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Opinion & Comment

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

Behind the forest cover: In its latest report, the Indian government has attributed the declining forest cover in India to forest clearance by Maoist guerrillas. The statistics, however, say the contrary.
Jarawas: To protect or not: How safe is it to expose the ancient Andaman tribe to the outer world in the name of development, explores Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava.
The inconvenient truth: Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, says that the rich nations have been able to create a divide between the poor nations over the issue of reducing carbon emissions. She adds that the world has to cut down emissions drastically and the way to do this is to put limits on each country based on its per capita emission and taking into account its historical contribution.
CSR should protect environment and communities: Arun Maira: Talking to OneWorld, Arun Maira, Member of India's Planning Commission, talks about his book Transforming Capitalism-Improving the world for everyone and how corporate social responsibility could shape environment action.
How Tibetan women protect their habitat
Talking politics in post-war Sri Lanka: Women in Sri Lanka find it difficult to contest elections despite high literacy rates and robust social indicators, notes women's rights activist Rosy Senanayake.
We're sorry, you're not allowed to read this: Greenpeace chief Kumi Naidu decries the proposed US anti-piracy laws - SOPA & PIPA - to censor the internet.
Women at the heart of climate adaptation: Rising food insecurity triggered by climate change will deal a serious blow to the nutrition status of Indian women unless the adaptation techniques focus on them, writes Aditi Kapoor.
Four People's Principles for development: While addressing an international science conference, Justice Markandey Katju emphasised on how scientific knowledge can reinforce and promote democracy for India's holistic development. Here are excerpts from his speech.
It's time for sustainable development: Will the upcoming environmental summit – Rio+20 – be able to build a consensus to shift the post-MDG agenda from poverty to sustainable development, explores journalist Julia Day.
Lokpal bill and the great Indian democracy: The fact that a citizen-friendly Jan Lokpal bill faced opposition by the government itself reveals fundamental flaws in the Indian parliamentary democracy, argues lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan.
Fighting unemployment in 2012: The financial crisis caused work prospects to deteriorate rapidly across the world, and since then employment has recovered much more slowly than output. Economist Jayati Ghosh reviews the employment trends of 2011 and provides alternatives to avoid a grim state in current year.
Inclement in Durban: Durban summit sealed 'climate apartheid', under which rich polluters evade responsibility, but underprivileged nations suffer the worst effects of climate change for which they are least responsible, argues activist-columnist Praful Bidwai.
Unconstitutional, unethical, unscientific: The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) Bill to expedite government approval for GM crops is self-contradictory and will cause unparalleled harm to agriculture, animal health and environment, warns expert Pushpa M. Bhargava.
Hunger must go: The recent alarm over the financial implications of India’s Food Security Bill should give way to informed debate about how it can improve people’s lives and eradicate hunger, writes food security and poverty expert Jean Dreze.
Climate-equity is the next frontier: To avoid catastrophic climatic changes, an effective global collaboration is essential. And this co-operation will be meaningful only if its fair and equitable, writes Indian environmentalist Sunita Narain.
Durban calls, "Get it done!": Now that the Kyoto protocol is virtually dead and the new commitments at Durban offer little hope, climate expert Amy Goodman echoes Nelson Mandela’s words “Deep cuts now. Get it done.”
Durban deal not quite fair: The agreement on a legally binding climate deal gives little reason to celebrate as it doesn’t promise much for the developing nations, writes Tim Gore, climate advisor to Oxfam.
Women's rights after Bonn: The recently concluded Bonn Summit will add a new thrust to the inclusion of women's rights in Afghanistan's peace process, hopes Zohra Moosa of ActionAid.
Towards inclusive development: On the International Day for persons with Disabilities, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calls for unified action for a better world while including the disabled in development.
Last call for Kyoto: With climate change already claiming lives and resources, the world must get an agreement out of the UN conference in South Africa, writes author-journalist Amy Goodman.
World AIDS Day: Message by Ban Ki-Moon: On World AIDS Day, Dec 1, UN Secretary-General calls for greater commitments to bring the global HIV-AIDS related deaths to zero.
Negotiating Durban: The Durban climate talks may turn to be a 'greenwash' unless developed states of the global north make pledges to cut their CO2 emissions, says Indian journalist and political analyst Praful Bidwai.
What is your poverty score?: The ‘scoring’ system under the new Indian poverty census may exclude even the extreme poor from its ‘priority list’ under the upcoming Food Security Bill. Is being destitute the only way to claim food support, asks food and poverty expert John Dreze.
Child labour: An unfinished agenda: Employing child labour should be treated as a non-bailable offence with stringent punishments, says Harsh Mander, member of National Advisory Council of India. The latest government report reveals that over five million children are economically active in the Indian labour market.
"I have faith that people can change things": One important empowerment process activist Aruna Roy firmly believes in is the ability of the people to understand the social concerns, to articulate them and then fight for a platform to express them.
Bad policy makes way for toxic diesel: As the price differential between petrol and diesel increases further in India, people gravitate towards diesel vehicles which add toxic pollutants to the environment and mount heavy losses on oil companies, argues environmentalist Sunita Narain.
A decade of failing promises at WTO: A decade of negotiations at the World Trade Organisation for pro-poor international trade agreements have barely borne positive results, writes trade policy expert Aurelie Walker. Developing countries have been sidelined in development efforts by the global powers.
Citizen's rights, above all: India’s Citizen’s Rights to Grievance Redressal Bill aims to strengthen the ability of the common man to demand delivery of public goods and services in a transparent manner, writes Union Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh.
Vulnerable countries leading on climate action: Smaller and more at-risk developing countries are willing to adapt to climate change despite global climate inaction, points out Bangladeshi scientist Saleemul Huq as the Vulnerable Countries Forum gears up to meet next week at Dhaka.
Passive neighbours: China says its massive hydro-power projects will not affect downstream areas in India and Bangladesh whereas scientists believe otherwise. While there is some concern, India is not openly objecting to China’s plans to dam the upper Brahmaputra, writes journalist Bharat Lal Seth .
Inching towards a polio-free India: The ongoing polio vaccination and strategic communication under national polio eradication programme in India has helped the country in wiping out the disease, writes Deepak Gupta, a senior UN professional.
India: Demographic dividend or disaster?: Will India be the place where the seventh billionth child is born? Journalist Jason Burke visits Madanpur Khadr, a resettlement colony with a booming population near the Indian capital to find out.
Breaking agro-investment myths: The Guardian’s environment editor John Vidal argues that global rush to capture farmlands for private investments will worsen food security, unemployment leading to reduced tax revenues.
Compensation is the last mile in recognising rape as a crime: India’s existing laws can be explored to pay compensations to victims of rape though it is meaningless if the guilty are not punished. However, it does establish that any form of sexual assault is a violent and serious crime, writes feminist activist Manjima Bhattacharjya.
Afghanistan's minerals can bring prosperity: Anti-corruption campaigner Eleanor Nichol calls for transparency in governance and aid as Afghanistan gears up to extract $3 trillion worth of minerals over the next three years. Right systems in place can bring revenue benefits to its impoverished populace, she argues.
What lies beneath: Kashmir’s unmarked mass graves have stirred up a new debate over India’s role in the highly militarised conflict zone. Journalist Sanjoy Majumder reports from the ground.
India's official poverty line doesn't measure up: Economist Jayati Ghosh opines that the Indian government should separate basic entitlements of people from arbitrary assessments of poverty by its Planning Commission.
