THE WOMEN'S PARLIAMENT IN INDIA

A Women’s mock Parliament is seeking to solve some of the major issues that women face across India. The enormously successful mock Parliament has unleashed years of pent-up angst, as women activists-members used evidence and their oratory skills to present a range of issues that impact them as well as an alternative vision of political participation where women are heard and given due importance.

The Women’s Parliament was organized by ActionAid’s Beti Zindabad campaign in 2012 and has worked with women’s organizations in 20 states, trying to give women a more active voice that can make a strong political comment. Since then, the campaign has evolved into a large movement that examines issues faced by women and girls at various stages of their life, taking into account their geographical and social contexts.

Monemma was one of the 80 participant women activists. Having spent her childhood as a bonded laborer who was rescued a few years back by a human rights organization, she believes that “Too much time has been lost already. Women are oblivious of their own value and are spectators to the unfolding of their destinies. I am committed to giving women a voice and unleashing their inner potential.”

She said that nearly 25,000 families of her tribal community are still under bondage situations. More than 12,000 acres of land that belong to them is in the hands of powerful local land owners. There is no one to fight on behalf of these women and give them back what is rightfully theirs, so they continue to live in abject poverty, exploitation and helplessness. She urged Revenue and Labor officials to visit the location, take stock of the situation and initiate the necessary steps of rescue and rehabilitation.

Trafficking and child marriage, acid attacks and domestic violence, female infanticide, rising sex violence, transgender issues, gender-based discrimination, health and sanitation, women’s political participation, social security, disability, wage inequality, workplace harassment, issues of minorities and tribal women, and unfair land distribution are some of the chronic conditions that women have been living with for generations. Campaigns and enactment of laws has brought about some awareness but change is yet to be seen.

The Women’s Parliament, the first of its kind in India, is one way of articulating these challenges. The women ‘parliamentarians’ demanded more effective monitoring mechanisms that could evaluate the progress of enacted laws and their enforcement, pushing up accountability of governments. What the Women’s Parliament has done is to draw up a very articulate wish list. The Parliament has even come up with some plausible solutions like having Protection Officers for domestic violence cases in every state. It is evident that Women Parliament members mean business.

As a former member of the Planning Commission remarked, “These women are not going to be easily placated and satisfied. We in the government have to become more responsive. I am going to push for some of the issues raised at this platform to be tabled in the Parliament’s ongoing Winter Session.” The mock Parliament might has ended but the women activists have returned home with a little more hope.

Source: thebetterindia.com

MOTHERS, FATHERS AND TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER

Parent-Teacher Meetings are an essential part of the functioning of the Day Care Centers at construction sites. It is important to involve the parents in discussions about their children and about the functioning of the Centers in general.

Conducting the meetings on a regular basis gives the parents a platform for discussing any difficulties they may face. They are also able to express their views and suggestions about the activities at the Centers. Above all, these meetings are an essential form of communication that furthers a relationship of trust between parents and teachers.

The main points covered in the last meeting were the following:

Awareness about dengue
General discussion about health and hygiene
Importance of formal schooling
Health promotion and cleanliness of the children

LISTENING SO AS TO BUILD A BETTER PRESENT AND FUTURE

HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS FOOD

This month’s Food and Nutrition session consisted in a recipe competition among the women from the community. We had a big turnout: 25 teenage girls and 20 adult women. The session was conducted along with the Kindergarten teacher because there is a high rate of malnourishment among the children at her Center and she wanted to address this issue with their mothers.

The competition was a success and the women learned important facts about low-cost, wholesome nutrition while they were cooking. One of the dishes prepared was suji ka halawa, made of whole wheat, brown sugar, cardamom, milk, mint and salt. This particular dish is very nutritious during winter time, especially for children.

COOKING WITH HEALTH IN MIND

MORE GIRLS AND MORE TREES

In an arid town in the Indian state of Rajasthan, girls are welcome into this world with an earthly and lasting ritual: the planting of 111 trees in their honor. “We take care of the trees as part of our family because they are the fruit of the earth and because they will also give us fruit to feed our daughters”, says one of the women of the village of 8,500 inhabitants who benefit from the project.

