tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11408880255915761912024-02-07T11:06:18.518+05:30BREADS CREAM ProjectTo encourage and enhance Children’s Participation in development process, to Promote Child Rights and to Ensure Care and Protection of Children.
BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-66266414870965060102014-06-09T17:03:00.001+05:302014-06-09T17:03:09.661+05:30<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:8.05pt 0cm 2.7pt 0.55pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:20.5pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,96,150)">The Kids Aren't Alright</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><i><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)">Why are children from Bihar and Jharkhand catching the train to God's own country? Jeemon Jacob uncovers the sordid racket of child trafficking in the name of charity</span></i><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><img width="68" height="80" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" alt="Jeemon Jacob"></span><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-transform:uppercase"><a href="http://tehelka.com/author/jeemon-jacob"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">JEEMON JACOB</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)">2014-06-14 , Issue 24 Volume 11</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:1.05pt 0cm 0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><a href="http://www.printfriendly.com/print?url=http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:windowtext;border:1pt none windowtext;padding:0cm;text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><img border="0" width="16" height="15" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif" alt="Print Friendly"></span></span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Print & Email</span></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);text-decoration:none">Comment</span></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/" title="Facebook"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Share on facebook</span></a><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/" 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src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.jpg" alt="slide"></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins>Stranded</ins></span></span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins>Policemen note down the details of the children trafficked from</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><img border="0" width="621" height="422" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg" alt="slide"></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins>Foul play</ins></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span></b><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins>Orphanages in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:white"><span class=""><ins>are using trafficked children to garner state funding</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/"><span style="font-size:8pt;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">1</span></a><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/"><span style="font-size:8pt;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">2</span></a><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/the-kids-arent-alright-2/"><span style="font-size:8pt;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">3</span></a></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>I want to go back home," whispers Hazeena as she stares out of the window. Nearby, a group of children talk among themselves in hushed tones. Their faces are filled with gloom and eyes flash with fear. They don't want to answer any questions. Little do they know that they have kicked up a political storm in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a>.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Neither Hazeena, 8, who hails from a nondescript village in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a>'s Godda district, nor the other 167 children feel at home inside the large campus of the Noorul Huda Orphanage in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/palakkad/" title="Posts tagged with Palakkad"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Palakkad</span></a>. They are tired after the long journey and fed up of answering inquisitive strangers.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The drama began on 24 May, when the Patna-Ernakulam Express screeched to a halt at the</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/palakkad/" title="Posts tagged with Palakkad"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Palakkad</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Railway Station. A batch of 455 children under the age of 12, accompanied by 33 adults, stepped out. At the exit gate, the Railway Police detained the children and their caretakers as many were travelling without tickets.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>When the Railway Police issued a fine of 1.27 lakh for ticketless travelling, the caretakers paid up. On further questioning, they spilled the beans. The children hailed from Bihar and</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>and they were on their way to join the Mukkam Muslim Orphanage in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kozhikode/" title="Posts tagged with Kozhikode"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kozhikode</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>district. Suspecting foul play, the Railway Police produced the children before the Child Welfare Committee, which sent them to local orphanages.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>As the caretakers were unable to provide valid documents for transporting the children, the police registered a case of child trafficking under Section 370(5) of the Indian Penal Code. On the suspicion of smuggling minors, the police arrested four people — Moulana Faidullah, 26, and Abdul Haji Ansari, 32, both residents of Bhagalpur in Bihar, and Muhammed Alamgir, 24, of Godda and Muhammed Idrish Alam, 31, of Khola in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a>. However, three other caretakers managed to escape.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The very next day, a batch of 123 children from Malda district in West Bengal arrived with four caretakers in the Thiruvananthapuram-bound Guwahati Express. The Railway Police detained and interrogated them. Later, they were produced before the Child Welfare Committee, which sent them to a different orphanage in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kozhikode/" title="Posts tagged with Kozhikode"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kozhikode</span></a>.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The preliminary investigation revealed that the children were headed to the Anwarul Huda Orphanage, located at Vettathur in Malappuram district. Just like the previous batch, they had no valid documents to prove their claims.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The caretakers revealed that 64 out of the 123 children were already studying at the AMUP School in Vettathur, which is run by the Anwarul Huda Orphanage, and 59 children were going to join the orphanage in the new academic year. All the children were under the age of 14.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The new batch of 59 children who had come to join the orphanage were carrying certificates issued by their panchayat presidents and village officers and photocopies of their parents' electoral ID cards.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Soon, the manager of the Anwarul Huda Orphanage appeared before the Child Welfare Committee with his lawyer and demanded the release of the children. Established in 1998, the Anwarul Huda Orphanage is run by the Sunni Yuvajana Sangam.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/we-cant-turn-a-blind-eye-towards-the-violation-of-child-rights/"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="130" height="130" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg" alt="http://www.tehelka.com/wp-content/themes/cadabrapress/functions/theme/thumb.php?src=http://www.tehelka.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/jose_paul.jpg&w=130&h=130&zc=1&a=c"></span></a><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/we-cant-turn-a-blind-eye-towards-the-violation-of-child-rights/"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,95,151);text-decoration:none"><br> </span><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,95,151);text-decoration:none">'We Can't Turn A Blind Eye Towards The Violation Of Child Rights'</span><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,95,151);text-decoration:none"><br> </span></a>|</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> <b><span style="text-transform:uppercase">FATHER JOSE PAUL, CHAIRMAN, CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE, <a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/palakkad/" title="Posts tagged with Palakkad"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;color:rgb(0,95,151);text-decoration:none">PALAKKAD</span></a>DISTRICT</span></b></ins></span></span><b><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71);text-transform:uppercase"><span class=""><ins><br> </ins></span></span></b><b><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71);text-transform:uppercase"><img border="0" width="34" height="10" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image007.gif" alt="http://www.tehelka.com/wp-content/themes/cadabrapress/images/read.png"></span></b><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>But the officials refused to budge and asked the government to conduct a detailed investigation regarding the child trafficking. On 26 May, 48 children were released after their parents produced valid certificates.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>As the Railway Police invoked the anti-trafficking clause in the FIR, the orphanage managements sensed trouble. They started to put pressure on the state government with the help of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), which is an ally of the<a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/congress/" title="Posts tagged with Congress"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Congress</span></a>- led UDF government.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Initially, IUML leader and Social Welfare Minister MK Muneer tried to justify the orphanages' moves. But Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala took a hard stand against the IUML's bid to dilute the trafficking charges.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>"I will not interfere in the investigation into the</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/palakkad/" title="Posts tagged with Palakkad"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Palakkad</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>incident," Chennithala told TEHELKA. "I have directed the Crime Branch to probe the case and submit its report within a week. The investigation is going on and I am awaiting the report. We will initiate action based on the report."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Angry IUML leaders hit back at his remark that "orphanages worried about poor children in Bihar, West Bengal and</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>should do charity work in those states rather than bringing them to</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>to fill the orphanages".</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Police's intelligence wing, which has been tracking similar cases, had recently submitted a report about agents who are trafficking poor children from other states to</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a>. The police suspect that a well-oiled network is canvassing parents to send their children to</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a>.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>"Children belonging to poor families from other states were brought in as orphans and admitted to various orphanages run by charity organisations across</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a>," says the intelligence report. "These orphanages are registered under the Charitable Society Act and recognised by the Board of Control of Orphanages and other Charitable Homes and are receiving a monthly grant of Rs 900 per child from the social welfare department. The orphanages are bringing children from other states to claim the grant and list them as destitute children from</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/kerala/" title="Posts tagged with Kerala"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Kerala</span></a>. The state government is losing a huge amount of money in this regard every year. So, a multi -level investigation is needed to check the menace."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The report adds that many orphanages are also running government-aided schools and the shortage of students in those schools have forced them to cut teaching staff.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>"In order to create more teaching posts, they bring children from other states and enrol them in their schools," says the report. "As the posts are auctioned to the highest bidder, each one can fetch as much as 10 lakh for a primary school teacher and 20 lakh for a higher secondary school teacher. In aided schools, the government pays the salaries of all the staff members."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Interestingly, TEHELKA found that both the Mukkam Muslim Orphanage and Anwarul Huda Orphanage brought children from other states for enrolment in their schools where the medium of instruction is Malayalam.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>A cursory glance at the ID cards issued by the Anwarul Huda Orphanage, which also runs the AMUP School at Koduvathur in Malappuram, is enough to expose the tricks used to inflate the number of students. The cards don't indicate in which class the student is studying.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>"None of the ID cards indicate which class the student is admitted to or studying in," says M Binu, the Railway Police inspector who detained the children. "We suspect that it has been done deliberately as the children can be put in any class where the number of students is falling short."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>In another trick, the card issued to Emmadul Haque, son of Ishank, who resides at Chanchal in West Bengal's Malda district, has the details of his father's residential address and cell phone number. The card issued to Injamamaul Haque, son of MD Najrul</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/islam/" title="Posts tagged with Islam"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Islam</span></a>, also bears the same residential address and cell phone number.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>On top of that, the phone number listed on the ID card was found to be that of the Government Higher Secondary School in Vettathur. When TEHELKA contacted the school authorities on the telephone number (04933 245704), the headmistress in charge, Beena, confirmed that the number belonged to the government school.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Beena adds that though many inmates from Anwarul Huda Orphanage are studying there, no student from other states was studying in the high school classes.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The destitute certificates produced by the orphanages from</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a></ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>and Bengal indicate that they were forged, as around 30 destitute certificates issued by different village officers have the same handwriting.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Initial probes show that the destitute certificates issued by the village officers are fake, says Manish Sinha, assistant director of the labour department in</ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/tag/jharkhand/" title="Posts tagged with Jharkhand"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">Jharkhand</span></a>.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%"><a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox?compose=146806692a26433f">https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox?compose=146806692a26433f</a> </span></p></div> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-78837221497483648232014-06-09T17:01:00.001+05:302014-06-09T17:01:40.257+05:30<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:8.05pt 0cm 2.7pt 0.55pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:19.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(0,96,150)">Dying Malnourished In The IT Hub</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><i><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)">Three children died from malnutrition this year in Bengaluru, while the government was caught napping. <b>Imran Khan</b> reports</span></i><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><img width="80" height="80" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" alt="Imran Khan"></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Merriweather,serif;color:rgb(0,96,150);text-transform:uppercase"><a href="http://tehelka.com/author/imran"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">IMRAN KHAN</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:19.2pt;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)">2014-06-14 , Issue 24 Volume 11</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><img border="0" width="266" height="157" src="file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.jpg" alt="Killed by neglect Six-year-old Meghala's death from malnutrition last July exposed the miserable state of the ICDS programme in Bengaluru "></span><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(99,99,99)"><span class=""><ins>Killed by neglect</ins></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(99,99,99)"><span class=""><ins> </ins></span></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(99,99,99)"><span class=""><ins>Six-year-old Meghala's death from malnutrition last July exposed the miserable state of the ICDS programme in Bengaluru</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The people of Karnataka are no longer shocked by news of children dying from malnutrition in the interiors of the state, where one child on an average dies every day due to lack of adequate nutrition. However, there was a time when no one could have anticipated that children living in the heart of the it hub Bengaluru could die from malnutrition. That was before the grim reality hit the headlines last year.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>No wonder, the revelation led to a huge public uproar, forcing the state government to promise measures to ensure that no child in the city dies from inadequate nutrition in the future. Six months later, however, nothing has changed on the ground. Not only did the state fail to live up to its promise, it actually went two steps back and shockingly rolled back what it had been delivering earlier.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Anganwadis ('courtyard shelters'), started by the Central government in 1975 under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, are supposed to play a key role in combating hunger and malnutrition among poor children. But, according to activists and parents, mid-day meals were not served in any of the anganwadis in Bengaluru for three months from January to March. Activists allege that this led to the death of three children in Devarajeevanahalli, better known as DJ Halli, which is a large contiguous locality comprising several slums inhabited by low-income families in the northern part of the city. Muslims constitute a majority of the around 1 lakh population of DJ Halli.