Unsung women who power growth: Padmini Swaminathan, Professor at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai opines that 96% of women workers in Indian economy work in unorganised sector and are denied entitled benefits owing to inadequate laws, discriminatory macroeconomic policies and poor implementation of existing legislations.
What's in being a man or a woman?: Now it is the turn of sexual minorities to achieve freedom and equality, feels Rose, world’s first transgender person to direct, produce and anchor a TV show. Writer Hema Vijay captures her inspiring life as multi-talented Rose is rearing to take on the world.
“Melting ice is Earth's warning signal”: The Guardian’s head of the environment, Damian Carrington, argues that the global phenomenon of shrinking ice, from the Himalayas to the Arctic, should serve as a warning of the dangers of anthropogenic global warming.
Progress or distress?: Census 2011 data shows for first time since 1921, India's urban population has risen by more than it’s rural. Is it despair driven migration – the collapse of millions of livelihoods in agriculture - that has sparked rural exodus? P.Sainath investigates.
The poverty trap: Plagued by the statistical jargon of the 'poverty line', the state has lost its focus on social support and economic redistribution that can actually help us to effectively address inequality and poverty in the nation, says Jean Dreze, honorary professor at the Delhi School of Economics.
Superweeds, superpests and superprofits: New research by Navdanya and the US Union of Concerned Scientists has shown that genetically engineered crops haven't increased yields, writes environmentalist Vandana Shiva. Even worse is the damage to public health, ecosystems and farmer's independence.
Politics of education: Discrimination based on caste and gender have been traditionally hampering female education in Nepal, finds Emma Reynolds, UK Member of Parliament. Absence of a stable government has sidelined and politicised education in the policy-making.
Carbon capture is attractive, but is it viable?: TIME magazine’s environment and energy correspondent Bryan Walsh reveals the extent to which the world economy relies on carbon-intensive coal for energy and argues against the use of Carbon Capture and Storage technology.
"Durban should not be the burial ground for the Kyoto Protocol": Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of Greenpeace International, says that a legally binding treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol tops his wish list for COP 17.
Sustainable food security amidst Indian land rush: Managing our soil and water resources needs a new political vision manifest in the proposed Land Bill and Global Soil & Water Partnerships, says India’s agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan.
Indian sex workers: Looking beyond rehabilitation: Indian Supreme Court directives to rehabilitate sex workers might aim at an easy amalgamation within society. Although many sex workers seem gung ho about the ongoing deliberations, their reasons for quitting sex work reveal some complex and mostly overlooked undercurrents, writes Amrita Nandy.
A case for health workers: Blogger Sarah Boseley comments on a new index that correlates sick children in poor countries with the reach of health workers. Lack of diagnosis and timely care, in most cases, are the cause of child deaths.
Graduates mounting; what next?: More people worldwide are entering higher education than ever before. But lack of productive jobs for these upskilled youth might transform into dissatisfaction among them, which is not the best recipe for social stability, warns economist Jayati Ghosh.
Wasteland is best-land: India is ignorant to the true value of its 'wastelands', says veteran environmentalist Sunita Narain. She argues that absence of a suitable assessment framework, vested interests and short-sighted policies are destroying highly productive land in the name of progress.
When activism became mainstream: Anna Hazare’s successful campaign against corruption heralds the coming of age of average Indians. The campaign has proved that lobbying for better and stronger laws is no longer the preserve of politicians, NGOs and businessmen, writes Soutik Biswas of BBC India.
Educating Muslim girls still a distant dream: Age-old traditions have long held Muslim girls back from elementary education in northern India, observes writer Anjali Singh. Muslim women can act as a catalyst to modernise the whole of India if they are empowered with education and new thinking to confront the traditional barriers set for them, she notes.
Anna Hazare's campaign awakens India: In a society where corruption has become an unchallenged way of life, Anna Hazare’s movement has invoked the conscience of the Indian masses. Paul de Bendern reports as the government negotiates with the parties and the people to hit a solution.
Expanding deserts, falling water tables and toxins driving migration: Expanding deserts, depleting groundwater and soaring toxic exposure are forcing millions to flee their homes in search of more habitable places, warns analyst Lester R. Brown. India is one among the many countries that will witness high influx of environmental refugees.
"Improve water management to ensure sustainable urban growth": Stockholm International Water Institute executive director Anders Berntell warns that the predicted surge in urban populations will inevitably lead to water crises which can only be avoided by implementation of sustainable water management practices like pollution prevention, efficient use and re-use water.
When the fasts weren't for the furious: Anna Hazare’s Gandhi-like movement has tempted many to draw comparisons. Polly Hazarika recapitulates Gandhian tools of protest against the backdrop of the ongoing anti-corruption agitation in India.
Learning lessons on climate funds: Ahead of the COP 17 in South Africa, Stephen P. Groff of OECD urges policy makers to draw on the insights gained through development co-operation over the past 50 years. He claims strong policies that build national capacity can make climate change funding work better for development results.
Mining Bill gets it right: Environmentalist Sunita Narain justifies the need for mining companies to make financial contributions to local communities. A long-time campaigner for benefit sharing, she reveals how India's draft mining bill concludes a slow and frustrating process that started in the 90's.
NREGA: Women battle on: India’s star programme, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has raised the bar for rural women who now work outside their homes and enjoy an equal status with their fellow men workers in the field. Social hurdles persist, but Reetika Khera and Nandini Nayak visualise the scheme evolving overtime to become more women-friendly.
"Respond to the poor and the planet rather than dirty industries": As the countdown to the third Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20 begins, Daniel Mittler the political director of Greenpeace International says that governments have clearly failed to make any advances on sustainable development.
The AIDS Trap: Michel Kazatchkine of Global Fund makes a case for increased funds to reach HIV treatment to 15 million people by 2015. Antiretroviral treatment as prevention can save lives as well as slow the spread of the virus, he says.
In support of the Besharmi Morcha/'Slutwalk': Delhi’s recent 'Slutwalk' march against sexual harassment sparked much debate - from its nomenclature to relevance. Academician Pratiksha Baxi contends that the idea behind the campaign is to break silence, protest aloud and reclaim a woman’s autonomy.
Land Acquisition Bill: Rural or urban development?: The proposed Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation & Resettlement Bill by the Indian government is not comprehensive and fails to take into account the concerns raised by millions of those affected, opines National Association of People Movements (NAPM)and South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP). The groups argue that the Bill sidelines rural development to focus more on urbanisation.
Dhaka’s miracle hospital: Filmmakers Orlando de Guzman and Andrew Marshall recollect their visit to the Dhaka Hospital that saves millions of lives from cholera. Bangladesh’s war with the killer disease is constant as the city faces two cholera outbreaks each year during the monsoon.
Writing on the city wall: End street harassment: Escalating incidents of harassment women face in public spaces have spurred activists into action. Academician K.C. Wagner and campaigner Emily May demand a comprehensive global study to review the impact of street harassment and explore solutions to make women feel safe in their communities.
Is ‘development’ behind African famine?: As the Horn of Africa reels under drought, editor Helen de Jode observes that the traditional way of nomadic living had an ability to adapt to climatic extremes. This has been disrupted by a modern world system pushing millions into destitution.
“Never let schools interfere with education”: With the police occupying several schools in the POSCO protest area in Orissa, teachers wonder where to hold classes. Columnist P. Sainath contends how can the local children continue in schools while guns are being pointed at their parents?