For the last six years, the mothers of Piplantri have been able to join the Yogana Hadhi Kiran initiative voluntarily. By joining the project, the families are responsible for the planting and care of 111 trees for every girl born at home. Also voluntarily, parents are committed to providing a fixed deposit of about €271.5 for the future of their daughters. "The rest of the people contributing to a total of € 400 for each child. If families are unable to provide the highest amount, it would be the responsibility of the community, "says the mayor and project creator.

Shyam Paliwal Sundal conceived the idea when he was in charge of the Department of Sanitation and Environment Piplantri. "Kiran Hadhi Yogana benefits everyone. More than 60 families have joined the program and have planted 285,000 trees in an area of 2,000 hectares, "said Shyam, who says that families are now more willing to accept the birth of a girl for the economic aid that it entails.

The conception of a girl in India is a setback due to the constraints of a patriarchal and patrilineal society. Males are the mainstay of the domestic economy while daughters are married prior dowry, which involves an expense sometimes difficult to face. Atavismo the permanence of this leads in many cases to female feticide. For children under 6 years, there are only 888 girls for every 1,000 boys, when the natural sex ratio favors females.

The project Piplantri is paying off. According to Shyam, the proportion of children has been reversed in the last six years to reach 48 boys and 52 girls. In addition to improving the natural environment, planting trees also prevents child marriages, one of the social ills of India. To join the project, a couples is committed to keep the deposit granted until their daughter turns 18, when they can use it for her education or her dowry.

The Indian government has rewarded the initiative because it fosters a clean environment and the rights of the girl child, with some experts describing this movement in terms of eco-feminism. However, the project has not stopped at that, as some Pipilantri women have organized cooperatives for the production and sale of the aloe vera that grows amidst the trees. This, in turn, has made the cooperative think about the potential uses of wood and bamboo to make home-made home furniture, thus providing jobs and generating income for other village women.

Source: elpais.com

TEACHING AND LEARNING LIFE SKILLS

The topic for this session was Understanding Life Skills, the abilities that enable individuals to deal with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Every education system has a duty to support the development of life skills in order to enable youngsters to function effectively in society.

At the Community Project, we teach children psychosocial and interpersonal competencies that will help them overcome difficulties, think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, build healthy relationships, empathize with others, and cope with life’s challenges in a healthy and productive manner.

LET'S HELP THEM HELP THEMSELVES

NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND CHILDREN

The new course IT Classes began in September and have been running since. A total of 28 children signed up -16 girls and 12 boys. There are two different batches to accommodate the children’s school schedules, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

These sessions are especially important for school-going children because their IT classes at school were cancelled due to technical issues. The children enjoy the computers very much as they find them more interesting and entertaining than books and, at the same time, they are acquiring the necessary skills to feel comfortable with and use computers to their advantage.

LET'S GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO FUNCTION IN THE WORLD OF TODAY

A MOBILE SCHOOL FOR STREET CHILDREN

Mukti Gupta’s innovative social venture, a mobile school initiative in the city of Kolkata, is literally reaching out to street children to ensure that they are able to rise both socially and economically.

As Mukti hails from an affluent family business, signing off checks to NGOs working for underprivileged children could have been an easier option, but that was not the solution for her. She says, “It has always been my wish to help underprivileged children in the field of education; I believe that education is the only way to give them a better future.”

The school now gets over 200 admissions and students are taught using innovative techniques. She set up a six-machine computer lab to that end. Understanding the importance of extra-curricular activities and sports, she started swimming classes in a nearby pond under the supervision of a national swimming coach. In fact, talented children could either qualify for district level championship or make it to good schools with sports quota.

Throughout the day, the bus is busy collecting street children for their ‘school time’. “Our objective is to bridge the gap between mainstream education and street children”, Mukti says. To make way for a spacious classroom environment inside the bus, the seats have been removed and carpets put in their place. A plasma TV hangs on the wall to enable audio-visual learning. To make the classroom more child-friendly and attractive, there are a lot of soft toys and games & puzzles. The bus exterior is very creatively and colorfully done.

