WOMEN

No government largesse to rape and eve-teasing accused in Haryana: CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Rape and eve-teasing accused will not be able to draw benefit of all government services excluding ration, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday.

 

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (File Photo | PTI)

CHANDIGARH: Rape and eve-teasing accused will not be able to draw benefit of all government services excluding ration, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday.

Services and benefits such as old age pension, pension for the physically disabled persons, and driving and arms licenses will remain suspended till the court announces its verdict in such cases, he added.

“In case the accused is convicted and sentenced, he will not be eligible for these facilities anymore,” Khattar said at a programme on women’s security and empowerment at Panchkula.  

Reiterating his government’s commitment to make Haryana number one state in terms of women’s safety, the CM said a comprehensive scheme in this regard would be launched either on Independence Day or on Raksha Bandhan (Aug 26). Rape victims wanting to hire a lawyer of her choice would be provided financial assistance of Rs 22,000 as fees, he said.

An investigation officer would have to complete probe in one month in rape cases, while the limit will be 15 days in eve-teasing within 15 days, Khattar said. “Failure would result in action against the officer concerned.”

Six fast track courts would be set up in those districts — including two in Faridabad and one each in Gurugram, Panipat, Sonipat and Nuh —where 50 or more cases of rape, eve-teasing and mental harassment are pending in the courts.

“I will be meeting the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to request him to issue necessary directions to the courts for recording the statement of a woman (complainant) on the same day, and not to adjourn the hearing to any other day,” Khattar added.

The CM announced that girl students of classes 9th to 12th would be trained in self-defence. The Chatra Parivahan Suraksha Scheme would be implemented to provide free-of-cost transport facility for girl students. The expenditure on this facility would be borne by the government, he added

Indu Malhotra, lone woman judge on

 Bench, makes a strong case against Section 377

Indu Malhotra  

Says healthcare is denied due to stigma

Justice Indu Malhotra, the lone woman judge on the Constitution Bench of theSupreme Court hearing the fight against Section 377 of the IPC, made a strong case against criminalisation of homosexuality.

Justice Malhotra, the junior-most member of the Bench of five led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said homosexuality is only a variation and not an aberration.

But the prejudice and stigma piled on the LGBTQ community has denied it even basic medical care in the country.

The community is so inhibited by societal scorn that it prefers to forego medical care, especially in rural and semi-urban parts of the country, Justice Malhotra said.

On the third consecutive day of hearing, Justice Malhotra spoke of the pressure on homosexual people from within the home. They succumb to marry the opposite sex, leading to a life of mental trauma and bi-sexuality.

The judge spoke of how homosexuality is not against the order of nature and is nature itself. Hundreds of animal species show the same sexual orientation.

Chief Justice Misra said stigma is the root cause of suffering for the community. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud expressed the hope that social stigma vanish if Section 377 is struck down by the court. The judge said Section 377 creates an environment which is conducive for discrimination of individuals on the ground of their sexuality.

Senior advocate Ashok Desai, for a petitioners, submitted that a culture of acceptance has prevailed over all odds.

Senior advocate Krishnan Venugopal submitted that Section 377 impinges on the right to liberty, dignity and conscience.

Freedom of expression

Mr. Venugopal spoke of the extent to which LGBTQ persons are denied their fundamental right to express themselves.

He said a person from the LGBTQ community is unable to express himself in dress, conduct or speech in public view. They are denied the freedom to express their identity.

“I am unable to express my core identity, beliefs. This violates my right to conscience... There is the constant pressure of pretending to be someone else,” Mr. Venugopal said.

‘Stop seeing it as mental disorder’

The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has said it is “time to stop looking at homosexuality as a

A “position statement on Homosexuality” issued by the Society said: “Homosexuality is not a psychiatric disorder and we recognise same sex sexuality as a normal variant of human sexuality much like heterosexuality and bisexuality.’’

The IPS supports de-criminalisation of homosexual behaviour, the statement added, saying this was in line with the position of the American Psychiatric Association and the International Classification of Diseases of the WHO which removed homosexuality from the list of psychiatric disorders in 1973 and 1992 respectively.

For Your Understanding:
Section 377 of the IPC states: “Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter­course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with 1[imprisonment for life], or with impris­onment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.” This archaic British law dates back to 1861 and criminalises sexual activities against the order of nature and the ambit of this law extends to any sexual union involving penile insertion.

No review, Delhi bus rapists told

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the plea of three of the four convicts in the Delhi bus rape case to review its May 2017 judgment confirming their death penalty.

Mukesh, 29, Pawan Gupta, 22, Vinay Sharma, 23, and Akshay Kumar Singh, 31, were sentenced to death for the gang-rape of the 23-year-old paramedic in a moving bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012.

A Special Bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan rejected the plea of Mukesh, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma to commute their death sentence on the grounds that they were not properly represented by lawyers during the trial, and vital pieces of evidence in their favour were not brought before the court.

The same Bench on May 5, 2017, upheld the verdict of the Delhi High Court and the trial court awarding the capital punishment.

Your NOTE

Appeals from the judgements of sessions court and additional sessions court lie to the high court if the sentence is one of imprisonment for more than seven years. It should also be noted here that a death sentence (popularly known as capital punishment) awarded by a sessions court or an additional sessions court should be confirmed by the high court before it can be executed, whether there is an appeal by the convicted person or not.

Delhi rapists can’t try to re-argue case, says SC

Hopes revived:Relatives and a lawyer of the Delhi gang-rape victim showing the victory sign after the Supreme Court verdict in New Delhi on Monday.Shiv Kumar Pushpakar  

The Supreme Court, which rejected the plea of the convicts in the Delhi gang-rape case on Monday, said they cannot attempt to re-argue their entire case in the guise of a review petition.

Justice Ashok Bhushan, who spoke for the Bench in his judgment, said the ambit and scope of a review petition was well-defined, and could only be entertained if there was judicial fallibility, miscarriage of justice and error apparent in the earlier apex court judgment, in this case the May 2017 verdict.

Now, the convicts are left with the rare remedy of filing a curative petition. In that, they have to show there was judicial bias against them. The curative would be heard by the three senior most judges of the apex court and the judges on the Bench. In this case, the CJI has led the review Bench.

The crime saw intense public debate on the safety of women and led to the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code to make rape punishable with death penalty. In its May 2017 judgment, the court had concluded that the convicts “found an object for enjoyment in her... for their gross, sadistic and beastly pleasures... the devilish manner in which they played with her dignity and identity is inhumane.”

It had said that the case sounded “like a story from a different world where humanity has been treated with irreverence.”

Justice Banumathi, the woman judge on the Bench, had said “there is not even a hint of hesitation in my mind” in sending the men to their deaths.

‘Girl students are game changers’

President Ram Nath Kovind being presented a memento by Goa Governor Mridula Sinha on Saturday.PTI  

President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said the tenacity and academic achievements of girl students across the country were a “game changer for our society”.

In a keynote speech at the 30th convocation of the Goa University at Taleigao, Mr. Kovind lauded the university for the high percentage of girls among the toppers and hoped that Goa’s promotion of girls’ education would be a model for other States. “The performance of girl students at Goa University is an example. As many as 60% of students here are girls and 63% of the toppers and medalists at today’s ceremony are girls. I am told that of the 67 gold medals being awarded today, 41 have been won by girls. This is an outstanding achievement for not just your University and for Goa, but for the entire country,” the President said. Stating that access to higher education was still a privilege in India, he paid tributes to citizens who sustain institutions like Goa University.

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha administered a five-point pledge to students and medallists at Goa Univeristy’s 30th annual convocation ceremony on Saturday. She asked the students to avoid ending their marriages over trivial issues, to protect women in distress, to keep off drugs, to avoid sending parents to old-age homes and to maintain cleanliness.