"Aadhaar project stands on a platform of myths": Drawing parallels between India’s biometric Unique Identification (UID) project and U.K.’s Identity Cards Bill, professor R. Ramakumar argues that its necessity and security is a myth. He highlights the limitations of biometric fingerprinting in the initiative.
Afghan women march against harassment: Most women in Afghanistan face street harassment on a daily basis discouraging them to leave their houses. A protest march in Kabul on Thursday, July 14 aims to raise awareness against the issue, activist Noorjahan Akbar reports.
Is India's population policy sexist?: India's family planning programme continues to put the onus on women to control their fertility. With increasing emphasis on women sterilisation, columnist Soutik Biswas argues women should be allowed more reversible choices of contraception.
Co-operatives could revive rural India: Rabindranath Tagore had visualised a fair, equitable society based on co-operatives eight decades back. Ananaya Mukherjee of York University revisits the model which, she argues, enables the marginalised to mobilise their productive power and solidarity.
Jan Lokpal is 'for the people': Indian RTI activists Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, dispel fears of a powerful Jan Lokpal becoming a parallel government in itself. They emphasise that the fully accountable independent government body will effectively check corruption in governance and also within itself.
Bangladesh's dual burden: Bangladesh is resisting the proposed World Bank climate loans amidst fears of growing indebtedness and poverty. Campaigner Rezaul Karim Chowdhury resents the loans being ‘pushed’ on the country already beleaguered by climate change.
Sri Lanka’s body of evidence: Only a swift and objective criminal investigation into alleged war crimes by government troops can bring justice to its victims, says Elaine Pearson of Human Rights Watch. A recent UN report claims over 40,000 civilians were killed in the 2009 conflict between the army and the LTTE.
It's time to support our widows: Millions of widows worldwide live a life of poverty and stigma, struggling to nurture their children. On the first International Day for Widows, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, first lady of the Republic of Gabon, challenges stereotypes to support these women for overall development.
Why Afghan women remain wary of Taliban talks: As the world awaits the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, its women fear the ongoing negotiations with the Taliban. With no women representations in any of these talks, journalist Jeanne Bryer gets skeptical about women's rights in the future.
Beyond MDGs: The approaching deadline for Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) demands us to rethink a development paradigm beyond the MDGs. Campaigner Leo Williams insists that a sound strategy for the future should include those directly affected by poverty and injustice.
Hard choices, uncertain lives: Betel leaf farmers in Orissa’s Jagatsinghpur district are giving in to the state’s demand for land. Forced to take the middle ground, they now need to find new ways of survival, reports BBC correspondent Nidhi Dutt from the rural heartland.
The dirty truth behind community-led sanitation in India: The community-led scheme for sanitation often uses extremes of coercion to encourage toilet use. Researcher Liz Chatterjee finds that the name and shame tactics might meet the statistical targets but fails to educate the locals on its health gains.
India’s war on itself: Corporate land grabs for mines, factories and real estate are destroying India’s rural livelihoods, food security and ecology, warns physicist and eco-activist Vandana Shiva, as she argues in favour of a strong land conservation policy.
Climate policy should focus on the vulnerable: Record emissions in the year 2010 have given a new urgency to the upcoming climate change talks in Bonn. Sam Bickersteth and Ali Tauqeer Sheikh of Climate and Development Knowledge Network demand recognition to the woes of the most vulnerable to arrive at an effective climate policy in the summit.
Louder, prouder, and struggling: India’s position on gay sex may have changed legally but with little direct impact on lives of people. Sylvia Rowley visits the state of Andhra Pradesh to find changes in societal attitude even if a bit slow.
New IMF chief should revamp existing policies: A hot debate brews over the next IMF chief with both the rich and the poor nations strongly lobbying for their candidates. Economist Jayati Ghosh argues that the current IMF policies which perpetuate debt must be revamped by the next chief, whoever it will be.
Green capital for growth: Environmentalist Sunita Narain explores the paradox in our love for tigers but loathing for their natural habitat - the forestland which is often seen as a trade-off with development. The big challenge lies in sustainable use of forests to build green wealth, she argues.
Action plan for LDCs: Key recommendations: The fourth United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) closed with an action plan to halve the number of LDCs by the next decade. Journalist Mark Tran lists economic growth and enhanced trade as key to achieve the objective.
Food safety before food security: Mounts of food grains rotting in poorly managed godowns of Punjab tell the sad story of paucity amidst plenty. India’s green revolution icon M.S. Swaminathan emphasises on an organised foodgrain storage and distribution system as key to food security.
Delhi's Dalits await their rights: Behind the facade of a thriving city are the abandoned scheduled caste population of Delhi. Columnist Jayati Ghosh raises a voice against the maneuvering of public resources earmarked for the socio-economic rights of Dalits who continue to live a life of deprivation and extreme poverty in India's capital.
Is Polavaram the next POSCO?: The Polavaram dam on the Godavari in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh could displace 400,000 people and submerge vast forestland. Richard Mahapatra from Down to Earth investigates the massive violation of rights and regulations by the state government on the ground.
Kasargod's 'endosulfan foeticides': Women of Kasargod in the Indian state of Kerala are resorting to successive abortions due to abnormal pregnancies caused by pesticide endosulfan, says Jeemon Jacob of Tehelka. An oblivious Indian government is yet to enforce a ban on the chemical which has already affected thousands in the region.
India's inflation scandal: Headlines in Indian media are screaming 2G and CWG scams. Research Fellow Derek Scissors, however, ranks inflation as the biggest scandal in the country obsessed with high growth figures and where ‘inclusivity’ remains a political gimmick.
Where lies the burden of proof: The Pakistan Supreme Court ruling that set free the rape accused in the Mukhtaran Mai case has been decried by activists as a blow to the rights of victims of sexual crimes. Lawyer Abira Ashfaq deconstructs the verdict while upholding her stance for a fair fight.
Beyond the corruption clamour: Social activist Harsh Mander voices caution in the midst of voices that poured in support of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in the Indian capital. Overlooking corruption that stems from inequities and injustice can only turn the Lokpal into an oppressive dictator, he claims.
The (no) lesser burden of TB: Tuberculosis in children needs as much attention as in adults, says research coordinator Soumya Swaminathan. Poor diagnosis of TB, often a cause of other childhood infection, makes the disease a fatal one in many cases.
India’s disappearing girl child: When is the change due?: The data on the declining child sex ratio from the recent census underlines the fact that despite “India shining”, gender justice remains a distant dream. Columnist Kalpana Sharma expresses concern over the lack of a behavioural change in the society to accept and implement the laws for gender equality.
Cash may not be kind enough for the poor: The proposed PDS reforms involving cash transfers will not bear any results given high food inflation, argues Kannan Kasturi . She fears this will make room for more corruption in the public distribution and ignore the basic issue of food security.
Women entrepreneurs: Big dreams, medium ventures and small capital: Women own enterprises that employ many people, but face more barriers than men in finding capital to expand their businesses, says Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, fellow and Deputy Director of Women and Foreign Policy Program at the Council of Foreign Relations. What's needed, she says, is investment in resources to help women make small ventures bigger.
The nuclear effect: Even as quake-torn Japan witnesses a nuclear crisis, countries in neighbouring South Asia are yet to shift gears in their pro-nuclear plans. Journalist Navin Singh Khadka takes stock of what's happening in the region where few voices have questioned the nuclear safety and risks of the power plants.