 “We teach with the help of audio-visuals to make learning a fun experience for the children, and make our classroom interesting by showing them cartoons, kid’s movies, rhymes & stories. We also take them for excursions”, Mukti explains. Ayahs (helpers) have been appointed to scrub clean the children daily and put on their school uniforms before they begin their classes.

Vocational training is also imparted, partly as an incentive for the children to join, and partly to make them ready be self-sufficient and to be able to live a life of dignity. The parents of the street children attending this unique school were initially skeptical about sending their children here, but have now become active supporters of it.

The unusual education drive is already en-route to success as two students have been admitted in a boarding school and a few students have been selected for government schools. Also, the Oriental Bank of Commerce has announced a year-long support for the mobile school. Mukti hopes to expand the scope of her work with this monetary support. “We are planning to launch two more buses so that we can reach more locations and educate more children,” she says. Clearly, the mobile school bus is going full steam ahead and is setting an outstanding example for other entrepreneurs with similar social aspirations.

Source: thebetterindia.com

FUN FOR COMMUNITY CHILDREN

Asha-Kiran and Impart Artists at Work Production (AWP) organized free time leisure activities for the community children. This group of volunteers has been working in Delhi for the last couple of years and now they are also working in Pune. AWP is made up of students from Ferguson College, some of them artists, some musicians, and some students who have good managerial skills.

In Delhi, AWP works with a number of Shelter Homes where they bring free music, dance and drama, drawing and painting sessions to children. At our Community Project, AWP conducted their first session on music therapy followed by an art session which 52 community children attended and were delighted by.

JOINING THE HANDS AND HEARTS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN

AN IMPORTANT FAMILY ISSUE

The last topic at our Parents’ and Women’s Self Help Group meeting was domestic violence against women and children. The attendants were shown some clippings of the Indian television show Satyamev Jayate, where several people share their experiences on how they have dealt with domestic violence.

The stories involve substance abuse, aggression on females at the hands of their husbands or in-laws, discrimination against female children and child abuse.  Everyone was shocked after watching the video and some of the women cried.

The community women said that this happens mostly in well educated, settled and economically stable families, and that they would never let this happen, but the fact of the matter is that domestic violence does occur across all strata of society, and it is necessary that all women be made aware of their worth so that they learn to respect themselves and defend their children's rights as well as their own.

LET'S MAKE THEM AWARE OF THEIR WORTH

THE OTHER MISSION OF TEACHERS

Basavaraju is a primary school teacher who evokes Gandhi – whom he emulates and impersonates amongst his school students and people on the streets in a small town in the State of Karnataka, India. He began doing this as a way to spread Gandhian ideology by using the power of visual imagery.

Born to a materially disadvantaged family, he studied hard and got the job of P.E. teacher in a small private school. Some label him mad, others think he has an innovative style to beg, while many come and question him on his impersonation. This helps him to open a tiny window in the minds of those who question him, and to talk about the relevance and the need to practice the Gandhian ideals.

He considers children to be important thought builders, so he spends time with them sharing the Gandhian ideology with them, because peace is what he yearns for everyone and himself. As he puts it, war is all around – amongst nations, religious communities, groups or even different castes. Basavaraju also spends time teaching yoga to school children. Nowadays, there is a huge demand on his time as other schools call him to teach their children about Gandhi and yoga.

No medals, no certificates, no awards or rewards, no pomp – just an incognito hero who is living by those ideals every day. If, like him, all teachers went beyond academics and helped to instill much needed values in young minds and hearts, there would be renewed hope for our world – the womb where future generations grow. 

LET’S CONTRIBUTE TO TRAIN TEACHERS WHO IMPART WORTHY IDEALS

Source: thebetterindia.com

NEW EYE CHECKUPS IN THE COMMUNITY

Asha-Kiran organized a new Eye Checkup Camp for the people in the community with the help of Bharati Hospital. Over a hundred people benefitted from the checkups, out of whom approximately half got new glasses.