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>When TEHELKA sought to verify the claims of the activists, a Primary Health Centre (PHC) official confirmed these deaths, but could not divulge more details as she was on leave.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Incidentally, DJ Halli is the same locality where the first case of death by malnutrition in Bengaluru had come to light last July. Meghala, the six-year-old child who died, reportedly weighed just 12 kg. A number of activists and civil society groups had then taken up the issue, which was also highlighted in the media. This had drawn the attention of the then newly-formed Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to the miserable plight of the people living in the area.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>On 29 August 2013, Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Development Umashree convened a meeting in her office, where several decisions were made on the steps to be taken to combat malnutrition. Among these was a plan to open 40 new anganwadis in DJ Halli, a special drive to provide BPL cards to the families of all the severely malnourished children, and a Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre at the government hospital in DJ Halli. Nine months after the meeting, not a single anganwadi has been opened by the state. Not even a building has come up. Responding to a Right to Information (RTI) query, ministry officials said that they are still in the process of recruiting teachers for the anganwadis. The minister was unavailable for comment.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>"The state government is yet to fulfil the promises it made to the people of DJ Halli last year," says Narasimha, a Bengaluru- based activist of the civil society group Alternative Law Forum.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Bengaluru has been divided into three zones for the purpose of administering the anganwadis across the city. While the central and northern zones are managed by the state government directly, anganwadis in the rest of city — referred to as Sumangali Sevashram — are run by a private contractor with aid from the government. Currently, there are around 1,000 anganwadis in the three zones, and the estimated number of beneficiaries exceeds 1 lakh.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>On an average, the government spends around Rs 6 per day per child on mid-day meals, and around Rs 8 per day on children classified as Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM). "The anganwadis also serve mid-day meals to pregnant women and lactating mothers, on whom the government spends around Rs 5 per day," informs Narasimha. The response to an RTI query filed by Narasimha revealed that the state government has earmarked a monthly budget of Rs 80 lakh for the central zone, Rs 70 lakh for the northern zone and Rs 40 lakh for the rest of the city. "So, why were mid-day meals not served at the angwanwadis from January to March?" asks Narasimha. "The government is yet to give an answer to that. And most importantly, as the food was not served, where did the money go? The women and child development department is sitting on a financial scam in the distribution of midday meals."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Officials of the department brushed aside these questions, arguing that the food was not supplied only for a few weeks. However, they did not reveal the exact number of weeks when no mid-day meals were distributed. N Muni Reddy, joint director, ICDS, told TEHELKA, "Midday meals could not be distributed because of some gap with the food and civil supplies department."</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>When contacted, CS Joshi, deputy general manager for Karnataka of the Food Corporation of India, denied that there was any such gap. "We are supplying for many schemes floated by the Union government under the Food Security Act. And we do not have any shortage. If they (the women and child development department) are finding some shortage, it is because of their internal problems," says Joshi.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>TEHELKA found out that three officials functioning under the women and child development department, including Deputy Director (ICDS) Ramesh Halabhavi, have been suspended recently. Joint Director Reddy acknowledged that the suspension orders were issued because "the three officials did not properly supervise the distribution of food".</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Surprisingly, however, even after a month since the suspensions, the department is yet to form an inquiry committee. Reddy says the department is looking for a retired judge to head the inquiry and the department's secretary will soon take a call on that. But he refused to reveal if there was any misappropriation of funds.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>The condition of children's nutrition in the Bengaluru slums reflects the situation across large parts of Karnataka. According to a 2011 report titled 'Child Malnutrition in Karnataka', prepared by lawyer Clifton D'Rozario, state adviser for the Supreme Court in the Right to Food case, 44 percent of the children under five years are too short for their age, indicating that they have been undernourished for some time; 18 percent are too thin for their height, likely to be caused by inadequate food intake for a short time or a recent illness; and 38 percent are underweight, which takes into account both chronic and acute under-nutrition.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Besides the worrying figures, activists are also critical of the government's plans to hand over distribution of midday meals to private players. In fact, the government had begun implementing it in 2012, when the mining giant Vedanta was given the responsibility to distribute mid-day meals to 2 lakh children in four districts. Recently, the government decided to involve private companies in mid-day meal distribution in three more districts — Tumkur, Dharwad and Bangalore Rural. Activists cite a Supreme Court judgment of 2004 to point out that the involvement of private players as middlemen in food distribution schemes is a violation of the law and add that such initiatives have led to disastrous results, including corruption.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>For instance, in 2012, a probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta had revealed that officials of the women and child development department were siphoning off funds meant for mid-day meals in connivance with the contractor, a company called Christy Friedgram Industry.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins>Even as activists and the government argue over the right way to combat malnutrition, the spectre of malnourished children continues to haunt parts of the state, including the slums in the capital.</ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:8.05pt;text-align:justify;background-image:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(71,71,71)"><span class=""><ins><a href="mailto:imran@tehelka.com"><span style="color:rgb(0,96,150);text-decoration:none">imran@tehelka.com</span></a></ins></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:9pt;line-height:115%"><a href="http://www.tehelka.com/dying-malnourished-in-the-it-hub/">http://www.tehelka.com/dying-malnourished-in-the-it-hub/</a> </span></p></div> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-57896022386337994952014-03-21T14:05:00.001+05:302014-03-21T14:26:23.062+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/"><b><span style='font-size:16.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>CITIES</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/"><b><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase'>BANGALORE</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:16.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>BANGALORE, </span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>March 19, 2014</span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: March 19, 2014 23:57 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>Drive nets 202 runaways at City railway station<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT</span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:#EFF0F8'><span style='font-size: 17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRnVCyHS6eVuXU5KyYhOf7R2fLuP4FYYTOD_k3kA5DKsDa4SRrDNInj-ItjkjeaYAZXdqjIgtM3H1h0YydTuvzCtwR-Ws2OVqWFZ8sifQ8iN9mdnoC-rXxEzEjoLKtyFwwXcqg_S5DlU/s1600/image001-783063.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRnVCyHS6eVuXU5KyYhOf7R2fLuP4FYYTOD_k3kA5DKsDa4SRrDNInj-ItjkjeaYAZXdqjIgtM3H1h0YydTuvzCtwR-Ws2OVqWFZ8sifQ8iN9mdnoC-rXxEzEjoLKtyFwwXcqg_S5DlU/s320/image001-783063.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163792855843170" /></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>BOSCO volunteers deputed rond-the-clock rescue the children from March 10 to 16<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>As many as 202 runaway children aged between eight months and 17 years were rescued at the Bangalore City Railway Station during a week-long special drive conducted by a city-based child helpline.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The drive was conducted from March 10 to March 16 in association with the Women and Child Development Department and railway authorities to check the inflow of runaway children at the City Railway Station.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>BOSCO, a childline, had deputed 50 volunteers in and around the station round-the-clock during the drive to rescue the children. Of the rescued children, 186 are boys, most of whom fled home due to fear of exams or following quarrels with their families, executive director of BOSCO Fr. P.S. George said .<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>About 130 children are from Karnataka, 16 from Andhra Pradesh and 13 from Bihar. Seventy-four of the 202 children were picked up between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Officials say this is the time when traffickers are most active.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>With an average of 30 runaway children arriving at the city station every day, Fr. George said this means the number arriving in the city is far more as there are other entry points, including the state bus-stands, Cantonment and Yeshwantpur railway stations.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Though there are many helplines active in the city, their work hours are limited, which results in the rescue of only 20 per cent of runaway children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Giving an example, Fr. George said seven runaway boys from North Karnataka who completed their first PU came to the city in search of jobs to support further studies. The boys lost their valuables. The boys said their families were poor and they left home to earn money. Ninety per cent of these boys did not have any skills and would end up as labourers, he said. “We have recommended to the government to educate the students and train the boys with some skills,” Fr. George said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The rescued girls, 16 of them, said that too much control by their parents forced them to run away from home, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/drive-nets-202-runaways-at-city-railway-station/article5806597.ece?homepage=true"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/drive-nets-202-runaways-at-city-railway-station/article5806597.ece?homepage=true</span></a></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-56226157609914425702014-03-21T14:05:00.000+05:302014-03-21T14:24:41.947+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size: 13.0pt'><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-russell"><b><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black; text-decoration:none'>Catherine Russell</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#999999'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/becomeFan.php?of=hp_blogger_Catherine%20Russell"><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#8D8D8D'>Become a fan</span></a></span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; color:#999999'> </span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size: 15.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0in'>U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues</span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:2.35pt; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#999999'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size: 13.0pt'><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-von-zinkernagel"><b><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black; text-decoration:none'>Deborah von Zinkernagel</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#999999'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/becomeFan.php?of=hp_blogger_Deborah%20von%20Zinkernagel"><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#8D8D8D'>Become a fan</span></a></span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size: 15.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0in'>Acting U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator</span><span style='font-size: 22.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 16.85pt;vertical-align:baseline'><b><span style='font-size:25.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#111111'>Addressing Violence Against Women and Children Is Critical to Achieving an AIDS-Free Generation and the Millennium Development Goals<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size: 15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#999999'>Posted: 03/19/2014 5:53 pm EDT Updated: 03/19/2014 7:59 pm EDT</span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#999999'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE3vYZppEcXCmjdtKBjbg74ranfcQUxmih5cW_o9XeLzVom6sTNGqUklgWNHTAWeicbEWK1_lo4-glkU3KB0tHx0rG9hLR10-iMb__c3vxxJxlf_yo7IN7PEe7hv7x6_lawVHc9yhdZk/s1600/image001-781947.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBE3vYZppEcXCmjdtKBjbg74ranfcQUxmih5cW_o9XeLzVom6sTNGqUklgWNHTAWeicbEWK1_lo4-glkU3KB0tHx0rG9hLR10-iMb__c3vxxJxlf_yo7IN7PEe7hv7x6_lawVHc9yhdZk/s320/image001-781947.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163360165635938" /></a></span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>During this week's</span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.unwomen.org/en/csw/csw58-2014" target="_hplink"><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#F387A6'>58th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>, the global community will come together to reflect on key achievements and challenges in advancing progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls. This provides an opportune moment to examine the impact of one such challenge: violence against women and girls.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Violence against women and girls has impeded progress on nearly every MDG. This includes efforts to reach the MDG 6 target of halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS--an epidemic that still disproportionally affects women and girls in many countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in three women worldwide has experienced physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. Women who experience violence also often face serious health consequences, including higher rates of unintended pregnancies, mental health problems, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Significant evidence linking violence against women and HIV has emerged over the past decade. A recent analysis by the WHO shows that intimate partner violence increases women's risk for HIV infection by more than 50 percent, and in some instances by up to four-fold. Violence also affects women's willingness to seek HIV testing and counseling or to stay on lifelong anti-retroviral treatment. Studies in multiple countries have also found that adolescent girls who experience sexual violence are up to three times more likely to acquire HIV or other STIs. These are among the many reasons why, through a</span><span style='font-size: 17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.pepfar.gov/documents/organization/219117.pdf" target="_hplink"><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#F387A6'>new consolidated Gender Strategy</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>, the</span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.pepfar.gov/" target="_hplink"><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#F387A6'>U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>will require all its country programs to report the number, age, and sex of people that they support in accessing post-gender-based-violence care, as part of a comprehensive HIV/AIDS response.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>We also recognize that every year up to one billion children face some form of violence. These experiences can impede their progress toward realizing healthy and productive futures--affecting everything from their ability to succeed at school to their vulnerability to infectious diseases, such as HIV. As girls enter adolescence, they are more vulnerable to the same types of violence experienced by women--namely sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Young and adolescent girls are also vulnerable to early or forced marriages and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation/cutting.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Early marriage is devastating to a girl's health and education, and exposes her to greater risk of abuse and violence. Girls who marry young and bear children are five times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than women over the age of 20. The UN Population Fund states that every year 2 million girls between the ages of 10 and 14 give birth, and over 90 percent of these take place within marriage or some other form of union. Further, women who experienced violence as children are more likely to be in violent relationships as adults. Boys who experience or witness violence as children are also more likely to perpetrate violence in adulthood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Launched in 2009,</span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.togetherforgirls.org/" target="_hplink"><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#F387A6'>Together for Girls (TfG)</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>is an innovative public-private partnership that is supporting efforts to addresses violence against children, particularly girls, by gathering data on its magnitude, nature, and consequences, and using these data to help mobilize national governments to take greater action. TfG brings together private sector partners, United Nations agencies, and the U.S. Government--through PEPFAR and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Division of Violence Prevention, and in collaboration with the</span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/" target="_hplink"><span style='font-size: 17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#F387A6'>State Department's Office of Global Women's Issues</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Working with the CDC, TfG has provided national data on violence against children through the Violence Against Children Survey (VACS). For the first time, VACS have already been completed in four countries, and are at various stages of development and implementation in seven more, including in Haiti and Malawi. Results from completed VACS reveal that 26 to 38 percent of women and girls have experienced sexual violence before age 18, and well over half of them experienced more than one such incident. Moreover, 23 to 53 percent of women and girls reported that their first sexual intercourse before the age of 18 was unwanted. This is simply unacceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>Due in part to these findings, countries are stepping up their efforts to address violence against women and girls. Swaziland has launched a database to track cases of violence, has established courts that are friendly to women and girls, and is increasing post-rape care through one-stop centers. Governments in Tanzania, Kenya, and Zimbabwe are scaling up national violence prevention and action plans. In Nairobi, Child Protection Centres have been expanded to reach more than 2,200 children with protective services.