Empowering Vulnerable Communities

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May 2014 VOL. X NO. 5

UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan
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May 2014, Vol. 10, No. 5, Total pages: 20
Empowering Vulnerable Communities
Transgender voters at a polling booth during the 2014 General Elections in India.
Photos: UNDP India
The United Nations salutes the progress
being made in India to protect the rights of the
LGBT community.
See stories on pages 2 and 6
Opinion
UN-Bhutan Plus
2
17
In The News
Knowledge Network
4
18 Roving Reporter
16
Unic Album
20
Empowering Vulnerable Communities
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11
OPINION
by Navi Pillay
R
ecently, new laws have been
adopted to punish, or silence,
lesbians and gays in a number
of countries. Such laws, and the
resulting discrimination – which often
affects transgender people too – violate
universal human rights.
Last month, thousands of Ugandans
joined a “celebration” of the country’s
new Anti-Homosexuality Act, which
punishes gays and lesbians with life
in jail and cracks down on human
rights organizations that defend them.
In January, Nigeria’s President signed
new legislation that punishes samesex unions with up to 14 years in jail.
They are among at least 77 countries
that criminalize homosexuality. Five
– including Saudi Arabia and Iran
–prescribe the death penalty for adult,
consensual homosexual relationships.
In several countries in Eastern
Europe and Central Asia, members
of parliament have recently called for
laws to punish any attempt to present
“non-traditional” – and specifically,
homosexual – relationships in a positive
light, restricting freedom of expression
and assembly. In both Kenya and
the Democratic Republic of Congo,
members of parliament have called for
severe anti-homosexuality legislation.
Brunei’s new penal code, which is due
to take effect shortly, prescribes the
death penalty for consensual samesex conduct. In February, during a
televised speech to commemorate the
country’s independence, the Gambian
President called for the country to fight
homosexuals "the same way we are
fighting malaria-causing mosquitoes, if
not more aggressively."
This apparent hardening of attitudes
targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) people may be
2 |
May 2014
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights launched the UN’s first ‘Bollywood-style’
music video, entitled The Welcome, to promote its “Free and Equal” campaign advocating the rights
of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT). To watch the video, go to www.unic.org.in.
a deliberate tactic – fuelled by wellfunded religious groups – to distract
attention from real problems such
as poverty. Homophobia panders to
prejudice and misconceptions. Among
Homosexuality is a fact
of nature, observed in
every human society
throughout history;
it has been tolerated
for centuries in many
societies, and has only
recently surfaced as a
political issue. Calling
for an end to the
persecution of LGBT
people is a call to end
discrimination and
violence, a basic premise
of our universal human
rights.
them: the notion that homosexuality is
somehow “unnatural”; that gay people
are more likely to be paedophiles or
target children; that decriminalizing
homosexuality will automatically lead
to same-sex marriage; or that equal
rights for LGBT people will somehow
infringe religious freedom.
In reality homosexuality is a fact of
nature, observed in every human
society throughout history; it has
been tolerated for centuries in many
societies, and has only recently
surfaced as a political issue. There is no
evidence whatsoever that homosexuals
“target” children more often than
heterosexuals do – paedophilia is
a crime, whether the perpetrator is
homosexual or heterosexual, and
nobody wishes to change that. Calling
for an end to the persecution of LGBT
people is a call to end discrimination
and violence, a basic premise of our
universal human rights. It is unrelated
to same-sex marriage, a topic that
societies may choose to debate at the
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré
Prejudice fuels the denial of rights for
LGBT people
OPINION
Participants at the launch of ‘The Welcome’ (from left): Comedian Cyrus Broacha; Bollywood actor Imran Khan; film actress and UN Equality
Champion Celina Jaitly; Charles Radcliffe, Chief of the OHCHR Global Issues Section; Jyoti Sanghera, Chief of the OHCHR Economic and Social
Issues Section; journalist and LGBT activist Ashok Row Kavi; and transgender activist Laxmi Tripathi.
UN Photo/Jagminder Singh
national level. Furthermore, religious
freedom does not mean the freedom
to persecute, or to act with prejudice
and bigotry.
To counter these prejudices, my
Office last year launched Free &
Equal – an unprecedented United
Nations campaign to raise awareness
of the rights of LGBT people. We
did so because human rights are for
all human beings. Discrimination
on the basis of sexual orientation is
just as irrational, just as wrong, as
discrimination on the basis of skin
colour, and just as clearly violates
human rights.
Moreover, the resulting violence
endured by so many LGBT people is
appalling. For laws generate action.
Police action – such as the recent raid
on a health project in Uganda because
it was allegedly “training youths in
homosexuality”. Judicial action: trials
and jail sentences for people who
should not be seen as criminals. And
action by members of the public, for
one side-effect of such laws is likely
to be that people feel they sanction
physical abuse of LGBT people;
vandalism to their property; death
threats; and the so-called “corrective
rape” of lesbians. Another unintended
side-effect is blackmail. Even a false
claim that someone is gay may create
such reputational damage and legal
difficulty that he or she will pay for
silence.
wait. If any other group of millions
of individuals were to be forced to
live with such fear and stigma, the
international community would surely
unite in condemnation and demand
action now. The fact that some
countries refuse to recognize
the scale of the problem – and that
some actively fuel the flames of
prejudice – makes it more urgent, not
less, to keep pressing for change. The
key will be enabling a better-informed
debate that dispels innuendo, myth
and slander – and reminds us that
LGBT people have an equal right to
dignity and freedom.
Some may argue that time will
eventually take care of this problem:
in the past, LGBT people faced
prosecution by the legal systems
of many countries where they can
now live freely But we cannot simply
For more information on the United
Nations Free & Equal campaign visit
n
www.unfe.org.
Navi Pillay is United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
May 2014 | 3
In The News
Norwegian General becomes first
woman commander to head UN peacekeeping force
M
ajor General Kristin Lund,
of Norway, has become the
first woman ever to serve
as Force Commander in a United
Nations peacekeeping operation, it was
announced on 12 May.
UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon’s spokesperson confirmed the
appointment of the Norwegian who
will lead the UN Peacekeeping Force
in Cyprus (UNFICYP) which marks its
50th anniversary this year.
With over 34 years of military
command and staff experience at
national and international levels, the
Major General heads the Veteran Affairs
section of the Norwegian Defense.
Her previous
experience with the
UN includes service
with the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL) and the
UN Protection Force
(UNPROFOR).
Major General Lund has extensive
experience in multinational
operations, including deployment
to Saudi Arabia during Operation
Desert Storm in 1991 and
NATO’s International Security
UN Photo/Mark Garten
UNFICYP was established by the
Security Council on 4 March 1964
to contribute to a return to normal
conditions following violence
and bloodshed between the two
communities on the island.
In 2009, she was
the first female
army officer to
be promoted to
the rank of Major
General and was
appointed Chief
of Staff of the
Norwegian Home
Guard.
Assistance Force (ISAF) Headquarters in
Afghanistan.
Major General Lund will replace the
outgoing Force Commander, Major
General Chao Liu of China on 13
August.
Security Council:
Risk of WMD use by non-State actors
W
hile Governments around
the world are working
hard to keep weapons
of mass destruction (WMD) out
of the hands of terrorists, a decade
after adopting a landmark resolution
on the issue, the United Nations
Security Council said on 7 May that
that it “remains gravely concerned by
the threat of terrorism, and the risk
that non-State actors may acquire,
develop, traffic in or use nuclear,
chemical, and biological weapons
and their means of delivery.”
4 |
May 2014
Meeting to mark the 10th anniversary
of the adoption of resolution 1540, on
28 April 2004, the Council adopted
a Presidential Statement through
which its members called on all
States to “step up their efforts to
implement [the resolution], focusing
on areas where measures taken may be
strengthened, with a view to achieving
full implementation of the resolution by
2021.”
By the terms of resolution 1540,
the Council decided that all States
shall refrain from providing any form
of support to non-State actors
that attempt to develop, acquire,
manufacture, possess, transport,
transfer or use nuclear, chemical or
biological weapons and their means
of delivery. The resolution requires
all States to adopt and enforce
appropriate effective laws to that
effect.
Briefing the Council was UN Deputy
Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, and
the meeting was chaired by Yun
Byung, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
the Republic of Korea.
n
In The News
“Resolution 1540 has helped us
make important inroads against the
proliferation of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons…it has set in
motion a great number of steps by
Member States,” said Mr. Eliasson,
noting that more than 30,000 measures
and actions by States implementing the
text have been reported to the 1540
Committee.
the story, he continued, noting that
there have also been setbacks and
disappointments, including the recent
use of chemical weapons in Syria. n
But, of course, this is only part of
MDGs: Too many people still lack basic drinking
water and sanitation
D
espite a narrowing disparity
in access to cleaner water and
better sanitation between rural
and urban areas, sharp inequalities still
persist around the world, says a new
United Nations report.
Photo: Narayan Patel (From the World Water Day Facebook Contest 2014)
According to the 2014 Joint Monitoring
Report on global progress against the
Millennium Development Goal (MDG)
on water and sanitation, more than
half of the global population lives in
cities, and urban areas are still better
supplied with improved water and
sanitation than rural ones. But this gap
is decreasing.
The report, produced by the World
Health Organization (WHO) and the
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), notes
that in 1990, more than 76 per cent of
people living in urban areas had access
to improved sanitation, as opposed to
only 28 per cent in rural ones. By 2012,
80 per cent of urban dwellers and 47
per cent of rural ones had access to
better sanitation.