Man Held for Making Rape Threat to Congress Spokesperson's 10-Year-Old Daughter

Authorities have arrested a 36-year-old man for allegedly making a rape threat on Twitter to the daughter of Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Ahmedabad/Mumbai: The Mumbai Police has arrested a 36-year-old man in Gujarat for allegedly threatening the daughter of Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi with rape on Twitter, an official said today.

Girish Maheshwari was arrested from Bavla near Ahmedabad late last night, a senior police official said.

The accused was being brought to Mumbai and would be produced in the Dindoshi court later in the day, he said.

Following a directive from the union home ministry, the police had registered a case against Twitter user ‘@GirishK1605’ for threatening to rape Chaturvedi’s ten-year-old daughter.

The case was registered under Section 509 (word, gesture intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, on Tuesday after the Congress spokesperson filed a complaint.-PTI

Bidar doctor gets award

Suman S. Bhalke, receiving the award from Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P Nadda in New Delhi recently.  

In recognition of her contribution to providing comprehensive and quality antenatal care, Suman S. Bhalke, obstetrician and gynaecologist and Managing Director of Bhalke Vydehi Hospital, Bidar, received the ‘I Pledge For 9 Achievers Award.’

The award was instituted by the Centre, as part of its Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA). The PMSMA is aimed at encouraging private sector practitioners to provide antenatal (occurring or existing before birth) care to pregnant women from economically weaker sections at government-monitored centres periodically.

At a ceremony in New Delhi on Friday, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare J.P. Nadda distributed the awards to the achievers. Dr. Bhalke was the only person to win from Karnataka.

 

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan

What is the program?

• The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India. The program aims to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
• Hon’ble Prime Minister highlighted the aim and purpose of introduction of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan in the 31st July 2016 episode of Mann Ki Baat.
• PMSMA guarantees a minimum package of antenatal care services to women in their 2nd / 3rd trimesters of pregnancy at designated government health facilities
• The programme follows a systematic approach for engagement with private sector which includes motivating private practitioners to volunteer for the campaign developing strategies for generating awareness and appealing to the private sector to participate in the Abhiyan at government health facilities.

Rationale for the program:

• Data indicates that Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India was very high in the year 1990 with 556 women dying during child birth per hundred thousand live births as compared to the global MMR of 385/lakh live births.
• As per RGI- SRS (2011-13), MMR of India has now declined to 167/lakh live births against a global MMR of 216/lakh live births (2015). India has registered an overall decline in MMR of 70% between 1990 and 2015 in comparison to a global decline of 44%.
• While India has made considerable progress in the reduction of maternal and infant mortality, every year approximately 44000 women still die due to pregnancy-related causes and approximately 6.6 lakh infants die within the first 28 days of life. Many of these deaths are preventable and many lives can be saved if quality care is provided to pregnant women during their antenatal period and high risk factors such as severe anemia, pregnancy-induced hypertension etc are detected on time and managed well.

Goal & Objectives of PMSMA

Goal of the PMSMA

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan envisages to improve the quality and coverage of Antenatal Care (ANC) including diagnostics and counselling services as part of the Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) Strategy.

Objectives of the program:

• Ensure at least one antenatal checkup for all pregnant women in their second or third trimester by a physician/specialist
• Improve the quality of care during ante-natal visits. This includes ensuring provision of the following services:
  • All applicable diagnostic services
  • Screening for the applicable clinical conditions
  • Appropriate management of any existing clinical condition such as Anaemia, Pregnancy induced hypertension, Gestational Diabetes etc.
  • Appropriate counselling services and proper documentation of services rendered
  • Additional service opportunity to pregnant women who have missed ante-natal visits
• Identification and line-listing of high risk pregnancies based on obstetric/ medical history and existing clinical conditions.
• Appropriate birth planning and complication readiness for each pregnant woman especially those identified with any risk factor or comorbid condition.
• Special emphasis on early diagnosis, adequate and appropriate management of women with malnutrition.
• Special focus on adolescent and early pregnancies as these pregnancies need extra and specialized care

Key Features of PMSMA

• PMSMA is based on the premise — that if every pregnant woman in India is examined by a physician and appropriately investigated at least once during the PMSMA and then appropriately followed up — the process can result in reduction in the number of maternal and neonatal deaths in our country.
• Antenatal checkup services would be provided by OBGY specialists / Radiologist/physicians with support from private sector doctors to supplement the efforts of the government sector.
• A minimum package of antenatal care services (including investigations and drugs) would be provided to the beneficiaries on the 9th day of every month at identified public health facilities (PHCs/ CHCs, DHs/ urban health facilities etc) in both urban and rural areas in addition to the routine ANC at the health facility/ outreach.
• Using the principles of a single window system, it is envisaged that a minimum package of investigations (including one ultrasound during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy) and medicines such as IFA supplements, calcium supplements etc would be provided to all pregnant women attending the PMSMA clinics.
• While the target would reach out to all pregnant women, special efforts would be made to reach out to women who have not registered for ANC (left out/missed ANC) and also those who have registered but not availed ANC services (dropout) as well as High Risk pregnant women.
• OBGY specialists/ Radiologist/physicians from private sector would be encouraged to provide voluntary services at public health facilities where government sector practitioners are not available or inadequate.
• Pregnant women would be given Mother and Child Protection Cards and safe motherhood booklets.
• One of the critical components of the Abhiyan is identification and follow up of high risk pregnancies. A sticker indicating the condition and risk factor of the pregnant women would be added onto MCP card for each visit:
  • Green Sticker- for women with no risk factor detected
  • Red Sticker – for women with high risk pregnancy
• A National Portal for PMSMA and a Mobile application have been developed to facilitate the engagement of private/ voluntary sector.
• ‘IPledgeFor9’ Achievers Awards have been devised to celebrate individual and team achievements and acknowledge voluntary contributions for PMSMA in states and districts across India.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

The trend of decline in the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), defined as number of girls per 1000 of boys between 0-6 years of age, has been unabated since 1961. The decline from 945 in 1991 to 927 in 2001 and further to 918 in 2011 is alarming. The decline in the CSR is a major indicator of women disempowerment. CSR reflects both, pre-birth discrimination manifested through gender biased sex selection, and post birth discrimination against girls. Social construct discriminating against girls on the one hand, easy availability, affordability and subsequent misuse of diagnostic tools on the other hand, have been critical in increasing Sex Selective Elimination of girls leading to low Child Sex Ratio.

Since coordinated and convergent efforts are needed to ensure survival, protection and empowerment of the girl child, Government has announced Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative. This will be implemented through a national campaign and focussed multi sectoral action in 100 selected districts low in CSR, covering all States and UTs. This is a joint initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development.

The objectives of this initiative are: 1) Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination, 
 2) Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child,   
3) Ensuring education and participation of the girl child. 

       BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO (BBBP) SCHEME DOES NOT CALL FOR DONATIONS

It has come to our(Govt of India) notice that certain unauthorised sites/organisations/NGOs are collecting donations in the name of BBBP. The scheme has no provision for collection of donations. Please do not make any contributions in response to such appeals.

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Constitution, country will not be safe under Congress, the Prime Minister says.

Launching a scathing attack against the Congress’s Gandhi family, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that seeking to bring an impeachment motion against the Chief Justice of India by the ‘family’ to pressurise the judiciary showed that the party’s mindset from the days of the Emergency had not changed.

Addressing BJP workers at an event here to mark 43 years since the imposition of Emergency by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Mr. Modi said, “The Congress’s mentality during Emergency is the same as the one that was visible while bringing the impeachment [motion].”

Institutions under threat

Seeking to deflate the Opposition’s charge that his government was imposing an “undeclared Emergency,” Mr. Modi said, “Isn’t their [the Congress’s] approach towards institutions a reflection of the psyche of Emergency? Can the country’s democracy and Constitution remain safe under their watch,” he asked.

“When a notice was served on the ‘family,’ such was the arrogance, such was the ego, that even the Chief Justice of India was not spared. There was an impeachment motion against him in Parliament,” he said, referring to the Congress’s effort to bring an impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra.