Five people were diagnosed as cataract patients. One of them has been operated on already and is doing well now. The community people all came to take advantage of this health service and were very thankful for the care and glasses they received.

LET'S TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE'S HEALTH

SEWING THEIR WAY TOWARDS FINANCIAL STABILITY

A new Basic Tailoring Course started in September. The first day of class, the teacher, Mrs. Panchashila, distributed Certificates to the women who had attended and completed the previous course. Ten women are attending basic course, and those who have completed it come in regularly to continue practicing and honing their skills.

The basic course focuses on learning to design patterns for dresses and blouses, cutting and stitching. After completing the three-month course, the participants get a certificate from the Government Training Institute that helps them start their own business.

Asha-Kiran’s goal behind training women in garment making and design is to equip them with a valuable skill towards gaining economic self-sufficiency. We are also in the process of recruiting women for our upcoming Tailoring Business course, which will focus on the commercial aspects of tailoring.

UNCOVERING AND PUTTING THEIR POTENTIAL TO WORK

AN EXPERIENCE FULL OF LIFE

August of 2014.

Asha-Kiran gave us the opportunity to work in its projects. Uncertainty, nervousness, excitement, enthusiasm... so many emotions beforehand. The adventure began, India was waiting us and opened its doors to us.

“Namaste”: I know the place where love, peace and goodness resides. I know the place where if you live there in yourself and I live in there in myself, we will both be one.

And from this place, from its homes and Centers, from its women and children, from the office, from the traffic and the rickshaws’ hellish noise... from that place called India, we were able to do what we like, to teach and learn.

Every morning we got to know one of the Day Care Centers. There, we worked early stimulation of babies and offered recreational and cooperative activities so that the teachers could use them in their classrooms in relation to math, reading and morals. Every school, every child, every teacher, every life... awakened more interest in us and we were more eager to continue learning about this unknown and yet neighboring world. If at the same time we could contribute something with our ideas and experience... what more could we ask for?

After some spicy food to raise our spirits and not miss a nap (who would want to waste time sleeping?), we went to the Community Center, an open, living Center where work is done with children and women from the slum. Here our work, our beautiful work, focused on women. We did games, dances and cuisine sessions with them. Sometimes the colors of their saris moved to the rhythm of rumba and smelled like Spanish omelette. Other days, our pale bodies did Bollywood dances and enjoyed the smell of spice.

For a week we also got to know the work at Yashodhara. It is a Home and a school where peasant children live and study, as well as children in situations of extreme vulnerability. In this beautiful place, sheltered by Nori and Nora (two towering mountains), we experienced the monsoon daily.

We worked with students with a Tangram and made several psychomotor sessions, but perhaps, the most important work was the training day for teachers who work here every day. We met with them, we came to know their education system more in depth and we showed them different play strategies to teach mathematical concepts. Without any doubt, the best part of this experience was to live in a beautiful place sharing food, prayers, rain and games with them - hence its beauty.

We are still not sure what we brought to them. However, we have brought everything back from India. Its noise, mayhem, and the enthusiasm they never forget to share. The experience of a calmness unknown to us up no now and unthinkable in the midst of such chaos.

Something binds us to India, something keeps us there. An experience full of life, emotions and heartbeats. 

2014 Volunteer Team.

ERASING SOCIAL BORDERS

Civil organizations state that over a million people’s job is to empty latrines in India. They collect and transport the stools by hand without any protection, in a country where 597 million people have no toilets. They all belong to the most marginalized caste in the country, the Dalits or untouchables. Although the class division system was abolished in India in 1950, it still exists in practice.

In spite of attempts to end this work by the government, various organizations and the international community, they “have been derailed by discrimination and local complicity”, according to the South Asia director of Human Rights Watch. “People work emptying latrines because they assume that their caste must fulfill this role and usually can’t get any other jobs”, she says.

HRW has found that women do not receive wages in cash but food scraps, some grain at harvest time, used clothing or access to land for cattle, always at the discretion of the families they serve. Intermon Oxfam reported that those who do receive a salary usually do not get more than 30 rupees (0.50 €) per toilet per month. The children of these workers do not get an education because of their extreme poverty, and many of those who are enrolled in school end up dropping out due to severe discrimination.