In 1990, 95 per cent of people in urban
areas could drink improved water,
compared with 62 per cent of people
in rural ones. By 2012, 96 per cent of
people living in towns and 82 per cent
of those in rural areas had access to
improved water.
Despite this progress, sharp
geographic, socio-cultural, and
economic inequalities in access
to improved drinking water and
sanitation facilities still persist around
the world.
“The vast majority of those without
improved sanitation are poorer
people living in rural areas. Progress
on rural sanitation – where it has
occurred – has primarily benefitted
richer people, increasing inequalities,”
said Maria Neira, WHO Director for
Public Health,
Environmental
and Social
Determinants of
Health.
“The challenge
now is to take
concrete steps to
accelerate access
to disadvantaged
groups. An
essential first
step is to track
better who, when
and how people
access improved
sanitation and
drinking water, so
we can focus on
those who don’t
yet have access
to these basic
n
facilities.”
May 2014 | 5
Empowering Vulnerable Communities
UNDP: Towards ending discrimination
Lise Grande, United Nations Resident
Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative said, “UNDP joins the
[transgender] community and country
in celebrating the Supreme Court’s
landmark judgment. We congratulate
the Government of India, the National
Legal Services Authority and the
transgender community for their efforts
to affirm that individuals have the right
to choose their identity.”
In its ruling, the Supreme Court noted,
“Respect for human rights is the root of
human development and realization of
full potential of each individual, which
in turn leads to the augmentation of
human resources with progress of the
nation. Empowerment of the people
through human development is the aim
of human rights.”
The judgment cites a 2010 UNDP study
titled ‘HIV, Human Rights and Social
Exclusion’ which notes an increase in
HIV and sexually transmitted diseases
amongst transgender/hijra populations.
The judgment also outlines key
recommendations from the Report
including the need
for legal recognition
of the community,
expanding social
welfare schemes
and greater
involvement
of vulnerable
communities in
policy formulation.
UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
T
he United Nations Development
Programme has hailed the recent
landmark judgment of the
Supreme Court of India recognizing
and re-affirming an individual’s right to
choose their identity as male, female or
third gender.
Key highlights of
the judgment:
• Recognition
Charles Radcliffe (right), Chief the Global Issues Section of the Office
of people who
of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and
identify in the
Bollywood star and UN Equality Champion Celina Jaitly brief journalists
opposite sex is on the UN’s “Free and Equal” campaign advocating the rights of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
based on selfidentification.
care, and to make civil amenities like
This includes female identifying as
male and male identifying as female
public toilets and restrooms accessible
and available for them.
• Discrimination on the ground of
sexual orientation and gender identity
amounts to discrimination on the
ground of sex under Article 15
• No Sex Reassignment surgery is
required for recognition of gender
identity
• The right of individuals to choose
their gender identity is protected
under the Constitution
The judgment directs State
governments to ensure livelihoods,
expand social security, provide health
The case was filed by the National Legal
Services Authority in 2012 and was
subsequently impleaded by civil and
legal rights groups.
Since 2009, UNDP has supported efforts
at greater recognition for the transgender
community. This has included
convening stakeholder consultations,
generating greater awareness in the
legal community and strengthening
n
community institutions.
www.in.undp.org
APCTT: Training on post-harvest technologies for
vulnerable communities
B
y the year 2050, the world
population is expected to reach
9 billion people, and demand
for food will increase by 60 percent,
6 |
May 2014
according to the United Nations Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Approximately one-third of the food
produced in the world goes to waste
– a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes every
year. The causes of post-harvest loss are
varied and complex, depending upon
weather, region, and crops, but the
most common reasons in
the developing world are
a lack of storage facilities
and transportation, and
inadequate information on
the scale of food loss.
The Asian and Pacific
Centre for Transfer of
Technology (APCTT), a
regional institution of the
United Nations Economic
and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific
(UNESCAP), is currently
co-implementing a
European Union funded
UN Photo/Martine Perret
project entitled ‘Network
for knowledge transfer on
APCTT is leading the coordination and
sustainable agricultural technologies
implementation of training programmes
and improved market linkages in
for the South Asian region. In India,
South and Southeast Asia’, or SATNET
the SATNET Asia Project aims to carry
Asia, in partnership with the Centre
out capacity building activities in the
For Alleviation of Poverty through
Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA),
states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam,
another regional institution of
Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
UNESCAP, based in Bogor, Indonesia.
Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, Gujarat,
The SATNET Asia Project aims to
Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
support innovation by strengthening
South–South dialogue and
Fruits and vegetables are highly
intraregional learning on sustainable
perishable commodities and about 30
agriculture technologies and trade
per cent of them produced in India are
facilitation, thereby contributing to
rendered unfit for consumption due to
improved food security and reduced
spoilage after harvesting. According
poverty of the poorest and most
to a study by Assocham, India is
vulnerable people in South and
incurring post-harvest losses of fruits
Southeast Asia. SATNET targets
and vegetable worth INR 2 Trillion (32.7
various actors along domestic and
billion USD) per year, due to lack of
regional value chains who play roles
as change agents and innovators.
storage and processing facilities.
Small-holder farmers
are vital for India’s
agriculture and rural
economy. Smallholder
farmers – defined as
those marginal and
sub-marginal farm
households that own or/
and cultivate less than
2.0 hectares of land –
constitute about 78 per
cent of the country’s
farmers (Agricultural
Census 1990-91).
Notwithstanding
their substantial and
increasing contribution
to the national food
supply and to agricultural GDP, these
small-holder groups constitute more
than half of the nation’s hungry
and poor and hence considered a
vulnerable community.
With a view to assisting smallholder
farmers and small scale foodprocessing firms, APCTT will
organize a SATNET Asia National
Training Programme on Post-harvest
Technologies for Increasing Shelf
Life of Agricultural Products in June
2014 in Puducherry in partnership
with the Department of Food
Science and Technology, Pondicherry
University. The training will aim to
inform participants on a range of
technologies and best practices for
increasing the shelf life of agricultural
products. n
www.apctt.org
UNICEF: Improving access to nutrition services
for children in regions affected by civil strife
C
hhattisgarh is home to 25.5
million people; 31 per cent
of them are Adivasis, making
Chhattisgarh the state with the
largest proportion of Adivasis in India
Delivering nutrition services to Adivasi
children and women is a challenge
as the districts where they live are
often remote and affected by left wing
extremism. India’s latest National
Family Health Survey indicated that
52 per cent of Adivasi underfives have
stunted growth due to chronic
undernutrition. The survey also
showed that only 56 per cent
of children participate regularly
in growth promotion sessions,
indicating poor access to and
May 2014 | 7
Chhattisgarh’s Abhujmarh region is a
hilly and forested Adivasi setting where
access to basic government services
due to civil unrest is a challenge.
Abhujmarh – which in Hindi means
unknown highlands – houses 34,000
Adivasis living in 233 far-flung villages
spread across an area of 4,000 square
kilometres. Civil unrest and paramilitary
search operations have compelled most
government workers to stay away from
this region and led to a breakdown in
the delivery of the government run
basic health and nutrition programmes.
Orchha block, which comprises 209
of the villages in the Abhujmarh
region, has been the worst affected.
In response to this situation, the state
government decided to outsource the
implementation of the ICDS in Orchha
to the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram, a
respected and well-accepted faith-based
organization.
A field assessment conducted in 2009,
revealed that the number of anganwadi
centres in Orchha – 85 in total – was
grossly inadequate to provide timely
and quality information, counselling,
support and services to the children
and women living in Orchha’s 209
villages. Furthermore, for some 40 per
cent of these villages, the nearest health
facility was up to 20 kilometers away. To
address this situation, a partnership was
signed in April 2011 by the Government
of Chhattisgarh’s Departments of
Women and Child Development
Photo: UNICEF
use of ICDS, the flagship programme
for the delivery of child nutrition and
development services
and Health and Family Welfare, the
Ramakrishna Mission Ashram and
UNICEF to improve the coverage and
quality of the services provided by ICDS.
Thirty-two state level trainers who
were fluent in the local language were
identified and trained to build the
capacity of 135 anganwadi workers and
anganwadi helpers on how to deliver
information, counseling, support and
services on infant and young child
feeding, nutrition and care. Additionally
157 community volunteers – at least
one per village – were identified and
trained to support the anganwadi
workers in mobilizing communities
to demand and use the services
provided through the improved ICDS
programme. A number of innovations
were introduced to counsel mothers
and track mother-child pairs. In each
village, a timetable for home visits by
anganwadi workers and community
volunteers was developed and both
anganwadi workers and volunteers
were equipped with pictorial tools and
job aids to support their counseling
sessions. Monthly Village Health and
Nutrition Days were systematically
organized at the anganwadi centres
where health and nutrition services
were provided and community growth
monitoring and counseling sessions
were held. Additionally, intensive
immunization and awareness raising
drives were conducted in 97 hard to
reach villages using the weekly village
markets. Finally, efforts were initiated
to provide therapeutic care for children
with severe acute malnutrition in
six Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres,
including free transportation and inn
kind compensation to mothers.
Read the full story at www.unic.org.in
UNICEF: Immunization saves lives
I
mmunization is one of the world’s
most successful and cost-effective
public health initiative. Globally,
immunization coverage has increased
from around 20 per cent in 1980 to
above 84 per cent in 2010, averting
millions of deaths every year.
