Australia. Denial of the truth about climate change will derail the process of securing a global deal at Copenhagen, he adds.

No one cares about elder abuse in India

In India incidents of abuse and neglect of older people are increasing by the day. There is also a widespread understanding that it is a normal consequence of ageing and thus allowed to go un-addressed, argues Dr Mala Kapur Shankardass of the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse.

Towards making frontiers greener

With hazardous substances crossing borders and putting human health and the environment at serious risk, the world is only just beginning to focus on environmental threats posed by legal and illegal trade, writes senior journalist Darryl D'Monte.

Doing away with lessons of hate

By distorting history and vilifying others, school textbooks in Pakistan are fomenting extremism, reports journalist Nirupama Subramanian. The national curriculum revised in 2006, that had made a conscious effort to teach tolerance and respect for diversity, is yet to be implemented.

Indian women: Face of hope in Nandigram

Women had played an active role in protests against conversion of fertile agricultural land into a special economic zone in India’s West Bengal. Two years later it is the women of Nandigram again who are in the forefront of struggle for rebuilding their shattered lives, writes Aditi Bhaduri.

Greening the toilets

Untreated sewage contaminates water, affecting both environment and human life, says Rohini Nilekani, Founder-Chairperson, Arghyam. She argues for a new paradigm of ecological sanitation which is both financially sound and environmentally sustainable.

An opportunity for change

The clear verdict in Indian elections is a clarion call for good governance and stability. The UN Millennium Campaign and Wada Na Todo Abhiyan believe that after years of fractured mandate, it is now an opportunity for the government to move ahead on MDGs and deliver on its promises.

Women prisoners are a neglected lot

Prison authorities the world over pay very little attention to women prisoners' needs. To protect them from physical and emotional abuse, there is a need to overhaul the criminal justice system and train the staff in gender-sensitivity, says a World Health Organisation editorial.

'Disability is as much a social construct as gender'

India’s women’s movement has failed to recognise the experiences of disabled women in a sexist and able society. Any feminist discourse must include their concerns to resist hegemony, argues Anita Ghai, psychologist and women’s right activist.

Indian women: Faceless, voiceless and un-represented

Successive governments in India have failed to address the core concerns of women voters, who constitute around half the total voters of the country. Will the new government do more than the ritualistic posturing and ineffectual policy-making for this faceless and voiceless section, asks Pamela Philipose, Director, Women’s Feature Service.

'We desperately need a new Bretton Woods'

In an interview to La Repubblica, renowned Indian economist Prof Jayati Ghosh says that the ongoing economic crisis is the creation of ‘deregulated financial market’ system and therefore requires government regulation. She argues in favour of more equitable and sensible patterns of consumption and production.

Food factories help viruses spread and evolve

The spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus is linked to the way food is produced in factories, says Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. She argues that practices like intensive poultry farming with dense animal population help viruses spread fast causing outbreak of pandemics.

The foolproof voter of India

India's election verdict has once again proved that voters expect results and not rhetoric from their political leaders. To find favour with people, political parties need to include serious development content backed by credible performance on the ground, says Lysa John, national campaign coordinator of Wada Na Todo Abhiyan.

Talibanised Pakistan poses difficulties for women

With the strengthening of fundamentalist forces in Pakistan, women from minority communities, particularly Dalit Christians, face an uncertain future in the country. Discriminatory laws and the government’s failure to take action against societal forces hostile to minorities have fostered intolerance, says journalist Lys Anzia.

Marrying a rapist is adding insult to injury

As part of a policy to “reform and rehabilitate” rapists and their victims, prison authorities and NGOs in eastern India are facilitating marriages between them. Women’s rights activists view this as a ploy by the alleged offender to escape punishment and a double whammy for his victim, reports journalist Eliza Parija.

Climate change: 'Lack of symbiosis between science and politics'

On the sidelines of a two-day national workshop organised by India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences in Pune, Shyam Saran, special envoy to the prime minister on climate change, elaborated, in an interview to OneWorld South Asia, on various issues that needed to be addressed immediately.

'State's role is crucial in achieving inclusive growth'

By giving a clear mandate for stability and development, the Indian electorate has rejected the vote bank politics based on caste, religion and identity, says Rajiv Kumar, Director, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. He says that it is now incumbent upon the government to redesign policies of good governance.

Tribal women missing from Indian politics

In eastern Indian state of Orissa, deeply entrenched gender factor clipped the wings of many women aspirants in the just concluded parliamentary and state elections. To change the status of women in this tribal-dominated state, political parties will have to seriously re-think their ticket distribution strategies, argues journalist Maipadma Jena.

'Financial crisis has challenged the neo-liberal agenda'

G20 decisions reflect that business cannot go as usual and the world needs an alternative, says Minar Pimple, Deputy Director Asia, United Nations Millennium Campaign. In an interview to ATN Bangla, he talks about the need for countries to reorient their growth and investment to make development more equitable.

Myanmar junta's 'aid wall' still a hindrance

One year after the deadly cyclone hit Myanmar, freelance journalist Brian McCartan analyses the response of military rulers and donor countries to the tragedy. Many international aid groups complain that the junta has maintained restrictions in other parts of the country, effectively building an "aid wall" around the Nargis-hit delta.

The cookstove climate fix

Cookstoves or chulhas are back in vogue - this time on the world stage ostensibly to fight climate change. Environmentalist Sunita Narain argues that picking on the 'survival' emissions of the poor only creates space for more polluting cars and power stations for the rich.

'Rape is not just another crime'

Reporting of a heinous crime like rape in Indian mainstream media is voyeuristic, insensitive, sensational, speculative and thus unethical. Kamayani Bali-Mahabal explores how prejudiced reporting can also mean subjecting the victim to a 'second rape.'