Human Rights Watch also warns of the health consequences that collecting fecal matter entails - nausea, headaches, respiratory and skin diseases, anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, trachoma and carbon monoxide poisoning, to name a few. The NGO wants the new government to undertake a comprehensive assessment of all agreements in force intended to offer this caste financial aid, scholarships, legal assistance, etc. 

However, what needs to be changed so that the enforcement of laws is not hindered are the entrenched cultural patterns of a society that divides itself in people of more or less worth. Despite being a slow process, this must be done with the people themselves irrespective of caste so that the boundaries of this social division may progressively become less rigid.

HELP US ERASE SOCIAL BORDERS

Source: elpais.com

JOY AND CREATIVITY

The teamwork done in the month of August between Asha-Kiran and a group of Spanish Volunteers consisted in bringing creative and leisure activites to our beneficiaries. One of them, the clown show, was a complete success among the children and their families. The aim of this activity was for children from the Day Care Centers at the construction sites as well as those from the slum community to laugh and have a good time.  

The volunteers made everyone enjoy a visual display of comedy without the use of language, yet this was not an obstacle to convey universally funny situations. There were infants, young children, adults and elderly people in the public. Some of the infants were scared of the clowns at first but soon became comfortable with the help of the teacher and her helper. 

The Volunteers stressed that it is good have surprises for the children, not only for enjoyment but also to interest them what the Centers have to offer and to encourage them to welcome new experiences.

LET’S KEEP ON BRINGING JOYFUL MOMENTS TO OUR BENEFICIARIES  

LEARNING TO LEARN

The Literacy Classes restarted on a regular basis in August. All of the girls who are now attending come from the Lemon-Chili community, where adults as well as children sell lemon and chili on the streets -believed to be protective charms- to make a living.

The girls were fascinated with the books, slates, blackboard, chalk, teacher, etc. In the one of the Adolescent Sessions, they manifested their interest in learning numbers, letters, reading, writing, etc. After attending for a full month, all the girls were very happy that they had started the Literacy Classes.

LET'S OPEN DOORS FOR THEM

CULTURAL EXCHANGE IN THE COMMUNITY

A team of Spanish Volunteers and the women from the slum community exchanged dishes with each other in the cookery session. Both groups taught, learned to prepare, shared and tasted the recipes from each other’s countries. 

Everyone present in the activity was delighted. The aim of the activity was for the women and the Volunteers to come together in more ways than sharing food, since by sharing time and experiences, each group developed bonds of friendship, trust and appreciation for the other.

LET'S SUPPORT BROTHERLY BONDS ACROSS CULTURES

TALKING ABOUT A FORBIDDEN SUBJECT

During the transition from childhood to adulthood, girls first experience menstruation, which can bring about feelings of anxiety and the desire to know about this natural phenomenon. However, they do not get the proper information because it is culturally unacceptable to discuss sex-related issues and due to the lack of female health education programs in schools. 

All of them were very excited while they were going through the round of introductions. The girls were hesitant at first because, in their culture, but they later relaxed as the topic was talked about in a open and natural manner. 

The session included the following topics:

The menstrual cycle
Preparing for ovulation
Understanding the ovulation cycle
Preparing for the next period.

Afterwards, the girls were very happy and reassured with the information given. We will continue to plan sessions to enhance their understanding of related topics such as pregnancy and reproductive health. 

LET’S KEEP ON PROVIDING IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO THEM

MORE BOYS THAN GIRLS

India is failing to end the practice of female child abortions. The latest UN data are that for every thousand boys born in the country, there are only 918 girls. These statistics go against the natural balance, affecting the whole of society and putting the country in an “emergency situation”. 

In recent years, the government has tried several measures to avoid selective abortions, such as banning portable ultrasound machines so parents will not find out the sex of the baby, or restrict scans to cases that are medically necessary. Young girls born to families with limited financial means also suffer more neglect, they are taken less to the doctor and they are fed less than their male siblings. 