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#333333'>The U.S. government and its partners are deeply committed to helping address violence against women and girls, including by supporting countries that want to tackle these issues head-on. This is critical not only to ensure that all individuals can participate fully and safely in their families and communities, but also can access HIV-related and other essential health services. We are pleased to see the growing momentum around these issues, and hope that additional governments and partners will take similarly strong steps so that, ultimately, we can bring the global scourge of violence against women and girls to an end.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-russell/addressing-violence-against-women-and-children_b_4995008.html"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-russell/addressing-violence-against-women-and-children_b_4995008.html</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-90977845511355342382014-03-21T14:04:00.000+05:302014-03-21T14:26:35.543+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:20.1pt;background:white;vertical-align:middle'><span style='font-size:28.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#292929'>Millions of children walking the financial tightrope to survive on India’s streets<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 6.55pt;margin-left:0in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#6E6E6E'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family: "inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E;text-transform:uppercase'>3 DAYS AGO</span></b><b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'> </span></b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E;text-transform: uppercase'>MARCH 18, 2014</span><b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family: "inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'> </span></b><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E;text-transform:uppercase'>12:06AM</span><b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY72W47xTXFQTpeMnGUWPRc-khjz24uIPbO250vZ9nEucs1_9B5MZQ130eYKtldw_kpVIsCTPAuVygOo484E55gcLAPxC_3VMl5LVNJNKeV1Ym2vCsLjpQIlccrk3uZI1wzXdaooNBUEc/s1600/image001-795546.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY72W47xTXFQTpeMnGUWPRc-khjz24uIPbO250vZ9nEucs1_9B5MZQ130eYKtldw_kpVIsCTPAuVygOo484E55gcLAPxC_3VMl5LVNJNKeV1Ym2vCsLjpQIlccrk3uZI1wzXdaooNBUEc/s320/image001-795546.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163844779730130" /></a></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>Financial tightrope ... Indian girl Barsati, nine, goes to school a few weeks a year and spends the rest of her time performing. Picture: AFP </span><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>Source:</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'> AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#333333'>WITH a bronze pot balanced on her head and a painted bamboo pole in her hands, nine-year-old Barsati steps onto a tightrope nearly six feet above a Mumbai street.</span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Her midair performance varies — sometimes barefooted, sometimes in flip flops, sometimes walking inside a wheel or with a plate beneath one foot. But each time, her aunt thumps rapidly on a drum and draws in curious passers-by.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Indians on their way to work or tourists filming the spectacle with their smartphones throw rupees into a bowl on the pavement below.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Although most are amazed by her skills, Barsati, who took to the rope from the age of five instead of going to school, is nonplussed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“Now I am used to it. People give us money,’’ she shrugged, taking a break between performances in the teeming Fort district of south Mumbai.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Barsati’s uncle Chotu Nath, who oversees the proceedings and gives his age as “about 20’’, explained that both his mother and his grandmother were tightrope walkers in their youth.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“It’s a family thing,’’ he said, adding that the children “never fall’’ because they learn from such a young age.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Barsati spends just a few weeks each year going to school during India’s rainy season, according to her uncle, but the rest of her time is spent earning for her family.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2ki8ph-En_hwjr8F9ESyLAzzNVY8J6WutSz9wqQ5uX0fzF3A1FS8zJDRCCTKDVPSYOJl7jMrcAZ3FjeySxgclwoKiPrmvqja6tE3B6JfxVgM4DD3RRh1ZS3wsM89XYntoHtbCUmWuLY/s1600/image002-797960.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2ki8ph-En_hwjr8F9ESyLAzzNVY8J6WutSz9wqQ5uX0fzF3A1FS8zJDRCCTKDVPSYOJl7jMrcAZ3FjeySxgclwoKiPrmvqja6tE3B6JfxVgM4DD3RRh1ZS3wsM89XYntoHtbCUmWuLY/s320/image002-797960.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163855632776834" /></a></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>Exhausting ... Barsati spends five hours a day commuting to Mumbai from her family’s slum home to perform. Picture: AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#6E6E6E'> Source:</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family: "inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'> AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>She is one of more than 28 million Indian children estimated by UNICEF to be engaged in some form of labour.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>A 2009 Right to Education Act mandates free and compulsory schooling for those aged six to 14, but an outright ban on child labour, proposed by the government in 2012, is yet to be passed by parliament.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>The current law prohibits children under 14 from working in hazardous jobs — yet even this is not properly implemented, said Kushal Singh, head of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a government body.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“The basic thing is ignorance, and the belief that the child is required to earn for the family because families are so poor,’’ Singh said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“This is keeping them in a vicious circle. The only way out is if a child studies and gets an education.’’<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>While methods to measure poverty are hotly contested, a study by the McKinsey Global Institute released in February found more than half of Indians lacked the means to meet their essential needs, spending less than 1,336 rupees ($24) a month.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGkLte0F9_KaUI4JKMg6frVrFMYZENyDclnf8mx_kXSXJ04cA0ZmjX20_-rx0nCO2TOjUY07KfYESNDFJFb-UXVkCzO0PzAI7QzpyuM5oQ3BjCXzaSe-0UvFTaNu3opYuGwEdp12iPgs/s1600/image003-700040.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGkLte0F9_KaUI4JKMg6frVrFMYZENyDclnf8mx_kXSXJ04cA0ZmjX20_-rx0nCO2TOjUY07KfYESNDFJFb-UXVkCzO0PzAI7QzpyuM5oQ3BjCXzaSe-0UvFTaNu3opYuGwEdp12iPgs/s320/image003-700040.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163864804293170" /></a></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>Making a living ... As Barsati walks the tightrope, a family member beats a drum to draw in passers-by. Picture: AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#6E6E6E'>Source:</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif"; color:#6E6E6E'> AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Many children are therefore encouraged into work. UNICEF says more than eight million young Indians are out of school, and more than 80 million drop out before completing eight years of education.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Barsati’s rare skills allow her to take home 1,500 to 2,000 rupees per day for her family, according to her uncle, but her job on the tightrope leaves little time for schoolwork.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>At the end of her day performing, she faces a two-and-a-half hour train ride to her family’s slum home on the outskirts of the financial capital, where her parents work as menial labourers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Other relatives join Barsati’s commute to the street. Her little brother Rajababu, bearing a painted moustache, crouches by the tightrope-propping poles while she performs and occasionally picks up the bowl to encourage donations.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>A baby cousin sleeps on the pavement through it all, shaded by a cardboard sign for a recent city arts festival.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“We want him to go to school,’’ said Nath, the baby’s father.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQS3_-XvEzqT7_I1jB5VzCeS9J-9GvyPOxITv9L-IpFsZ3sxN2LpqsHKZsv9TXvzRecZp5oc9RFakl0TfAyeY9DSTIETrQ3Da6b_1Fq_ur9Gb5ap5pk8BI3H738LmbxPjOYnd8eln27o/s1600/image004-703502.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQS3_-XvEzqT7_I1jB5VzCeS9J-9GvyPOxITv9L-IpFsZ3sxN2LpqsHKZsv9TXvzRecZp5oc9RFakl0TfAyeY9DSTIETrQ3Da6b_1Fq_ur9Gb5ap5pk8BI3H738LmbxPjOYnd8eln27o/s320/image004-703502.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163881258937730" /></a></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>Mismatched ... Barsati sometimes doesn’t wear shoes for her midair performance. Picture: AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'> Source:</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'> AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Singh said attitudes towards child labour are “very slowly changing’’ in India, but much more needs to be done to alter the mindsets of both families and law enforcement agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“They look on children as the responsibility of the parents. We still don’t internalise a rights-based approach to children,’’ said Singh, whose commission is launching a “From street to school’’ awareness campaign in March.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Yet there is sign of change on the streets of Mumbai, the densely-packed, so-called “Maximum City’’ in which more than half of the population is estimated to live in slums.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>A survey released late last year by ActionAid India and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences found that 37,059 children were living or working on the city’s streets — down from more than 100,000 estimated by a UNICEF study two decades ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Some attribute the change to growing surveillance and a lower tolerance for street activity since militant gunmen launched deadly attacks on south Mumbai in 2008.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FPqZPqbQHzorX8QsxE-oDRSqPthYyS1Z3GmfKuBhSttulMstodCKx7DX_ILMUguVM39jlGftYtu2dgagoY3Rg6haZ9rlTdTfDj8ieaAnbXHkMCfEqdG4GoIO9RdWWmvwUlj23C8kK0o/s1600/image005-706010.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9FPqZPqbQHzorX8QsxE-oDRSqPthYyS1Z3GmfKuBhSttulMstodCKx7DX_ILMUguVM39jlGftYtu2dgagoY3Rg6haZ9rlTdTfDj8ieaAnbXHkMCfEqdG4GoIO9RdWWmvwUlj23C8kK0o/s320/image005-706010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993163893337435330" /></a></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.5pt; font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>High pressure ... Barsari balances a bronze pot on her head as she walks the tightrope. Picture: AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'> Source:</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#6E6E6E'>AFP</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#6E6E6E'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>But not all are convinced that street children are disappearing.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“The numbers are not going down, people are brushed inward into ghettos and into the suburbs,’’ said Zarin Gupta, chairwoman of the Salaam Baalak Trust for Mumbai street children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>She believes the city’s child labour force is continually replenished by migrant families from poorer parts of India, and that children trafficked into forced labour, often for domestic service or sex work, remain a huge concern.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>Nirja Bhatnagar, Mumbai-based regional manager for ActionAid India, said the problem of working children could not be solved until strides are taken in improving India’s welfare system, including housing, healthcare and sanitation.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.75pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"inherit","serif";color:#333333'>“At this point of time we don’t have any safety net, so everyone in the family has to fend for themselves.’’<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/millions-of-children-walking-the-financial-tightrope-to-survive-on-indias-streets/story-fndir2ev-1226857538663"><span style='font-size:8.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.news.com.au/world/millions-of-children-walking-the-financial-tightrope-to-survive-on-indias-streets/story-fndir2ev-1226857538663</span></a></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-53101758454363561902014-03-21T14:03:00.000+05:302014-03-21T14:24:03.658+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase'>NATIONAL</span></b></a><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size: 15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/"><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase'>KARNATAKA</span></b></a><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>BANGALORE, </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>March 18, 2014</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: March 18, 2014 13:17 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>Govt. to hold special camps to admit out-of-school children<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT</span><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>They will be held in villages and taluks during the third and fourth week of March<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The State government on Monday told the High Court of Karnataka that special admission camps would be held in villages and taluks during the third and fourth week of March to admit out-of-school children to nearby schools.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>A submission in this regard was made by the government counsel during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition initiated</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span><i><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>suo motu</span></i><i><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span></i><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>by the court last year based on a newspaper report about children remaining out of school despite the Right to Education Act.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Meanwhile, the government also told the court that around 30,000 children had been admitted to various private schools under the 25 per cent quota of the RTE Act for the ensuing academic year.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>It was also submitted on behalf of the government that the RTE Rules were being amended to bring down number of school dropouts.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.H. Waghela and Justice B.V. Nagarathna, which is hearing the petition, adjourned further hearing till April 8, while orally asking the State to ensure that the school dropout rate came down to zero. The government would have to take appropriate steps to achieve this task, it said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Notice to government</span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>In another case, the Bench on Monday ordered issue of notice to the State government and the Lokayukta on a PIL petition, which alleged that special deputy commissioners were illegally exercising powers on appeals and revisions about disputes on mutation entries under the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>In their petitions, freedom fighters H.S. Doreswamy and Suresh Chandra Babu alleged that the special DCs were illegally exercising powers even after the government in October 2011 entrusted only deputy commissioners to deal with appeals or revision under Section 136 (3) of the Act.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Despite this directive, more than 1,000 appeals had been dealt with by special DCs in Bangalore and as many as 680 appeals had been dealt with by a single officer occupying this post, the petitioner alleged.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The Bench ordered issue of notice to the Lokayukta on a oral request made by the petitioners’ counsel, while pointing out that an investigation ordered by the High Court in 2011 against special DC Ramanjaneya and others was closed by the Lokayukta in November last year citing that there was no complainant.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt; background:white'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The court also ordered issue of notice to several officials who had occupied the post of special DC in Bangalore Urban district, including the incumbents.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/govt-to-hold-special-camps-to-admit-outofschool-children/article5797303.ece"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/govt-to-hold-special-camps-to-admit-outofschool-children/article5797303.ece</span></a><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-39770895228118018982014-03-21T14:02:00.001+05:302014-03-21T14:22:44.579+05:30<div class=Section1> <p style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><b><span style='font-size:18.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>DC CORRESPONDENT |<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><span style='border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'>March 18, 2014, 02.03 am IST</span></span></b><b><span style='font-size:26.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed the state government to make amendments to Section 6 of the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2012 to bring dropout children back to schools. The proposed amendments have to be submitted to the court within 10 days.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The court has taken up a suo motu case after learning that more than 54,000 children have been deprived of education despite the state enforcing Right to Education Act. The division bench headed by Chief Justice D.H. Waghela directed the state to amend Section 6 (a)(b)(c)(d) of the state’s Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The state government submitted that it would finalise the amendments after holding a meeting, chaired by the chief secretary, before March 29.