India’s frugal innovations: India’s National Innovation Council’s newly coined ‘frugal innovations’ envisions low cost and highly competent products and services for the poor. Senior editor Latha Jishnu however cautions on basic investments in research and education to make such ideas venture friendly.
Children in mining: A load too heavy: Kathyayini Chamaraj explores the dismal state of children working as labourers in the mines of India. Besides violating the national law, authorities continue to ignore the health hazards these children are exposed to due to their proximity to mining areas.
Imperialist games at play: Sitaram Yechury, Indian parliamentarian and prominent Left leader, says that India should refrain from supporting the military aggression in Libya, which is but an attempt by the West to retain its hegemonic hold over the region. Recent popular protests in Egypt and Tunisia reflect people’s aspirations for better lives and human rights, and negate Western notions of rise of fundamentalism, he adds.
A tsunami of questions: As India is moving to a new nuclear regime involving the private sector, there is a reluctance to share information with the public on plant safety provisions. In light of Japan’s nuclear disaster, Sunita Narain of Centre of Science and Environment revisits some questions that have oft been ignored at our peril.
RTE in India: About the big leap, disagreements and delay: Ashwin Mahesh and Subramaniam Vincent of India Together analyse the applicability of the Right to Education Act in India to private schools that have stirred public debate and are resulting in unnecessary delay in its execution. They opined that different guidelines for different type of schools to function under RTI may emerge as a suitable solution in the present situation.
'Reality Check' for the government and people in Bangladesh: Advisor to Bangladesh Reality Check Initiative, David Lewis explains how the Swedish government project is building bridges between policy makers and citizens in Bangladesh. By documenting experiences and stories of the poor in their annual report, Reality Check Initiative gets grassroots information to policymakers so that they can make course corrections and improve public service systems in the country.
Why politics doesn’t lure Afghan women: Grappling with an uncertain future, women in Afghanistan have chosen the traditional patriarchal social structure over more contemporary (and radical) notions of gender cased politics and equality in the society. While trying to bring a gender-based revolution, donor nations kept overlooked conventional family dynamics governing the lives of these women.
The curious case of Binayak: Journalist Dilip D'Souza finds little evidence behind the Chhattisgarh government’s case against Indian rights activist Binayak Sen, calling it a banal and twisted attempt to incriminate him. Binayak, currently serving a life term on charges of state sedition, has appealed to the Supreme Court to seek bail and a stay on his sentence.
"If we address political corruption, we will be able to eliminate corruption in other areas": The Executive Director of Transparency International, India, Anupama Jha talks to OneWorld South Asia about TI’s contribution in checking global corruption. A strong believer in democracy, she shares her views on the rampant corruption in India and explains how citizens can play a part in addressing the problem.
"Citizen participation should be key to the budget process": Prof. Leonor Briones: Professor Leonor Magtolis Briones explains why it is important for citizens to be involved in the process of national budget. She also emphasises on framing a gender-sensitive budget as the cornerstone for the empowerment of women in any country.
Addressing imbalance in gender bugeting is crucial for India: Gender budgeting translates gender commitment into budgetary commitment through allocation of funds for programmes that addresses women’s economic, social and political needs. The union budget of India has to take effective measures to address inadequacy in outlays targeting women by reviewing all major programmes and schemes in order to make their objectives, operational guidelines, financial norms and unit costs more gender responsive.
MMS porn clips reveal the darker side of technology in India: Rapid progress in information and communication technology has given birth to yet another form of gender violence, this time within the cyberspace. Numerous incidents of circulation of unsolicited porn clips call for stringent use of the Information Technology Act to protect the dignity of women.
The changing face of women in Pakistan's politics: Sherry Rehman, an MP from Pakistan, has been the torch-bearer of the rights of women. She talks to Pamela Philipose about her tryst with Pakistan's politics and how the role of women has evolved overtime to find a footing in the political system.
Confining childhood in India: What does childhood in India mean? Havovi Wadia argues that childhood in India continues to circumscribed within a legal framework built around the issues that children face and, and problems that they may create. Is the real essence ebbing away from our understanding?
Why development should be based on a future re-imagined: Reimagining future is vital for any development strategy. World is changing rapidly, resources are getting exhausted, technological progress makes it imperative for development strategies to be designed keeping in mind the future, argues Lawrence Haddad, Director, Institute of Development Studies.
NGOs: The new power centres?: For every voice that celebrates the new power behind NGOs, an equal number urges caution and stresses that the ground realities haven’t changed. Is it right then to see NGOs as a necessary, important power centre?
Gandhi, India, and economic growth: Who says Gandhi is no longer relevant?
Politics of power plants: Is Jaitapur a safe game?: Darryl D’Monte, the chairperson of the Forum of Environmental Journalists of India, is critical of the public hearing called by the government of Maharastra on the controversial 10,000 MW chain of nuclear power plants at Jaitapur. Calling it a stage-managed hearing D’Monte writes that the issues pertaining to use of arable lands for nuclear power plants, concerns of displacement, environmental degradation and so on are not well reflected and redressed by the government in the so called public hearing.
"Binayak Sen's arrest has made India a laughing stock of the world": Journalist and human rights activist Satya Sagar expresses concern over India’s national security which is in the hands of thoughtless leaders who fail to distinguish between peaceful protests and Maoism. He argues that the campaign for Binayak Sen’s release is not just about providing justice. It has now become a movement for the freedom of all ordinary citizens who are trapped in the prison house that India has become.
India: Impunity for diplomats; eleven years and counting: The recent incident of an Indian diplomat involved in wife-beating has refreshed the memories of a similar case of sexual harassment of a tribal maid by her diplomat employee eleven years back. Sayeeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission, relives the agony with a hope of justice being delivered this time.
"India's primary schools are museums where old teaching methods are carefully preserved": Professor Krishna Kumar argues that the Indian system of primary teaching still focuses on the centuries-old system of learning. He explains how developing a habit of reading in children from an early age is significant for an efficient democracy and urges a radical shift from mechanical decoding of words to a pedagogy that encourages children to interpret the texts.
Trading microfinance for megaprofits: Microfinance in India has suffered a “mission drift” turning into a separate breed of loan sharks. Nobel prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus, draws a comparison with neighbouring Bangladesh and calls for establishing a regulatory body for microfinance in India.
Shut up or get shot!: The assassination of governor of Punjab (Pakistan), Salman Taseer, for his stand against blasphemy laws in Pakistan has invited condemnation from across the globe including the Pope. “The murder shocked many but what devastated us were those Pakistanis who glorified his murder,” feels Mehmal Sarfraz.
India's decade of high growth rates; reason enough to celebrate?: Years of high growth in India have failed to create equally high rates of employment in most sectors. For a majority of Indians, it has been a false growth and an empty promise. C. P. Chandrasekhar writes.
"The state's commitment to welfare of the marginalised must start from school": The Union HRD Ministry could not live upto the dynamism and commitment it was expected to bring to reform the Indian educational system, says Mushirul Hasan, director-general of National Archives of India. The centre’s contribution to education is still fairly low and the country still suffers from a very poor literacy rate despite towering growth.
Hunger-genocide in India: How culpable is inequity?: Dr. Binayak Sen, noted medical practitioner-rights activist, who is currently facing a life sentence on charges of sedition, examines health rights of the Indians and how the vastly inequitable society grapples with hunger and malnutrition.