“The sin of devaluing the judiciary was done by those who were enjoying power on behalf of one family,” Mr Modi said.

Indira Gandhi - Interview - TV Eye - 1978

Greed for power united imposers and critics of Emergency: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (PTI phot

SANT KABIR NAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the greed for power has united the imposers and critics of Emergency. While addressing a public rally in Sant Kabir Nagar district's Maghar he said, "Two days ago, it was the 43rd anniversary of Emergency. It is the greed for power that those who opposed and those who opposed Emergency have come together today. They don't see the welfare of society but only the welfare of themselves and their families,"

Prime Minister Modi went on to say that some political parties that want unrest in India and urged them to learn from Indian legends and peace lovers, Sant Kabir, Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Ambedkar.

"There are some parties which do not want peace & development but unrest. They think if there will be unrest, they will benefit politically. Such people are cut off from their roots. They don't know the nature of this nation, where the likes of Sant Kabir, Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Ambedkar belong," PM Modi said.

During his public address, the Prime Minister also spoke about Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), the scheme that has benefitted over five crore people, by helping them open bank accounts. PMJDY has provided over 80 lakh women with free gas connections.

Pointing out Bharatiya Janta Party's achievements, Prime Minister talked about Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, under which around 1.25 crore toilets have been built. He said this government is committed to working for the upliftment of the poor.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone of Sant Kabir Academy in Maghar and also visited Sant Kabir's Mazar.with CM Yogi Adityanath 

Narendra Modi lambasted the Congress, but chose not to speak on those who implemented the Gandhi family’s diktats during Emergency.

The BJP-led NDA government Tuesday turned the anniversary of Emergency into a mega event to remind the citizens of the country, especially those who were fortunate enough not to have suffered it, of the dark days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at an event in Mumbai, lambasted the Congress and the Gandhi family for the “sins” associated with the Emergency.

But, what about leaders who were at the forefront of implementing the diktats of the Gandhi family? Why the Prime Minister and most of his ministers didn’t find them worth mentioning? Most of these leaders found a negative mention in the Justice J.C. Shah Commission report on excesses committed during Emergency.

One reason for their omission from all speeches could be that while the BJP continues to bring up Emergency and the horrors associated with it, it had deemed it fit to do business with the same leaders in the past.

Bansi Lal: If there was one Congress politician who drew the most flak for, among other things, forced sterilisation and using brute state power against his opponents and the media, it was Bansi Lal – helped by his son Surender Singh, then with the youth Congress.

When Bansi Lal left the Congress in 1996 and formed the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), guess which party formed the next government in Haryana along with the HVP? The BJP. The alliance ended in 1999 when the BJP pulled out of the government.

Vidya Charan Shukla: If there was one person who throttled the media during Emergency, an issue the BJP doesn’t stop talking about even now, it was then I&B minister V.C. Shukla. Modi Tuesday referred to the Indira Gandhi government’s decision to ban Kishore Kumar’s songs on All India Radio because he “refused to sing at a Congress function”.

That decision, it is a matter on record, was taken by Shukla. What Modi didn’t say was thatShukla had joined the BJP just before the 2004 elections and even contested on the party ticket from Mahasamund constituency in Chhattisgarh. He lost and soon thereafter resigned from the BJP. Later, he returned to the Congress fold.

Jagmohan: A close associate of Sanjay Gandhi, Jagmohan gained notoriety for his controversial stint as vice-chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) during Emergency. During that period, he oversaw large-scale demolition of slums in Delhi in the name of beautification, with his arbitrary actions even fetching him a Padma award. The Shah Commission noted that Jagmohan had an “infinite capacity to mislead”.

In the late 90s, he joined the BJP and even won Lok Sabha elections and served in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet.

Earlier, it was under his watch as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir that large-scale migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley took place.

Pranab Mukherjee: Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee (he later became President of India and has a very good equation with Modi) was minister of state for revenue during Emergency. His role also came under the scanner of the Shah Commission. A few years ago, Mukherjee wrote a book on Indira Gandhi’s tenure as the Prime Minister through which, many feel, he tried to give a clean-chit to Gandhi for Emergency.

Most recently, Mukherjee was the guest of honour at the closing ceremony of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) event to mark the conclusion of a three-year training camp for swayamsevaks in Nagpur – his decision to attend the event drew heavy criticism from several quarters, including some Congress leaders.

Maneka Gandhi: While she was not a 24 x 7 politician during Emergency, India Gandhi’s close aide and senior Congress leader R.K. Dhawan said in 2015 that she knew about the event and had no qualms about it. While she is a minister in the government of Narendra Modi, her son, Varun Gandhi, is a BJP Lok Sabha MP. Varun, however, was born after the Emergency was lifted.

‘India most dangerous for women’: NCW rejects survey, faults sample size

The National Commission for Women on Tuesday rejected the survey that rated India as the world’s most dangerous country for women, and said the countries that have been ranked after India have women who are not even allowed to speak in public.

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma rejected the survey report, claiming that the sample size was small and could not be representative of the whole country. “For a nation as big as India, the sample size of the survey is not representative of the country as a whole,” she said.

“Women are very aware in India of issues and there is no way that we could be ranked number one in such a survey. The countries that have been ranked after India have women who are not even allowed to speak in public,” Ms. Sharma said.

‘India most dangerous for women’: Shashi Tharoor dismisses survey as 'sweeping statement'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was speaking at the Indo-American Arts Council about his recent books 'An Era of Darkness: The Congress MP’s remarks after a poll of 548 people conducted online by Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has dismissed as a “sweeping statement” a newsurvey that ranked India as the world’s “most dangerous” country for women, asserting that he was astonished that Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan fared better than India on the list.

Mr. Tharoor’s remarks came after a Thomson Reuters Foundation surveyranked India as the world’s “most dangerous” country for women based on a survey of about 550 experts on women’s issues.

Mr. Tharoor said there had been an awful lot of unpleasant incidents against women in India in recent years.

“Something which shames every Indian, no question about that, particularly every Indian male. But a sweeping statement like the most dangerous country in the world for women is a bit difficult to swallow,” Mr. Tharoor said at an event here.

The Indo-American Arts Council, a not-for-profit arts organisation, had organised a talk with Mr. Tharoor about his recent books An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India and the his latest offering Why I am A Hindu.

Mr. Tharoor said there were voices arguing for greater gender sensitivity, education, for better police patrolling, more women in police forces to ensure India becomes a safer place for women.

‘India better placed than Pak, Saudi, Syria and Afghanistan’

“But India is still a place where women are relatively free. They don’t have the kind of restrictions that say Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia imposes on women in terms of freedom of movement, profession and many other kinds of restrictions,” he said.

Mr. Tharoor also said that women in India “certainly don’t face the kind of violence” that they do in countries like Syria.

“I’m quite astonished that India would rank above Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and many other places as the world’s most unsafe place for women,” he said.

Mr. Tharoor said that instead of “quibbling” over a headline-grabbing term like that, the important thing to do was to work together to ensure a safe environment for women in India.

“Whether we disagree with that specific conclusion or not, we must acknowledge that it is a problem. That women are feeling in many ways unsafe, the number of incidents of violence and assault against women are unacceptable and things must be done by the government and by the society to overcome this. There I fully agree, I’m just not so sure about the headline,” he said.

In the survey, India is ranked the world’s most dangerous country for women due to the high risk of sexual violence followed by the war-torn Afghanistan and Syria.

Somalia and Saudi Arabia are ranked fourth and fifth respectively in the survey.

The poll of 548 people was conducted online, by phone and in person between March 26 and May 4 with an even spread across Europe, Africa, the Americas, South East Asia, South Asia and the Pacific.

‘Sex for farm loan’ scam: bank peon held

Absconding branch manager suspended

The Maharashtra police have arrested one person in connection with the case of a bank official allegedly asking for sexual favours from a Dalit farmer’s wife to process a loan application from the couple in Buldhana district.