<br> The advocate representing NGO Bangalore Civic submitted to the court that it has come out with draft amendments to Section 6, but education department officials failed to discuss the issue seriously during RTE meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140318/nation-current-affairs/article/%E2%80%98amend-rule-bring-dropouts-back%E2%80%99-karnataka-high-court"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140318/nation-current-affairs/article/%E2%80%98amend-rule-bring-dropouts-back%E2%80%99-karnataka-high-court</span></a></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-45385549392996316242014-03-21T14:02:00.000+05:302014-03-21T14:21:21.596+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:24.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#004276'>Adoption scam hits hospitals, nursing homes in Karnataka<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 17.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#949494'>Feb 21, 2014 - </span><a href="http://www.asianage.com/category/author/bala-chauhan"><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#5F798F; text-decoration:none'>Bala Chauhan</span></a><span style='font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#362F2D'> </span><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#949494'>| </span><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#949494'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; text-indent:-.25in;mso-line-height-alt:7.5pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; background:white'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;color:#949494'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#949494'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.5pt;background:white'><a href="http://www.asianage.com/adoptionjpg-955"><span style='font-size:18.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#005596;text-decoration:none'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRiSRiLecY05G4wT9xWU-XTHrYk35TukZq5TNCQ2ooKmYKVDhWgZNIlC9-3VX_xAz52gNUBaROVauEUNGXNeJD6O5JFrWsT4d1fJdvPO4frVK0yDu8AFz4ROqV4N-LuBlQ7r9HB8EsOU/s1600/image001-781597.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRiSRiLecY05G4wT9xWU-XTHrYk35TukZq5TNCQ2ooKmYKVDhWgZNIlC9-3VX_xAz52gNUBaROVauEUNGXNeJD6O5JFrWsT4d1fJdvPO4frVK0yDu8AFz4ROqV4N-LuBlQ7r9HB8EsOU/s320/image001-781597.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5993162495747956018" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#362F2D'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#362F2D'>A scam of shocking proportions, which involves alleged sale of infants and ‘misuse’ of unwed or single mothers in various hospitals and nursing homes, has come to light in Karnataka.<br> Sources in the government and registered adoption agencies revealed shocking details of how several childless couples are circumventing the adoption laws and ‘buying’ infants in collusion with doctors and hospital authorities for sums ranging from `15,000 to `2lakh and above because they find it “easy and quick,” said an official source.<br> “The racket not only violates the adoption laws, which safeguard the interest of the adopted child and adoptive parents; it also encourages human trafficking. Gynecologists, pediatricians, hospital management and nursing staff are allegedly involved in this racket in which an unwed would-be mother, who comes to a hospital, is registered as the wife of a man, who along with his wife may have approached the hospital for treatment of infertility. The unwed mother delivers the child, who is then ‘sold’ to the childless couple but is recorded in the hospital records as their biological child. The biological mother meanwhile, leaves the hospital incognito after being paid part of the sale amount,” said an official source.<br> The sale proceeds are shared among the doctors, nurses and others.<br> In Malnad, a paediatrician allegedly ‘paid’ vulnerable young girls to get pregnant through illicit relationships and reportedly ‘sells’ the children to couples. In another case, a member of the child welfare commission allegedly helped a couple, who had a biological daughter to ‘buy’ a male child from a disempowered couple and even got the child registered as their own.<br> District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) officers have voiced their concerns over “disappearance” of childless couples soon after registration. “Some couples didn’t return after registering and initial counseling. When the DCPU went to their homes, they found them with a child. The child was not obviously legally adopted,” said the officer.<br> “There is a dramatic fall in the number of children being received by the adoption agencies. I would be very happy if this suggested that less number of children are being abandoned. Unfortunately this is not the case.<br> There’s a parallel system at work, which is totally illegal. People are directly taking babies from hospitals and nursing homes, which is dangerous and illegal. Some of them have later approached us to legalise the adoption. We tell them that we can’t help them and that they need to go back and do entire the procedure legally,” said Dr Aloma Lobo, chairperson, Adoption Consultancy Agency, Karnataka.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#362F2D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="http://www.asianage.com/ideas/adoption-scam-hits-hospitals-nursing-homes-karnataka-954"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.asianage.com/ideas/adoption-scam-hits-hospitals-nursing-homes-karnataka-954</span></a><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-33971991825149647552014-03-19T16:59:00.000+05:302014-03-19T17:18:19.438+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:34.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>It’s time for India to tackle poverty and child slavery<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>National Editorial<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>March 15, 2014</span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#555555'>Updated: March 15, 2014 18:09:00</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:0pt;vertical-align:middle'><span style='font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:1.5pt;margin-bottom: 2.5pt;margin-left:1.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:0pt'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>India may have set its sights on Mars and is aspiring to become a key global player, but its ambitions are in stark contrast to some of the realities it faces. One of the most shocking truths has come to light with the</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/family/20140313/trouble-brewing-on-the-trail-of-indias-modern-slaves%23page2"><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1578C9'>Global Survey Index</span></a></span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>mentioning the country as being home to half of the world’s modern slaves. This slavery ranges from severe forms of inter­generational bonded labour to forced and servile marriage, the worst forms of child labour and commercial and sexual exploitation.</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>In 2012, the Indian government banned all types of labour for children under the age of 14, making hiring a child a punishable offence. The ban followed the implementation in 2010 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, popularly known as the RTE, which states that all children between the ages of 6 and 14 have the right to free schooling. Yet two years on from the child-labour ban, despite much talk, there has been little visible result on the ground. There are two main reasons behind the failure.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Like so many laws in India, RTE exists largely on paper. This explains why just a couple of months before the full implementation of the law, Unicef noted that some 28 million children between the ages of five and 14 were working. The government is considering more aggressive laws to ban child labour but, while more regulations are welcome, they will do little to solve the country’s most difficult problems: implementation and enforcement. Thanks to corruption within the government and a lack of political will, it is unlikely that anything will be done.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>More importantly, poverty – the main cause of child slavery – is still rampant. India has a poverty rate of about 25 per cent, with more than 50 per cent of the population being under the age of 25. A large number of the 28 million working children identified by Unicef were neither being forced into labour nor being kept as slaves. For them, work is not an option, but a necessity. Therefore, poverty alleviation is key to eradicating child slavery.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>India must also ratify the International Labour Organization’s Convention 182, committing itself to taking immediate action to prohibit and eliminate the worst forms of child labour. There would be much more prestige for the country in tackling poverty, corruption and inequality than in sending a mission to Mars.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/editorial/its-time-for-india-to-tackle-poverty-and-child-slavery"><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/editorial/its-time-for-india-to-tackle-poverty-and-child-slavery</span></a></span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-21416555879571881072014-03-19T16:57:00.001+05:302014-03-19T17:17:02.350+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:1.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#333333'>Poor state education in India threatens the futures of millions of children<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#666666'>Absent teachers, lack of incentives and low standards force Indians, rich and poor, into the private sector<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hNzcZmyKFrllywyN2qCKMG4X9qyigSxE_IWPGeYiMos0fUb_Juli3mlVb7cJA6JTiOgOrgYn3d8roIVBAYbpJRPbnUbOkgi4Cm0Z7bEdCibtmziAaCVYdcBOvwjTi3qE7MT1Sqx8WMg/s1600/image001-722350.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4hNzcZmyKFrllywyN2qCKMG4X9qyigSxE_IWPGeYiMos0fUb_Juli3mlVb7cJA6JTiOgOrgYn3d8roIVBAYbpJRPbnUbOkgi4Cm0Z7bEdCibtmziAaCVYdcBOvwjTi3qE7MT1Sqx8WMg/s320/image001-722350.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5992465597476836274" /></a></span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:7.0pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#666666'>Indian schoolchildren study at a government school on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Photograph: Noah Seelam/Getty<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Armal Ali lives in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Lucknow, the capital of</span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uttar_Pradesh"><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#005689;text-decoration:none'>Uttar Pradesh</span></a><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>,</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/india" title="More from the Guardian on India"><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#005689;text-decoration:none'>India</span></a><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>. The family of 11 occupy a breeze-block shack with no windows. Ali works all day at a hand loom, sitting cross-legged on the ground, making embroidered saris that are highly prized across the subcontinent. But local residents know too well that such work wrecks eyesight and causes chronic backache.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Ali hopes that his daughter Ousma, 9, will lead a different life. "Nothing special," he says, "but at least sitting at a desk, for instance, with plenty of light around her." He would also like her to speak English, like "the people in suits who talk about money all day on television".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>But when her father fell ill, Ousma had to leave her private school, as the family could no longer pay the fees. There was no free state school nearby.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Increasing numbers of Indians, rich and poor, are paying for schooling. The share of pupils in private education has risen from 28% to 33% in just three years. In rural areas it has almost doubled in eight years, from 16% to 29%.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Private schools organise classes in tiny rooms, sometimes outside. Even if rain means lessons are cancelled, it is still better than a class without a teacher, as is often the case in state schools where teachers are absent one day in five, on average.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>This statistic sums up the learning crisis that, according to many researchers, now threatens development in India, where</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> </span><a href="http://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/india-current-population.html"><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#005689; text-decoration:none'>half the population of 1.27 billion is under 25</span></a><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>The</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span><a href="http://www.asercentre.org/Keywords/p/205.html"><span style='font-size: 19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#005689;text-decoration:none'>Annual Status of Education Report</span></a><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>, carried out in rural areas by the non-governmental organisation</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:19.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="http://www.pratham.org/" title=""><span style='color:#005689;text-decoration: none'>Pratham</span></a>, reveals that though enrolment is still high, at over 96% (a free mid-day meal is a major incentive), pupils do not learn a great deal. After three years 60% of them still cannot read, except for their first name maybe, compared with 54% four years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>A Right to Education Act, passed in 2010, requires all children aged six to 14 to attend school but pays little attention to what they learn when they are there. The act is more like an architect's brief, specifying the minimum dimensions of classrooms and playgrounds.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>So how does one recognise a good school in the impoverished countryside of Uttar Pradesh? For one thing it should be near a road, enabling teachers to get there by car ... quickly, if they find out an inspector plans to visit.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>In a little village in the district of Sitapur the primary school is deserted, but for dogs and livestock. One of the out-buildings is used for storing hay. We found the teacher sitting outside in the sun, reading the paper, with the few remaining pupils serving him tea.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Ali Ahmad is an assistant teacher and his job mainly involves child-minding. He earns about $55 a month, 10 times less than a qualified primary schoolteacher and without the job security. "The teacher doesn't often come, because he lives in the town, a long way from here. So it's up to me to do the teaching," Ahmad explains.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>In Uttar Pradesh teachers enjoy a higher standard of living than most people, roughly 10 times the per capita GDP in the state. But this may be the root of the problem. "Such a high pay could be counterproductive, attracting the wrong kind of people," Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, both professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a recent article in the Indian Express, particularly as "there is no obvious reward for performance" and "children are promoted automatically".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Parents in one village we visited in Utter Pradesh prefer to pay around $1.20 a month to one of the many nearby private schools. To begin with, five or six children had private tuition under a tree with a retired teacher. A few years later there were about 160 of them, studying in various shacks. "At least we have a timetable. The kids know beforehand whether they'll be doing maths or reading, and the teachers are here every day," the head proudly explains.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Many parents are illiterate so they have little idea what their children are learning. But the idea of private school implies success. "It must be better than the state school because we pay for it," says one mother. Private schools have become so popular in Uttar Pradesh that they even win votes at elections, or so a candidate asserts: "Rather than handing out free alcohol the new thing is to build private schools."<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>The experts recommend reforms, such as grouping pupils according to their grade, rather than age, or streamlining the syllabus.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>When Ousma left her private school in Lucknow she enrolled at an education centre set up by Pratham, where she has lessons in a small group of comparable level. In just a few months she learned to read and write, and now dreams of becoming a teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/11/india-education-state-private-school"><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/11/india-education-state-private-school</span></a><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.5pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:16.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-66760959620006264522014-03-19T16:57:00.000+05:302014-03-19T17:16:35.781+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.3pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase; text-decoration:none'>NATIONAL</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/"><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase;text-decoration:none'>KARNATAKA</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>SHIMOGA, </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>March 11, 2014</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.7pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: March 11, 2014 14:20 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>Grandmother sells infant girl in Shimoga<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>In a shocking incident, a 20-day-old infant was reportedly sold to unidentified persons by her grandmother in Shimoga on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Nagi Bai (27), a resident of Kodatalu village near here, is the baby’s mother. Owing to health problems, she was admitted to the Government McGann Hospital here a week ago, and was being looked after by her mother, Somli Bai.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Police said that, on Sunday, Somli Bai had handed over the baby to two persons after receiving Rs. 1,000 from them. The hospital authorities immediately intimated the police. Somli Bai has told the police that her daughter was not in a position to look after the baby, as she was suffering from serious health problems, and added that Nagi Bai had also consented to the sale.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Superintendent of Police Koushalendra Kumar told</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span><i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>The Hindu</span></i><i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span></i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>that a case was registered against Somli Bai.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Mr. Kumar said that an investigation had been launched, and Somli Bai had been interrogated. The whereabouts of the child are yet to be established, as the grandmother had not collected the contact number of those who took her.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>A special team has been formed to track the child. The hospital authorities have been asked to provide the visuals of the surveillance camera installed there. The hospital staff will also be questioned, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/grandmother-sells-infant-girl-in-shimoga/article5770927.ece"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/grandmother-sells-infant-girl-in-shimoga/article5770927.ece</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-52529351077601646012014-03-19T16:56:00.000+05:302014-03-19T17:15:29.658+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:12.