India's efforts for inclusive growth: A critical analysis: Malcolm S. Adiseshiah evaluates measures taken by Government of India in ensuring human rights and social inclusion for all sections of the society with special focus on the marginalised. He critically analyses social and economic implications, capacity building competence and operational viability of welfare schemes such as MGNREGA, Right to Education, and Right to Food etc.
Binayak Sen: Pointing fingers at the wrong person: India has a history of grassroots activists being targeted for corporate or political motives. Writer-columnist Ramchandra Guha expresses his concern at the arrest of rights activist Binayak Sen while “scamsters and gangsters walk free” in the country.
"Vigilance Committees now need vigilance committees to monitor them": Says Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, as he questions the dynamics of community participation in development programmes by the government and NGOs alike. Despite various success stories, corruption and tokenism within the programmes has mostly negatively impacted the people. He suggests extra attention and adequate training to ensure active and ethical engagement.
Regulation vs deregulation in Indian schools: The heavy regulations that private schools will be subjected to under the RTE, may mar its noble objective of providing education to all, argues Andrew Coulsan. A study has found that the least regulated, most market-like education systems in India consistently outperformed centrally planned and heavily regulated government systems.
The tragedy of being Pakistan: Analysts note a disturbing sympathy gap in the international reporting and aid response to the floods in Pakistan when compared to the Haiti earthquake victims. The perception of Pakistan as a corrupt haven of extremists has prevented the usual outpouring of aid. The result; innocent victims continue to suffer.
"Burma is an enemy of the Internet": Though the news of the prominent political dissident Aung San Suu Kyi's release was carried by news networks across the world, journalist Simon Roughneen argues that heavy censorship and intimidation make reporting from Burma extremely thorny.
Probing the optimism of food inflation: Exorbitant rate of food prices are good news, at least for the farmers of poor nations. The inflation is working as a catalyst to invest and produce more for the farmers who generally are on the not so profitable side of food production, UN report proclaims.
“Increase access to education among girls to attack poverty”: To be poor and a girl serves as a double disadvantage when it comes to accessing education, says international public health consultant, Dr. Cesar Chelala. He argues that promoting education for girls is the best investment towards a country’s development.
Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Bill: Justice or a cruel joke?: The Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Bill 2010 has overlooked a wide range of issues, argues Amrita Nandy. Not only does it exclude domestic workers form its ambit, it proposes to penalise women who fail to provide evidence for “harassment”, which is often hard to provide.
Women should realise their sexual rights to avoid HIV/AIDS: Women need to be made more open and aware of safe sexual practices in order to reduce the threat of contacting an HIV infection, says Eve Ensler. Sexual habits are predominantly under male power play across the developing nations and women need to realise their sexual rights to fight not only diseases like AIDS but also the social stigma attached to sex.
"De-criminalise homosexuality, sex-work to address HIV/AIDS": “AIDS needs to be normalised, made treatable and the stigma attached to it be addressed comprehensively,” says Prasada Rao, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of UNAIDS. He emphasised the importance of de-criminalising injecting drug use, sex work, male to male sex to create an enabling environment to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in South Asia.
“Because I am a girl”: In today’s world filled with instances of gender based violence and discrimination, it is imperative to take initiative to help the girl child overcome barriers and realise her dreams, feels the CEO of Plan International, Nigel Chapman.
Let communities lead their own "development": Development remains a top down process if the targeted population and their social and cultural milieu are not addressed satisfactorily. R Balasubramaniam narrates an incident where a tribal woman taught him a valuable lesson; communities inherently understand, know, and are capable of their own development interventions.
Time for Suu Kyi to remodel her political agenda?: Is it time for Aung San Suu Kyi to let activist politics take a back seat and help broker an end to trade sanctions on Myanmar? Only then can she build a favourable climate for some real political change, argues Justin Wintle.
Do policy makers really 'get' MGNREGA?: India’s seminal initiative, the MGNREGA, has been successful to a large extent in creating infrastructure and generating employment at the grassroots level. But because of a lack of understanding about how the programme is being implemented and its successes, this landmark legislation is being undermined, argues Aruna Roy, member, NAC.
"Temporary membership in Security Council does not strengthen India's case": India’s leading columnist Praful Bidwai argues that India should focus its energies on making governance more responsive and effective rather than lobbying for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
India's political structure, an impediment to local governance: John Samuel: Human-rights activist and policy researcher, John Samuel argues that India’s system of Panchayati Raj Institutions offers great opportunities for inclusive grassroots democracy but, our political structure is the biggest impediment to the transfer of power and autonomy to local self-governments.
"Media crisis is due to intellectual dishonesty": Noam Chomsky: "Crisis in the media is not a result of its declining revenues as much as its intellectual dishonesty," says Noam Chomsky. He also feels Pakistani media is more vibrant and informative than their Indian counterpart.
What the UID doesn't reveal: The UID project has both developmental and security dimensions. R. Ramakumar argues that UIDs can lead to violation of privacy and civil liberties of the people and that its developmental benefits also seem illusive.
The difficulty of being a sportswoman in India: Despite all rhetoric on equality and respect for women, sportswomen in India increasingly face discrimination, indifference and even sexual harassment in their careers. Pamela Philipose from Women’s Feature Service identifies the difficulties of being a sportswoman in India.
"Our population is our biggest asset": Rehman Sobhan: In his latest book, Challenging the Injustice of Poverty, noted Bangladeshi economist, Prof. Rehman Sobhan, discusses how an inclusive approach towards micro-finance and development policies in general can lead the way out of poverty in the heavily populated countries of South Asia. Rehman spoke to OWSA about the book, the chronic development issues in South Asia and some solutions.
Protecting Women's Right to Life: Women’s Feature Service gets in conversation with Jill Sheffield, founder-president of Women Deliver; a New York based non-profit organisation working to educate the public on maternal mortality and protecting the women’s right to life.
Decrease dependency on governments to achieve MDGs: Citizen’s efforts can help in the realisation of Millennium Development Goals. But every stakeholder must focus on active implementation and awareness generation, feels Dola Mohapatra, National Director, ChildFund India. Achieving the MDGs is possible, he feels, if all of us sincerely commit to the cause.
South Asia: Uncommon boundaries, common disasters: A coordinated and cooperative approach for meeting the climate challenge across the SAARC region would benefit every member-country, through pooling of expertise and consolidation of experience, writes R.K. Pachauri. The 16th summit in Bhutan needs an urgent follow-up and unique confidence-building measure, he adds.
Preserve the distinct Kashmiri cultural identity: To have left the Kashmir peace process, an issue of critical national importance, to the vagaries of partisan party politics is an unacceptable lapse of judgment. In this era of post-nationalism, it is never too late to revive the true spirit of kashmiriyat, writes Malini Parthasarathy.
Devise policies to unleash India's infinite potential: On the occasion of India’s 63rd Independence Day, Sitaram Yechury assesses the progress India has made in all these years and the challenges it faces ahead. He outlines India’s boundless potential to outshine even developed nations if the lawmakers make policies that provide the citizens an opportunity to grow.
Kashmir cries out for justice: Continuing protests in Kashmir have jolted the system to the extent that the entire gamut of relief packages has not appeased the people. Siddharth Varadarajan feels that the route to justice is the only viable option left for the authorities to control the situation in the valley.