8 |
May 2014
But India, despite having one of the
largest immunization programs, still
reports a 61 percent national coverage
for routine immunization. This means
that nearly one in five infants – still
miss out on the basic vaccines they
need to stay healthy.
Every year, about 1.4 million children,
below the age of five years, die due to
vaccine preventable diseases such as
pneumonia and diarrhoea. A majority
of the fatality occurs in the case of the
minorities and vulnerable communities
where the children remain un-immunized.
Photo: UNICEF
The immunization of Muslim children
remains the poorest, with only 36.3 per
cent coverage.
A concerted effort is, therefore, required
to reach out to these vulnerable
communities.
“All children, no matter where they
live or what their circumstances are,
have the right to survive and to thrive
– all stakeholders should help them
realize that. As media is a crucial ally
in any public health initiative, there
is a need to find innovative and rapid
ways of engaging with it, especially at
the district and state levels to expand
awareness on routine immunization,”
says Caroline Den Dulk, Chief of
Communication, UNICEF India, batting
for an equity-focused approach.
On its part, UNICEF is engaging
with diverse sets of media, including
the Urdu media and the radio, to
catalyze informed discourse on routine
immunization.
As radio is still one of the most potent
mass mediums available – accessible,
affordable and flexible, UNICEF in
partnership with AROI, the association
of all private radio operators in the
country, hopes to leverage its strengths
for promoting immunization.
It has been disseminating messages
through news, talk shows,
advertisements, quiz shows and other
programmes to highlight the fact
that vaccines can and have helped
save millions of lives. Several of these
programs were aired on the national
broadcaster, All India Radio during
the World Immunization Week that
concluded recently.
Through a robust partnership with
All India Radio as well as the private
FM radio players, UNICEF hopes to
reach out to the most vulnerable
communities, migrant populations and
hard-to-reach areas. The penetration of
the state broadcaster All India Radio is
almost 99 percent, while that of private
operators is close to 80 per cent in 91
cities (at present) across the country.
(l-r): Caroline Den Dulk, Chief of Communication, UNICEF India; S. M. Khan, Director General,
DD News; Dr. Khwaja Ikramuddin, Director, NCPUL; Syed Faisal Ali, Group Editor, Rozana
Rashtriya Sahara & Editor, Almi Samay TV; and Dr. Rihan Khan Suri, Jamia Milia University.
To target vulnerable minority
populations, UNICEF is also engaging
the Urdu media by roping in academic
institutions such as the Jamia Millia
University and NGOs such as Shikhar.
The fact that the use of local language
can reinforce instant message recall and
brand recognition of immunization and
child survival is being leveraged.
At a recent Urdu Editors’ Conference,
participants agreed that it was
a daunting task to cover the
approximately 27 million children
born every year in India– the largest
birth cohort in the world. Apart from
the numbers, geographical diversity,
superstitions and myths about
vaccination, and also a constant stream
of migrant populations who may fall
out of the immunization net, were
identified as major reasons behind
sharp inequities in immunization
coverage.
S. M. Khan, Director General,
Doordarshan News, who was also
part of the deliberations, emphasized
the need for a multi-pronged
communication strategy, using both
the mass media and the traditional
and folk media, to improve awareness
on immunization. This need was
particularly felt in states like Assam,
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
that have more minority populations
relatively in proportion to their total
population, he said.
He also said that Doordarshan's vast
network and use of easy-to-understand
Urdu language in its programmes,
could be leveraged to reach out to
migrants and populations in regions
that are difficult to reach.
UNICEF, in partnership with Shikhar
Organization for Social Development
(SOSD), is also organizing community
awareness programs targeting
students, mothers, religious leaders
and community influencers, unani
doctors and primary healthcare and
community workers to sensitize
people on the benefits of routine
n
immunization.
May 2014 | 9
UN Women:
A mother and daughter’s struggle to survive
“H
Family Health Survey, in India, about
37 per cent of ever married women
had experienced violence at the
hands of their spouse.
“Six years ago, my husband threw me
out, as he did not want to stay with
me anymore,” she says. “I lost three
children. They were stillborn. He accused
me of not being able to procreate healthy
babies and deserted me.”
Domestic violence during pregnancy
is a major contributor to child
mortality, a predicament Bhuri Bibi’s
all too familiar with. Research shows
that in these instances there is an
increased likelihood of premature
labour, lower infant birth weight and
stillbirths. Millennium Development
Goal 4 calls for a reduction in child
mortality, aiming to reduce the underfive mortality rate by two-thirds
between 1990 and 2015.
e used to beat me up
without any reason. It was
an everyday affair. I had
multiple miscarriages,” recounts Bhuri
Bibi with a forlorn look in her eyes. She
now works as a casual labourer and
lives with her 4-year-old daughter in her
maternal village in the Sehore district
of the province of Madhya Pradesh, in
central India.
The experiences Bhuri Bibi has endured
have scarred her and she doesn’t trust
easily today. Her life revolves around her
daughter, who she says is her sole reason
for existence. The little girl clings to her
mother without letting go even for a
moment.
Bhuri Bibi’s story is not uncommon.
According to the 2005-2006 National
“When he finally abandoned me, I
was already expecting again, although
I was not aware of it then. I was
staying at my mother’s home when
my daughter was born and this time
the baby survived, maybe because I
was not beaten and tortured during
pregnancy,” Bhuri Bibi reflects, in the
report.
Although her husband and family
shunned her and her newborn daughter,
she was able to find the support and
care she so desperately needed in her
mother. But just as she thought her life
was finally turning around, her mother
passed away, leaving Bhuri Bibi to live
in a house with her brothers. They tried
to force her to leave by inflicting more
violence upon her. After her persistent
refusal to leave the house, the brothers
agreed to give Bhuri Bibi and her
daughter a small space in the home.
“I take my daughter with me wherever
I go, as I don’t trust anyone… I’ll never
let her out of my sight,” she says. “I
really hope that I get money to build a
small dwelling for her and myself to live
peacefully.”
As victims of domestic violence,
Bhuri Bibi and her daughter are now
particularly vulnerable to economic and
employment-related disadvantages.
Their future is unclear, but Bhuri Bibi’s
maternal protective instinct will go far.
Her experiences with domestic violence
and its impact on child mortality have
hit her hard, but she still believes in a
happy future for her and her daughter
one day.
Reducing child mortality in India
Photo: UN Women
Between 2011-2013, UN Women
trained 800 female motivators to
encourage other women to participate in
special meetings meant only for women
or mahila sabhas, where they spoke
about domestic violence as well as
other social issues such as alcoholism,
dowry, sex selection and child marriage.
Over the same period, 6 million women
participated in 1,172 Gram Sabhas, 5,163
ward sabhas and 3,179 mahila sabhas
(women’s meetings at different local
n
levels).