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 20.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#393939'>Why does Karnataka have the most child alcohol addicts?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Maitreyee-Boruah.cms"><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#336797'>Maitreyee Boruah</span></a><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>, TNN </span><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#999999'>|</span><span style='font-size:13.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#999999'> Mar 10, 2014, 12.00AM IST</span><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:10.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXugTy3FMj3VTCxgMVmvUpnPmBalKgw6sFfTaaIyMfYi5YrZf2z7TtsggexpCRkCaIRAQaLSSDCIOV_bJV3Zs-FFRtTqIWElK1PBeGTYkF2XmskgT7of0b36-omgnXhsgpSO2KmnKnOCk/s1600/image001-729659.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXugTy3FMj3VTCxgMVmvUpnPmBalKgw6sFfTaaIyMfYi5YrZf2z7TtsggexpCRkCaIRAQaLSSDCIOV_bJV3Zs-FFRtTqIWElK1PBeGTYkF2XmskgT7of0b36-omgnXhsgpSO2KmnKnOCk/s320/image001-729659.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5992465203956366226" /></a></span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>Why does Karnataka have the most child alcohol addicts in the country?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 10.0pt;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>A recent national study on substance abuse among </span></i><a href="http://timesofindia.speakingtree.in/topics/people/children" target="_blank"><i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#336797'>children</span></i></a><i><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'>found that alcohol use in this group was reported to be the highest in Karnataka: 88.9%. </span></i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> <br> The report has reiterated what child rights activists have been saying about the alarming rise in substance abuse among urban and rural children.<br> <br> The study — titled 'The Assessment of Pattern and Profile of Substance Use among Children in India' — was commissioned by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the country's apex child rights organization, and conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, New Delhi.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;mso-line-height-alt:10.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'>Innocence lost</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'><br> Tobacco and alcohol use are higher among those living at home, compared to those living on the streets, states the report. "It's a concern for us as more youngsters are getting addicted to tobacco, alcohol and other recreational drugs. In today's changing social milieu, children have no role models. They think it's cool to smoke or drink. They don't realize that once they get addicted to a vice, it's difficult to get out of the habit," says M Kishore, psychiatrist.<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Vicious circle</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> But that's not the only problem, says Vasudev Sharma, executive director of the Child Rights Trust (CRT) and State Convener of the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO). According to a survey done by the South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM) — a Bangalore-based human rights non-governmental organization — only 120 of the city's 200 de-addiction centres are licensed, while the remaining are "money-making ventures that offer no therapeutic value at all". "Many rehabilitation centres that are not registered under The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, are flourishing on the outskirts of Bangalore. What is worrying is that these rehab centres don't have expert counsellors to deal with children who are victims of substance abuse. Moreover, these centres don't follow up on the health status of their patients once they leave their premises. Thus, there is a high relapse rate among addicts," says child rights activist Nagasimha G Rao.<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Facts about the study...</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> First nation-wide study comprising school-going, out-of-school and street children<br> <br> Covered 4,024 children from 135 cities and towns in India<br> <br> Covered children between 5-18 years from rural and urban areas<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Call for stringent measures against unlicensed centres</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> Vasudev adds, "The government must take stringent action against these illegal centres that make money in the name of rehabilitating children whose lives have been ruined by drugs and alcohol."<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Awareness is the key</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> "We are planning several campaigns against substance abuse to reach out to children, parents and teachers. Various communities will be counselled to address the issue," says Umesh Aradhya, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR).<br> <br> Experts also recommend that all states take the issue of substance abuse seriously and work towards ending the menace. In the national study, Kushal Singh, chairperson of the NCPCR, says, "There should be proper action plans to curb the growing menace of substance abuse among children, apart from filling in gaps on exclusive and curative centres for children in the country."<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Substance abuse rates among children</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Alcohol</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> Karnataka 88.9%<br> Andhra Pradesh 84.7%<br> Chandigarh &<br> Haryana (80%)<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Tobacco</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> Meghalaya 96.4%<br> Nagaland 95.8 %<br> Sikkim 93.1 %<br> Uttaranchal 90%<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Cannabis</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#3F3F3F'><br> Uttaranchal 70%<br> Haryana 63.3%<br> Meghalaya 50.9%<br> <br> </span><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'>Heroin</span></b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3F3F3F'><br> Meghalaya 27.3%<br> Punjab 19.3 %<br> Jharkhand 16%<br> Jammu & Kashmir 13.3%<br> Odisha 11.7%<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:19.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Why-does-Karnataka-have-the-most-child-alcohol-addicts/articleshow/31731853.cms"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Why-does-Karnataka-have-the-most-child-alcohol-addicts/articleshow/31731853.cms</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-2226802655163757532014-03-19T16:55:00.000+05:302014-03-19T17:14:59.321+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:20.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:27.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black; letter-spacing:-.5pt'>India’s child mortality rate may worsen despite govt efforts: Report<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.0pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#6F6A2F; letter-spacing:-.25pt'>India Philanthropy Report 2014 by Bain and Dasra says lack of funds will lead to more deaths of children<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.0pt;background:#F8F6E8;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQFb7mzGv8rw4LHeoDClSdQWOmke4z4KjTpbbTKvo2evfOIK0q4XpXQYpv1GDa301ubbD5eEfxskxFTztkFDa_1Sfk1dQ8tGUl9a7wBn_GGJIDlaUaWCCVMz2bL8coyl8ke2Lx8Y0ULs/s1600/image001-799322.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQFb7mzGv8rw4LHeoDClSdQWOmke4z4KjTpbbTKvo2evfOIK0q4XpXQYpv1GDa301ubbD5eEfxskxFTztkFDa_1Sfk1dQ8tGUl9a7wBn_GGJIDlaUaWCCVMz2bL8coyl8ke2Lx8Y0ULs/s320/image001-799322.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5992465068726872418" /></a></span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.5pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>By 2025, India will need an incremental $12 billion over and above public health expenditure to meet its 2035 health objectives for women and children. Photo: AFP<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'>Mumbai:</span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>India’s child mortality rate may worsen despite the government’s efforts to lower it because of a dearth of funding, according to the India Philanthropy Report 2014 by business consulting company</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Bain%20and%20Co."><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#AA6015; text-decoration:none'>Bain and Co.</span></b></a><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>and Dasra, a philanthropic foundation, to be released on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The lack of a comprehensive ecosystem of public, private and philanthropic stakeholders to help close the gaps in reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent (RMNCH+A) health are also critical hurdles, said the report.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>With a child mortality rate of 63 deaths per 1,000 live births, as of 2011, a target of 19 deaths per 1,000 live births can be achieved by 2035, the report said. “But if we don’t act now, instead of in 20-25 years, we may not reach our goal until 2055,” the report warned.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>India has recorded a significant improvement in women and children’s health over the last 15-20 years. Maternal and infant mortality rates, the number of underweight children, child marriages and the total fertility rate have all declined. Several areas of concern still remain, including a high rate of anaemia among mothers and children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The Bain-Dasra report said that by 2025, India will need an incremental $12 billion over and above public health expenditure to meet its 2035 health objectives for women and children, including slashing the maternal mortality rate by 60% and the child mortality rate by more than 70%.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Doubling the current share of contributions to health through mandated corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending and donations by high networth individuals (HNIs) can garner an extra $2.7 billion, the report said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>But multilateral and bilateral agencies are unlikely to increase their current annual grants of about $700 million. This leaves a shortage of nearly $8.6 billion to reach the $12 billion in funding needed by 2025, which will need to come from private foreign donors, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The report said that in addition to strengthening health systems and scaling up healthcare programmes and services, private global philanthropy will be critical in catalysing the development of a vibrant healthcare ecosystem and enhancing India’s health delivery and support systems.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>“When it comes to philanthropic capital, the pool is still developing. We are far from where we need to be. The coordination is not there for philanthropists to invest as much as they would like to, and that is why philanthropy is not at a large scale here,” said</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Arpan%20Sheth"><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#AA6015; text-decoration:none'>Arpan Sheth</span></a><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>, a partner at Bain and the main author of the report.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>According to Sheth, to bolster the confidence of philanthropists, India needs a larger set of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the scale and managerial expertise to facilitate the use of capital at the ground level.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>“In the next 10-12 years, it is absolutely crucial for non-state actors to work with the public and private sector to help bridge the gap to reach transformational outcomes. Here, the expanding role of philanthropists and mandated CSR will be crucial,” said</span><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Smarinita%20Shetty"><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#AA6015; text-decoration:none'>Smarinita Shetty</span></a><span style='font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>, director at Dasra.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.5pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.0pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The report said the current coverage of 30 health-focused NGOs per 100,000 women will need to increase to 125 per 100,000 if India is to achieve outcomes similar to the success it won in the battle against HIV/AIDS or polio.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.0pt; vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>“Enhancing government training programmes to improve the efficiency of large-scale networks and intensifying focus and attention on vertical health issues to achieve long-term results such as anaemia, typhoid and HIV will make the lasting impact on women and children’s healthcare,” the report said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/Xc18O90sLtTAc9gBmHoEMO/India-may-need-incremental-12-bn-fund-for-women-and-childre.html"><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'>http://www.livemint.com/Politics/Xc18O90sLtTAc9gBmHoEMO/India-may-need-incremental-12-bn-fund-for-women-and-childre.html</span></a><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:115%'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-12322287654171584932014-03-19T16:53:00.000+05:302014-03-19T17:12:48.773+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.3pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase'>NATIONAL</span></b></a><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:15.0pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size: 15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/"><b><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5;text-transform: uppercase'>KARNATAKA</span></b></a><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>BANGALORE, </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>February 13, 2014</span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.7pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.5pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: February 13, 2014 13:17 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:21.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>Baby girls sold to childless couples<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>MURALIDHARA KHAJANE</span><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>Prima facie evidence points to trafficking: official<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Attempts by successive governments in the State to address the issue of child trafficking, especially of the girl child, appear to have failed to reach the backward pockets if recent reports are any indication.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Two incidents of baby girls from Kolipalya and Mookanapalya lambani tandas (settlements) in Punajanur Gram Panchayat being sold to childless couples in Tamil Nadu have recently been reported. Similar cases cropped up from Konchavaram of Gulbarga district in 2001.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Minister for Cooperation and district in-charge of Chamarajanagar H.S. Mahadeva Prasad told</span><span style='font-size:15.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span><i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>The Hindu</span></i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'> </span><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>that a team of officials had visited Erode and Coimbatore and brought back the children, who are now housed in Bapuji Children’s Home in Mysore. Mr. Mahadeva Prasad said cases have been booked against 10 persons, including the parents at Ramasamudra Police Station. Besides suspending anganwadi and ASHA workers, the Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat has also issued show-cause notices to Deputy Director, Department of Women and Child Development, and the Child Development Project Officer of the area.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>When contacted, Deputy Director of Women and Child Development G. Basavaraj said prima facie evidence pointed to trafficking of girl babies. However, their parents were claiming that they had given the babies to their relatives as they could not afford to bring them up.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:10.75pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.65pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>District Health Officer Pandu Vijayan said this has to be seen as a larger social issue and there was a need to create awareness in the community. Chandra Bai, member of the ZP who is also from the Lambani community, said her people live in abject poverty, without land or jobs. Additionally, there is huge social pressure on women to have a male child. “They won’t attempt to sell or kill their first two female babies, thanks to the Bhagyalakshmi scheme. When they give birth to the third baby girl, they have no other way but to agree to their husbands and their family members to sell or kill the girls,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/baby-girls-sold-to-childless-couples/article5684335.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/baby-girls-sold-to-childless-couples/article5684335.ece</a> <o:p></o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-82403745119295962012014-03-05T16:01:00.000+05:302014-03-05T16:20:27.728+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:21.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:28.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black; letter-spacing:-.55pt'>Child marriages: untying the knot<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.8pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:18.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#6F6A2F; letter-spacing:-.25pt'>In at least six states—including Rajasthan, UP and Bihar—more than half of all girls are married while legally still children<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Author/Ashwaq%20Masoodi"><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#AA6015; letter-spacing:-.25pt;text-decoration:none'>Ashwaq Masoodi</span></a></span><span style='font-size:17.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black; letter-spacing:-.25pt'> </span><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";display:none'>Bottom of Form</span><span style='font-size: 17.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black;letter-spacing:-.25pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid #D2D2D2 1.0pt; padding:0in 0in 4.0pt 0in;margin-left:-.25in;margin-right:0in'> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom: 0in;margin-left:.25in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;text-indent: -.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;vertical-align:baseline; border:none;padding:0in'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#999999;text-transform:uppercase'><br> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1CISAsu969ZOy5DzCHjhxDanUQY8fOXYZpF8c9ORY0bJhwe6c9kuvi7McgVA-JdD8l0IXeIKSspHYGNB4AApDWOPnNuf7m2tL15xJ_LshzcWLvsLGG2Fa0_FEQcXB8n9w-MzBUJw_4g/s1600/image001-727728.