Traverse the road to justice hand in hand: Marking the International day for Indigenous People on August 9, Vivek Mansukhani, Director, Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP), discusses how the initiative in its unique way has empowered people from far-flung areas to become capable leaders for social justice.
To veil or not to veil: The ‘burqa’ ban in public places by the French Government is a misinterpretation of the ‘empowerment of Muslim women’, argues Sayeeda Hameed, Member Planning Commission, India. To veil or not to veil should be a free choice, she says.
Hunger in India has a gender dimension: Women should form the nucleus of any food security programme in India, Pamela Philipose from Women’s Feature Service strongly contends. She makes it imperative for the upcoming programmes to be implemented keeping in mind the nutritional needs of women.
Is the potrait of 'new' India real?: The new Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) breaks the myth of ‘India shining’. Dr. Sabina Alkire talks about the new index, which reveals that poverty in eight Indian states is worse than that in some of the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
Staying informed keeps democracy alive: For good and effective governance there is need to stay engaged in the democratic processes, says Arvind Kejriwal, RTI champion. Though India has adopted an open information culture, there are many roadblocks in the implementation of RTI Act.
Golden rules of democratic governance: With the growing political instability, violence and soaring criminal activities in Bangladesh, economist Abul Quader debates the real meaning of democracy. He argues that just holding elections does not guarantee a country’s democracy, what really matters are the way public policies are developed and implemented by the elected government.
Population stabilisation: Looking beyond numerical targets: A paradigm shift by switching to a rights based, gender sensitive and community led approach in the policies of family planning and population stabilisation may be vital in achieving a holistic solution to the population problem, argues former health secretary A.R. Nanda.
Integrating deafblind into the mainstream: Development organisations have been actively sensitising and spreading awareness about deafblindness. However in the absence of appropriate diagnosis and a lack of infrastructure for education and training it is difficult to integrate deafblind children into mainstream education, writes Freny Manecksha.
India's economic growth provides no defence against malnutrition: In a startling revelation, only 54.16% children in India are normal, the rest being either moderately or severely malnourished. With high account of under nutrition among children and risk to diseases, India shares a burden which is twice as much as that in sub-Saharan Africa.
'Make the food basket universal, nutritious': Right to food should be interpreted as right to food for nutrition, says Prof Abhijit Sen, Member, Planning Commission. He suggested that the right be universal with special entitlements for the poor and should not be myopically interpreted with what is available in the PDS.
Justice for BP oil spill victims, none for Bhopal: Analysts say there is a great contrast between the US response to the oil spill and Bhopal disaster, where the poor and powerless faced humiliation at the hands of the rich and resourceful Western corporation. In Pratap Bhanu Mehta's words, Bhopal tragedy does remind that India is a weak state.
Social Business: Anybody, Anyone can do it: One of the seven principles in social business is "to do it with joy." Mohammed Yunus, a Nobel laureate on the occasion of International Social Business Day argues that social business is different from social entrepreneurship - a new category of business expanding social benefits to people.
Reservation Express final stop: The Indian Parliament: To clear the air over the Women's Reservation Bill, a Reservation Express was launched to mount pressure on the political class. The organisers promise of an even bigger showstopper in Delhi, if the Bill is does not get presented in the Lok Sabha, writes Amrita Nandy.
Stories of hope and courage from Pakistan: Pakistani Woman Publisher, Ameena Saiyid stresses that the India-Pak peace process should not be derailed for any reason; be it terrorism or anything else. She talks about the new-age writers who wish to tell stories other than violence, terror, and the power of media to transform opinions across borders.
Affirm the rights of Indian tribes: The Maoist insurgency has arisen because the Indian state failed to keep its promise. More than money for development or more forces for counter-insurgency operations, creating a political environment to address tribal concerns and the power of self-government will help to end violence, writes Nitin Desai.
Turning beggars into entrepreneurs: Beggars Loans, aims to rehabilitate beggars into society by encouraging them to begin income-generating activity at their place of begging. Professor C. Gopinath discusses the innovative concept led by the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh that enables them to become credit-worthy.
Combating oppression and exploitation: The farmers, rural poor and slum-dwellers, who comprise a vast majority in Indian population, are worse off today than they were when India got freedom feels Pushpa M. Bhargava. She says, the GDP growth rate proclaim with great fervour to have created billionaires, but the gap between rich and poor has increased exponentially.
India: Stiff laws to combat sexual assault: India has proposed to amend the law against sexual assault with Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2010, but human rights activists combating for a tough law fear that the new legislation may be trivialised like the women’s reservation bill, says Kalpana Kannabiran. The new law aims at putting sexual assault with evolving international jurisprudence that sees rape as a form of torture.
Bio happiness for the poor: The Biodiversity Day and the Biodiversity Year emphasise on the need to spread bio-literacy and to link it to economic advancement, says M. S. Swaminathan while underlining the importance of bio-conservation. He cites examples to illustrate the mutually reinforcing nature of biodiversity conservation and development, and suggests some steps on the way forward.
Cooperation in healthcare: Prospectives for the sixth MDG: Growing international cooperation in the healthcare sector offers an opportuntity that can be leveraged with better coordination amongst stakeholders towards meeting the sixth MDG, says Andrea Dalla Palma. At the same time, ensuring the right to healthcare services needs focus not only on diseases and their cure, but also on the causes - the socio-economic complex of poverty, literacy and local cultures, she adds.
Equitable and environmentally sustainable development for poor: Sujatha Byravan, writes that it is crucial for the Government to take a path of clean energy and still deliver growth. Hence, National Solar Mission which is a commendable step towards being climate responsible must ensure that it does not marginalise the poor who have little to benefit from on grid power.
Caste census: A prolific source of troubles: Soutik Biswas raises concerns as government of India’s decision to implement caste census creates buzz. He talks about the possible difficulties in implementation, probable implications and different perspectives on the issue which has high relevance in our dynamically changing society.
All is not well on climate change: Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, argues that the Copenhagen Accord is only a simple ‘pledge’ and cannot be called a ‘commitment’. All countries are pledging to do what they can to reduce emissions without any legal agreement, and no one to wave a red flag, she argues.
The 'worth' of nature: Darryl D'Monte argues that economists are only concerned about the economic value of natural resources - and this has resulted in large scale exploitation and shrinking biodiversity. If one adds up countless projects that destroy biodiversity systems, the total economic losses as well as the welfare implications are enormous, he adds.
Will India catch the MDGs bus?: The Government of India's assessment of the MDGs in the document entitled the 'Millennium Development Goals: India Country Report 2009', shows an uneven and mixed progress, writes Pamela Philipose. The country needs to act fast to address the multiple deprivations and powerlessness among ordinary people, she argues.
Empty wells, Dry lands: Vidarbha faces water crisis: Two years of drought has started to take its toll on the people of Vidarbha, writes P. Sainath. Across villages almost everyone is seen searching for water and the scarcity is impacting livelihoods as well as the businesses in the region, he adds.
Development, not war to tackle conflict in India: Ashwin Mahesh expresses his disagreement on holding development efforts by Indian government who speaks loudly of dealing with insurgency in conflict ridden central India. Focusing on snuffing out insurgents alone can worsen the situation as inadequate development is the major cause of resentment against the state, he adds.
Microcredit has outgrown its charitable roots: Massive popularistion of microcredits has resulted in mushrooming of several loan sharks. The intended purpose of microloan to enable financial inclusion has come under doubt and hence there is a dire need to differentiate between the authentic and the deceptive, writes Neil MacFarquhar.