Manoj Chouhan, a peon in the Central Bank of India’s Datala branch in Buldhana, was arrested on Saturday night.

The woman had lodged a police complaint accusing the branch manager Rajesh Hivase of seeking sexual favours from her to process the farm loan application.

Mr. Chouhan was accused of delivering Mr. Hivase’s message to the farmer’s wife and arranging for communication between them. The two men have been booked under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant Sections of the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

However Mr. Hivase has not been arrested.“He is still absconding. Our team went to his place but he was not there. Our team is carrying out searches at some other locations as well,” said Sandip Doifode, the Additional Superintendent of Police, Buldhana district.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of India suspended Mr. Hivase.

“The regional manager of the Central Bank of India has suspended him. It’s a criminal case. His exact location is being traced and he may be arrested in a day or two, ” Buldhana Collector Nirumpama Dange told The Hindu.

Section 354 in The Indian Penal Code

354. Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty.—Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with impris­onment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

 About SC/ST Act:

1. The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is popularly known as POA, the SC/ST Act, the Prevention of Atrocities Act, or simply the Atrocities Act. The SC/ST Act was enacted on September 9, 1989. The rules for the Act were notified on March 31, 1995.

2. The SC/ST Act lists 22 offences relating to various patterns or behaviours inflicting criminal offences and breaking the self-respect and esteem of the scheduled castes and tribes community. This includes denial of economic, democratic and social rights, discrimination, exploitation and abuse of the legal process.

3. According to the SC/ST Act, the protection is provided from social disabilities such as denial of access to certain places and to use customary passage, personal atrocities like forceful drinking or eating of inedible food sexual exploitation, injury etc, atrocities affecting properties, malicious prosecution, political disabilities and economic exploitation.

4. For speedy trial, Section 14 of the SC/ST Act provides for a Court of Session to be a Special Court to try offences under this Act in each district.

5. The prime objective of the SC/ST Act is to deliver justice to marginalised through proactive efforts, giving them a life of dignity, self-esteem and a life without fear, violence or suppression from the dominant castes.

It was also recently in NEWS

 The Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, or the SC/ST Act protects the marginalised communities against discrimination and atrocities. On March 20, the Supreme Court expressed concern over misuse of the Act and ruled against automatic arrest of the booking of accused under the law. It also introduced the provision of anticipatory bail. The Supreme Court ruled that public servants cannot be prosecuted without the approval of the appointing authority and citizens too should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law. This led to widespread protests across five states and cost 11 lives. The government filed the review petition in the matter. However, turning down the government's appeal to freeze the earlier verdict, the top court said today, "Our aim is to protect innocents, we have not diluted the law in any manner."

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         Police Targeting Pathalgadi Supporters in the Jharkhand            Gang Rape Case: Report

A fact-finding team has said that since the incident, the only voice that is being heard is the administration's.

New Delhi: A fact-finding team looking into the gang rape of five women in Jharkhand’s Khunti district has said in its report that the role played by the police in the investigation into the case is questionable, as has been targeting those associated with the Pathalgadi movement and Christian organisations.

Five women were gang raped at gunpoint in Kochang, where they had travelled to perform a street play on trafficking, on June 19. Two people have been arrested so far, including a Catholic priest, Alfonso Alien. The priest is the principal of the school where the performance was taking place.

The police has said that leaders of the Pathalgadi movement thought “anti-Pathalgadi sentiments will be portrayed in the NGO’s nukkad natak and that they wanted to teach them a lesson”.

In their report, the Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression and Sexual Repression (WSS) fact-finding team has brought up several questions. First, FIRs were filed only on June 21, even though the committee found proof that the police was aware of the incident at least on June 20. On June 20, even before the FIR was filed, two of the five women were taken for a preliminary medical examination. On June 21, a medico-legal examination of all five survivors was conducted.

Second, in a photo of the incident released by the accused, one of the people has been recognised by the locals as Baji Samant. According to the WSS report, he is not a Pathalgadi movement leader but a resident of a nearby village, Sarai-kela. Despite this, the FIR has been registered against the priest and ‘other unidentified persons/Pathalgadi supporters’. Local eyewitnesses have said that four men including Samant who were seen arriving on a motorcycle were not from the area.

Third, the media has reported that the school principal and priest have been charged for not making sure the women were safe and not doing enough to prevent the incident. However, the fact-finding team has found that the FIR includes much more serious charges, including wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, voluntarily causing hurt, disrobing, gang rape, kidnapping, kidnapping with intent to wrongfully confine and conspiracy.

Fourth, the women themselves have been kept in the custody of the police, apparently to ensure their protection. However, the WSS team has said that the survivors are being kept away even from their families. There has been no statement made by them, nor have they verified the identity of the people arrested as being the accused, the report says.

Ever since the incident, the team has said, the only voice that is being heard is the administration’s. “The legal proceedings subsequent to the incident are shrouded in doubt, as these are based entirely on the questionable narrative proposed by the police and Jharkhand administration, without any avenues for independent verification and corroboration. This, combined with the subsequent repression by security forces has created a reign of terror for the residents of Khunti and neighbouring areas, further undermining chances of independent verification,” the report says.

The police raided homes in Ghagra and six other villages on June 26, to arrest the suspects. One person was killed in clashed between the police and villagers. “Why did the police raid the gram sabha meeting in Ghagra where the pathalgari event was ongoing on the pretext of arresting the accused, when they knew that the accused belonged to Sarai-Kela?” the report says.

The WSS has also questioned the role of the media in the case, saying that there has been widespread misreporting on the issue. “The media has concertedly cast Adivasis, Pathalgadi supporters and the church/mission organisations in a negative light in the absence of verifiable information,” the report says.

Activists gang-rape in Jharkhand: National Commission for Women begins probe

The victims had gone to R.C. Mission School at Kochang village to participate in an awareness programme on human migration and trafficking in girls.

A three-member team of the National Commission for Women (NCW) reached Khunti in Jharkhand on Saturday and met the five women activists who were allegedly gang-raped in Kochang village on June 19.

Additional Director-General of Police R.K. Mallik told journalists in Ranchi that all the six accused have been identified. Of them, two have been arrested. The police have also booked Father Alfonso Alien, who runs the missionary school in Kochang, for not reporting the incident despite witnessing it.

Senior police officials are said to be camping in Khunti district of Jharkhand to arrest the remaining four of the six culprits allegedly involved in the gang rape of five women activists in a secluded place near Laboda after they were abducted from Kochang village by five bike-borne youth on June 19.

Additional Director-General of Police, Jharkhand, R.K. Mallik told presspersons in Ranchi, “They were of the view that anti-Pathalgadi sentiments were portrayed in a nukkad natak (street play) by an NGO, and they wanted to teach the NGO workers a lesson.”

Pathalgadi movement

The victims had gone to R.C. Mission School at Kochang village to participate in an awareness programme on human migration and trafficking in girls. Kochang, in the Arki police station limits of the district, 90 km from Ranchi, is one of hundreds of villages in Jharkhand in the grip of the Pathalgadi (engraved stone plaques) rebellion, an anti-establishment, self-rule movement by tribal people.

Over 200 villages in Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum district have green-painted stone plaques, measuring 15X4 ft., demanding self-rule and warning outsiders not to enter without permission. But the Kochang gram sabha, which met on Saturday, denied the police’s claim that supporters of the Pathalgadi movement were behind the rape. The villagers also identified one of the culprits from a photograph released by the Khunti police on Friday as Bali Samad, alias Takla, a member of the Maoist splinter group PLFI (People’s Liberation Front of India). However, speaking to a local news channel in Ranchi, a PLFI zonal commander denied that any of his group members were involved.

Teachers detained

Motaye Mundu and Robert Issa Purty, teachers of R.C. Mission School, along with Ranjeeta Kindo and Anita Nag, nuns, were detained and questioned by the police. However, they were released later on personal bonds. The police released the sketch of one of the six accused and announced a reward of ₹50,000 for information about them.