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI1CISAsu969ZOy5DzCHjhxDanUQY8fOXYZpF8c9ORY0bJhwe6c9kuvi7McgVA-JdD8l0IXeIKSspHYGNB4AApDWOPnNuf7m2tL15xJ_LshzcWLvsLGG2Fa0_FEQcXB8n9w-MzBUJw_4g/s320/image001-727728.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5987255829092021474" /></a></span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:5.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 9.15pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>India has the 14th highest rate of child marriage in the world, according to the International Center for Research on Women. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><b><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'>New Delhi:</span></b><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>When her mother told her the bright, sparkly dresses and sandals lying on the table were hers, she did not know why she was suddenly given all these things, till she finally overheard her parents talk about her marriage. She kept crying thinking that she’d be sent off to a new house, away from her family. But what she didn’t know was that she had to live with a man twice her height, sturdy, moustached (she stresses the word), and 20 years older.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Eight years later, the 19-year-old is a mother of two boys—eight and six. She still looks younger than her age. Her full moon face, the childish smile, and the chicken pox scars on her face defy her repeated attempts to look mature. She is one of over 24 million child brides in India, where about 40% of the world’s 60 million child marriages take place, according to the National Family Health Survey.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>India has the 14th highest rate of child marriage in the world, according to the International Center for Research on Women. Ethiopia stands at 18th. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women outlaw marriage under the age of 18. Despite these international legal conventions, the United Nations Population Fund estimates that between 2011 and 2020, more than 140 million girls in the world will be married before their 18th birthday, and almost 50% of these child brides will be in South Asia.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>In at least six states in India—including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar—more than half of all girls are married while legally still children. According to the latest district-level household and facility survey (DLHS), conducted for the health ministry, the worst state for child marriage is Bihar, where nearly 70% of women in their early twenties reported having been married by the age of 18; the best is Himachal Pradesh at 9%.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Gender inequality, poverty, lack of education, safety concerns about girl children, and control over sexuality are the prevalent reasons for the increase. Coming from a village dramatically increases a girl’s chances of early marriage. According to DLHS data, around 48% of married women in the 20-24 year age group got married before 18 in rural areas, compared with 29% in urban areas.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Stopping child marriages while they are happening is not as easy as it sounds, mostly because the marriage is arranged by parents and their reasoning for the decision is deeply etched in several generations.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>“It’s not simple at all. When we try stopping the marriage, people hurl cuss words at you and most likely beat you up no matter which gender you belong to,” says</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Nazima%20Khan"><span style='color:#AA6015;text-decoration:none'>Nazima Khan</span></a></span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>, a social activist working with Nav Srishti, an NGO for child rights and women empowerment, supported by non-profit Child Rights and You.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The 19-year-old was the eldest and the most dutiful of all the siblings in her family living in west Delhi. Every time her baby brother cried, or when his clothes needed to be washed, or when her mother couldn’t cook, she was called. She went to school once in a while, was mostly late and usually received beatings from the teacher. “I never got any time to play or even to go to school,” she says, adding how much she still wants to study.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>On the day of her marriage, she was made to sit next to her husband. “I thought we were all guests at a function and my husband was also one of the guests. My sister-in-law asked me to let my husband do whatever he wanted to without resisting,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Her in-laws had promised that the</span><span style='font-size: 16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black; border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in'>gauna</span></i><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>(the ceremony that marks physically transferring the bride from her maternal home to her husband’s house) would take place only after she attained puberty. But after the marriage was solemnized, the in-laws backtracked and forcibly took the bride. Within a year and a half she was pregnant. She kept complaining of intermittent stomach ache and would run to her mother-in-law every time she noticed her belly bloating. She writhed on the floor like a half-crushed insect. “I didn’t know what was happening to me till I gave birth to my first son. After that I knew I had to bear this pain and not shout…just like everyone else,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>According to the 2001 census, 300,000 girls under the age of 15 had already given birth to one or two children.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Last year, India refused to co-sponsor the first ever UN Human Rights Council resolution against the practice. The resolution was co-sponsored by 107 other countries. In a country where every second bride is a child, around 400 people were arrested for child marriage in 2012 mostly because of the ineffective law.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA), or the Sarda Act, was first introduced in India in 1929. The minimum legal age for marriage was 15 years for girls and 18 for boys. In 1978, after several amendments, the minimum legal age of marriage was raised to 18 for females and 21 for males. The law was replaced by the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006. And unlike the CMRA, where punishment was negligible for marrying a minor, the PCMA provides for rigorous imprisonment of up to two years or with a fine up to</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"WebRupee","serif";color:black'>Rs.</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>1 lakh or both.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Also, the ambit of people who could be prosecuted for the crime has been widened. Anyone who is aware of any child marriage about to happen or that has already happened has to report it. The person can be made liable under the present law and also the Indian penal code for abetting the offence, promoting, permitting, participating in a child marriage or failing to prevent it. All those involved in the commissioning of the marriage can be prosecuted under the law if it is found out before the marriage is solemnized. Under the law, the marriage performed is voidable or can be repudiated. However, this can happen only if the girls challenge their marriage within a certain period of time following the marriage or before consummation of marriage or birth of a child. The permissible age of marriage under certain personal laws in India is lower than the general law.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>Advocate</span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'> <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Aparna%20Bhatt"><span style='color:#AA6015;text-decoration:none'>Aparna Bhatt</span></a> </span><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>says even though there are positives to the PCMA, the enforceability isn’t much on the ground. “This law doesn’t override the personal law. And hence it could not reach the goal it had expected to reach,” says Bhatt.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.15pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 11.8pt;vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>The 19-year-old got divorced three years back. Her family is planning to marry her off again even though she doesn’t want to marry. “Even they will beat me. I want to study. I don’t want to marry again,” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt:11.8pt; vertical-align:baseline'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:black'>When asked if she knows the legal age of marriage in India, the teenager’s mother says, “I don’t even know how to count the days of a week. Do you expect me to know how old my daughter is or what the law of the land is?”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:9.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/f8bSh0KPWy11BITr8xdtBL/Child-marriages-untying-the-knot.html">http://www.livemint.com/Politics/f8bSh0KPWy11BITr8xdtBL/Child-marriages-untying-the-knot.html</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:20.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-55032047273759284922014-03-04T15:49:00.000+05:302014-03-04T16:11:14.457+05:30<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP97xOl1KDkOI4zKZr_nJjETsZdfg4sxiY3orwe8W5kC2fQPTJ-lZLp78Hr7IluoN2Fgd85aA9YDAVUFWB1YTv_KZ0DDl_bZrfUeTvnhIrp_9OIwFRHVm9iL5DfQ7ETV3v_bF0wX2qIY/s1600/Campaign+Tree-774458.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP97xOl1KDkOI4zKZr_nJjETsZdfg4sxiY3orwe8W5kC2fQPTJ-lZLp78Hr7IluoN2Fgd85aA9YDAVUFWB1YTv_KZ0DDl_bZrfUeTvnhIrp_9OIwFRHVm9iL5DfQ7ETV3v_bF0wX2qIY/s320/Campaign+Tree-774458.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986882368972077762" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisk_aE1qc1saouY1yXlwVHK2hZLly0kKj0T75D3vOPP-WrjYHHR0AjZ_H_VXvkZAael30k7kMud-7ygFehcil58EW4iXLtGynmH6acB_TcYpjcMsyrJnVJLcPy4de_ML1nN37EsLI5D0A/s1600/IMG_9212-777389.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisk_aE1qc1saouY1yXlwVHK2hZLly0kKj0T75D3vOPP-WrjYHHR0AjZ_H_VXvkZAael30k7kMud-7ygFehcil58EW4iXLtGynmH6acB_TcYpjcMsyrJnVJLcPy4de_ML1nN37EsLI5D0A/s320/IMG_9212-777389.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986882378493511202" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmliR6TR6vKkaKnz4_IOs1jjF1GcNVNziWLimjSdmiO5C6dHLNbKNJoVcvnMp1poxkNprHYuwogmWFlmJTBNEopHJI_KPnHQXDiYJ4zRiwk6mJLdwEPOf9EEXGyT0Mm9hwvvb7A2VM81M/s1600/IMG_9222-780697.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmliR6TR6vKkaKnz4_IOs1jjF1GcNVNziWLimjSdmiO5C6dHLNbKNJoVcvnMp1poxkNprHYuwogmWFlmJTBNEopHJI_KPnHQXDiYJ4zRiwk6mJLdwEPOf9EEXGyT0Mm9hwvvb7A2VM81M/s320/IMG_9222-780697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986882390991973090" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkmVtEsMlXezF7Is3l4mDZrxZ8VqZz9LxCCpwUJqWU1BHdW26DQCK2TLckLERZr-HVEgGmdMzMWpa8IL6bKh0yseH2TiyXvCp1VIFY5R-8hxOOWteTLM_9Ls30AjY-Ye17BIZ0v8h6Lc/s1600/IMG_9216-784220.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkmVtEsMlXezF7Is3l4mDZrxZ8VqZz9LxCCpwUJqWU1BHdW26DQCK2TLckLERZr-HVEgGmdMzMWpa8IL6bKh0yseH2TiyXvCp1VIFY5R-8hxOOWteTLM_9Ls30AjY-Ye17BIZ0v8h6Lc/s320/IMG_9216-784220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986882407382734178" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHe3riCPl7qOHTP9hV4Bz5fKhHoe0o0ykOIsnfY53s5pGZxDrEIes1nkPG_QEr-ko5VwN6IXYgWsCuqfBaEbtr8aoNIEwKBDoB64vPFWOXVOJ2b4N8tvR4n4gQ6ca2YTNCxaGBW4sZjA/s1600/IMG_9278-786464.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHe3riCPl7qOHTP9hV4Bz5fKhHoe0o0ykOIsnfY53s5pGZxDrEIes1nkPG_QEr-ko5VwN6IXYgWsCuqfBaEbtr8aoNIEwKBDoB64vPFWOXVOJ2b4N8tvR4n4gQ6ca2YTNCxaGBW4sZjA/s320/IMG_9278-786464.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986882414371389810" /></a></p><div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>CHILD RIGHTS CAMPAIGN IN BIDAR<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS VOUCH FOR CHILD RIGHTS<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-80322028991239557782014-03-04T10:44:00.000+05:302014-03-04T11:03:27.493+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:3.75pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>NATIONAL</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>KARNATAKA</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>BANGALORE, </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>March 2, 2014</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 6.55pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: March 3, 2014 14:58 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>Karnataka govt. to remove income ceiling for Yadava children to get quota<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:#EFF0F8'><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlc1ZAt7SRs1M0ys2eQI9Mu41WznuAPD7lx74goChqbuB13xfzfoJUWLXy8L_Me9o7rgq6XzTNGXIeex9Di-zu7YKiUP4-_-rMxBa85-OupSFSxLMsPzbuwfQTXVGQIPSG_sVvNF12x4/s1600/image001-707494.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlc1ZAt7SRs1M0ys2eQI9Mu41WznuAPD7lx74goChqbuB13xfzfoJUWLXy8L_Me9o7rgq6XzTNGXIeex9Di-zu7YKiUP4-_-rMxBa85-OupSFSxLMsPzbuwfQTXVGQIPSG_sVvNF12x4/s320/image001-707494.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986803047950300418" /></a></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:5.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 12.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah holding aloft a Krishna idol presented to him at a convention in Bangalore on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>An ordinance will be issued soon, says Siddaramaiah<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the government would remove the income ceiling for Yadava community children to get reservation in education.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Addressing a State-level convention organised by the Karnataka State Yadava Sangha here, the Chief Minister said a notification would be issued soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>More opportunities</span></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The Chief Minister said the intention was to provide more opportunities to children to get education. Yadava children are not getting reservation in education if they fall under the creamy layer category.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Mr. Siddaramaiah agreed to the community’s demand for converting lands on which traditional Yadava residential areas were located in villages as revenue lands.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>He also accepted the demand that Sri Krishna Jayanti be an official festival of the State government.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>But he made it clear that there was no question of declaring a holiday on that day as the government was against increasing the number of holidays.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>‘Include Yadavas in ST’</span></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Earlier, writer Banjagere Jayaprakash urged the government to include Yadavas in the list of Scheduled Tribes.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Recalling history</span></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Recalling the history of Yadavas, he said this community had a strong presence right from 5th BC. They even had links with foreign traders then, he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Speaking on the occasion, Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya said that though the Yadavas had a sizeable population in the State, they were not represented in the Legislative Assembly.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>He blamed it on lack of unity in the community.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Ministers K.J. George, T. B. Jayachandra and Krishna Byre Gowda; legislators M. Krishnappa and M.R. Seetharam; Yadava Maha Samsthana seer Krishna Yadavananda, and the former Vice-Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore R. Dwarakinath were present.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-govt-to-remove-income-ceiling-for-yadava-children-to-get-quota/article5743740.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/karnataka-govt-to-remove-income-ceiling-for-yadava-children-to-get-quota/article5743740.ece</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:18.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-57202876388501493722014-03-04T10:40:00.000+05:302014-03-04T10:59:27.112+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:3.25pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:17.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#E47325'>Kids Put Forward Demands to Politicos<o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style='mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-right:solid #062E51 1.0pt; padding:0in 5.0pt 0in 0in;background:white'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white;border:none;padding:0in'><span style='font-size:11.5pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#062E51'>By</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#062E51'> Express News Service - BANGALORE</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#062E51'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#062E51'>Published: </span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#062E51'>04th March 2014 08:43 AM<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#062E51'>Last Updated: </span><span style='font-size:11.5pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#062E51'>04th March 2014 08:43 AM<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; text-indent:-.25in;line-height:normal;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1;background:#E47325'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#5C5C5C;text-transform:uppercase'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C;text-transform:uppercase'><a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Kids-Put-Forward-Demands-to-Politicos/2014/03/04/article2089563.ece#tabs-2037533-1"><span style='color:white;text-transform:none;text-decoration:none'>Photos</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify; text-indent:-.25in;mso-line-height-alt:5.6pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2; background:#ECECEC'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;color:#5C5C5C'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtmCnzDrWvHL2tBcxNS2o54Z-CeZlkkwqbGGmC7V3GgzQzaAMiI2HE3lyPuv8jbVsfNKn3gPy5Qbk1FhqFdk4HWXeJVwVJ24Wr5lN6-vsfPuuyb4xw_gXwrAxX5_3H2ZZRE_s1HIXGTQ/s1600/image001-767112.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWtmCnzDrWvHL2tBcxNS2o54Z-CeZlkkwqbGGmC7V3GgzQzaAMiI2HE3lyPuv8jbVsfNKn3gPy5Qbk1FhqFdk4HWXeJVwVJ24Wr5lN6-vsfPuuyb4xw_gXwrAxX5_3H2ZZRE_s1HIXGTQ/s320/image001-767112.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986802022315432322" /></a></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:#5C5C5C'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 5.6pt;background:#ECECEC'><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'>Children from the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory submitting a list of their demands to the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee as part of an election advocacy event in Bangalore on Monday | NAGESH POLALI<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 15.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 15.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'>Children from the Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO) visited the offices of major political parties in the city on Monday and demanded child-friendly policies in their manifestos ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 15.