'Planning cannot eliminate slums': The recent attempts to free Indian cities of slums will merely make the slums less visible. While authorities neglect and residents loathe them, one should not forget that slums are part of the city that constantly reminds us of our moral and social obligations, writes Ashis Nandy, a social theorist.
Indian state has failed its poor for 60 years: The UPA government has betrayed its promise of inclusive growth over the years as a result of which poverty ratios have remained extremely high despite rapid economic growth, says Praful Bidwai. The new National Advisory Council must act urgently on nutritional security and public healthcare, he adds.
Time to revert to gendered, genial face of Islam: Muslim women should not allow themselves to be used as an excuse to stymie the Women's Bill, argues Dr Syeda Hameed. The Bill has once again brought the glare of politics and media on Muslim women and the need to return to the original face of Islam, she adds.
'Majority of non-achievers come from the most deprived sections': Vinod Raina analyses whether the Right to Education Act, which came into force on Thursday, will be able to meet the triple challenges of access, equity and quality in elementary education.
Will the RTE offer solution to our fragmented system?: The Right to Education is different as the beneficiary cannot demand it nor fight a legal battle when the right is denied or violated, writes Krishna Kumar. It has become law at a point when ghastly practice of female infanticide has resurfaced and prejudices against intellectual potential of girls still run across.
'Delivering growth without causing a climate catastrophe': The per capita principle of access to the global environmental space propounded by experts is critical to climate justice, writes Surya P. Sethi. Use of commercial energy more equitably and striving for new technologies that lower amount of fossil fuels needed to deliver a threshold level of development, he adds.
'Disabled need to be treated with dignity': The disability Act 1995 in India, while talked about multiple needs of disabled people, it did not address the issues of civil and political rights. With the ratification of UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, government should come out with a new law, argues Swagata Raha.
Environmental clearance norms openly violated: Scuttling the norms in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 has become common in India. The proposed OPG power plant in the ecologically fragile coastal stretch of Mundra in Gujarat's Kutch district will have adverse environmental impact and shatter the livelihoods of thousands of people, argues Kanchi Kohli.
'Education will have to emphasise conservation': In the news recently for saying that India has no proper system of ringing or bird banding to help keep a track of migratory birds coming to the country, Pune-based ecologist and ornithologist Dr Prakash Gole elaborates here on issues concerning birds, animals, environmental awareness and climate change
'Women's Reservation Bill is a game changer': The bill will transform the way in which politics is practiced in India bringing more gender concerns, writes Pamela Philipose. It is no silver bullet for all the problems affecting Indian women, but will help to usher in a substantive equality in the political sphere, she adds.
God's own country battles skewed growth: Inspite of having high human development index in India and social indicators at par with developed world, the state of Kerala remains a straggler economy with joblessness and poor quality of services. There is need for a new contract between the state and people for economic growth, writes Soutik Biswas.
Global media reinforces gender stereotypes: The preliminary report of fourth Global Media Monitoring Project 2009-2010, suggests the need for news media to be more gender aware and gender sensitive, says Ammu Joseph, a noted Indian journalist. News reporting is dominated by men and almost one half of all news stories reinforce gender stereotypes, she adds.
India: Union budget 2010-11 neglects the poor: The UPA-II budget is a brazen attempt to push the neo-liberal agenda which caters to the interests of upper middle class by totally neglecting the interest of the poor, says noted economist Prof. Prabhat Patnaik. The hike in fuel prices would affect the common man adversely, he adds.
Mainstream media needs gender perspective: Increasing number of women journalists in India does not mean ‘feminisation’ of media, says Ammu Joseph, a noted Indian journalist. There is still lack of gender awareness in media space and it is essential for both sexes to develop gender perspective to counter the dominant masculine trends, she adds.
'Nature gives us free service': Australian environmentalist John Seed who has successfully campaigned to save the sub-tropical rainforests of New South Wales and is the co-creator of the Council of All Beings was recently in Pune to deliver a lecture on ‘Deep Ecology, Gandhi And Ecological Crisis’
'Yet another budget crafted for, and by corporate farmers': Budget 2010-11 does not deliver directly to the citizens everything that they need. Instead it creates an enabling ethos, writes P. Sainath award winning Indian development journalist. He argues, by exposing the corporate kleptocrats, experts have quickly balanced the pro-farmer claims by the Finance minister and media.
Journeying through difficult roads: Although the prospects for formal gender equality have improved greatly over the last 15 years since the Beijing Platform of Action, substantive equality continues to remain elusive and remains as important a quest as ever for the Indian women, writes Pamela Phillipose, Director, Women's Feature Service.
Creating an inclusive India: In post-independent India, inclusive growth has remained an unrealised dream, says K.N. Panikkar, an eminent Indian historian. That India is economically backward is not surprising, the fact that nationalism did not succeed in ushering in social and cultural solidarity has left a deep scar, he adds.
Caught in the crossfire: In India’s northeastern states of Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur violent conflicts have led to serious violations of the rights of ordinary people, especially women and children, writes K S Subramanian.
Taking renewable energy ahead: A unique project for power generation using solar thermal technology will soon come up at Shive, a village in western Maharashtra that will serve as the harbinger for the nation’s push for renewable energy. In this interview, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Prithviraj Chavan, elaborates about the ambitious national plan
Reviving Pakistan's education system: With the newly constituted Pakistan Education Task Force and the renewal of the National Education Assessment System there is hope that quality and effective testing system will be ensured, writes Zubeida Mustafa. However there is need for clarity on the changes sought, she argues.
'Existing health plans barely tackle malnutrition': Despite impressive policies and schemes, India has not made much progress in reducing child mortality, writes Shireen Vakil Miller, Director of Advocacy , Save the Children. The anomaly between impressive economic growth and the appalling rates of child mortality is not peculiar to Bihar in eastern India, she argues.
Kobe rises like a phoenix: When an earthquake of magnitude of 7.3 hit the Japanese port city Kobe on January 17, 1995, some areas came to resemble like war-ravaged zones, almost as if they had been carpet-bombed. Today, however, Kobe appears every inch a swanky city, writes Rajender Singh Negi.
'For the garland sellers life still hasn't blossomed': Stories of daily struggles of flower sellers are quickly nipped in the bud in the rush that descends on the market, writes Rinky Sharma. Accounts of some of the women flower sellers in India’s national capital highlight their hardship, poor sanitation and a gender-unfriendly market.
Symbolising courage and vision in tough times: Some of the important voices of opposition today are those of women, who have come to represent a certain power within Iranian society, says Fatemeh Simin Motamed-Arya, actress and green activist. They are playing significant role not just within the home, but within larger society, she adds.
Talent hunt shows too stressful for kids: Child-centric talent hunts and reality shows are causing competitive stress among young children, writes Smita Deodhar. A national legislation to protect child artists from exploitation and excessive parental ambitions is the need of the hour, she argues.
'Gagging the voices against corruption': Anti-corruption machineries have been used either to scuttle complaints against the mighty or to victimise those who do not fall in line, writes Arvind Kejriwal, a social activist in India. Media pressure has helped in getting justice, but there is a need for an independent and effective body, he argues.
Building multicultural society in Japan: FM YY community radio station in Japan has been helping to build a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society for the last 15 years. Established after the Kobe earthquake in 1995, it has also played a pivotal role in preparing citizens – especially foreign residents – to face disasters, writes Rajender Singh Negi of OneWorld South Asia.