www.unwomen.org
10 |
May 2014
;w,u jsftMsVa dkWfMZuVs j rFkk ;w,uMhih
dh LFkkuh; izfrfuf/k fytk xzka Ms us dgk]
^^;w,uMhih] mPpre U;k;ky; ds bl
,sfrgkfld fu.kZ; ds mYykl esa fHkUu
fyaxh leqnk; vkSj ns'k ds lkFk ge Hkkjr
ljdkj] jk"Vªh; fof/kd lsok izkf/kdj.k vkSj
fHkUu fyaxh leqnk; dks bl ckr dh c/kkbZ
nsrs gSa fd mUgksua s gj O;fDr ds fy, viuh
igpku pquus dk vf/kdkj fnykus ds fy,
iz;kl fd;kA**
mPpre U;k;ky; us vius fu.kZ; esa dgk]
^^ekuo vf/kdkjksa dk lEeku] ekuo ds
fodkl vkSj gj O;fDr dh iw.kZ izfrHkk
dks lkdkj djus dh cqfu;kn gS] ftlds
QyLo:i ekuo lalk/ku c<+rk gS vkSj
ns'k izxfr djrk gSA ekuo fodkl ds
tfj, turk dk l'kfDrdj.k] ekuo
vf/kdkjksa dk y{; gSA**
bl fu.kZ; esa ;w,uMhih ds 2010 ds ,d
v/;;u] ^,pvkbZoh] g~;ew u jkbV~l ,aM
lks'ky ,DlDywtu* dk mYys[k gSA ftlesa
la
;qDr jk"Vª [kkn~; ,oa d`f"k
laxBu ¼,Q,vks½ ds vuqlkj
2050 rd nqfu;k dh vkcknh
ukS vjc gks tkus dh laHkkouk gS vkSj
Hkkstu dh ekax 60 izfr'kr c<+x
s hA nqfu;k
esa iSnk gksus okyh djhc ,d frgkbZ [kkn~;
crk;k x;k gS fd
fHkUu fyaxh@fgtM+k
vkcknh esa ,pvkbZoh
vkSj ;kSu lapkjh jksx
c<+s gSAa fu.kZ; esa fjiksVZ
dh ize[q k flQkfj'kksa
dk Hkh ftØ gS ftuesa
leqnk; ds fy, dkuwuh
ekU;rk] lekt dY;k.k
;kstukvksa dk ykHk
rFkk uhfr fu/kkZj.k esa
ykpkj leqnk;ksa dh
vf/kd Hkkxhnkjh dh
vko';drk crkbZ xbZ gSA
QksVks% /khjt flag@;w,uMhih
la
;qDr jk"Vª fodkl dk;ZØe us
Hkkjr ds mPpre U;k;ky; ds
ml rktk ,sfrgkfld fu.kZ;
dk Lokxr fd;k gS ftlesa gj O;fDr dks
iq:"k] efgyk ;k fyax dh rhljh Js.kh ds
:i esa viuh igpku pquus ds vf/kdkj
dks ekU;rk nh xbZ vkSj mldh iqu% iqf"V
dh xbZA
,ythchVh leqnk; ds lnL;ksa us 30 vizSy 2014 dks eqacbZ] Hkkjr esa
,ythchVh cjkcjh ds fy, la;qDr jk"Vª ekuo vf/kdkj dk;kZy; ds
f'k{k.k vfHk;ku ds rgr leySafxd iq#"k vf/kdkjksa ls lac) la;qDr jk"Vª
laxhr ohfM;ks ds foekspu ds nkSjku laoknnkrk lEesyu esa fgLlk fy;kA
mu yksxksa dks ekU;rk tks viuh igpku ds
fy, fHkUu fyax dks viukrs gSAa buesa [kqn
dks iq:"k crkus okyh efgyk,a vkSj efgyk
crkus okys iq:"k 'kkfey gSAa
;kSu vkpj.k rFkk ySfa xd igpku ds vk/
kkj ij HksnHkko dks vuqPNsn & 15 ds varxZr
lSDl ds vk/kkj ij HksnHkko ekuk tk,xkA
ySfa xd igpku ds fy, fdlh fyax
iqufuZ/kkj.k ltZjh dh vko';drk ugha gSA
lafo/kku us gj O;fDr dks viuh ySfa xd
igpku pquus ds vf/kdkj dks laj{k.k fn;k
gSA
fu.kZ; esa jkT; ljdkjksa dks funs'Z k fn;k
x;k gS fd os bu leqnk;ksa ds fy,
lkexzh ;kfu gj lky 1-3 vjc Vu cckZn
pyh tkrh gSA Qly dVkbZ ds ckn cckZnh
ds dkj.k vyx & vyx vkSj tfVy gSa
rFkk ekSle] {ks= vkSj Qly ij fuHkZj
gSAa fodkl'khy ns'kksa esa blds lcls vke
dkj.kksa esa HkaMkj.k rFkk <qykbZ lqfo/kkvksa dh
vkthfodk] lkekftd lqj{kk] LokLF; lsok
dh O;oLFkk djs vkSj lkoZtfud 'kkSpky;
rFkk jsLV:e tSlh tulqfo/kk,a lqyHk
djk,aA
bl ckjs esa jk"Vªh; fof/kd lsok izkf/kdj.k
us 2012 esa ;kfpdk nk;j dh Fkh ftls ckn
esa vusd ukxfjd vkSj dkuwuh vf/kdkj
lewgksa us leFkZu fn;kA
2009 ls ;w,uMhih us fHkUu fyaxh leqnk;
dks vf/kd ekU;rk fnykus ds iz;klksa
dks leFkZu fn;k gSA blds fy, lac)
i{kksa ds chp ijke'kksaZ dk vk;kstu gqvk]
fof/k leqnk; esa tkx:drk c<+kus rFkk
lkeqnkf;d laLFkkvksa dks rkdr nsus ds
n
iz;kl fd, x,A
www.in.undp.org
deh vkSj [kkn~; lkexzh dh cckZnh ds Lrj
ds ckjs esa iwjh tkudkjh dk vHkko gSA
,f'k;u ,aM iSflfQd lsVa j QkWj Vªkl
a Qj
vkWQ VSDuksykWth ¼,ihlhVhVh½ ,f'k;k
iz'kkar ds fy, la;Dq r jk"Vª vkfFkZd vkSj
May 2014 | 11
May 2014 | 11
lSVusV ,f'k;k izkt
s Ds V dk mn~n's ;
fodkl'khy ns'kksa ds chp laokn rFkk
[ksrh dh fVdkÅ rduhdksa vkSj O;kikj esa
lgk;rk ds ckjs esa {ks= ds chp ,d & nwljs
ls lh[kus dh O;oLFkk dks etcwr dj u,
iz;klksa dks leFkZu nsuk gSA blls nf{k.k
vkSj nf{k.k & iwoZ ,f'k;k esa lcls xjhc vkSj
lcls ykpkj leqnk;ksa dh xjhch de djus
vkSj [kkn~; lqj{kk c<+kus esa enn feysxhA
lSVusV ifjorZu ,tsVa vkSj ubZ lksp
viukus okyksa dh Hkwfedk fuHkkus okys mu
reke lg;ksfx;ksa ds lkFk dke djrk gS tks
?kjsyw vkSj {ks=h; oSY;w psu dk fgLlk gSAa
,ihlhVhVh nf{k.k ,f'k;kbZ {ks= esa izf'k{k.k
dk;ZØeksa esa rkyesy vkSj fØ;kUo;u ds
iz;klksa dh vxqokbZ dj jgk gSA Hkkjr
esa lSVusV ,f'k;k izkt
s Ds V dk mn~n's ;
vka/kzinz 's k] vle] gfj;k.kk] e/; izn's k]
N
Ùkhlx<+ ds 2-55 djksM+
fuokfl;ksa esa ls 31 çfr'kr
vkfnoklh gksus ds dkj.k
NÙkhlx<+ esa vkfnoklh Hkkjr esa lcls
vf/kd gSA vkfnoklh cPpksa vkSj efgykvksa
rd iks"kkgkj lsok,a igq¡pkuk dfBu dke gS
12 |
May 2014
QksVks% ,ihlhVhVh
lkekftd vk;ksx ¼;w,u,Ldsi½ dh ,d
{ks=h; laLFkk gSA ;g vktdy baMksufs 'k;k
esa cksxksj fLFkr ;w,u,Ldsi dh gh ,d
vkSj {ks=h; laLFkk lsVa j QkWj ,fyfo,'ku
vkWQ ikoVhZ Fkzw lLVsucs y ,xzhdYpj
¼lh,ih,l,½ ds lkFk feydj ;wjksih; la?k
ds /ku ls lapkfyr ,d izkt
s Ds V pyk jgk
gS ftldk uke gS ^usVodZ QkWj ukWyt
s
Vªkl
a Qj vkWu lLVsucs y ,xzhdYpjy
VSDuksykWtht ,aM baiOwz M ekdsVZ fyadfs tt
bu lkmFk ,aM lkmFk & bZLV ,f'k;k* ;kuh
nf{k.k ,oa nf{k.k & iwoZ ,f'k;k esa [ksrh
dh fVdkÅ rduhd vkSj cktkj ds lkFk
csgrj laidZ ds ckjs esa tkudkjh nsus dk
usVodZ ;k lSVusV ,f'k;kA
rfeyukMq] jktLFkku] if'pe caxky] mÙkj
izn's k] egkjk"Vª] dukZVd] vksfM+'kk] xqtjkr]
NÙkhlx<+] fcgkj vkSj >kj[kaM jkT;ksa esa
{kerk fuekZ.k xfrfof/k;ka pykuk gSA
Qy vkSj lfCt;ka cgqr tYnh [kjkc gks
tkrs gSa vkSj Hkkjr esa budh dqy iSnkokj
dk djhc 30 izfr'kr fgLlk isM+ ls
rksMu+ s ds ckn [kjkc gks tkus ds dkj.k
[kkus yk;d ugha jgrkA ,lkspeS ds ,d
v/;;u ds vuqlkj Hkkjr esa HkaMkj.k vkSj
izkl
s fs lax lqfo/kkvksa ds vHkko esa Qly vkus
ds ckn gj lky 20 [kjc #i;s ;kuh 32-7
vjc vejhdh MkWyj ds Qy vkSj lfCt;ka
cckZn gks tkrs gSAa
Hkkjr esa [ksrh vkSj xzkeh.k vFkZO;oLFkk esa
NksVh tksr okys fdlkuksa dh cM+h Hkwfedk
gSA ;s ,sls lhekar vkSj milhekar d`"kd
ifjokj gSa tks nks gsDVs;j ls de tehu
ds ekfyd gSa ;k@vkSj mls tksrrs gSAa ns'k
ds fdlkuksa esa budh fgLlsnkjh djhc 78
D;ksfa d os ftu ftyksa es jgrs gSa os vdlj
cgqr nwj vkSj okeiaFkh mxzokn ds ?ksjs esa
gSAa
Hkkjr ds rktrjhu jk"Vªh; ifjokj
LokLF; los{Z k.k ls ladrs feyrk gS fd
vkfnokfl;ksa esa ik¡p o"kZ ls NksVs 52
izfr'kr gS ¼d`f"k tux.kuk 1990@91½A
ns'k esa [kkn~; vkiwfrZ vkSj [ksrh ds thMhih
esa buds cM+s Hkkjh vkSj c<+rs ;ksxnku ds
ckotwn ns'k ds Hkw[ks vkSj xjhc leqnk;ksa esa
vk/ks ls vf/kd fgLlsnkjh NksVh tksr okys
bu fdlkuksa dh gS] blfy, bUgsa ykpkj
leqnk; ekuk tkrk gSA