“A massive manhunt is on to nab the culprits … three teams of police are behind them,” said Superintendent of Police, Khunti, Ashwani Kumar Sinha.

Five women campaigning against human trafficking gang-raped in Jharkhand

The culprits also recorded the incident on their mobile phones and threatened the women it would be made ‘viral’, if they approached police.

Five women engaged in anti-human trafficking campaign through a non-government organisation (NGO) have been gang-raped in Khunti district ofJharkhand, police said.

The incident happened on June 19 when all the women, including a married one, had gone to R.C. Mission School in Kochang village under the Arki police station of Khunti district, some 90 km from Ranchi.

The women were engaged in the campaign through nukkad natak (street plays) in the area.

Police officials said some motorcycle- borne armed men abducted the women — who were performing at the R.C. Mission School — took them to secluded place and gang-raped them.

The culprits also recorded the incident on their mobile phones and threatened the women it would be made ‘viral’, if they approached police.

“The perpetrators released the women after three hours... a case has been lodged and manhunt is being launched to arrest those involved in this heinous act,” said Ranchi Range Deputy Inspector General of Police, A.V. Homkar.

Three separate teams of police have been constituted to nab the criminals, some of whom have been identified, he said.

''Pathalgadi'' movement

Police said those involved in the crime were also involved in the ''pathalgadi'' (stone engraving) movement in the area.

''Pathalgadi'' is a tribal movement picking up in Jharkhand villages where giant stone plaques are erected declaring their gram sabha as the only sovereign authority and banning ‘outsiders’, including government officials, from their area.

Kochang is one of several villages in Khunti district where the ''pathalgadi'' movement has, of late, gained political and social steam.

But, those involved with the movement have denied their involvement. They said it was all police propaganda to defame them.

The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 ( Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt.of India ) to :

• review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women ;
• recommend remedial legislative measures ;
• facilitate redressal of grievances and
• advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.

In keeping with its mandate, the Commission initiated various steps to improve the status of women and worked for their economic empowerment during the year under report.  The Commission completed its visits to all the States / UTs except Lakshdweep and prepared Gender Profiles to assess the status of women and their empowerment.  It received a large number of complaints and acted suo-moto  in several cases to provide speedy justice.  It took up the issue of child marriage, sponsored legal awareness programmes,  Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats and reviewed laws such as Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, PNDT Act 1994, Indian Penal Code 1860 and the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to make them more stringent and effective.  It organized workshops / consultations, constituted expert committees on economic empowerment of women, conducted workshops / seminars for gender awareness and took up publicity campaign against female foeticide, violence against women etc. in order to generate awareness in the society against  these social evils. 

CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMISSIONSECTION 3 National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt. of India)

The Central Government shall constitute a body to be known as the National Commission for Women to exercise the powers conferred on and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act. The Commission shall consist of :- (a)    A Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Central Government. (b)   five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women's voluntary organisations ( including women activist ), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare; Provided that at least one Member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively; (c)    a Member-Secretary to be nominated by the Central Government who shall be :-                                                          i.            an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement, or                                                        ii.            an officer who is a member of a civil service of the Union or of an all-India service or holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience THE MANDATE OF THE COMMISSIONSECTION 10 National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt. of India) The commission shall perform all or any of the following functions, namely :- Investigate and examine all matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws; present to the Central Government, annually and at such other times as the Commission may deem fit, reports upon the working of those safeguard; make in such reports recommendations for the effective implementation of those safeguards for the improving the conditions of women by the Union or any state; review, from time to time, the exiting provisions of the Constitution and other laws affecting women and recommend amendments thereto so as to suggest remedial legislative measures to meet any lacunae, inadequacies or shortcomings in such legislations; take up cases of violation of the provisions of the Constitution and of other laws relating to women with the appropriate authorities; look into complaints and take suo moto notice of matters relating to:- deprivation of women's rights; non-implementation of laws enacted to provide protection to women and also to achieve the objective of equality and development; non-compliance of policy decisions,guidelines or instructions aimed at mitigating hardships and ensuring welfare and providing relief to women, and take up the issues arising out of such matters with appropriate authorities; call for special studies or investigations into specific problems or situations arising out of discrimination and atrocities against women and identify the constraints so as to recommend strategies for their removal; undertake promotional and educational research so as to suggest ways of ensuring due representation of women in all spheres and identify factors responsible for impeding their advancement, such as, lack of access to housing and basic services, inadequate support services and technologies for reducing drudgery and occupational health hazards and for increasing their productivity; participate and advice on the planning process of socio-economic development of women; evaluate the progress of the development of women under the Union and any State; inspect or cause to inspected a jail,remand home,women's institution or other place of custody where women are kept as prisoners or otherwise and take up with the concerned authorities for remedial action, if found necessary; fund litigation involving issues affecting a large body of women; make periodical reports to the Government on any matter pertaining to women and in particular various difficulties under which women toil; any other matter which may be referred to it by Central Government. The Central Government shall cause all the reports referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) to be laid before each House of Parliament along with memorandum explaining the action taken or proposed to be taken on the recommendations relating to the Union and the reasons for the non-acceptance, if any, of any such recommendations. Where any such report or any part thereof relates to any matter with which any State Government is concerned, the Commission shall forward an copy of such report or part to such State Government who shall cause it to be laid before the Legislature of the State along with a memorandum explaining the action taken or proposed to be taken on the recommendations relating to the State and the reasons for the non-acceptance,if any, of any such recommendations. The Commission shall, while investigating any matter referred to in clause (a) or sub-clause (i) of clause (f) of sub-section (1), have all the powers of a civil court trying a suit and, in particular in respect of the following matters, namely :- summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath; requiring the discovery and production of any document; receiving evidence on affidavits; requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents; and any other matter which may be prescribed.

Man who shot Gauri Lankesh may be in Karnataka police net

Gauri Lankesh (Image via Twitter)

 Karnataka police’s special investigation team (SIT) on Monday caught a Marathi-speaking man who is suspected to have pulled the trigger on journalist-activistGauri Lankesh. SIT sources said the suspect was caught in Maharashtra but refused to divulge the location.

“We need to question him before making a comment,” a senior SIT officer told TOI when asked whether the investigation team had indeed caught Gauri’s killer.

Elaborating on the suspect picked up by cops in Maharashtra, an SIT source said, “One of our teams picked up the Marathi-speaking man in his late 30s. He is 5’1” tall, and weighs about 75-80kg. No pistol or firearms were found on him.”

The Forensic Sciences Laboratory that had studied the CCTV footage of suspects conducting recce at Gauri’s residence in Bengaluru had opined that the bike-borne assailant was about 5’2” or 5’1” tall and weighed 70-80kg. The sketches were prepared based on the description provided by Anil Kumar ofSrirangapatna, a friend of accused KT Naveen Kumar who has been chargesheeted for his role in providing logistics in the Gauri murder case.The SIT had produced Anil Kumar before a local court and took his statement under Section 64 of the CrPC, which means the statement can be used as evidence.

According to the SIT chargesheet, Naveen confessed to plotting Gauri’s killing with Praveen alias Sujit Kumar from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Praveen allegedly sought Naveen’s help to eliminate rationalist K S Bhagawan, who was also on the conspirators’ target.

14 ದಿನ ವಶಕ್ಕೆ

ಗೌರಿ ಲಂಕೇಶ್‌ ಹತ್ಯೆ ಪ್ರಕರಣ: ಎಸ್‌ಐಟಿಯಿಂದ ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬನ ಬಂಧನ

ಪರಶುರಾಮ್‌ ವಾಗ್ಮೋರೆ ಬಂಧಿತ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ. ಈತನನ್ನು ಎಸ್‌ಐಟಿ ತಂಡ ವಿಜಯಪುರ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಸಿಂಧಗಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂಧಿಸಿದೆ. ಬಳಿಕ, ನ್ಯಾಯಾಲಯಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾಜರುಪಡಿಸಲಾಯಿತು. ಆರೋಪಿಯ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ವಿಚಾರಣೆಗೆ 14 ದಿನಗಳ ವರೆಗೆ ಎಸ್‌ಐಟಿ ಕಸ್ಟಡಿಗೆ ನೀಡಲಾಗಿದೆ.
why the man in photo above is important...!!!!!!!!
here is the fact .........