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'>More than 30 children, including differently-abled, met Congress and JD(S) leaders and submitted memoranda. “Some of the demands were effective measures to tackle malnutrition, proper implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act,” said Nagasimha G Rao, campaign coordinator of KCRO, a UNICEF-supported initiative to monitor children in the state. He said the children will visit the BJP office soon. The other demands included strengthening remand homes and holding children’s Gram Sabhas regularly in villages.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 15.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'>Monica, a Class 7 student, said: “We want government hospitals to become child-friendly. We know that we don’t have the right to vote but we want political parties to take our demands seriously.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;line-height: 15.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; color:#5C5C5C'><a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Kids-Put-Forward-Demands-to-Politicos/2014/03/04/article2089563.ece#.UxVfdeOSyFQ">http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/Kids-Put-Forward-Demands-to-Politicos/2014/03/04/article2089563.ece#.UxVfdeOSyFQ</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:17.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-27560894903780479172014-03-03T14:30:00.000+05:302014-03-03T14:49:19.727+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:18.7pt'><b><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Why do so many Kerala children use tobacco?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="http://health.india.com/author/admin/" title="View all posts by Admin"><span style='color:#005384;text-decoration:none'>Admin</span></a> February 28, 2014 at 9:59 am<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Seventy-four per cent children in Kerala use tobacco, according to a recent multi-state survey conducted by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. A total of 119 children in the state, between the age group of 5-18, were covered as part of the study, conducted to examine the pattern, profile and correlates of substance use, a release said here on Thursday. In all, the study commissioned by Working Group on Substance Abuse and Drug Addiction among Children under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) reached out to 4,024 children across 27 states and two union territories, it said.</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Children living in homes with families and children living in streets were included in the study. ‘Alcohol, tobacco and inhalants are common initial substances of abuse and have been described as ‘gateway substances’. These substances are easily available to the children,’ the study observed. ‘Moreover, they (these products) are not illegal and there is some form of social acceptance for their use.</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>However, the use of these gateway substances increases the subsequent risk of transition to harder and illicit substances,’ it said. A. Shajahan, Secretary, state Department of General Education said, ‘Even while accepting that the sample veers towards a severe end of the spectrum, the findings regarding use of tobacco among children is highly disturbing.’ ‘All educational institutions in the state have to take a note of this and strictly enforce laws of the land along with spreading awareness. Concerted action is the need of the hour; nothing should be left to chance,’ he said.</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>P. Vijayan, DIG (Intelligence) and State Nodal Officer of the ‘Student Police Cadets’ and ‘Our Responsibility to Children’ projects said, tobacco use is a beginning to deviant behaviour and an entry to crime among all hardened criminals of today. ‘One of the purposes of the SPCs is to equip and empower students to resist societal malaises such as substance abuse. Student cadets are also specifically trained to help in identifying the sale of tobacco and other harmful substances around schools,’ he said.</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <b>Tobacco – the most dangerous weapon of mass destruction? </b></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi had told us earlier: ‘It is a well-known fact 50% of all cancer cases caused in India are caused by tobacco use. In my work (I am a Professor and Cancer Surgeon at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai), I see young people affected with the most horrible cancers every day and most of them die within weeks of diagnosis. Tobacco kills every third user prematurely through <a href="http://health.india.com/category/diseases-conditions/diseases-cancer/" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'>cancer</span></a>,<a href="http://health.india.com/category/diseases-conditions/heart-diseases/" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'> heart attack</span></a>, <a href="http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/stroke-a-reality-check-for-young-india/" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'>stroke</span></a>, etc. You will realise the sheer gravity of the situation when you realise that over 27 crore Indians are hooked to tobacco. Consider this, the World War II – considered the deadliest conflict in human history – had over 50 million casualties. In comparison, it’s estimated that tobacco has killed <a href="http://health.india.com/news/do-you-buy-illegal-cigarettes-you-might-be-helping-fund-a-terrorist-organisation/" target="_blank" title="Do you buy illegal cigarettes? You might be helping fund a terrorist organisation"><span style='text-decoration:none'>1 billion people in the last century.</span></a></span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>It is the only consumer product that is almost guaranteed to cause death, disease and disability and even the industry that sells it admits it on its labels. According to WHO, tobacco addiction is a ‘disease’. How can we promote an industry selling death and disease to every third Indian solely for profits? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Tobacco use in India</span></b><span style='font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>After China, India’s home to the maximum number of tobacco users including cigarette, <i>bidi</i> smokers and smokeless tobacco users. According to conservative estimates, tobacco takes 2,500 lives every day in India and kills one million Indians every year. To this effect, <i>gutka</i> has been officially banned in a lot of states though it’s still easily available:</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.4pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Tobacco use along with obesity are two of the biggest reasons for the various non-communicable diseases that people suffer from around the world. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey estimated that tobacco had claimed one billion lives in the last century. In comparison, humanity’s biggest war – World War II took 50 million lives. We can no longer hide from the fact that tobacco is one of the most dangerous enemies that has ever threatened mankind’s existence. So are you ready for the battle?</span><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:8.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://health.india.com/news/why-do-so-many-kerala-children-use-tobacco/">http://health.india.com/news/why-do-so-many-kerala-children-use-tobacco/</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-12401984902447926682014-03-03T14:28:00.000+05:302014-03-03T14:47:23.904+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:3.75pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>NATIONAL</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>TAMIL NADU</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>CHENNAI, </span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>February 28, 2014</span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 6.55pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: February 28, 2014 03:49 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>To school and back — on boat<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:16.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>SERENA JOSEPHINE . M</span><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:#EFF0F8'><span style='font-size: 14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKp9k3kyNhU9xEvhJz0RWHRDOt_ZIzqH6uEE-nweYJTv8wRkaEli-lL54t-0TaViPu5Kx94u1T6-07NE6q-QNkLXvYAwyaB4_EjFf834bMCwaNl6DLPsT7OzK7HBvuCvKPzW0AK1BoUE/s1600/image001-743905.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKp9k3kyNhU9xEvhJz0RWHRDOt_ZIzqH6uEE-nweYJTv8wRkaEli-lL54t-0TaViPu5Kx94u1T6-07NE6q-QNkLXvYAwyaB4_EjFf834bMCwaNl6DLPsT7OzK7HBvuCvKPzW0AK1BoUE/s320/image001-743905.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986489674421637970" /></a></span><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:5.6pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#1F57A5'>The Hindu</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#333333'>AGAINST ALL ODDS Students from Irukkam village in Andhra Pradesh travel by boat to study in schools in Tamil Nadu. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:1.4pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#373535;text-transform:uppercase'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>Children travel from Nellore to Tiruvallur every day<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>While children travelling by bus or walking to school is common, here is a group that takes a boat from across the boundary.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Over 150 children of Irukkam, a coastal village of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh, spend two hours every day travelling by boat across the Pulicat Lake to reach their schools in the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu. Their families depend on fishing for a livelihood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>They study at government schools, panchayat union schools and a private school in the coastal villages of Sunnambukulam, Obasamudram and Arambakkam in the Gummidipoondi taluk of Tiruvallur.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>“Our village has only Telugu-medium primary schools. A majority of the families in Irukkam village are Tamil-speaking and are not familiar with Telugu. We want to study in Tamil schools. That is why we come to schools in Tamil Nadu,” says S. Prakash, a class X student of Government Higher Secondary School, Sunnambukulam.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Prakash has been travelling by boat right from class II and wants to pursue computer science engineering in a college in Tamil Nadu. There are many like him, including girls, who do not mind the distance and mode of transport. The youngest is Charumathi, a LKG student.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size: 14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Risky ride</span></b><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>The boat ride comes with risks. Many children sit on the edges of the mechanised boat throughout the hour-long journey. They have to walk nearly 1.5 km to and from the shore, wading through ankle-deep water, even knee-deep water in certain places.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>“We travel by boat for nearly seven km. Once we reach here, the children walk in water and it is sad to see their uniforms getting wet in the morning,” K. Sekar, boatman and resident of Irukkam, says. “There is 5 feet deep water throughout the travel. It becomes difficult when it rains midway.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Everyday, the children’s journey begins at 7.30 a.m. from Irukkam, says Arun Kumar, a class VIII student. “We reach Sunnambukulam by 8.30 a.m. Our return journey starts at 5 p.m. We wait for all students to assemble before starting. We cannot come to school when it rains heavily.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>While students from class I to VIII pay Rs. 50 every month as boat charges, others pay Rs. 90.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Many students say they have got used to the boat ride. “We chat with friends, play games and also study on the way. It might be scary in the beginning, but we get accustomed to the routine within a few days,” G. Indhu, a class XI student adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>Have they faced any dangerous situations? Yes, says Arun Kumar recounting how once they lost their direction due to fog and reached Maangodu, a nearby village. “Most of us know swimming,” he adds.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:9.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'>In order to understand the experiences of these students, teachers of the Government Higher Secondary School, Sunnambukulam, visited Irukkam on Republic Day this year. “Some boys, especially those in classes X and XII, stay in the school hostel,” a teacher said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:7.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/to-school-and-back-on-boat/article5734462.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/to-school-and-back-on-boat/article5734462.ece</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-48446273757277027072014-03-03T14:20:00.001+05:302014-03-03T14:20:02.735+05:30<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:19.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(57,57,57)">Sex crimes against minor girls on rise in Ahmedabad</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(153,153,153)">TNN </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(153,153,153)">|</span><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(153,153,153)"> Feb 27, 2014, 03.35AM IST</span><span style="font-size:20pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)"><br> AHMEDABAD: In August last year, a nine-year-old girl - the child of high-ranking government employees - was sexually assaulted by the family's 37-year-old domestic help. The horror took place in an underground parking facility where the domestic help had lured the girl on the pretext of showing the flooding caused by rainwater. The compassion and support of her parents encouraged the traumatized girl to break her silence. The accused was later arrested by Vastrapur police.<br> <br> Officials of Childline, a pan-India NGO working for child rights, said that over the years the number of such cases had increased manifold in the city. Officials said that the trend had been revealed by the increase in the number of cases registered with police.<br> <br> Purnima Gupta, the assistant director of Childline (Ahmedabad), told TOI that 35 cases were reported last year; the number was only four two years ago. "Last year's cases include three gang rapes. In one of the most shocking cases, four 11-year-old boys raped a four-year-old girl in Danilimda," she said. "Also last year, a city-based 45-year-old man 'purchased' a 16-year-old girl from Delhi for marriage. The survivors came from both rich and poor families, and their age range is from four years to 17 years."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)"><br> Gupta said that in most cases, the perpetrators were known to the survivors. "Sometimes, the victims are so young that they don't even realize what is happening to them," she said. "The assault comes to light only when parents notice the obvious signs. We believe that not all cases are registered with police because of the stigma."<br> <br> Organizations like Childline conduct classes for children to help them tell the 'good touch' from the 'bad touch' and also help parents learn the signs of depression. Psychologists say that the scars of such traumas don't vanish easily and frequent counseling is required.<br> <br> Anil Pratham, the inspector general of police, CID (crime), said that efforts had been initiated to raise awareness about the dangers to children and to ensure better coordination among agencies handling such cases. Pratham said to tackle the problem of the lack of counselors, a district-level committee of volunteers had been formed. The committee will work with police and NGOs.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:19pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Sex-crimes-against-minor-girls-on-rise-in-Ahmedabad/articleshow/31067040.cms">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Sex-crimes-against-minor-girls-on-rise-in-Ahmedabad/articleshow/31067040.cms</a> </span></p></div> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-89669603169959705532014-03-03T14:13:00.000+05:302014-03-03T14:32:41.124+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal;background:#F2F2F2'><b><span style='font-size:17.5pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Challenging child marriage in India<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>By</span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><a href="https://www.devex.com/en/people/83299-devex"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>Devex Editor</span></a></span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>on 27 February 2014<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size: 15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cXjbedmE8V3gEJEI2p1C4s2DgCZhtuB95Sm4OeOIoOnDDIV82H5-__ajQSe0vMRJuC1ArXNVa8CfjuT50WLTPlizf2ZPBsiOThqmtfzDIN3_QeT4CtqE0fjKYL1iIRgF_KNOmEsAs34/s1600/image001-761125.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cXjbedmE8V3gEJEI2p1C4s2DgCZhtuB95Sm4OeOIoOnDDIV82H5-__ajQSe0vMRJuC1ArXNVa8CfjuT50WLTPlizf2ZPBsiOThqmtfzDIN3_QeT4CtqE0fjKYL1iIRgF_KNOmEsAs34/s320/image001-761125.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5986485888842837010" /></a></span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Young girls in Tamid Nadu, India. In rural areas of the country, many girls are married off before they reach their 17th birthday. Photo by:</span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26029113@N07/12713934423/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>Gary Romanuk</span></a></span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'>/</span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span></i><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>CC BY-NC-ND</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><i><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>EDITOR’S NOTE: Changing ingrained traditions like child marriage India is not easy, and many challenges remain. A new program is trying to overcome these obstacles and give these girls a new life, an official from Landesa writes in a blog for the Center for Global Development.</span></i><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>In the next two decades, 28 million girls in India will be married before their 18th birthdays if current trends continue. In rural areas across India, <a href="http://www.unicef.in/documents/childmarriage.pdf"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>most girls</span></a> are married before they turn 17, which has devastating consequences not just for these girls and their children, but also for <a href="http://blogs.cfr.org/development-channel/2014/01/10/understanding-child-marriage-cfr-infoguide/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>society as a whole</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Moushumi Khatun, a thirteen year old living in a rural area of the state of West Bengal, is trying to avoid the path her two older sisters were forced to take: both were married off to older men before the age of seventeen, and the eldest is already a mother of two at age 18. Khatun is fighting an uphill battle; in much of rural India, girls <a href="http://blogs.cfr.org/development-channel/2013/03/20/emerging-voices-hagit-bachrach-on-gender-relations-and-child-survival-in-india-2/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>eat last and least</span></a>. They are born underweight and remain that way for much of their lives. Parents marry off their young daughters out of fear that the family name will be tarnished if the girl remains unmarried, or that they will have to pay a higher dowry for an older bride. Even Khatun’s mother said, “I am not comfortable keeping a daughter unmarried past fifteen or sixteen.” Her grandmother agrees: “It is destiny. This is not in our hands. This is the way it has always been.