Criminality, not patriarchy, deters women in politics

With only a fraction of women candidates contesting the ongoing parliamentary election, political empowerment of women is a far cry. Regional editor of IPS Ranjit Devraj analyses the factors that prevent women from stepping into a territory where criminals and corrupt politicians rule the roost.

A Sri Lankan refugee provides refuge

Escalating violence between government forces and the LTTE rebels in Sri Lanka forced V. Thenmozhi and her parents flee to India in 1990. Papri Sri Raman chronicles the life of this resilient refugee woman who has since dedicated herself working for Tamil refugees in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Digital Bangladesh: Virtual dreams, real lives

An elusive project to transform Bangladesh needs an infusion of resources, leadership and village-centred development if it is to be made meaningful, says Delwar Hussain, a researcher on Bangladeshi society with London School of Economics.

Sustainable development through energy efficiency

India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change aims at a directional change to provide ecologically sustainable solutions. Being at an early stage of development, the country has a wider spectrum of choices to chart out a developmental pathway, says Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, advisor to Minister of Science and Technology.

Nepal PM fails to sell his civilian supremacy argument

The removal of Chief of Army Staff in Nepal comes with the pressing necessity of integrating Maoist combatants into the national army, argues veteran journalist Kanak Mani Dixit. He further points out that the breaching of the ‘due process’ has led to a constitutional crisis in the country.

'Asia needs a different plan to recover from crisis'

Asia’s excessive dependence on external demand for growth can affect its long-term sustainability, says M. Shahidul Islam, Research Associate at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. Highlighting the uncertainty of fiscal packages, he insists on a constructive plan to stimulate growth.

Innovations for sustainable development in agriculture

With Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, the hazards of chemical pesticides were exposed paving the way for a new environmental movement that encouraged eco-friendly products. OneWorld South Asia spoke to four distinguished speakers and sought their views at the 5th International Conference on Biopesticides currently on in the Indian capital.

'Spiralling population strains Bangladesh sustainability'

Overpopulation in Bangladesh continues to increase the risks associated with global warming, says Professor Mahfuz R. Chowdhury from Long Island University, New York. With huge amount of landmass being lost to rising sea levels, the government needs to act more swiftly, he adds.

'The green agenda is a political agenda'

Environmental issues rarely find a place in Indian political parties election agenda, laments Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. She asserts that the country needs to devise an alternative growth strategy which does not deprive people of control over local resources and fosters green development.

'Environment and economics are natural allies'

The concept of ‘natural capital’ makes us realise that economy and environment go hand in hand. Since no economic crisis can be solved at the cost of nature, India’s business community should make the most passionate environmentalists, argues Dr. D.K. Giri, Director, Schumacher Centre.

No respite for women in communist Nepal

Violence and caste-based discrimination persist against women in Nepal even after the Maoists took charge of the country last year. Journalist Bhumika Ghimire finds out that despite their lofty promises, justice continues to elude a large section of women.

Millennium Campaign calls for aid accountability

Welcoming the outcome of the G20 summit, the United Nations Millennium Campaign has urged for restructuring the existing aid architecture. In its response to the commitments made by rich nations, the Campaign calls for reforming international financial institutions and monitoring aid delivery.

Afghan women up in arms against controversial law

Afghanistan’s new controversial law that gives legal sanctity to marital rape and restricts women's right to work outside homes has caused severe backlash. Journalist Anand Gopal reports more on the outcry against the draconian measure, in a country where discrimination remains an entrenched part of women’s lives.

'Bangladesh's new education policy must consider 7Cs'

Bangladesh government is devising a new national education policy that purports to be in sync with the global knowledge architecture. Dr. Syed Saad Andaleeb, editor of Journal of Bangladesh Studies, warns that any attempt at a one-size-fits-all policy will surely be counterproductive.

Enslaved by disasters

As climate change induced disasters cause widespread displacement and poverty, women in Bangladesh are increasingly falling prey to trafficking. Migration due to shifting weather patterns and scarcity of resources make women vulnerable to exploitation and other forms of gender-based violence, reports journalist Lisa Friedman.

Finding a quotient of happiness

The experience of small islands can teach us a lot about living good lives at low environmental cost. Evoking the ‘falling man’ metaphor, Andrew Simms, director of the New Economics Foundation, argues for new models of economy that can operate in dynamic equilibrium with the biosphere on which we depend.

The hidden hunger behind India's huge success

Journalists Matt Wade and Stephanie Nolen have taken a dig at the irony of two Indias. One that has two Indians among the world’s ten richest people in the 2009 Forbes Rich List and the other that has at least one million infants dying of malnutrition every year.

'We can't live in institutions of post world war'

Acknowledging the impact of financial crisis on the world’s poor, the recently concluded G20 summit pledged to commit more resources for MDGs. Minar Pimple, Deputy Director Asia, UN Millennium Campaign speaks on the need to monitor the utilisation of funds through inclusive global governance.

Wasundhara approach to water conservation gets Kyoto award

At the fifth World Water Forum held last month at Istanbul in Turkey, the coveted Kyoto World Water Grand Prize was awarded to an Indian organisation. Dr Marcella D’Souza, spoke to OneWorld South Asia in this exclusive interview on various issues related to watershed management and village development.

Slumdogs and small towns of India

Not much is known about the 2,000 small and medium towns of India, where a quarter of their population live in slums. The absence of planning is what defines them all, says journalist Kalpana Sharma in this report from towns such as Madhubani, Jhunjhunu and Sehore.

Seeking solutions for sinking Maldives

The pace at which the sea is reclaiming landmass in the Maldives, it is speculated that the archipelago nation will soon cease to exist. The country continues to seek international cooperation and search for practical local solutions to the threat posed by rising seas, writes BBC reporter Chris Morris.