NksVh tksr okys fdlkuksa vkSj y?kq [kkn~;
izlLa dj.k daifu;ksa dh enn ds mn~n's ;
ls ,ihlhVhVh twu 2014 esa iqnn~ p
q js h
esa QwM lkbal ,aM VSDuksykWth foHkkx]
ikafMpsjh fo'ofo|ky; ds lkFk feydj
Qly dVkbZ ds ckn dh rduhdksa ds ckjs
esa lSVusV ,f'k;k us'kuy Vªfs uax izkx
s kz e
pyk,xk rkfd [ksrh dh mit dks vf/kd
le; rd j[kk tk ldsA bldk mn~n's ;
fdlkuksa dks mudh mit dh mez c<+kus ds
fy, dbZ rjg dh VSDuksykWth vkSj loksÙZ ke
n
fof/k;ksa dh tkudkjh nsuk gSA
www.apctt.org
çfr'kr cPps cqjh rjg dqiksf"kr gksus ds
dkj.k ckSus jg tkrs gSAa losZ ls ;g Hkh
irk yxrk gS fd flQZ 56 çfr'kr cPps
fu;fer :i ls c<+okj c<+kus ds l=ksa esa
vkrs gS]a ftlls tkfgj gksrk gS fd cky
iks"kkgkj vkSj fodkl lsok,a çnku djus
April 2014 | 12
okys çeq[k dk;ZØe vkbZlhMh,l rd igq¡p
vkSj mldk mi;ksx fdruk de gSAa
2009 esa fd, x, ,d QhYM vkdyu
ls irk pyk fd vksjNk ds dqy 89
vk¡xuokM+h dsæa 209 xk¡oksa ds fuoklh
cPpksa vkSj efgykvksa dks le; ls mÙke
fdLe dh lwpuk] ijke'kZ] lgk;rk vkSj
lsok,a nsus esa iwjh rjg vl{ke gSAa bruk
gh ugha buesa ls djhc 40 çfr'kr xk¡oksa
ds fy, lcls utnhdh LokLF; dsæa 20
fdyksehVj nwj gSA bl fLFkfr ls fuiVus
ds fy, vçSy 2011 esa NÙkhlx<+ ljdkj
ds efgyk ,oa cky fodkl vkSj LokLF;
rFkk ifjokj dY;k.k foHkkx] jke—".k
vkJe vkSj ;qfulsQ ds chp ,d Hkkxhnkjh
le>kSrs ij gLrk{kj fd, x, rkfd
lesfdr cky fodkl lsok ¼vkbZlhMh,l½
ds varxZr lsokvksa dh xq.koÙkk vkSj çlkj
dks lq/kkjk tk ldsA
bl lk>snkjh esa O;oLFkk dh xbZ fd
NÙkhlx<+ ljdkj vkbZlhMh,l ij vey
ds fy, jke—".k vkJe dks /ku nsrh jgsxh]
jke—".k vkJe vkbZlhMh,l dh xq.koÙkk
vkSj çlkj lq/kkjus ds ç;kl djsxk vkSj
;qfulsQ jke—".k vkJe ds deZpkfj;ksa dks
rduhdh vkSj dk;ZØe pykus dh n{krk
nsxk ftldk mís'; 1½ nks lky ls NksVs
cPpksa esa dqiks"k.k jksdus ds fy, mUgsa vf/
QksVks% ;qfulsQ
NÙkhlx<+ ds vcw>ekM+ {ks= esa taxy vkSj
igkM+h vkfnoklh cfLr;ksa rd cqfu;knh
ljdkjh lsok,a igq¡pkuk ukxfjd vlarks"k
ds dkj.k cgqr Vs<k+ dke gSA vcw>ekM+
esa 4000 oxZ fdyksehVj esa QSys nwj njkt
ds 233 xk¡oksa esa 34000 vkfnoklh jgrs
gSAa vlSU; vlarks"k vkSj v/kZlfS ud cyksa
ds ryk'kh vfHk;kuksa ds dkj.k ljdkjh
deZpkjh ogk¡ ls nwj gh jgrs gSa vkSj
cqfu;knh LokLF; vkSj iks"kkgkj dk;ZØe
ds varxZr nh tkus okyh ljdkjh lsok,¡
,dne BIi jgrh gSAa vcw>ekM+ {ks= esa
209 xk¡o vksjNk [kaM ds varxZr vkrs gS]a
tks lcls cqjh rjg =Lr gSA ,slh fLFkfr
esa jkT; ljdkj us vksjNk esa vkbZlhMh,l
lsok,¡ çnku djus dh ftEesnkjh ,d
lEekfur vkSj Lohdk;Z lkekftd lsok
laxBu jke—".k vkJe dks lkSia us dk
QSlyk fd;k A
kdre vkgkj nsus ds rjhdksa dk laj{k.k]
laonZ/~ ku vkSj leFkZu djuk vkSj
2½ vR;f/kd dqiksf"kr cPpksa dks fQj LoLFk
djus dh ns[kHkky nsus ds fy, iks"kkgkj
iquokZl dsæa LFkkfir djuk gSA
jkT; Lrj ij LFkkuh; Hkk"kk esa fuiq.k 32
çf'k{kdksa dks pqudj 135 vk¡xuckM+h okyh
cfguft;ksa ¼dk;Zdf=;ks½a vkSj vk¡xuckM+h
lgk;dksa dks ;g fl[kkus dk çf'k{k.k
fn;k x;k fd mUgsa f'k'kq vkSj NksVs cPpksa
dks vkgkj iks"k.k vkSj ns[kHkky nsus ds
ckjs esa lwpuk] ijke'kZ] leFkZu vkSj lsok,¡
dSls çnku djuh gSAa blds vykok
157 lkeqnkf;d Lo;alos dksa & ,d xk¡o
esa de ls de ,d & dks pqudj csgrj
vkbZlhMh,l dk;ZØe ds tfj, nh tk jgh
lsokvksa dh ek¡x vkSj mi;ksx djus ds fy,
leqnk;ksa dks ,dtqV djus esa vk¡xuckM+h
okyh cfguth dks lgkjk nsus dk çf'k{k.k
fn;k x;kA ekrkvksa dks ijke'kZ nsus vkSj
ek¡ & cPps dh tksMh+ ij utj j[kus ds
fy, vusd u, rjhds viuk, x, gSAa
gj xk¡o esa vk¡xuckM+h okyh cfguth vkSj
lkeqnkf;d Lo;alos dksa ds fy, ?kj & ?kj
tkus dh ,d le; lkfj.kh rS;kj dh xbZ
gS vkSj mu nksuksa dks ijke'kZ l=ksa esa enn
ds fy, rLohjksa okys lk/ku vkSj dke esa
lgk;d lkexzh nh xbZ gSA vk¡xuckM+h
dsæa ksa ij ekfld xzke LokLF; vkSj iks"kkgkj
fnolksa dk Øeokj vk;kstu fd;k tkrk
gS ftuesa LokLF; vkSj iks"kkgkj lsok,¡ nh
tkrh gSa vkSj leqnk; dh o`f) fuxjkuh
vkSj ijke'kZ l= gksrs gSAa blds vykok
ftu 97 xk¡oksa esa igq¡puk eqf'dy gS] ogk¡
lkIrkfgd gkV ds nkSjku xgu Vhdkdj.k
vkSj tkx:drk l= pyk, tkrs gSAa
N% iks"kkgkj iquokZl dsæa ksa esa cgqr vf/
kd dqiksf"kr cPpksa ds fy, mipkj lsok,¡
nsus ds fy, ç;kl fd, tk jgs gS]a ftuesa
ek¡ & cPps dks eq¶r dsæa rd ykuk vkSj
ek¡ dks mlds le; dh HkjikbZ ds fy,
oLrq,¡ migkj esa nsuk 'kkfey gSA
dk;ZØe ds vk¡dM+s crkrs gSa fd ebZ 2013
dj vksjNk Cykd ds lHkh vk¡xuckM+h
dsæa ksa esa ekfld xzke LokLF; ,oa iks"kkgkj
fnol euk, x,] ik¡p o"kZ ls NksVs 72
çfr'kr cPpksa dh ekfld o`f) fuxjkuh
dh xbZ] 61 çfr'kr ekrkvksa dks f'k'kqvksa
vkSj NksVs cPpksa dks vkgkj nsus ds ckjs
esa tkudkjh] ijke'kZ vkSj lgk;rk nh
xbZ vkSj xaHkhj :i ls dqiksf"kr 741
cPpksa dks ebZ 2011 vkSj ebZ 2013
ds chp N% iks"kkgkj iquokZl dsæa ksa esa
HkrhZ djk;k x;kA oSls rks lq/kkj dh
xqt
a kb'k vc Hkh cgqr gS] ij NÙkhlx<+
ds vuqHko us lkfcr dj fn;k gS fd
leqnk;ksa ds Hkjksles na LFkkuh; lkekftd
lsok laxBuksa ds lkFk Hkkxhnkjh djus
vkSj mUgsa ifjokjksa rFkk leqnk;ksa dks
tkudkjh] ijke'kZ rFkk leFkZu vkSj
lsok,¡ nsus esa l{ke cukus ls] [kkldj
nqxeZ cfLr;ksa ;k vlSU; la?k"kZ esa Qals
{ks=ksa es]a vkfnoklh cPpksa vkSj efgykvksa
dks iks"kkgkj lac/a kh vko';d lgk;rk
nsus dh O;oLFkk esa cgqr lq/kkj gks
n
ldrk gSA
May
May2014
2014| 13
Vh
dkdj.k nqfu;k esa lcls
lQy vkSj ykxr ds vuqlkj
çHkkoh tu & LokLF; igy
gSA nqfu;kHkj esa Vhdkdj.k çlkj 1980 esa
djhc 20 çfr'kr Fkk ysfdu 2010 rd
84 çfr'kr ls vf/kd gks x;k] ftlls gj
lky yk[kksa cPpksa dh tku cp jgh gSA
gj lky] ik¡p o"kZ ls NksVs djhc 14
yk[k cPps fueksfu;k vkSj nLrjksx tSls
,sls jksxksa ls ejrs gSa ftUgsa Vhds yxkdj
vklkuh ls jksdk tk ldrk gSA vf/kdrj
ekSrsa vYila[;d vkSj ykpkj leqnk;ksa esa
gksrh gSa] tgk¡ cPpksa dks Vhds ugha yxk,
tkrsA
eqfLye cPpksa dks lcls de Vhds yxrs
gSa] muesa çlkj nj flQZ 36-3 çfr'kr gSA
bu ykpkj leqnk;ksa ds cPpksa rd igq¡pus
ds fy, Bksl dkjZokbZ dh t:jr gSA
;qfulsQ bafM;k dh dE;qfuds'ku çeq[k
dSjksykbu Msu MYd us ykHk dsafær
–f"Vdks.k viukus ij tksj nsrs gq, dgk]
ÞlHkh cPpksa dks ftank jgus vkSj iuius
dk vf/kdkj gS] Hkys gh os dgha Hkh] fdlh
Hkh ifjfLFkfr esa jgrs gksaA lHkh lEc)
i{kksa dks mUgsa ;g vf/kdkj fnykus esa
enn djuh pkfg,A fdlh Hkh tu &
LokLF; igy dh lQyrk esa ehfM;k
dh Hkwfedk egRoiw.kZ gksrh gS] blfy,
[kkldj] ftyk vkSj jkT; Lrj ij
lkekU; Vhdkdj.k ds ckjs esa tkx:drk
QSykus ds fy, mldh enn ysus ds