What gives rise to this situation is the widespread view that girls are a burden to the family. This is the mindset that needs to be changed. Parents prefer to have a son because when he marries, his wife will become part of the family, while daughters leave. Also, paying a girl’s dowry can be a significant economic burden. 

These factors represent a great obstacle to a change in this trend, but we wish to face this challenge intelligently on the way towards a more equitable society in which girls and boys will have the same worth in the eyes of their parents and a privileged place in their hearts.

LET’S WALK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE IN THE HUMAN FAMILY

Source: elpais.com

MOTHERS, FATHERS AND TEACHERS

Parents play a very important role in the lives of their children. They have the duty to build a solid foundation for their children which will give them the emotional stability and the knowledge necessarry for them to have a successful and rewarding life. The foundation needs to be built at an early age, and to keep on being built throughout adolescence.

The Parents’ Meetings at all of Asha-Kiran’s Projects provide a platform for awareness raising among parents, where the Project Coordinator plays the role of a facilitator and a source of information and guidance. 

In our last meeting, we discussed the need for parents to

- Provide education for their children so they can have better opportunities in life, irrespective of their gender.
- Participate in school activities, especially in Parents-Teachers Meetings every month.
- Visit the child’s school regularly to check their performance.
- Interact with their children about their school, syllabus and teachers.
- Be attentive at parents’ meetings and share all their queries, ideas and thoughts with us to make the meeting more interactive and fruitful.

LET’S HELP PARENTS BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN

THE ORPHANS' MOTHER

Sindhutai Sapkal’s life began being an unwanted child. Her husband, who abused her, abandoned her when she was nine months pregnant and she had to give birth alone. The incident affected her deeply and she thought about committing suicide, but instead, she began to beg on railway platforms to feed her daughter. 

Over time, she realized that there were many orphans and abandoned children in the streets. Having had to endure many hardships herself, she decided to adopt them and started begging more intensively in order to feed them. That's how she came to be known as the “orphans’ mother”. “I was committed to caring for and raising them as my own children. I'm there for those who have no one”, he says fondly. At 68, Sindhutai has many stories behind a strong personality full of energy and passion.

To date, she has adopted and fed more than 1400 orphans, helping them to get an education and supporting them to get ahead in life. Sinduthai is affectionately known as “Mai” (mother). She does not give children up for adoption and treats them as if they were her own. Some of them are now lawyers, doctors and engineers. 

With love and compassion, Sindhutai has built a large family. “By the grace of God, I had good communication skills. I could go talk to people and influence them. Hunger made me talk, and this became my source of income. I give many speeches in various places, and this provides some money to care for my children.”

Sindhutai’s unusual life is an inspiration. Even after facing so many difficulties, she has remained strong and has found her way into everyone’s heart, proving that it is possible to turn lives around as well as the lives of thousands of people around them.

LET'S HELP TURN LIVES AROUND

SEWING TO PROSPER

The basic and advanced fashion design classes started in May with 33 women from the Community Project. Jan Shikshan Sansthan (an offshoot of the government’s Human Resource Development Department) is working together with Asha-Kiran by providing sewing machines and a professional teacher.

The main idea behind the training is to manufacture cloth pouches and thus create business opportunities for the women. As they undergo the training, they will become more skilled at cutting, stitching, making combinations, making the best use of the fabric, and creating quality pouches.

For marketing purposes we have a group of six volunteers from Symbiosis International University and Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC) who are helping us to set up the supply chain, all the way from finding a source of the raw material, to whom to contact once the product is ready. All the volunteers are very good at managing databases, preparing proposals, setting up meetings with buyers and suppliers, and promoting this business on social networking sites.

LET’S SUPPORT THEIR TRAINING AND FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY

EDUCATING AND RE-EDUCATING

Child marriage is commonplace in India, where more than one third of all the child brides in the world live. According to UNICEF, nearly half of the girls are married by 18 years of age, and 18% are married by the time they are 15. For the most part, girls are married off without their consent Indian law has made child marriage illegal, but it is still widely practiced.