Blogging@G20

A group of 50 bloggers from across the world get together to report on the G20 from the action site. Will this influence citizen journalism in coming times? OneWorld South Asia reports from the bloggers' tent.

'G20 must create a viable rescue package'

Ordinary people around the world are not holding their breath in anticipation that this G20 will solve the mess. The most powerful should not and cannot seek 'solutions' that got us into the mess in the first place, argues Kumi Naidoo, co-chair of Global Call to Action Against Poverty.

Edutainment lessons on MDGs

Educating women about their rights can go a long way in improving maternal health and other related Millennium Development Goals. UNICEF’s Remya Sasindran talks of the organisation’s recently launched TV series in India aiming to bring about positive behavioural changes among its viewers.

'It is impossible to eliminate the Tibetan spirit'

In a wide-ranging interview with The Hindu, the Dalai Lama reiterates that he is seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet and not separation from China. He has also insisted that the Chinese government is pursuing policy of fear and manipulation that is proving counterproductive.

'Protectionism will reduce support for globalisation'

India’s Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia in an exclusive interview with a prominent national daily newspaper has expressed his concern over rising financial protectionism. Prior to his departure for the G20 summit, he emphasised on the need to change the system of regulation.

Bhopal gas victims: A toxic legacy

Indian government has finally decided to probe the long-term health impacts on the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy. In early December 1984, methyl isocyanate gas had leaked from a Union Carbide plant leaving at least 15,000 people dead and many more chronically ill, writes BBC science reporter Gaia Vince.

'G20 must bailout women's hardships'

Rosa Lizarde of GCAP's Feminist Taskforce wants women to be included in the dialogue and funding decisions of economic and financial summits - and not just the G20. At the upcoming meeting on April 2, she will highlight key policy demands on issues of women's justice, jobs and climate change.

Making business sustainable

BT’s new index will help drive corporate India’s action in addressing the country’s biggest sustainability challenges, says Janet Blake, head of global CSR for BT. In an interview with OneWorld South Asia, she shares how sustainability is critical to BT’s business and green agenda.

'The new financial system should be rooted to the ground'

Grameen Bank founder and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus says the crisis presents a historic opportunity for change. The new system should be inclusive of the three billion people at the bottom of the population who stand to lose their jobs, incomes and food for no fault of their own.

Cleaning water without chemicals

Considering that chemical sanitation methods pose serious environmental implications, Dr Uday Bhawalkar from a western Indian city has developed an eco-friendly product called Biosanitizer that cleans polluted water without any harmful side effects. He discusses the unique features of his product in an interview with OneWorld South Asia.

'The crisis is an opportunity to assess the development paradigm'

The G 20 summit at London will be a test between rhetoric and reality, says Minar Pimple, Deputy Director Asia, UN Millennium Campaign. In an interview with OneWorld South Asia, he shares actions being planned to mobilise people and make governments accountable.

Living in exile: Gains and losses of Tibetans in India

For about half-a-century Tibetan refugees in India, while preserving their distinct identity, have kept their struggle to return to their homeland alive. Thubten Samphel, secretary, Department of Information and International Relations, shares his thoughts on the Tibetan experience in an exclusive interview with OneWorld South Asia.

'Make trade work for the poor'

Coping with credit crunch, rich nations are busy bailing out their domestic constituencies and have belied promises to reduce protectionism and assist the developing world. Eveline Herfkens, Advisor on MDGs to the UNDP, lays out an agenda for G20 leaders to make way for fair global trade governance.

Muslim-owned media in India takes bold strides

In southern Indian state of Kerala, Muslim-owned Malayalam newspaper Madhyamam is thriving. Other media houses can learn an important lesson from the success of this daily on how to be broad-based in appeal and approach, says columnist Yoginder Sikand.

Maternal mortality: 'A silent genocide'

Maternal deaths in India continue unabated due to dismal state of public healthcare, lack of awareness, and non-access to affordable nutritional food. National Federation of Indian Women’s general secretary Annie Raja reflects on the status of the fifth Millennium Development Goal and calls for all-round empowerment of women.

'Demands of working women will occupy centre stage'

Completing a centenary of its celebration next year, the International Women’s Day brings back issues that heralded the movement hundred years ago. Indian parliamentarian Brinda Karat notes that the present crisis has given a momentum to women’s struggle for job security, peace and equality of treatment.

India's missing think tanks

India needs to adopt innovative thinking, say editors Rohit Pradhan and Sushant K Singh. They claim policymaking has to move beyond politicians and bureaucrats to involve civil society and the youth to create a thriving ideas industry.

'Climate lectures don’t make lessons'

At a recent climate meet in the Indian capital, poor countries were yet again sermonised for not doing enough to reduce emissions. The developed world rather must acknowledge their efforts and commit more funds towards a low-carbon growth, says Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment.

'Healthcare in India is over-medicalised'

A recent report of the Independent Commission on Development and Health in India has suggested ways to improve public health services in the country. Economist Jayati Ghosh points out privatisation, inadequate funding, shortage of personnel, and above all, lack of accountability responsible for the current mess.

'Bypassing fair trial is no solution to terrorism'

Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist Hina Jilani says in an interview that extra-judicial measures and disregarding human rights conventions always prove disastrous in countering terrorism. She stresses on the rule of law for a successful prosecution of terrorist crimes.

'Women are the strongest critics of fundamentalism'

Pakistani social activist Khawar Mumtaz feels that religious extremism poses grave challenge to advancement of women. In an interview, she discusses various options available to women across borders to influence policy change and bring about lasting peace.