u, & u, vkSj rst vlj rjhds ryk'k
djus dh t:jr gSAß
;qfulsQ vius Lrj ij mnqZ ekfM;k vkSj
jsfM;ks lfgr fofHkUu ehfM;k ek/;eksa ls
14 |
May 2014
QksVks% ;qfulsQ
fQj Hkh Hkkjr esa ,d lcls cM+k
Vhdkdj.k dk;ZØe gksus ds ckotwn ns'k
Hkj esa lkekU; Vhdkdj.k çlkj nj 61
çfr'kr gSA bldk vFkZ ;g gqvk fd gj
ik¡p esa ls djhc ,d f'k'kq vkt Hkh LoLFk
jgus ds fy, t:jh cqfu;knh Vhdksa ls
oafpr gSA
tqM+ jgk gS rkfd lkekU; Vhdkdj.k ds
ckjs esa tkudkj ppkZ 'kq# dh tk ldsA
jsfM;ks vkt Hkh tu & tu rd igq¡pus
dk lcls l{ke] loZlqyHk] lLrk vkSj
yphyk ek/;e gS] blfy, ;qfulsQ
ns'k esa lHkh futh jsfM;ks lapkydksa dh
,lksfl,'ku] ,vkjvksvkbZ ds lkFk feydj
Vhdkdj.k ds çpkj esa jsfM;ks dh {kerk
dk mi;ksx djuk pkgrk gSA
;qfulsQ lekpkjksa] okrkZvksa] foKkiuksa]
igyh dk;ZØeksa vkSj vU; dk;ZØeksa ds
ek/;e ls ;g lans'k çlkfjr & çpkfjr
dj jgk gS fd Vhdksa us yk[kksa ftanfx;k¡
cpkbZ gSa vkSj cpk ldrs gSaA ,sls vusd
dk;ZØeksa dk çlkj.k gky esa lEiUu
fo'o Vhdkdj.k lIrkg ds nkSjku jk"Vªh;
jsfM;ks] vkdk'kok.kh ij gqvk gSA
vkdk'kok.kh vkSj futh ,Q,e LVs'kuksa ds
lkFk etcwr lk>snkjh ds tfj, ;qfulsQ
lcls ykpkj leqnk;ksa] çoklh vkcknh
vkSj nqxZe {ks=ksa rd igq¡puk pkgrk gSA
ns'k esa vkdk'kok.kh dh igq¡p yxHkx 99
çfr'kr gS tcfd futh ,Q,e LVs'ku
bl le; 91 'kgjksa esa 80 çfr'kr yksxksa
rd igq¡p jgs gSaA
ykpkj vYila[;d leqnk;ksa rd igq¡pus
ds fy, ;qfulsQ tkfe;k fefy;k
fo'ofo|ky; tSls f'k{kk laLFkkuksa vkSj
f'k[kj tSls xSj & ljdkjh laxBuksa dh
enn ls mnqZ ehfM;k ls tqM+ jgk gSA
bl ckr dk ykHk mBk;k tk jgk gS fd
LFkkuh; Hkk"kk esa lans'k nsus ls rqjar ;kn
vk tkrs gSa vkSj Vhdkdj.k rFkk cPpksa dh
thou j{kk ds lans'kksa dh iqf"V gksrh gSA
gky gh mnqZ laikndksa ds lEesyu esa ;g
lgefr Fkh fd Hkkjr esa gj o"kZ tUe
ysus okys djhc 2-7 djksM+ cPpksa rd
Vhdkdj.k dk ykHk igq¡pkuk ,d cgqr
dfBu pqukSrh gSA nqfu;k esa gj lky
iSnk gksus okys cPpksa dh ;g lcls cM+h
la[;k gSA Vhdkdj.k çlkj nj esa bruh
?kksj vlekurk ds çeq[k dkj.kksa esa la[;k]
HkkSxksfyd fofo/krk] Vhdkdj.k ls tqM+s
va/kfo'oklksa vkSj xyr /kkj.kkvksa vkSj
Vhdkdj.k ds nk;js ls ckgj NwV tkus
okyh çoklh vkcknh ds fujarj çokg dks
Hkh 'kkfey fd;k x;kA
nwjn'kZu lekpkj ds egkfuns'kd] ,l-,e[kku us bl ppkZ ds nkSjku Vhdkj.k ds
ckjs esa tkx:drk c<+kus ds fy, tu
lapkj ek/;eksa ds lkFk & lkFk ikjaifjd
vkSj yksd ek/;eksa dk mi;ksx djrs
gq, lapkj dh cgqeq[kh uhfr viukus
dh vko';drk crkbZA mUgksaus dgk fd]
vle] if'pe caxky] mÙkj çns'k vkSj
fcgkj tSls jkT;ksa esa ;g t:jr fo'ks"k
rkSj ij eglwl dh tkrh gS] tgk¡ dqy
vkcknh esa vYila[;dksa dk vuqikr
vis{kk—r vf/kd gSA
“oks
fcuk ckr eq>s ihVk djrk
FkkA gj jkst dk ;gh
fu;e FkkA dbZ ckj esjs
cPps fxj x,]ß ;s lc crkrs gq, Hkwjh chch
dh vk¡[kksa esa ,d lwukiu FkkA fngkM+h
etnwjh ls viuk vkSj viuh pkj lky dh
csVh dk xqtkjk djrs gq, Hkwjh chch e/;
Hkkjr esa e/; çns'k ds flgksj ftys esa
viuh ek¡ ds xk¡o esa jgrh gSAa
mUgksua s dgk] ÞN% lky igys esjs ifr us
eq>s ?kj ls ckgj Qsd
a fn;k] D;ksfa d og
esjs lkFk jguk ugha pkgrk FkkA eSua s vius
rhu cPps xaok fn, FksA lc ejs gq, iSnk
gq, Fks- mlus dgk fd eSa lsgrean cPps
iSnk ugha dj ldrh blfy, mlus eq>s
NksM+ fn;kAß
Hkwjh chch us tks dqN >syk gS] muds eu
ij mlds ?kko cgqr xgjs gSa vkSj vc os
vklkuh ls fdlh ij Hkjkslk ugha djrhaA
mudh ftanxh viuh csVh ds bnZ & fxnZ
?kwerh gS] ftls os vius thus dh ,dek=
otg crkrh gSAa uUgh cPph viuh ek¡ ls
fpiVh jgrh gS] iy Hkj ds fy, Hkh ugha
NksMr+ hA
mudk ;g Hkh dguk Fkk fd nwjn'kZu
dk usVodZ cgqr fo'kky gS vkSj mlds
dk;ZØe esa vke cksypky dh mnqZ Hkk"kk
dk bLrseky gksrk gS] blfy, mldk
bLrseky nqxZe {ks=ksa dh vkcknh vkSj
çokfl;ksa rd lans'k igq¡pkus esa fd;k tk
ldrk gSA
;qfulsQ] f'k[kj lkekftd fodkl laxBu
¼,lvks,lMh½ ds lkFk feydj Hkh lkekU;
chch ,sls gkykr ls cgqr vPNh rjg
ifjfpr gSAa 'kks/k ls irk yxk gS fd
,sls gkykr esa le; ls igys çlo]
tUe ds le; f'k'kq dk Hkkj de jgus
vkSj f'k'kq e`r iSnk gksus dh vk'kadk c<+
tkrh gSA lglzkCnh fodkl y{; 4 esa
cky e`R;q de djus dks dgk x;k gS
rkfd ik¡p o"kZ ls de vk;q esa e`R;q nj
1990 vkSj 2015 ds chp nks & frgkbZ
de dh tk ldsA
Þmlus tc eq>s ges'kk ds fy, NksMk+
rc eSa isV ls FkhA eSa viuh ek¡ ds ?kj esa
Fkh] tc esjh csVh iSnk gqbZ vkSj bl ckj
cPph cp xbZ] 'kk;n blfy, fd tc
oks isV esa Fkh rks esjs lkFk u ekjihV gqbZ
vkSj u eq>s lrk;k x;k]ß Hkwjh chch dh
>yd fjiksVZ esa feyrh gSA
Hkwjh chch dh dgkuh vdsyh ugha gSA
2005 & 2006 ds jk"Vªh; ifjokj LokLF;
losZ{k.k ds vuqlkj] djhc 37 çfr'kr
'kknh'kqnk efgykvksa us vius ifr ds gkFkksa
ekjihV dks cnkZ'r fd;k gSA
ifr vkSj ifjokj us tc mUgsa vkSj
mudh uotkr csVh dks Bqdjk fn;k rks
Hkwjh chch dks mudh ek¡ us og lgkjk
vkSj vkJ; fn;k ftldh mUgsa cgqr vf/
kd t:jr FkhA ysfdu tc mUgsa yxk
fd ftanxh ds fnu cnyus okys gSa rHkh
mudh ek¡ py clh vkSj Hkwjh chch vius
Hkkb;ksa ds lkFk ml ?kj esa jgus ij
etcwj gks xbZAa Hkkb;ksa us vkSj ekjihV
dj mUgsa ?kj ls cs?kj djus dh dksf'k'k
dhA tc os fdlh dher ij ?kj NksMu+ s
ij jkth ugha gqbZa rks Hkkb;ksa us mUgsa
jgus ds fy, FkksMh+ lh txg ns nhA
xHkkZoLFkk ds nkSjku ?kj ds Hkhrj ekjihV
cky e`R;q dk ,d cM+k dkj.k gSA Hkwjh
mUgksua s crk;k fd] ÞeSa tgk¡ Hkh tkrh gw¡]
viuh csVh dks lkFk ys tkrh gw¡ D;ksfa d
Vhdkdj.k ds ykHkksa ds ckjs esa
yksxksa dks tkx:d djus ds
fy, lkeqnkf;d tkx:drk
dk;ZØe vk;ksftr dj jgk gS
ftuds y{; Nk=] ekrk,a]
/kkfeZd usrk vkSj leqnk; ds
vljnkj yksx] ;wukuh M‚DVj
vkSj çkFkfed LokLF;dehZ rFkk
lkeqnkf;d dk;ZdrkZ gSaA n
eq>s fdlh ij Hkjkslk ugha jgk--- eSa
mls viuh utjksa ls vks>y ugha gksus
nsrhA eSa rks cl ;gh pkgrh gw¡ fd
dgha ls brus iSls fey tk,a fd ,d
NksVk lk ?kj cukdj viuh csVh ds
lkFk 'kkafr ls th ldw¡Aß
?kjsyw fgalk dh f'kdkj Hkwjh chch vkSj
mudh csVh vc vkfFkZd vkSj jkstxkj
dh –f"V ls [kklrkSj ij ykpkj gSAa
mudk Hkfo"; va/ksjs esa gS] ysfdu Hkwjh
chch dh eerk dh Nk¡o cgqr xgjh
gSA ?kjsyw fgalk vkSj cPpksa dh ekSr ij
mlds vlj ds ?kko brus xgjs gksus ds
ckotwn mUgsa vc Hkh mEehn gS fd mUgsa
vkSj mudh csVh dks ,d u ,d fnu
[kq'kgky Hkfo"; feysxk
2011 & 2013 ds chp ;w,uoheu us 800
efgyk çsjdksa dks çf'k{k.k fn;k rkfd
os nwljh efgykvksa dks efgyk lHkk esa
vkus ds fy, mRlkfgr dj ldsAa bu
lHkkvksa esa mUgksua s ?kjsyw fgalk vkSj 'kjkc
dh yr] ngst] cPpksa ds fyax fu/kkZj.k
vkSj cky fookg tSlh nwljh lkekftd