What happened in 2012..?

Sri Ram Sene activists held for hoisting Pakistan flag

The Karnataka police have arrested six persons belonging to the right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene for hoisting Pakistan’s national flag on a government building in Bijapur district.

The Karnataka police have arrested six persons belonging to the right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene for hoisting Pakistan’s national flag on a government building in Bijapur district.The youths had allegedly hoisted the flag over the tehsildar’s office in Sindgi town on January 1 leading to angry protests by Hindu organisations in the district. A bandh call was issued by various organisations, including Sri Rama Sene and Bajrang Dal in protest against the flag hoisting.

Superintendent of police DC Rajappa called the incident a conspiracy by the Sri Rama Sene to create communal disharmony in Sindgi, which has a sizeable Muslim population.The arrested includes Rajesh Siddaramaiah Matha, 19, the president of Sri Ram Sene’s student wing, the police said. The other accused are Arun Vagmore, Parashu Rama Vagmore, Sunil Madivalappa Agasar, Eshwar Navi, and Mallana Gowda Vijaya Kumar Patil. They are all aged between 18 and 20.The Karnataka-based outfit was also responsible for attacking women at a pub in Mangalore on January 24, 2009. Denying the allegations, Pramod Mutalik, who heads the outfit, told reporters that Sri Rama Sena has no student wing.

----------------------------------------------------

Maternal mortality ratio in the country drops to 130 from 167

Kerala has the lowest MMR of 46, followed by Maharashtra with 61 and Tamil Nadu 66

The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data indicating the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has brought glad tidings.

As per the data, the MMR (number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births) has dropped from 167 (in 2011-2013, the last SRS period) to 130 for the country. This 28% drop is an achievement arising from painstakingly reducing the MMR in each of the States.

The SRS segments States into three groups: “Empowered Action Group” (EAG) — Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand and Assam; “Southern States” — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu; and “Others” — the remaining States and union territories.

The highest reduction from the last SRS is with the EAG States at 23%, a drop from 246 (2011-2013) to 188, while the Other States have dropped by 19%, taking the MMR down from 115 in 2011-2013, to 93 now. Southern States, which are at a better average of 77, dropped 17%. Truly encouraging is the massive drop of 29% in Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand where the MMR has dropped from 285 to 201.

Kerala remains at the top with an MMR of 46 (down from 61). Maharashtra retains its second position with 61, but the pace of fall has been much lower, dropping from 68 during 2011-13. Tamil Nadu with 66 (79) is in the third position.

Manoj Jhalani, MD, National Health Mission (NHM), says: “India has bettered the MDG target of 139 for 2014-2016. It’s a proud moment. This is the outcome of systematic work undertaken by the Centre and States under the NHM that has resulted in saving 12,000 more lives in 2015. Three States have already achieved the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of MMR 70.”

Former Union Health Secretary Sujata Rao said that overall, it indicates impressive progress, particularly in the EAG States.

‘Lost momentum’

“I feel Kerala and Tamil Nadu should do better, they can; but I’m very disappointed with Karnataka, Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. Maharastra seems to have lost the momentum shown in the last few years, that is a worry.”

Fresh impetus is required to bring the MMR below 30 for all States except EAG, which might strive to bring it down to 140-120, she adds.

National Health Mission: Goals

Outcomes for NHM in the 12th Plan are synonymous with those of the 12th Plan, and are part of the overall vision. The endeavor would be to ensure achievement of those indicators in Box 1. Specific goals for the states will be based on existing levels, capacity and context. State specific innovations would be encouraged. Process and outcome indicators will be developed to reflect equity, quality, efficiency and responsiveness. Targets for communicable and non-communicable disease will be set at state level based on local epidemiological patterns and taking into account the financing available for each of these conditions.

Box-1

1. Reduce MMR to 1/1000 live births

2. Reduce IMR to 25/1000 live births

3. Reduce TFR to 2.1

4. Prevention and reduction of anaemia in women aged 15–49 years

5. Prevent and reduce mortality & morbidity from communicable, non- communicable; injuries and emerging diseases

6. Reduce household out-of-pocket expenditure on total health care expenditure

7. Reduce annual incidence and mortality from Tuberculosis by half

8. Reduce prevalence of Leprosy to <1/10000 population and incidence to zero in all districts

9. Annual Malaria Incidence to be <1/1000

10. Less than 1 per cent microfilaria prevalence in all districts

11. Kala-azar Elimination by 2015, <1 case per 10000 population in all blocks

Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health

Introduction

RMNCH+A approach has been launches in 2013 and it essentially looks to address the major causes of mortality among women and children as well as the delays in accessing and utilizing health care and services. The RMNCH+A strategic approach has been developed to provide an understanding of ‘continuum of care’ to ensure equal focus on various life stages. Priority interventions for each thematic area have been included in this to ensure that the linkages between them are contextualized to the same and consecutive life stage. It also introduces new initiatives like the use of Score Card to track the performance, National Iron + Initiative to address the issue of anemia across all age groups and the Comprehensive Screening and Early interventions for defects at birth , diseases and deficiencies among children and adolescents. The RMNCH+A appropriately directs the States to focus their efforts on the most vulnerable population and disadvantaged groups in the country. It also emphasizes on the need to reinforce efforts in those poor performing districts that have already been identified as the high focus districts.

Objectives:

The 12th Five Year Plan has defined the national health outcomes and the three goals that are relevant to RMNCH+A strategic approach as follows:

Health Outcome Goals established in the 12th Fiver Year Plan

• Reduction of Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to 25 per 1,000 live births by 2017
• Reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 100 per 100,000 live births by 2017
• Reduction in Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 2.1 by 2017

Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK)

Introduction

Government of India has launched Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) on 1st June, 2011.

The scheme is estimated to benefit more than 12 million pregnant women who access Government health facilities for their delivery. Moreover it will motivate those who still choose to deliver at their homes to opt for institutional deliveries. . It is an initiative with a hope that states would come forward and ensure that benefits under JSSK would reach every needy pregnant woman coming to government institutional facility. All the States and UTs have initiated implementation of the scheme.

The following are the Free Entitlements for pregnant women:

• Free and cashless delivery
• Free C-Section
• Free drugs and consumables
• Free diagnostics
• Free diet during stay in the health institutions
• Free provision of blood
• Exemption from user charges
• Free transport from home to health institutions
• Free transport between facilities in case of referral
• Free drop back from Institutions to home after 48hrs stay

The following are the Free Entitlements for Sick newborns till 30 days after birth.This has now been expanded to cover sick infants:

• Free treatment
• Free drugs and consumables
• Free diagnostics
• Free provision of blood
• Exemption from user charges
• Free Transport from Home to Health Institutions
• Free Transport between facilities in case of referral
• Free drop Back from Institutions to home
• 

Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health

• In 2015, the global maternal mortality ratio stood at 216 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Achieving the target of less than 70 maternal deaths by 2030 requires an annual rate of reduction of at least 7.5 per cent, more than double the annual rate of progress achieved from 2000 to 2015. Most maternal deaths can be prevented. In 2016, 78 per cent of live births worldwide benefited from skilled care during delivery, compared to 61 per cent in 2000. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, the rate in 2016 was only 53 per cent of live births.
• The mortality rate for children under 5 years of age globally was 43 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015. That rate represents a 44 per cent reduction since 2000. Mortality among children under 5 years of age remains high in sub-Saharan Africa, with a rate of 84 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015.
• Children are most vulnerable in the first 28 days of life (the neonatal period). In 2015, the global neonatal mortality rate was 19 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease from 31 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000. Neonatal mortality is highest in Central and Southern Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa, at 29 deaths per 1,000 live births in each of those regions in 2015.
• Preventing unintended pregnancies and reducing adolescent childbearing through universal access to sexual and reproductive health care is crucial to the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. In 2017, 78 per cent of women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years of age) worldwide who were married or in union had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods, up from 75 per cent in 2000. Progress has been substantial in the least developed countries, with a rise of 18 percentage points from 2000 to 2017.
• Globally, the adolescent birth rate among females aged 15 to 19 declined by 21 per cent from 2000 to 2015; in Northern America and Southern Asia, it dropped by more than 50 per cent. However, the adolescent birth rate remains high in two thirds of all countries, with more than 20 births per 1,000 adolescent girls in 2015.