Moving from Delhi to Copenhagen

The recently concluded Delhi Sustainable Development Summit created enough momentum for the Copenhagen round of climate change negotiations. But for it to succeed, countries must intensify global cooperation and redefine clear responsibilities, says Dr D K Giri, Director, Schumacher Centre for Development.

'Sanitation is becoming a social movement'

Despite its critical role in building a healthy nation, there has not been enough investment in improving sanitation standards across the world, feels Therese Dooley, UNICEF sanitation advisor. In an interview to IPS, she makes a strong case for galvanising efforts at all levels to create awareness on hygiene.

'Domestic workers in India no better than slaves'

Domestic workers in India are routinely harassed and exploited by their employers, despite several steps taken by the government to improve their lot. Columnist Kalpana Sharma writes that unless there is change in attitudes, no improvement in their working conditions is possible.

Armed militias controlling central India

Maoist insurgents and state-sponsored vigilante group Salwa Judum have made tribal dominated Chhattisgarh in central India, a battleground where two conflicting sets of interests are engaged in a bloody war. Journalist Ajit Sahi travels to the ground zero to find innocent villagers caught in the crossfire.

'India has failed to craft Indians out of Kashmiris'

Seema Kazi in her book: Between Democracy and Nation: Gender and Militarisation in Kashmir, has focused on the drastic consequences of militarisation on the Kashmiri society. She explains the need for real democracy, justice and peace in the conflict-hit Himalayan territory in an online interview with OneWorld South Asia.

'The economic crisis is a blessing in disguise'

The Millennium Development Goals are achievable irrespective of the ongoing economic crisis if countries are persistent in their pro poor policies, says Erna Witoelar, former UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia Pacific. In an interview with OneWorld South Asia, she shares her views on ways to get the goals on track.

Modernising old schools

The Indian government’s move to bring madrasas into the mainstream education fold has made Islamic leaders sceptical. While they aver that it may undermine the essence of these religious learning centres, journalist Rohini Mohan notes that many among the community feel the need to keep pace with changing times.

Media freedom under serious threat in Sri Lanka

An atmosphere of fear prevails among the media fraternity in Sri Lanka after the assassination of journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge. The brazenness with which the government is targeting journalists and media houses does not auger well for press freedom in the country, writes senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.

‘World Bank cash will lead to privatisation not progress’

The World Bank’s recent decision to lend a further $14 billion to India for development purposes sounded positive, but closer inspection reveals that it comes at a cost. Shripad Dharmadhikary argues that the deal will lead to more privatisation and bypass those who need the help the most.

'Mountains without mountain people will not be sustainable'

Dr. Andreas Schild, Director General of Kathmandu based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development believes mountain communities and fragile mountain ecosystems deserve equal focus. In an interview he explains his organisation's work in supporting sustainable livelihoods and the need to prepare people against climate risks in the region.

Attitudes must change if India is to reduce maternal mortality rates

A recent report found that women in developing nations were 300 times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than those in developed countries. Columnist Kalpana Sharma argues that in India, only a seismic shift in societal attitudes towards women and poverty can combat the problem.

'NGOs ruining the spirit of World Social Forum in Pakistan'

As the World Social Forum meets in Brazil to discuss the fight against global capitalism, Irfan Mufti from Global Call to Action Against Poverty doubts its effectiveness in Pakistan. He feels that NGOs are not willing to take bold steps to mobilse people on pro-poor agendas.

Tibetan glaciers fast turning into deserts

Glaciers in Tibetan-Qinghai plateau that feed the great rivers of Asia are vanishing at a rapid pace under the effect of global warming and may completely disappear by 2100. Journalist Christina Larson talks to local populace and experts to gauge the gravity of the problem.

Peace ambassadors from Pakistan

The two governments of India and Pakistan may have been engaged in war rhetoric, but citizenry in both the countries is equally resolute to calm tempers. Pakistani cultural artists, spiritual healers, journalists, teachers, students and human rights activists have taken a number of peace initiatives, writes journalist Beena Sarwar.

Ominous silence on status of women in Pakistan

Notwithstanding the fact that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees gender equality, the irony is that women in the country continue to be discriminated against. Any attempt to improve their status is met with opposition from regressive clerics and feudal lords, says Sarwar Bari, national coordinator of Pattan Development Organisation.

New technologies offer hope to hungry

Food insecurity, famine and malnutrition continue to blight the lives of millions. But thanks to new technologies being developed and tested in a central Indian state, people from the most vulnerable sections now have an opportunity to feed themselves and their families, writes World Health Organisation Executive Director Josette Sheenan.

Kashmir jittery over war prospect

People in Jammu and Kashmir are worried that sabre-rattling between India and Pakistan – the two arch-rivals – can precipitate into a full fledged war. Journalist Athar Parvaiz analyses how troop mobilisation along the contentious Line of Control has given credence to their fears.

SEZs have failed to take off in India

India embarked on setting up hundreds of Special Economic Zones with much fanfare. Today most developers are finding it difficult to continue as many SEZs have failed to bring in foreign capital and create employment, says independent researcher Kannan Kasturi.

Human rights movement in India at the crossroads

In an atmosphere where the war against terror has gained primacy, human rights concerns have taken a backseat. Senior lawyer and activist Nandita Haksar traces the failures and successes of civil and democratic rights movement in India and underlines the multiple challenges it faces today.

India's economic woes to continue in 2009

The real problem facing the Indian economy today is the ongoing demand recession, industrial slowdown and job losses, says analyst S.D. Naik. The government has announced two stimulus packages in quick succession and yet the prospects are grim.

One man's quest to help the world learn

He left his job at Microsoft to help poor children across the world have greater access to educational opportunities. In this interview John Wood shares his views about his organisation Room to Read that now supports 1.7 million children in the developing world.