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>But <a href="http://www.landesa.org/wp-content/uploads/Landesa_FactSheet_GirlsProject-2013.pdf"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>a new program</span></a>, a partnership between the government of West Bengal and <a href="http://www.landesa.org/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>Landesa</span></a>, the organization I work for, is offering girls the opportunity to challenge age-old tradition and change perceptions in the process. “Moushumi told me that early marriage is not healthy,” recalled her mother, who is now amenable to the idea of allowing her youngest to pursue a different path. Khatun learned of the dangers of child marriage during one of her bi-monthly meetings as part of the <a href="http://www.landesa.org/wp-content/uploads/Landesa_FactSheet_GirlsProject-2013.pdf"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>Girls Project</span></a> pilot. At these meetings, Khatun and her peers learn about their right to an education, to not be married off as a child, and to inherit land. They also learn organic gardening skills that help them grow food for their families and perhaps one day sell excess produce. For many girls, the small change they earn through their vegetable patches helps pay school fees and counteract stereotypes of girls being little more than a drain on family finances.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>In the program, girls learn to grow fruits and vegetables on whatever free space they can find around their family’s homes. Many grow gourds on the roof of their homes, leafy greens in small patches next to their homes and even mushrooms in the spaces under their own beds. These tiny gardens can bring girls hundreds of rupees each year — enough for school supplies and incidentals, but not enough to cover the entire cost of the girls’ dowries. Parents of rural girls routinely pay grooms’ families dowries that amount to thousands of rupees. There is a heavy financial pressure to marry girls early, as doing so can reduce their dowries.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>Still, Khatun and her best friend, fourteen-year-old Beauty Barman, both have small gardens and have been able to convince their families to keep them in school until they turn 18. Although their futures may seem of little consequence to anyone outside their village, empowering girls is central to the fight against global poverty and disease. Educated girls</span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'> </span><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333'><a href="http://www.unfpa.org/gender/empowerment2.htm"><span style='color:#666699; text-decoration:none'>have fewer children</span></a> and are <a href="http://girlrising.com/blog/a-study-in-country-living/"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>50 percent more likely to immunize their children</span></a>. The benefits of empowering girls go far beyond the household as well: when 10 percent or more girls go to school, a country’s <a href="http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2011/08/08/000158349_20110808092702/Rendered/PDF/WPS5753.pdf"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>GDP increases</span></a> by three percent on average.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>More than 40,000 girls are now participating in the Girls Project. <a href="http://www.landesa.org/india-girls-project-study-shows-significant-benefits"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>A rigorous study</span></a> has found that these girls are staying in school longer, marrying later, and are more likely to inherit land and have an economic asset in their name. The Indian government, conscious of the benefits of investing in girls, supports the Girls Project and helped expand the project from 7,000 to 40,000 girls. This is part of a <a href="http://wcd.nic.in/schemes/sabla.htm"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>new nation-wide effort</span></a> to keep girls in school that may see the Girls Project expanded across all of West Bengal within the next few years.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>The international community has also taken up this issue: the United Nations launched the inaugural International Day of the Girl just two years ago and leaders from Hillary Clinton to Archbishop Desmond Tutu are speaking out against the practice of child marriage. <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/elders-join-un-hillary-clinton-in-campaign-to-end-practice-of-child-marriage-278280"><span style='color:#666699;text-decoration:none'>Tutu recently</span></a> proclaimed that by ignoring the problem of child brides, “you dismiss more than half of humanity.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 7.4pt;background:#F2F2F2'><span style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#333333'>The Girls Project — and similar projects around the world, tackling challenges once seen as too sensitive or ingrained to change — should be celebrated, expanded, and replicated to ensure that girls like Khatun have a chance to change their destiny.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:13.0pt; line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:9.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="https://www.devex.com/en/news/challenging-child-marriage-in-india/82936">https://www.devex.com/en/news/challenging-child-marriage-in-india/82936</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-19623047625415652382014-02-27T10:02:00.000+05:302014-02-27T10:21:26.725+05:30<div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:3.75pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>NATIONAL</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> </span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'>»</span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'> <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/"><b><span style='color:#1F57A5;text-transform:uppercase'>KARNATAKA</span></b></a></span><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F57A5'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39;text-transform:uppercase'>BANGALORE, </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>February 23, 2014</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:2.35pt;text-align:justify;mso-line-height-alt: 6.55pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:12.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; color:#7F7F7F'>Updated: February 23, 2014 13:22 IST <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#1F57A5'>What’s this ‘other’ reason for out-of-school children in Karnataka?<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:15.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#7F7F7F;text-transform:uppercase'>TANU KULKARNI</span><span style='font-size:19.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: justify;mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size: 13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWBGjjVG61Ms_MA7kDrvTONj0LuAMieAtuBfNEg2z6O85iMaDVUbEZhuMCWePLbJS9zEwRv7ikadwU2lbOxxB7r4Sm-OykitZHHZ5PRGm1EtztqCkaaPZqLy3WUglImAw_ycC1fMy9z4/s1600/image001-786726.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWBGjjVG61Ms_MA7kDrvTONj0LuAMieAtuBfNEg2z6O85iMaDVUbEZhuMCWePLbJS9zEwRv7ikadwU2lbOxxB7r4Sm-OykitZHHZ5PRGm1EtztqCkaaPZqLy3WUglImAw_ycC1fMy9z4/s320/image001-786726.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5984936794766286290" /></a></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify;line-height: normal;background:white'><i><span style='font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif"; color:#999999'>H.R. Umesh Aradhya, chairman, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said there was a need for the Education Department to read in between the figures.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Even as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has found that 1.7 lakh children are out of school in Karnataka, Education Department officials are yet to get clarity on why children drop out of school in nearly half of these cases.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>In the data sheet, the reason for dropping out in 47.70 per cent of cases (which accounted for 81,351 children) has been categorised as “other.” SSA officials have decided to examine this and see what exactly these “other” reasons are so that they can frame suitable policies.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>An official, who attended the meeting to chalk out policies to mainstream the children, said further break-up of the “other” category would be provided in about a week. While “migration” has been the reason for 29,491 children (17.29 per cent) to be out of school, the other common causes are “involvement in household work” (27,808 students or 16.30 per cent), “engaged in other work” (9,488 or 5.56 per cent) and “school far away” (5,441 or 3.19 per cent).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Interestingly, some reasons have been gender specific and those including “marriage”, “puberty” and “other reasons related to girl child” have been calculated only for girls.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>A larger number of boys are out of school because they had taken up jobs. As many as 2,873 girls and 6,615 boys are out of school as they are engaged in work.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>H.R. Umesh Aradhya, chairman, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said there was a need for the department to read in between the figures.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>“A large number of children are out of school because of migration and 33.36 per cent of them are from five north Karnataka districts. A majority of people who migrate are construction and agricultural labourers,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>Also, there is no clarity on the 1,904 children, who have been reported dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify; mso-line-height-alt:8.4pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#3B3A39'>SSA officials said these children’s names were on the rolls on March 31, 2013, and they were reported dead when the survey was held in November.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:8.0pt; line-height:115%'><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/whats-this-other-reason-for-outofschool-children-in-karnataka/article5718914.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/whats-this-other-reason-for-outofschool-children-in-karnataka/article5718914.ece</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-20116468554368483362014-02-22T11:52:00.001+05:302014-02-22T11:52:49.605+05:30<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.75pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(76,76,76);text-transform:uppercase">TODAY'S PAPER » NATIONAL » KARNATAKA</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;text-transform:uppercase">BANGALORE, </span><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif">February 22, 2014</span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:4.7pt;text-align:justify"><b><span style="font-size:17pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(31,87,165)">10-day-old boy rescued, thanks to alert neighbours</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;color:rgb(127,127,127);text-transform:uppercase">SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT</span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">Alert neighbours helped the city-based BOSCO Childline rescue a 10-day-old boy from allegedly being sold to a childless couple by his maternal uncle and mother in Taverekere on Thursday.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">The rescued boy has been shifted to Shishu Mandira and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) is looking into the issue of rehabilitating the baby.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">The baby’s mother, a 35-year-old homemaker, resides in Gangavathi with her two daughters aged eight and 13 years.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">Enquiries by the BOSCO Childline staff revealed that her husband is a labourer migrating to different places in search of work and visits home once a year. .</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">The woman came to Bangalore to her brother’s house at Herohalli in Taverekere in the city two months before the delivery of the child. She then delivered the baby boy in a private hospital. Her brother allegedly contacted a childless couple and clinched a deal for Rs 2.5 lakh.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">Meanwhile, the accused was discharged from the hospital about a week ago and was about to return to Gangavathi when the neighbours got a hint that the baby was in the process of being sold. The BOSCO Childline staff took an undertaking from the woman that she does not want to take the baby back. “Since the baby has been shifted to Shishu Mandira for three months, the CWC has to decide upon the future course of action,” Bosco Executive Director Fr. George P.S. told</span><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)"> </span><i><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">The Hindu</span></i><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)"> </span><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;font-family:Georgia,serif;color:rgb(59,58,57)">CWC member Shivamallu, who is handling the case, said that though the mother is not keen on taking back the baby, the committee is looking into the rehabilitation of the infant. The family has been summoned to appear before the committee for further enquiries.</span></p> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"> <hr size="2" width="100%" noshade style="color:rgb(59,58,57)" align="left"> </span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Symbol">·</span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"> <b><i>Rescued boy shifted to Shishu Mandira</i></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Symbol">·</span><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"> <b><i>Child Welfare Committee to look into rehabilitation of the infant</i></b></span></p> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"> <hr size="2" width="100%" noshade style="color:rgb(59,58,57)" align="left"> </span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:justify"><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/10dayold-boy-rescued-thanks-to-alert-neighbours/article5715546.ece"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif">http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/10dayold-boy-rescued-thanks-to-alert-neighbours/article5715546.ece</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:17pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p></div> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1140888025591576191.post-86144379710895016912014-02-17T17:15:00.001+05:302014-02-17T17:15:58.213+05:30<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(11,83,148)"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.5pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:20pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(228,115,37)">SC Takes Up Karnataka Case on Primary Education in Mother Tongue</span></p> <div style="border-style:none solid none none;border-right-color:rgb(6,46,81);border-right-width:1pt;padding:0in 5pt 0in 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.5pt;text-align:justify;border:none;padding:0in"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)">By</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)"> Kanu Sarda - NEW DELHI</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)"></span></p> </div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.5pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)">Published: </span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)">13th February 2014 07:43 AM</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:2.5pt;text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)">Last Updated: </span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(6,46,81)">13th February 2014 07:43 AM</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">The Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions to decide whether mother tongue or regional language can be imposed by states as the medium of instruction for primary school students.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">A Constitution Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha will also decide whether setting up an authority to determine the mother tongue of a child seeking education in schools is a restriction of fundamental rights or not.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">The Karnataka government’s 1994 Language Policy had made Kannada the medium of instruction. Since then, there have been a series of cases between private English-medium schools and the state government.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><b><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">HC Had Upheld Decision</span></b><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">In 1993, a Supreme Court Bench of Chief Justice M N Venkatachalaiah and Justice S Mohan upheld the government’s decision.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">In 2008, the Karnataka High Court struck down sections of the Language Policy that made the mother tongue the mandatory medium of instruction, ruling that parents were free to get their children educated in any language of their choice.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">The Karnataka government challenged before the Supreme Court the High Court’s decision to strike down the clauses. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">A Division Bench of the Supreme Court referred the matter to a larger bench last year.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">Advocate General Ravi Varma Kumar, who appeared for the Karnataka government, stressed that the state had the Constitutional obligation to provide instructions to people in way of regulation.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">Citing various provisions, Kumar told the Bench how important it was to protect minority rights and institutions. “Primary school language should be one’s mother tongue and not English, for, English is an alien language,” he said.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">“The state has the power to regulate and the right to oppose restrictions is the right of the state,” Kumar said, while concluding his arguments.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><span style="font-size:15pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)">The Bench will on Thursday hear the managements of various schools who opposed the state’s decision to include mother tongue in schools.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:15.6pt"><a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/SC-Takes-Up-Karnataka-Case-on-Primary-Education-in-Mother-Tongue/2014/02/13/article2053877.ece#.UwGhs2KSyFQ"><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif">http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/SC-Takes-Up-Karnataka-Case-on-Primary-Education-in-Mother-Tongue/2014/02/13/article2053877.ece#.UwGhs2KSyFQ</span></a><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',sans-serif;color:rgb(92,92,92)"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:19pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p></div> </div> BREADS CREAM Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04002279531806706954noreply@blogger.com0