leL;kvksa ij ckr dhA mlh vof/k esa
60 yk[k efgykvksa us 1172 xzke lHkkvks]a
5163 o‚MZ lHkkvksa vkSj 3179 efgyk
lHkkvksa ¼ fofHkUu LFkkuh; Lrjksa ij
efgykvksa dk cSBds½a esa fgLlk fy;kA n
www.unwomen.org
May 2014 | 15
ROVING REPORTER
UNIDO: The Sustainable Energy for All initiative
‘E
In 2013, the UN Country Team in
India constituted a Task Team on
SE4ALL which was convened by the
United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO) in response to
the UN Secretary General’s initiative.
The objective of the task team was
to identify energy related issues in
consultation with UN agencies in
India and select key areas for joint UN
intervention.
To monitor the progress of various
countries on the three global objectives,
a Global Tracking Framework (GTF) has
been developed by the World Bank and
the International Energy Agency, using
indicators established to track progress.
GTF has identified two overlapping
groups of 20 such countries in Asia and
Africa that account for about 67% of
the global electrification shortfall and
about 80% of the global shortfall in
access to cooking fuels.
India tops this list as the country with
the highest number of people lacking
access to electricity and clean fuels for
cooking. The GTF projections for 2030
indicate that in spite of global progress,
India would still have the single largest
population without access to electricity.
The 2011 population census of
India estimates the number of rural
households at 167.8 million. Roughly
16 |
May 2014
Photo: UNIDO
nergy’ is the major driving factor
of all aspects of sustainable
development and is central to
poverty reduction efforts. In 2011, the
UN General Assembly declared 2012
as the International Year of Sustainable
Energy for All (SE4All) and, in 2014,
the decade for SE4All was launched.
Along with this were established three
global objectives to be accomplished by
2030. These objectives are: 1) to ensure
universal access to modern energy
services; 2) to double the global rate of
improvement in energy efficiency, and
3) to double the share of renewable
energy in global energy mix.
85% of these rural households are
dependent on traditional biomass fuels
for their cooking energy requirements
and about 45% do not have electricity.
This remains an area of concern.
The lack of access to modern energy
supplies for over 200 million people
mostly residing in rural areas has also
meant inadequate access to economic
opportunities and development.
Studies have found that families spend
about 5-8 hours or more each week
collecting fuel, which often entails
carrying 20-30 kilograms of traditional
bio-fuels, especially firewood, on their
heads or shoulders. And it is mainly
women who not only do the cooking,
but also the preparatory work beginning
with fetching fuel to lighting the
fire. Household energy interventions
can bring about a wide range of
benefits: they improve children's and
women's health, save time and money,
promote gender equality, and reduce
deforestation.
A large number of families who breathe
polluted air inside their homes do not
have access to clean drinking water and
proper sanitation facilities. The scope of
energy interventions therefore needs to
be expanded to address common health
issues such as diarrhoea and respiratory
disease in an integrated manner.
The Task Team identified four crosscutting issues based on consultations
with other UN agencies that have
program’s especially targeted at remote
rural and vulnerable communities.
These are: (a) livelihood, (b) natural
resource management, (c) sanitation,
and (d) health. SE4All provides a
platform for a multi-pronged joint UN
effort that will work with government
schemes and programmes to ensure
availability of clean energy.
Over the next three years, UNDP and
IFAD have agreed to provide technical
assistance to introduce renewable
energy solutions for community
enterprises in the states of Assam and
Odisha. Meanwhile, UNICEF and
UNIDO have agreed to work together to
provide technical advice to the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare and state
governments to integrate renewable
energy supply systems to improve the
functioning of Primary Health Centres
n
in remote rural areas.
www.unido.org
UN-BHUTAN PLUS
Tackling climate change
Christiana Figueres (right), Executive Secretary, United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) with Her Majesty the Queen Mother of
Bhutan, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck and Her Royal
Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck. Ms.
Figueres was in Bhutan to hold bilateral meetings with
high-level representatives of the Government of Bhutan
and an audience with Her Majesty the Queen Mother
in order to discuss ways to further strengthen progress
in addressing the challenges of climate change. Her
Majesty conveyed the commitment of the Bhutanese
Royal Family to the environment and conservation of
natural resources and in addressing the adverse impacts
of climate change.
Photo: Thinley Namgyel, National Environment Commission (NEC) Bhutan
Local farmers’ group creates
Bhutan’s first ice cream
S
ummer temperatures in Singyegang
village in Bhutan’s Samtse
Dzongkhag (district) can go up
to 30 degrees Celsius, making the area
hot and humid. A small farmers’ group,
the Choling Yargey Daytshen took a
commercial risk – but a successful one
– when they attempted to turn their
biogas project into something cooler.
The result – Bhutan’s very first ice cream
production unit.
The production unit at Singyegang was
made possible with support from UNDP
GEF-SGP and the Ministry of Agriculture
and Forests.
Bhutan Ice Cream was a cool surprise
to the villagers who never thought it
was possible to create such a novelty.
Earlier they would buy ice cream from
the neighbouring Indian town and it was
always considered a “foreign” treat.
The group’s Chairperson Gauri Shanker
said, “Earlier, a litre of milk would fetch
us Nu.30 but with the same litre of milk,
if you make ice cream you earn about
Nu. 400.”