'For achieving MDGs, the onus lies on national governments'

The world has resources to wipe out poverty and deprivation and there is no excuse for inaction. In a recent interview to BBC’s HARDtalk, Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign talks about some of the pressing challenges that impede the realisation of development targets by 2015.

Mumbai terror attacks: 'Abysmal failure of governance'

The biggest lesson India can learn from the Mumbai terror attacks is that law enforcement cannot make a distinction between 'our' goons and 'their' goons. There is a need to radically alter the functioning of the country’s legal and democratic institutions, writes advocate Harish B.N.

'Terrorism falls back by a step or two' in South Asia

Former Indian diplomat M.K. Bhadrakumar sees a silver lining in the recent elections in Indian-administered Kashmir, Bangladesh’s return to democracy and capturing of an LTTE stronghold by the Sri Lankan army.

Economic crisis decolonising Asian minds

Asian countries are eventually realising that western economic models have only brought harm to their own economies. Hit badly by the global financial crunch, they are now quietly engaged in building a new financial architecture for themselves, says journalist Kalinga Seneviratne.

Bangladesh's erased past

Every year Bangladesh celebrates its Victory Day on December 16 – a day when a new nation was born in 1971. Here Australian National University researcher Bina D'Costa digs the past of the country and finds that there are still many troubling memories that linger, especially those of ‘war babies’.

Bailout packages reflective of skewed priorities

For past one decade every half-an-hour a farmer is committing suicide in India yet the news fails to attract media attention as it does not belong to the ‘Taj-is-my-second-home’ class. The government announces huge bailouts but does nothing to reinvigorate agriculture, says food and trade policy analyst Devinder Sharma.

Politics of hate robbing women of their 'hard-won' rights

Identity politics and conservative state regulations have led to assertion of radical ideologies across the world like never before, writes journalist Ati Nurbaiti. Activists and researchers came together in Bali last month to address among other things the effects of extremist views on women's rights.

Making India a police state

In passing two anti-terror laws – one to amend an existing law to give more ‘teeth’ to it and another to form an agency to deal with select crimes – the Indian government has demonstrated that it has no credible strategy to address one of the pressing problems of our times: terrorism.

'Open Source can make India a knowledge superpower'

Open source software is the ideal vehicle for quickly bringing the benefits of mass computerisation at a reduced cost feel Sandeep Sehgal and Venkatesh Hariharan from Red Hat India Pvt Ltd. The writers argue that the user-friendly technology holds immense benefits for education and egovernance projects.

A trip to the factory of death in India's Bhopal

Twenty-four years after a toxic gas leak killed thousands in Bhopal, Reuters correspondent Alistair Scrutton walks through the plant site. Talking to many survivors he learns about their painful experiences and finds that the place continues to pose health hazards for the people.

'Coercive interrogation can only induce false confession'

Any dilution of the right to a fair trial for all individuals, however heinous their crimes may be, will be a moral loss against those who preach hatred and violence, says Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan. In his address at an international conference, he was also critical of the media's unrestrained coverage of terrorist attacks.

Not guilty for lost generations

Indigenous people worldwide have been denied peaceful coexistence with mother nature. According to conservationist Tarsh Thekaekara, India figures among countries that have trampled upon the rights of their tribal populations and yet remains unapologetic.

'Tapping women's potential is a business imperative today'

Today’s competitive business environment makes it vital to acknowledge the value of women innovators. At a recently held summit in southern India, writer Monideepa Sahu notes the need to provide adequate support to women employees and change the social set up beyond corporate walls.

'Emulating American terror response will be a great mistake'

The ‘war on terror’ that the US launched in response to Nine-Eleven has made the world even more prone to terrorism than it was ever before, argues journalist P. Sainath. Apart from bleeding the American economy, the response continues to cause immense miseries for civilian population of countries it has targeted, he says.

'AIDS has a woman's face'

A world structured on male dominance makes women more susceptible to HIV says Donald E. Messer, executive director of Center for the Church and Global AIDS. Outlawing all forms of gender violence, he urges for partnerships between sexes to reject patriarchal structures and relationships.

'Bush should be prosecuted for environmental crimes'

With the change of guard in the US, it is expected that the world’s biggest polluter will now ratify the Kyoto Protocol, says Walden Bello, executive director of Focus on the Global South. He is however doubtful that anything concrete is going to emerge from climate change talks in Poznan.

Clean technologies need revolutionary push

In an interview, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, says transfer of clean technologies to developing countries is the central plank of any climate policy. He has also expressed his expectations from the on-going conference in Poznan and is particularly optimistic about the launch of adaptation fund.

Tackling extremists with moderation

Mumbai's recent terror attack indicates how the country's older political conflicts have been rendered noxious by the fallout from the war on terror. The key lies not in being a 'hard state' but in finding first and foremost a political solution to Kashmir, says celebrated writer Pankaj Mishra.

'Funding shortage in AIDS could lead to millions of deaths'

Despite notions of excess funds for AIDS, the $10 billion in resources worldwide fell short last year. Bertil Lindblad, director, UNAIDS Office in New York says the epidemic is running strong and ahead of the global response, which for the first time, is showing results in treatment and prevention.

Lies masquerading as truth

Delhi-based human rights organisations claim that police in the name of investigating the serial blasts of September 13 in the national capital of India are only engaging in vilification campaign and harassment of Muslims. OneWorld South Asia correspondent analyses the main contents of their findings.

Hard times ahead for Indian economy

The global economic crisis may not have affected India as much as it has impacted many others, but not everything is hunky-dory either, says senior analyst Paranjoy Guha Thakurta. He wonders if the solution lies in going back to "mixed" economy days to assimilate the best of both free-enterprise and socialism.