Action for the Rights of Children (ARC) and Asha-Kiran came together to organize a two-day workshop where the grass root level workforce of the organization worked with youngsters from our community. Various tasks were given to them to perform in groups as a way to raise awareness about the damage that marriage can cause before a person is physically, emotionally and psychologically mature.

The minors also received information on who to consult and go to regarding cases of child marriage. The participants were asked to spread the newly acquired information among their respective families and community.

EDUCATION IS KEY TO PROGRESS – HELP US TO INFORM

JUNE 12TH: MILLIONS OF CHILDREN STILL WORKING

Just as India has the highest number of children in the world, its number of working children is equally high - around 12.6 million, according to government figures. The Right to Education Act aims to ensure free and compulsory education to all children up to 14, yet children are found toiling as semi-slaves in every imaginable and unimaginable place.

Child labor robs children their childhood and their chance to grow in a healthy and wholesome atmosphere. Not only is their present in danger, but also their future and their offspring’s future, as the cycle of ignorance-poverty is perpetuated by their lack of education or training.

The fight against child labor needs to be long and sustained, and has to address all strata of society. Mindsets must be changed universally so that something commonplace can be seen as an aberrant practice by the same eyes that now consider it ‘normal’.

Let us, together, help to open these children’s and their parents’ eyes to other possibilities – to another way of living.

VIOLATED AND MURDERED

Around a thousand dalit women, belonging to the lowest rung in the caste system in India, are raped each year. Their status as 'untouchables' puts them at the base of the social pyramid, where their future is practically marked from birth - a bleak future indeed.

A police officer figures among those arrested in relation to the recent gang rape of two teenagers who were later hung from a tree. Despite tougher laws, rapes continue to occur. Unfortunately, implementation of the laws can be severely hampered by the caste mindset. The father of one of the girls told the local media that when he went to the authorities, they made fun of him for being a dalit.

The activists claim that rape and murder do not get wide media coverage when the victim is an 'untouchable'. In addition, "Violence, or its threat, makes girls drop out of school and women stop going to work. This vicious cycle keeps women and girls poor and vulnerable," according to the program director and Action Aid policy in India.

An important part of Asha-Kiran’s work is to educate and re-educate families on values such as gender equality. Without this education, dalits and other disadvantaged social groups will continue to be the target of harassment and violence, and their girls and women, the most vulnerable among the vulnerable. With your solidarity, we can continue to 'open their eyes' and provide the means for their hopes to have a visible effect in their lives.

JOIN US IN THIS PRESSING TASK

Sources: elmundo.es / elpais.com

MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: A PENDING ISSUE

In September 2000, the UN set eight goals to eradicate or reduce the main social problems of the planet. The Millennium Development Goals were the first universal political program with the aim to improve overall living conditions by a specific date: 2015. The aim was to have the richer countries put forth more and better resources to end hunger, reduce poverty and gender inequality, ensure access to primary education for all children, curb disease and achieve sustainable environmental development.

Now, the UN faces the failure of the most ambitious project in its history and it is working to develop a political strategy to propose a time extension and setting new goals. “The tragedy is that the UN has no power to impose the common good to the true masters of the world, which are multinational corporations”, argues an adviser to the Human Rights Council. “The ones who make and enforce decisions are 500 private corporations that control more than half of the gross world product. The worst thing is that organizations within or associated with the United Nations act as mercenary entities for such multinational organizations, favoring the privatization of all public goods.”

The reports being drawn up by high UN officials will aim to create an atmosphere of ‘mobilizing optimism’ even though in 2015, half of the population on earth will suffer an acute shortage of drinking water and billions of people will have to make due with less than a dollar a day. Under such conditions, one would expect the UN to duly stimulate the exercise of responsibility on the part of the countries that have breached their social commitments.

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT IS ALSO UP TO US

Source: elmundo.es

INDIA: WOMEN VOTERS

During the past 50 years, female voter turnout in India has been increasing while that of male voters has remained unchanged - a trend that, according to observers, cannot be ignored now that India is holding its 16th general election.