With a 100 litres of milk the group
makes ice cream and other products like
cottage cheese, yogurt and butter. This
activity earns the group Nu. 18,000 per
day as compared to the Nu. 3000 that
they used to earn by
selling only milk.
The group comprises
of 25 households
who contribute milk
daily to manufacture
ice cream and other
dairy products.
Bhutan Ice Cream is
the only Bhutanese
ice cream brand
in the country. It is available on both
cones and cups with proper labels and
packaging. The brand has five different
flavours to offer; vanilla, butter scotch,
kesar pista, strawberry and mixed-fruit.
Gauri Shankar said, “We used to fill a
small plastic bowl with milk and put it
inside a freezer. Now we can make ice
cream with the machine.”
The National Coordinator of UNDP GEFSmall Grants Programme, Singay Dorji
said, “The innovative idea was born from
the climate change mitigation project
focused on piloting biogas in Bhutan. The
group is an exemplary model in reducing
fuel wood consumption, promoting
entrepreneurship and generating
sustainable income for communities.”
The group has the potential to produce
4,500 packets a day equivalent to Nu.
90,000 (USD 1400) every day. Factors
like limited milk production, cold storage
equipment, limited transport and lack of
marketing agencies are their main obstacles.
Currently Bhutan Ice Cream is only
available in Samtse Dzongkhag. The group
is planning on purchasing more cattle to
increase milk yield, commercial level biogas
production, expand business and to help
create employment for the young people in
their community.
The Integrated and Sustainable Rural
Livelihood Strategies and Options for
Communities Project is supported by
the UNDP Global Environment FacilitySmall Grant Programme (GEF-SGP).
The objective was to support climate
change mitigation by using animal waste
to create biogas and reduce fuel wood
n
consumption.
May 2014 | 17
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK
Turning the Page: Print, online, copyright issues
“T
he book is our victory.”
Quoting Pablo Neruda’s
immortal ‘Ode To A Book’,
renowned poet Ashok Vajpeyi,
brought a reader’s perspective and
an author’s experiences to a seminar
on World Book and Copyright Day,
organised by the UN Information Centre
(UNIC), UNESCO and the Delhi Library
Association in New Delhi.
“Books are powerful; they have even
given dictators sleepless nights,”
observed Mr. Vajpeyi, who was the
Chief Guest at the event.
Entitled ‘Turning the Page’, the
seminar brought together Library and
Information Science professionals, legal
experts, publishers and writers with
the aim of promoting a vibrant book
culture, exploring ongoing and emerging
issues of copyright, and encouraging
librarians and knowledge management
experts to come up with tools and ideas
that preserve and enhance the value of
books.
UNIC Assistant Information Officer
Rineeta Naik introduced the guests
and invited them to the dais – Mr.
Vajpeyi, UNESCO Representative
Shigeru Aoyagi, Additional Secretary
Mr. Aoyagi presented a background
of World Book and Copyright Day,
emphasizing that the future of books
and copyright depended not merely on
specialists, authors and publishers, but
“concerns all those who dream of a
world in which knowledge is shared and
the values of tolerance, solidarity and
dialogue can flourish.”
Delivering the keynote address, Dr.
R.K. Chadha, Additional Secretary,
Lok Sabha Secretariat, spelt out some
of the issues of concern to authors
and librarians, and of the need for a
more balanced and mutually beneficial
relationship with the publishing
industry.
Prof. C.P. Vashishth, President of the
Delhi Library Association, concluded
Photos: UNIC/K. Manoharan
Ashok Vajpeyi
18
18 ||
in the Lok Sabha Secretariat Dr. R. K.
Chadha, and Delhi Library Association
President Prof. C.P. Vashishth. The
seminar began with a welcome address
by UNIC Librarian Dr R.K. Sharma.
“Books, whether print or in e-form, are
the best source of learning,” Dr. Sharma
said. “And to promote a book culture,
we need the support of all parties –
authors, publishers, teachers, librarians,
NGOs and the mass media.”
May
May 2014
2014
KNOWLEDGE NETWORK
the inaugural session by delivering the
vote of thanks.
The inaugural session was followed
by a lively discussion chaired by
Prof. P.B. Mangla, former head
of the Department of Library and
Information Science, University of
Delhi. The other panelists included
Pavan Choudary, author and
television host; M.A. Sikandar,
Director of the National Book Trust;
Dr. H.K. Kaul, Director, DELNET;
Prof. Sunita Tripathy, Assistant
Director, Centre for Intellectual Property
Rights Studies, Jindal Global Law
School; and Sudhir Malhotra, former
President of the Federation of Indian
Publishers.
The panelists provided many insights
into the various aspects of Library and
Information Science and copyright
– these included Mr. Choudary’s
description of a successful attempt
at suing a film company that had
violated his copyright, Mr. Sikandar’s
views on the value of books and his
experiences at the National Book Trust,
Prof. Tripathy’s analysis of copyright law,
and Mr. Malhotra’s assessment of the
publishing industry.
Concluding the session, Prof. Mangla
said the National Book Trust should also
observe the World Book and Copyright
Day by having a book fair on that day in
collaboration with the United Nations.
An animated question and answer
session followed with the audience which
comprised librarians and information
specialists from a range of institutions.
Content & Connectivity: Emerging trends in information
management
T
The Chief Guest, Prof. K. Kannan,
former Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland
University and former Dean of Guru
Gobind Singh Indraprastha University,
said students must develop good
listening, speaking, writing and reading
skills and use modern libraries to work
towards their goals.
TIAS Chairman R.K. Gupta presided
over the conference while Emeritus
Prof. M. P. Satija of GND University,
Punjab was patron of the function.
Prof. Jagtar Singh of Patiala University,
Prof. I. V. Malhan, Arvind Prasad
of TISCO, Jamshedpur, Prof. M. Moni,
NIC and others also addressed the
seminar. Technia Director Dr. A. K.
Rathore and SRFLIS President Dr. K.
P. Singh said the conference would
Photo: TIAS
he Technia SRFLIS India
Summit 2014 in collaboration
with the Technia Institute of
Advanced Studies (TIAS) and Satija
Research Foundation for Library and
Information Science (SRFLIS) organized
an International Conference on
Content and Connectivity: Paradigm
Shifts in Knowledge Innovation,
Information Representation, Information
Management Systems and Librarianship,
on 11-12 April 2014, at the TIAS
auditorium in New Delhi.
Four distinguished scholars of Library
and Information Sciences were also
felicitated on the occasion. The Satija
Foundation awards for professional
excellence were presented to Dr.
Sanjay Mishra, Dr. Ramesh C. Gaur
of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dr.
Akhtar Parvez of the Indian Institute
of Management, and for Lifetime
Achievement to Prof. S.L. Sangam.
was presented by Dimpy Handa and
others. Dr. Sharma referring to an article
by Wayne Bivens-Tatum entitled Ebooks
and the Demise of ILL, remarked that the
advent of ebooks has perturbed scholars
as they are not able to access all ebooks
in one single library. Further, the free
inter-library loan (ILL) facility is not
available for accessing ebooks as they
are priced and controlled by commercial
publisher contracts. Dr. Sharma
emphasized that libraries must negotiate
contracts whereby ebooks can be made
available through ILL to scholars freely
and with less effort.
The first plenary session KM: Knowledge
based systems and data mining was
chaired by Prof. Jagtar Singh and cochaired by UNIC Librarian Dr. R.K.
Sharma. The speakers included Dr.
R.C. Gaur, Dr. S. Deshmukh and
P.M. Naushad Ali, and one paper
The Summit was attended by
280 delegates from national and
international organizations. All 164
selected papers have been published in a
conference volume which is a welcome
addition to the literature on Library and
Information Science.
enable participants to learn the latest
techniques of library management in an
era of competition among educational
institutions.
May 2014 | 19
Regd. No. DELBIL/2005/15087
DL (S)-17/3076/2014-16
for the year 2014 to 2016.
Unic album
World Press Freedom Day
T
he UN Information Centre
(UNIC) marked World
Press Freedom Day with a
collaborative event that saw the
release of the UNESCO-International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
Annual Report on Press Freedom
in South Asia, followed by a
thought-provoking discussion on
the challenges and opportunities
for women in the media. UNIC
National Information Officer Rajiv
Chandran delivered the message of
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
for the Day and moderated the Q&A
that followed the session.
a gender balance in the Indian media,”
Ms. Joseph observed.
This was followed by panel discussions
on ‘Women in Alternate and Digital
Media’, moderated by Dr. Aggarwal,
and ‘Organizational Policies Affecting
Women in Media’, moderated by
Dr. Sunit Tandon, Director
General, Indian Institute of Mass
Communication.
Photos: UNIC/S. Dhillon
Mr. Chandran then called on IFJ
representative Sabina Inderjit
to analyze the report and answer
questions from the assembled media.
UNESCO representative Anirban
Sarma provided a background on the
Day and its continuing relevance.
The ensuing
consultation,
in collaboration
with the Ford
Foundation, titled
‘Women Making
Media: Challenges
and Opportunities’
began with
an address
by Shigeru
Aoyagi, Director
and UNESCO
Representative to
Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka,
and a video message of UNESCO
Director-General Irina Bokova. Dr.
Ravina Aggarwal, Program Officer
for Media Access and Rights, Ford
Foundation, delivered the opening
address, followed by the keynote
address by journalist and author
Ammu Joseph. (below, centre)
“We are nowhere close to achieving
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