Democratic forces need to oppose draconian laws

At a time when terror attacks are increasing, the voices to bring in tough anti-terror laws are getting shriller. Kavita Srivastava, president of People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Rajasthan, says she fears India might be moving in the direction of a ‘police state’ run by intelligence agencies.

'Military solution neither valid nor sustainable'

Dr Binayak Sen, a prominent Indian civil rights activist continues to languish in jail since his arrest in May last year on charges of links with Maoists. His wife Ilina Sen talks to OneWorld South Asia about the current status of his trial and ways to bringing enduring peace.

Making women’s security a prime concern

Women’s physical survival and safety must be viewed as a security issue and violence against women is as much a social concern as war, famine or terrorism, says political scientist Swarna Rajagopalan. The Violence Against Women fortnight (November 25 to December 10) kicks off today internationally.

Indian widows challenge patriarchy

Women Alone Association in Rajasthan and other parts of India is helping widows who face ostracism and exploitation to stand up for their rights. Freelance journalist Freny Manecksha says these women are now challenging the age-old taboos that view them as inauspicious.

Negotiating peace through 'jirgah of the air'

Despite numerous attempts by NATO-led forces to win the hearts and minds of Afghans, the distrust and fear among local populations is only growing. Gordon Adam of Media Support Solutions says radio can bring the message of peace for they relate positively when communicated as equals.

The scapegoats of terrorism

At a recent People’s Tribunal in Rajasthan, western India, it was clear that the state is acting in a partisan and prejudiced manner in the name of curbing terror. OneWorld South Asia correspondent sits through the public hearing where victims narrate their tales.

Coping with climate change in mountains

Predicting the impact of climate change in mountainous regions is a difficult task due to limited data says Prof Martin Price from University of the Highlands and Islands, UK. He however feels that research activities should focus on risk prevention, mountain economy and changes in land use.

Towards achieving total sanitation

The Third South Asian Conference on Sanitation currently on in the Indian capital provides an opportunity to achieve an important Millennium Development Goal, says Alex George of Save the Children. In the subcontinent, millions face serious health risks due to unsafe water and lack of sanitation facilities.

New concerns over rising poverty

The latest international benchmarks suggest that between 456 and 622 million people in India are living below the poverty line. The solution lies in shifting the surplus labour force from agricultural to non-agricultural activities, says Usha Tuteja, head of the Agricultural Economics Research Centre, Delhi School of Economics.

Striking a fine balance between development and ecological conservation

In India's Himalayan state Sikkim, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling walks a thin line as he calls off four hydel projects but goes ahead with two controversial ones. In an interview he justifies his balancing act and tells his plans to make Sikkim fully organic by 2015.

'I want to work for peace'

Nearly one-and-a-half years have passed since paediatrician and human rights activist Binayak Sen was arrested. In an interview to a prominent fortnightly magazine, he refutes the false charges under which he remains in judicial custody and expresses his desire to work for peace.

India's indigeneous people

In the name of development, over ten million adivasis have been displaced from India’s tribal belts. Writer Mari Marcel Thekaekara says it’s time to recognise the true worth of their egalitarian society, economy, wisdom and culture and give due respect to their rights to lands and forests.

Indian court upholds women’s dignity

Despite laws in place with regard to workplace sexual harassment in India, pursuit of justice can still be a long haul. A recent Bombay High Court judgment against a private sector company in a case of a woman employee provides a flicker of hope, says columnist Kalpana Sharma.

'Dialogue and peaceful movement can ensure success'

After the process of liberalisation started in India in early 1990s, newer ways are being found everyday to take away resources from people’s hands, says Ekta Parishad leader Ramesh Sharma in an interview to OneWorld South Asia. It has become difficult to identify the enemy or weigh his prowess, he adds.

'Not to tolerate landlessness beyond 2012'

A country that lacks leaders who can engage with people to listen to their grievances and address them within a democratic framework is civilisationally bankrupt, says Ekta Parishad leader P.V. Rajagopal in an interview to OneWorld South Asia. Leading the landless to fight for their rights, he foresees a grand struggle ahead to keep the government on its toes.

'Sheer poverty and hunger claim 50,000 deaths everyday'

Lack of urgency in funding development in the South is but a case of ‘subliminal racism’, says Kumi Naidoo, secretary general and CEO of CIVICUS and GCAP. Recent bail outs to save global banking have revealed there is no dearth of resources when there is strong political will.

Children of the black dust

A child working in hazardous conditions is not an uncommon site in Bangladesh, or in other parts of South Asia. Freelance documentary photographer Shehzad Noorani argues that instead of abolishing child labour, government should help create safer working environments for children, provide education and a living wage.

Growing shame of hunger

A new Global Hunger Index released simultaneously in India, the United States and Germany yesterday is a reminder of the alarming hunger situation. OneWorld South Asia opines that misplaced priorities and flawed policies of governments are responsible for the sufferings of people.

Tracing the roots of violence

It is not sufficient to deduce the recent spate of communal violence in parts of India only in terms of power play, says Rajesh Kasturirangan, a fellow at National Institute of Advanced Studies. He brings forth the issue of clash of moralities to understand the contradictions within so-called ‘virtuous violence.’

Synergising disaster preparedness and adaptation

Identifying the most vulnerable locations and populations and strengthening local people's capacities has to be in the centre of any longer-term adaptation measures, says Saleemul Huq of International Institute for Environment and Development. Damage to crops, homes and infrastructure also has to be taken into account, he adds.

'Public accountability on MDGs is growing'

Poor around the world remain powerless in wake of privatisation of basic services, corruption and inefficiency says Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign. He though asserts that the global movement in support of the MDGs is growing with people calling their governments to account for unfulfilled promises.