Food price inflation needs pragmatic policy: Increasing food prices have become a major reason for worry among the general public as well as the government. The current inflation stems from dysfunction in distribution and a short sighted government policy that does not account for the vagaries of nature.
Making democracy work for women: Democracy has often not delivered on its promise of better representation and outcomes for women. Anne Marie Goetz and Rob Jenkins examine what can be done to tackle the double standard encoded into the DNA of political liberalism.
Making choices for India's environment: 2010 and beyond: The massive increase in awareness on environmental issues has not really translated into commensurate discernible action on the ground. Noted environmentalist Sunita Narain stresses that the need of the hour is to find solutions departing from the conventional and based on inclusive growth in the Indian context.
Mixed bag for South Asian women: Since the fourth world conference on women in Beijing 1995, it’s been a long road for women in South Asia, writes Pamela Philipose. Vibrant activism and solidarity have engendered significant positive changes, yet a host of challenges remain.
Skewed perspectives: Although efforts have been made to reform Indian textbooks, many still continue to present a skewed vision of society, write Deepti Priya Mehrotra and Nisha Ramachandran.
Should India legalise prostitution?: The Supreme Court of India has advocated legalisation of prostitution. While some feel that decriminalising the practice will aid sex workers in better accessing welfare measures, others feel that the provision will only serve to provide more immunity to immoral traffickers, argues Kamayani Bali-Mahabal.
Creeping deserts and crouching hunger: Malyam is one of the 13 villages in Andhra Pradesh, a coastal state in southern India, that have been fighting off ‘predator’ sand dunes every sowing season, resulting in a poor produce year after year. Farmers maintaining small plots of agricultural lands are heavily affected, writes Manipadma Jena.
Fertilisers killing Indian agriculture: The whopping government subsidy of Rs 12,000 crore in India is a financial millstone around our neck. By encouraging unrestrained use of fertilisers, it is destroying our soils and agriculture, writes environmentalist Ashish Kothari.
The unholy alliance of four: India’s environment minister Jairam Ramesh and others of his ilk ought to know that it is entirely in India’s interests to align ourselves with G77, writes Darryl D’Monte, Chairperson, Forum of Environmental Journalists of India. The right to grow doesn’t only restrict itself to the GDP increase, he argues.
Stepping into Eve's world: The Vagina Monologues started as a play and went on to become a colossal V-Day movement that campaigns for better rights for women across the world. S. Shobhana interviews Eve Ensler, the author of the play and discusses various issues concerning violence against women.
Bhopal children paying terrible price of the disaster: When Bhopal gas tragedy happened 25 years ago, a photograph of an unnamed child looking out with an unrelenting gaze from a grave symbolised the human cost of the world's worst industrial calamity. Today, another generation of children, continue to bear the footprint, writes Pamela Philipose.
Indian agriculture is in deep trouble: India is a country where governments have been voted out of power over soaring food prices. And yet, it appears that food is not worth a fight for our parliamentarians, writes Rajeev Deshpande.
A bitter harvest for the women of Punjab: The ubiquitous picture of the smiling Punjabi farmer, seen on calendars and hoardings, presents itself like a cruel joke to those women whose farmer husbands committed suicides. It is these women who have come to bear a huge burden of managing the fatherless families, writes Ranjana Padhi.
'Better no deal than bad deal': Current negotiations are less about averting climate disaster and more of a battle for a right to the sky, writes author, activist and columnist Naomi Klein. A bad deal at Copenhagen may lock in a wrong approach all the way to 2020 - well past the deadline of peak emissions, she argues.
Power reclaim at battleground Copenhagen: Thousands of climate activists marched towards the Bella Centre on December 16 to host a people’s assembly when police riot squads clamped down the peaceful act. Indian editor Pradip Saha details the paranoia of the state.
Grassroots voices from India at Copenhagen: An Indian woman from a remote island village in the Sunderban delta is at Copenhagen. Even as world leaders discuss the pros and cons related to global warming she will be highlighting her first-hand experience of living in one of the three worst-affected climate hotspots of the world, writes Ajitha Menon.
India's solar power: Bold plan or bargaining ploy?: The solar mission has been launched in India just in time for the climate change conference in Copenhagen. It has led some to believe that it is a government’s bargaining ploy, writes Padma Nagappan, San Diego-based business writer, but argues that the mission is good for the country.
Obama mystique: Yes he can; will he?: As the first week of the COP15 climate conference in Copenhagen begins to draw to a close, it is clear that emotions run high as the expectations of the next week, writes San Francisco based environmental journalist Tom Schueneman. Even without the Congress nod, the US president wields the power to seal a deal, he argues.
"We have been asked to sign a suicide pact": The proposed 2ºC warming that the leaked draft agreement allows means "certain death for Africa," says Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, the G77 Sudanese negotiator at the Copenhagen climate talks. In an interview to Mother Jones, he also slams the suggested financial support from rich nations to help poor countries adapt.
Scary new math of warming: Delegates at the Copenhagen climate summit need to do the math as two new numbers splash cold reality on the coupled task of slowing climate change and protecting endangered species, says environment columnist Peter Gorrie.
Payback time for rich nations: Copenhagen must set the world on track to prevent catastrophic changes in climate, argues Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment. Rich countries do not want a legally binding agreement, it is for this reason alone that the focus has been on India and China, she argues.
Climate change: India's women say 'save our future': As climate scientists do their maths and bureaucrats around the world, representing powerful national and corporate interests, negotiate the treaty, those who will ultimately pay the highest price for climate change are also the most invisible and the most powerless, writes Pamela Philipose, director, Women’s Feature Service.
Indian doctors discriminating against HIV patients: It has been found that the HIV patients are being discriminated against. Discrimination hurts most when it comes from healthcare settings because people who go to hospitals are already in physical distress or pain, writes S. Mohammad Afsar, ILO Technical Specialist (HIV/AIDS), South Asia on the eve of World AIDS Day.
India: Bhopal's economy stalled since 1984 gas leak: The city of Bhopal and in some ways the entire state of Madhya Pradesh in central India got stigmatised after the gas leak 25 years ago. It is this stigma that has not allowed the city and the state to grow economically, write BBC reporters Jorn Madslien and Ben Richardson.
Domestic violence: Making the law work in India: Arguably India's most invisible crime – domestic violence – continues to largely languish behind the curtains of the Great Indian Household. Women within the supposed security of their homes are being slapped, having their arms twisted and hair pulled, writes Pamela Philipose, director, Women’s Feature Service.
The 'glacier man' of India: As climate change poses grave threat to glaciers around the world, Chewang Norphel, in India's Ladakh region, has devised a way to create artificial glaciers. Harvesting glacial meltwater as a conservation technique for irrigational needs can go a long way in man’s fight against global warming.
India: Life by this lakeside is far from idyllic: Kerala's water-bodies in south India are the greatest contributors to its food security. However, in a small village by the banks of a massive lake in Kottayam district, the negative impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly obvious, to the point that their livelihoods are being seriously threatened, writes Shwetha George.
Northeastern women at risk in India's capital city: Facing racial discrimination and sexual harassment have become a norm for majority of women from northeast India living in Delhi. With rapid transformation of the fabric of the city, there is urgent need to educate people about the country’s cultural diversity while sensitising them about gender, writes Amrita Nandy-Joshi.
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'