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4.

Complete the investigation in a month: Minister for Women and Child Development asks AI to speed up sexual harassment probe

Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi has asked Air India to conclude its internal inquiry into an allegation of sexual harassment against a senior executive by the end of the month.

‘Denied fair inquiry’

Last week, an air hostess at Air India wrote to Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu, highlighting that the national carrier did not conduct a fair inquiry into her complaint about sexual harassment allegedly at the hands of a senior colleague.

She wrote that even though she had complained in September last year, the internal complaints committee (ICC) “dragged their feet” and did not inform her about the status of the inquiry.

“Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi has taken up the matter with the Minister for Civil Aviation. The Minister has also spoken to the head of the Internal Complaints Committee of Air India and has directed her to complete the inquiry within June, 2018,” said a statement from the Ministry.

Every employer is obliged to constitute an ICC through a written order, according to the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, 2013. The committee must complete its probe within 90 days of a complaint being filed and action must be taken within 60 days of the inquiry concluding.

The law also requires that all parties involved be informed about the findings of the inquiry and be given a chance to make representation before the committee finalises its report.

3A.WCD Minister asks for immediate action in Sexual Harassment Case in Air India

Ministry of Women and Child Development

Air Hostess, who is working with Air India met Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development regarding her complaint under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013. The Minister has taken up the matter with Minister for Civil Aviation. The Minister has also spoken to the head of the Internal Complaints Committee of Air India and has directed her to complete the inquiry within June, 2018.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 is a legislative act in India that seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work. It was passed by the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) on 3 September 2012. It was passed by the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Indian Parliament) on 26 February 2013. The Bill got the assent of the President on 23 April 2013.The Act came into force from 9 December 2013. This statute superseded the Vishakha Guidelines for prevention of sexual harassment introduced by the Supreme Court of India. It was reported by the International Labour Organization that very few Indian employers were compliant to this statute. Most Indian employers have not implemented the law despite the legal requirement that any workplace with more than 10 employees need to implement it. According to a FICCI-EY November 2015 report, 36% of Indian companies and 25% among MNCs are not compliant with the Sexual Harassment Act, 2013. The government has threatened to take stern action against employers who fail to comply with this law.

An Act to provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

WHEREAS sexual harassment results in violation of the fundamental rights of a woman to equality under articles 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India and her right to life and to live with dignity under article 21 of the Constitution and right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business which includes a right to a safe environment free from sexual harassment;

AND WHEREAS the protection against sexual harassment and the right to work with dignity are universally recognised human rights by international conventions and instruments such as Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, which has been ratified on the 25th June, 1993 by the Government of India;

AND WHEREAS it is expedient to make provisions for giving effect to the said Convention for protection of women against sexual harassment at workplace.

FAQs

What is this Act about?

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition And Redressal) Act, 2013 makes it illegal to sexually harass women in the workplace. It talks about the different ways in which someone can be sexually harassed and how they can complain against this kind of behaviour.

Is this Act only for women?

Yes, this Act is only for women who are sexually harassed in workplaces.

Is this Act only for working women?

No, this Act is for any woman who is harassed in any workplace. It is not necessary for the woman to be working at the workplace in which she is harassed. A workplace can be any office, whether government or private.

There is no sexual harassment at my office. Do I still have to follow the instructions regarding setting up an Internal Complaints Committee?

Yes, even if there are no cases of sexual harassment at the moment, it is still necessary for the committee to be set up (if you employ more than 10 workers) and for all rules to be followed.

Am I not allowed to approach the police and courts because of this Act?

No, the Act gives you a choice between dealing with the offender within the office or approaching a court. If you wish, you can file a criminal complaint instead of approaching your Internal/Local Complaints Committee.

Major Features

• The Act defines sexual harassment at the work place and creates a mechanism for redressal of complaints. It also provides safeguards against false or malicious charges.
• The Act also covers concepts of 'quid pro quo harassment' and 'hostile work environment' as forms of sexual harassment if it occurs in connection with an act or behaviour of sexual harassment.
• The definition of "aggrieved woman", who will get protection under the Act is extremely wide to cover all women, irrespective of her age or employment status, whether in the organised or unorganised sectors, public or private and covers clients, customers and domestic workers as well.
• While the "workplace" in the Vishaka Guidelines is confined to the traditional office set-up where there is a clear employer-employee relationship, the Act goes much further to include organisations, department, office, branch unit etc. in the public and private sector, organized and unorganized, hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions, sports institutes, stadiums, sports complex and any place visited by the employee during the course of employment including the transportation. Even non-traditional workplaces which involve tele-commuting will get covered under this law.
• The Committee is required to complete the inquiry within a time period of 90 days. On completion of the inquiry, the report will be sent to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, they are mandated to take action on the report within 60 days.
• Every employer is required to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees. The District Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committee at each district, and if required at the block level.
• The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts for gathering evidence.
• The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliation before initiating an inquiry, if requested by the complainant.
• The inquiry process under the Act should be confidential and the Act lays down a penalty of Rs 5000 on the person who has breached confidentiality.
• The Act requires employers to conduct education and sensitisation programmes and develop policies against sexual harassment, among other obligations.
• Penalties have been prescribed for employers. Non-compliance with the provisions of the Act shall be punishable with a fine of up to ₹ 50,000. Repeated violations may lead to higher penalties and cancellation of licence or registration to conduct business.
• Government can order an officer to inspect workplace and records related to sexual harassment in any organisation.

Penal Code

Main article: Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013

Through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, Section 354 was added to the Indian Penal Code that stipulates what consists of a sexual harassment offence and what the penalties shall be for a man committing such an offence. Penalties range from one to three years imprisonment and/or a fine. Additionally, with sexual harassment being a crime, employers are obligated to report offences.

3B.

WCD proposes amendments to widen the scope of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWA), 1986

Reformulated bill proposes new Centralised Authority under the aegis of National Commission of Women (NCW)

Based on the observations made by Parliamentary Standing Committee and recommendation made by the National Commission for Women on the basis of consultation with civil society groups and likeminded individuals, WCD has proposed amendments in IRWA keeping in mind the recent technological advancement in the field of communications such as social media platforms, over the top services etc.

The reformulated Bill proposes following amendments in the parent Act:

• Amendment in definition of term advertisement to include digital form or electronic form or hoardings, or through SMS, MMS etc
• Amendment in definition of distribution to include publication, license or uploading using computer resource, or communication device or in
• Insertion of a new definition to define the term publish
• Amendment in section 4 to include that No person shall publish or distribute or cause to be published or cause to be distributed by any means any material which contains indecent representation of women in any form:
• Penalty similar to that provided under the Information Technology Act, 2000
• Creation of a Centralised Authority under the aegis of National Commission of Women (NCW). This Authority will be headed by Member Secretary, NCW, having representatives from Advertising Standards Council of India, Press Council of India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one member having experience of working on women issues.
• This Centralised Authority will be authorized to receive complaints or grievances regarding any programme or advertisement broadcasted or publication and investigate/ examine all matters relating to the indecent representation of women.

The Government of India has enacted the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWA), 1986 to prohibit indecent representation of women through advertisements, publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other manner. Since the enactment of the Act, technological revolution has resulted in the development of new forms of communication, such as internet, multi-media messaging, cable television, over-the-top (OTT) services and applications e.g. Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Chat On, Snapchat, Instagram etc.