When women govern

They are action oriented and committed to development of their little hamlets. At a recent gathering in the Indian capital, The Hunger Project brought together thirty women panchayat leaders from different states of the country. OneWorld South Asia spoke to a few of them about their successes and challenges.

Heading towards environmental catastrophe

This generation has devastated the environment more than any other in the past. Therefore the responsibility to fix it is on the present generation, said Murari Sharma, Nepal’s ambassador to United Kingdom, while addressing a climate change conference held recently in London.

'Today communal forces are centrestage'

As India fights its war with terror, many Muslim youth face victimisation by police, state and the media. It's time to stand up against the communal forces that are invading people's minds with targeted messages against the minorities, says human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi.

India's tobacco war

As India bans smoking in public places from October 2, communications specialist Deepanjali Bhas argues the war on tobacco has to be fought both on the demand and supply side. WHO estimates 800,000 deaths each year due to tobacco use, expected to rise by another hundred thousand by 2010.

“Empowerment through migration is not deemed automatic”

At the sidelines of an international conference in Manila, ILO migration specialist Gloria Moreno-Fontes Chammartin draws linkages between migration and gender. Even while migration empowers many women workers, it can also result in downward job mobility, deskilling and at the extreme end, in physical abuse, trafficking and slavery.

Battling over faith

Kandhamal district in Orissa has become India’s latest battle site over faith. Over the past month radical Hindu groups have attacked churches, accusing them of forced conversions. But the issue is more complex and lies in decades-old conflict over identity, rights and entitlements.

‘Achieving only some of the MDGs is not an option’

Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Secretary, UNESCAP says world leaders must demonstrate strong political will at the UN high-level event so that all MDGs are tackled in an equitable and inclusive manner. Progress in Asia Pacific has been uneven with persisting gender gaps, bearing economic and social costs to the region.

'Let’s unpack the Kosi lesson'

Another year of devastating floods in India yet we remained unprepared to avert the great human tragedy, says Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. Engineering solutions to tie down the rivers are actually increasing both the incidence and intensity of floods, she points out.

The aftermath in flood hit Bihar

A month after river Kosi inundated large parts of eastern India and left millions stranded, journalist Rashmi Sehgal takes a trip to the flood-affected areas. Food shortage, lack of medicines, and the absence of facilities for pregnant women reflect the state's failure to provide relief, she notes.

'I never thought I could be a Qazi'

Defying age-old traditions, Syeda Hameed, Member of India's Planning Commission, took a historic step when she conducted a Muslim marriage ceremony. She feels it marks a small beginning towards restoring Islam's image to a religion that spoke of women as equals to men in every respect.

‘The world is in a state of development emergency’

Minar Pimple, Deputy Director Asia, Millennium Campaign feels that India’s development glass is still half full. With the UN High-Level Event on MDGs round the corner, he urges for greater citizen activism to make the government implement its commitments.

Bracing up to save the tiger

In the wake of India's poor tiger count, V.B. Savarkar outlines new steps being taken to protect tigers and their habitats. The former Director of the Wildlife Institute of India also calls for giving more teeth to existing laws to bring poachers to book.

Straitjacketing Kosi intensified the risk of flooding

The Kosi embankments are like a snake around our necks and therefore have to tolerate its occasional hissing, says water and disaster management expert Dinesh Kumar Mishra. He explains why no structural measures will provide a foolproof solution against floods.

Gender dimensions of poverty

Women in Bangladesh are among the poorest of the poor in the absence of livelihood opportunities, and a patriarchal set up that prevents them from being economically independent. Shamima Pervin, gender and social inclusion advisor, says it is not possible to change women’s status without addressing their asset and income base.

'NSG waiver to India subversion of NPT'

India has recently been granted a special waiver by National Suppliers’ Group, which will allow it to resume nuclear trade with other countries. Senior columnist and peace activist Praful Bidwai says this is a serious setback to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty regime.

In the name of fighting terror

A people’s tribunal in Hyderabad in southern India brought in testimonies of victimisation of the Muslim community by state authorities in the guise of fighting terrorism. Organised by human rights bodies ANHAD, PEACE and HRLN, the tribunal findings demand immediate attention and introspection, reports OneWorld South Asia.

Taking risk reduction agendas to the people

At a time when people in India’s impoverished state of Bihar are inundated with the waters of Kosi river, Mihir R. Bhatt, director of All India Disaster Management Institute refers to the ideas at a recent regional Commonwealth roundtable. His suggestions will hopefully make India a safer place by going beyond relief, rescue and rehabilitation.

Letting democracy take roots in Pakistan

Despite his tainted image Asif Ali Zardari is all set to become the next president of Pakistan. Beena Sarwar talks to commoners and experts to have first hand view of the despondent mood in a country that has seen more of dictatorships and less of democracy.

'We need to mainstream renewable energy'

If India were to replace fossil fuels, the government has to show its commitment towards the promotion of research in renewable energy, says Dr Prodipto Ghosh, member of PM’s Council on Climate Change. He laments that despite its huge potential, solar energy is still not commercially viable.

Amte family: Epitome of compassion and service

Baba Amte was honoured with the Magsaysay Award in 1985. The honour now returns to his son Prakash and daughter-in-law Mandakini, who have worked among the Madia Gond tribe for the last 37 years in remote areas of western India. Prakash Amte talks to OneWorld South Asia about his journey.

You can't eat coal: Resistance in Phulbari

‘Where will we go?’ This was the question repeated umpteen times in a film made on the people's resistance against the coal mines at Phulbari in Bangladesh. Rahnuma Ahmed watches the film and ruminates over the plight of people to be affected by displacement.