Keeping in mind these technological advancements, it has been decided to widen the scope of the law so as to cover such forms of media on one hand and to strengthen the existing safeguards to prevent indecent representation of women through any media form on the other. Hence, the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2012 was introduced in Rajya Sabha December, 2012 which referred the Bill to Department related Parliament Standing Committee for consideration.

2.An IoT device to make public transport safer for women

Plugged in:The system will be part of Real Time Governance Centre, used by the Chief Minister.Special Arrangement  

Andhra Pradesh will mandate connected boxes in vehicles

In the wake of an alarming increase in the number of rape and harassment cases against women in public transport, the Andhra Pradesh government plans to launch a foolproof safety mechanism through project ‘Abhaya.’

The safety scheme based on IoT (Internet of Things) will be implemented at a cost of Rs. 58 crore as a pilot project in Krishna and Visakhapatnam districts, where the population of urban women and college-going girls is high.

The Transport Department floated the RFP (Request for Proposal) last week and may close it by the third week of July. The first lot of around 50,000 IoT device boxes will be installed in auto-rickshaws by October.

The devices will have an in-built Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) or General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) for both real time location tracking and data communication. “Real time data analysis will be hosted in the cloud to support the transport and the police departments,” said Transport Commissioner N. Balasubramanyam, adding that a mobile application would establish a connection between the passenger and the server.

Without asking for any personal information about the passenger, the app will enable her to capture photos, send alerts, share the route and vehicle location with a guardian/confidante.

Distress button

If a woman senses a threat, she can tap the distress button which will auto-alert the police command and control centre and her guardian. Pressing anywhere on screen will also trigger a distress alarm while a tap on the ‘video call’ button will start a video call/stream to the police.

The victim could point the mobile’s camera towards the trouble mongers whose images would be captured by the police. The personnel on duty can engage them through video. The app will also have a ‘shout’ button which, when pressed, will play a recorded video or ‘shout’ audio in vernacular language and auto-alert the police and the guardian.

Before boarding an auto-rickshaw, the passenger will have to capture the QR code sticker on the vehicle that will give the details of the vehicle and the driver along with his photograph. This is to cross-check the driver’s photograph with the person at the wheel. The passenger will then have to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to confirm the driver’s photo match. She will also get the option of giving details of the journey to her guardian, and be given three possible routes. If there is a deviation, the passenger will get an intimation.

If the police get an alert they can even seize the vehicle’s ignition system, arresting its movement.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances and other items embedded with electronics, software,sensors, actuators, and connectivity which enables these things to connect and exchange data, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, resulting in efficiency improvements, economic benefits and reduced human intervention.

The number of IoT devices increased 31% year-over-year to 8.4 billion in 2017and it is estimated that there will be 30 billion devices by 2020.The global market value of IoT is projected to reach $7.1 trillion by 2020.

The applications for internet connected devices are extensive. Multiple categorizations have been suggested, most of which agree on a separation between consumer, enterprise (business), and infrastructure applications.George Osborne, the former British Chancellor of the Exchequer, posited that the Internet of things is the next stage of the information revolution and referenced the inter-connectivity of everything from urban transport to medical devices to household appliances.

The ability to network embedded devices with limited CPU, memory and power resources means that IoT finds applications in nearly every field. Such systems could be in charge of collecting information in settings ranging from natural ecosystems to buildings and factories, thereby finding applications in fields of environmental sensing and urban planning.

Intelligent shopping systems, for example, could monitor specific users' purchasing habits in a store by tracking their specific mobile phones. These users could then be provided with special offers on their favorite products, or even location of items that they need, which their fridge has automatically conveyed to the phone. Additional examples of sensing and actuating are reflected in applications that deal with heat, water, electricity and energy management, as well as cruise-assisting transportation systems. Other applications that the Internet of things can provide is enabling extended home security features and home automation. The concept of an "Internet of living things" has been proposed to describe networks of biological sensors that could use cloud-based analyses to allow users to study DNA or other molecules.

1.Iodine bindis for tribal women to fight deficiency

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An iodine patch, designed like a regular bindi, is expected to help one lakh tribal women in north-west Maharashtra battle iodine deficiency. Since these tribals don’t consume iodized salt, they are usually deficiency in this nutrient.
Last month, these iodine bindis were distributed free to tribal women in villages near Nashik and Ahmednagar. “Each woman got 30 bindis to last a month. When stuck on the forehead, it delivers the daily required amount of iodine — 100-150 micro grams — to the body by absorption through the skin,” says Dr Prachi Pawar, president Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Centre, a Nashik NGO that organized the distribution after identifying population pockets deficient in iodine.

Developed by Grey for Good, philanthropic arm of advertising and marketing agency Grey Group, the idea for the iodine bindi project — named Life Saving Dot-Jeevan Bindi — was conceived and incubated in Singapore. Creators at Grey were looking for a solution to address iodine deficiency in India when doctors told them that it can be absorbed through the skin. So they decided to make an iodine patch but to give it a wider appeal it was designed as bindi.

“Almost every Indian woman wears a bindi. Transforming these into iodine patches ensured that women got the required dosage of iodine without making changes to their daily behaviour,” says Gaurav Arora, account director, Grey.

The company partnered with Neelvasant Foundation for social implementation and distribution. “Earlier we used to give them iodine supplement pills but they were not in habit of taking them,” says Pawar adding that the Jeevan Bindi is a practical solution to this problem.

Iodine deficiency causes a host of disorders like goitre, impaired mental development and thyroid issues, which, in turn, have been linked to breast cancer and fibroids. According to data from National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme, more than 71 million Indians suffer from iodine deficiency disorders.

Iodine supplementation is targeted more at women of child-bearing age, says Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, director internal medicine at Max Hospital, Delhi. This is because during gestation, pregnancy and lactation women need twice the amount of iodine they usually require. “Children born to mothers deficient in this nutrient are low in IQ and also suffer from cretinism, a neurological condition,” adds Budhiraja.

The bindi needs to be worn every day for up to eight hours to be effective. “It can be worn at night and even by pregnant women,” says Pawar. While the NGO has yet to monitor the impact of the bindis on the iodine levels of the tribal women, Grey is now working on the second phase of this project wherein they plan to make these bindis available in the market. “We are in the midst of ironing out details for production and distribution,” says Arora.

Iodine deficiency is a lack of the trace element iodine, an essential nutrient in the diet. It may result in a goiter, sometimes as an endemic goiter as well as cretinism due to untreated congenital hypothyroidism, which results in developmental delays and other health problems. Iodine deficiency is an important public health issue as it is a preventable cause of intellectual disability.

Iodine is an essential dietary mineral; the thyroid hormones thyroxine and triiodothyronine contain iodine. In areas where there is little iodine in the diet, typically remote inland areas where no marine foods are eaten, iodine deficiency is common. It is also common in mountainous regions of the world where food is grown in iodine-poor soil.

Prevention includes adding small amounts of iodine to table salt, a product known as iodized salt. Iodine compounds have also been added to other foodstuffs, such as flour, water and milk, in areas of deficiency.Seafood is also a well known source of iodine.

Iodine deficiency resulting in goiter occurs in 187 million people globally as of 2010 (2.7% of the population).^[3] It resulted in 2700 deaths in 2013 up from 2100 deaths in 1990.

Risk factors

Following is a list of potential risk factors that may lead to iodine deficiency:

1. Low dietary iodine
2. Selenium deficiency
3. Pregnancy
4. Exposure to radiation
5. Increased intake/plasma levels of goitrogens, such as calcium
6. Gender (higher occurrence in women)
7. Smoking tobacco
8. Alcohol (reduced prevalence in users)
9. Oral contraceptives (reduced prevalence in users)
10. Perchlorates
11. Thiocyanates
12. Age (for different types of iodine deficiency at different ages)