Building 'empires of water'

In an exclusive online interview to OneWorld South Asia, co-editor of a newly launched book: Water First, Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt discusses some of the issues of water in South Asia. She feels that the hegemonic nature of current water management practices has proved to be disastrous.

Forthright journalism under attack in India

Journalists and filmmakers writing and making films on issues of larger public interests are increasingly being targeted by the Indian state. Senior columnist Sevanti Ninan says it is high time to speak up for those who are losing their freedom of expression.

The Muhajirs of Pakistan

The case of Muhajirs, Muslim refugees who migrated to Pakistan during Indian Partition in 1947, is unique in migration studies, says senior journalist Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed. Once a powerful community, it has slipped over a period from core to the periphery – now marginalised and divided by ethnic conflict.

Shades of gray

The recent case of an Indian couple's appeal to abort a 25-week foetus with a congenital heart block and the court's decision to turn it down has thrown open a debate on issues of personal choice, ethics, technology and the law. And the limitations are just as many - ethical, scientific and legal, writes columnist Kalpana Sharma.

India’s climate action plan incoherent and paradoxical

By putting development ahead of emission reduction targets, India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change has chosen to ignore the pressing concerns of global warming. The much-awaited report is a compilation of listless ideas that lack depth, vision and urgency, writes Sudhirendar Sharma, Director of Delhi-based Ecological Foundation.

Deadlock at WTO trade talks

India's Commerce Minister squarely blamed the US for the collapse of WTO trade negotiations in Geneva last week, citing the need to protect farmers' livelihoods in developing countries. Senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta analyses the mixed views on the failure of talks.

A deadly climate-play

Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment expresses anguish over the fact that a serious global challenge like climate change has become just another contentious issue. Rich countries have set voluntary reduction targets to secure their businesses whereas countries like India and China are accused of failing to act.

‘There is no ray of hope for Sri Lanka’

Nimalka Fernando, human rights activist from Sri Lanka, has been on the forefront in organising the People’s SAARC. She spoke to OneWorld South Asia on the vision of a people’s union for South Asia and the sense of despondency that prevails in her country due to prolonged ethnic conflict.

Spurring action on chronic diseases

Public health professor Abdallah S. Daar says the Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-communicable Diseases initiative can save 36 million lives world wide by 2015. Heart ailments and cancers are killing more people than infectious diseases, with eighty per cent of such people in the developing world.

‘Civil society can influence government policies’

Professor Babu Mathew, one of the key architects of South Asian People’s Assembly, spoke to OneWorld South Asia on the sidelines of the People’s SAARC, recently organised in Sri Lanka. He speaks his mind eloquently on issues of militarisation, nuclearisation, human rights situation and other pressing matters in the region.

‘HIV/AIDS strategies working in India’

Last year India had revised its HIV figures downwards. Sujata Rao, head of National AIDS Control Programme in India, says the country now needs to sustain the turnaround and then work towards elimination of this dreaded disease.

ICT in education: Government’s flawed approach

Founder of IT for Change Gurumurthy Kasinathan agrees that ICTs can help achieve some critical priorities in India’s education sector. Yet he notes the formation of a group to draft a national policy on ICT in school education has more members from IT majors – Intel and Microsoft – than educationists.

India's divisive nuclear deal

In the face of opposition from various quarters, most vociferously from Left parties, the Indian government has approached the International Atomic Energy Agency for approval of safeguards, moving ahead on the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal. Senior analyst Praful Bidwai scrutinises the inbuilt flaws in the agreement.

Obliterating the line between the disabled and non-disabled

Struck by polio when she was barely two, Dr Anita Ghai has had to undergo two heart surgeries and a painful treatment for breast cancer. In a forthcoming radio interview to OneWorld South Asia, she talks passionately about the issues of disabled people in India and about her own struggles.

India’s toxic steel frame

India’s steel industry may be minting money but this profit has huge environmental costs, says Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. Pollution caused by the use of the alternative sponge iron has failed to register with the callous government, she notes.

GM crops are biological time bombs

Genetically modified foods or crops carry unknown health risks, and yet these are being sold and cultivated in India, says leading scientist Dr P.M. Bhargava. Even as many developed countries are banning GM seeds, the Indian government has been ignoring this impending disaster.

UN needs to call shots in Myanmar

The success of Ban Ki-moon’s mission in Myanmar must be measured in the number of lives saved, says an editorial in The Irrawaddy. The UN needs toughen its stand against the military regime that has proved to be untrustworthy despite its promises of smooth access to international aid workers.

‘Make poor the agency of their own poverty reduction’

In a world where four billion people are denied their rights, empowering the poor with basic entitlements can go a long way in the reduction of poverty, feels Lloyd Axworthy, a member of the UN-sponsored Commission. He believes legal protection can enable the poor to realise their full potential.

Bringing ‘Personal is Political’ back in vogue

Despite social movements in India throwing up new band of educated, sincere and hardworking women as leaders, their participation in electoral politics is quite limited, says Dr Vibhuti Patel, of SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai. Increasing criminalisation and corruption deter women from entering mainstream politics, she feels.

Not enough investment in MDGs

Expressing anguish over the tardy progress on the UN Millennium Development Goals, Salil Shetty, Director of the Millennium Campaign, feels that governments all over the world have not been judicious enough in allocating resources for development. Climate change and food crisis result from lack of investment in MDGs, he says.

Tremendous potential for agriculture in Afghanistan

With its fertile land and abundant rivers, a long-term investment in agricultural infrastructure from donors can make Afghanistan self-sufficient in food, says a UN official. Up to 70% of Afghans are suffering from acute food insecurity due to poverty, drought and years of conflict.