“Women are getting a clear sense that voting is something they have a say in”, says an anthropologist from the School London of Economics. It is anticipated that there will continue to be a high female participation, and that this could have a big impact on the outcome of the nine-phase election that began on April 7 and ends on May 12, 2014.

A study of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad revealed that a massive female vote can make political parties shudder. By analyzing two local elections held in 2005 in the eastern state of Bihar, the study found that an increase in female turnout negatively affected the probability of re-election of a political party, while a high share of male voters increased the chances that a party would stay in power.

 “Appeals to women voters have always been more tokenist in nature," says a professor at the University of Pune's department of politics and public administration. “It's likely to stay that way for some time.” It may be so, but with women voting in increasing numbers, many think Indian politicians will have to start listening.

Source: bbc.com

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Information Center was created for the people in the slum community to provide them with general information and legal aid. This resource is full of information for everyone in the family or in the community. Most of the people who live here have no idea how to go about getting important legal documents, enrolling their children in school, and following other bureaucratic procedures.

As an offshoot of the Information Center, our Resource Mobilizer recently formed a group of women who are eligible for Widows’ Pension. The Mobilizer instructs the widows in the community regarding the procedures, forms, documents and office addresses so that the group members can avail of this government assistance.

LET'S INFORM THEM 

LINKING PROJECTS: COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND DAY CARE CENTERS

The Community Kitchen is an ongoing activity that aims to empower the women from the slum areas we work with. At the same time we create employment, we also promote synergy between the Community Development and the Migrant Children projects, since the food that is given to the children at most of our Day Care Centers is prepared in our kitchen.

Asha-Kiran’s Social Mobilizer is responsible for monitoring the kitchen, while the cooks support each other in their work. Thus, in addition to linking both projects, the kitchen promotes self-sufficiency among community women

LET'S CONTINUE TO LINK DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TOGETHER

SUPPORT CLASSES in the COMMUNITY

The main purpose of support classes in the Community Project is to address the needs of children who are lagging behind their peers in skills such as reading, writing and math. Support is given to schoolchildren up to 8th grade.

The teacher and her helper teach two groups, one that comes in two hours in the morning and another one two hours in the afternoon, depending on the children's school schedule. Together with the teacher, the resource mobilizer assesses the children monthly so that the specific needs of each child can be taken into account when designing their support plan.

LET'S CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR LEARNING

FROM CHILDREN FOR CHILDREN

A manifesto written with the participation of Indian children about the issues that a large percentage of them face daily was recently unveiled by 23 local NGOs. The document was addressed to the Indian government as part of the Vote 4 Children campaign. The national media manager for Save the Children said: “Thirty six percent of Indians are children… We are fighting against child labor and for better health and quality education”.

The convenor of Vote 4 Children added that “Children can't vote, so it is important for them to influence people who represent their issues and concerns in Parliament”. The demands include increasing allocation for child protection, health and nutrition, stopping child labor, considering all people under 18 as minors, the abolition of feticide and infanticide, and implementing a national policy to combat malnutrition.

Let us continue supporting children so that their voices are heard and their rights protected.

Source: thehindu.com

SEEDS: A CULTURAL HERITAGE

For a long time, seeds have been a part of India’s cultural heritage. In a country where 70% of the population still live in rural and semi-rural communities, seeds are an integral part of many rituals, ceremonies and festivals that celebrate the cycle of birth, life and death. Saving seeds has been a cornerstone of the traditions that have made agriculture a way of life for many centuries.

In the 60s, the scenario began to change with the advent of the Green Revolution in India. The introduction of high-yielding seeds and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides reduced the diversity of native seeds. When farmers started to move away from the practice of saving and exchanging seeds with neighbors and family, their knowledge about traditional agricultural systems became increasingly irrelevant.

In addition, there now exists the growing threat of genetically modified seeds (GMO) in the Indian markets for crops such as maize, mustard, peas, potatoes, bananas and others. Many environmentalists and farmers' groups are concerned about the impact of GMOs on the biodiversity of native varieties and the health problems associated with their consumption.

Traditionally, women farmers have been the main guardians of seeds in India. In times of scarcity, they can identify roots and tubers for food and medicinal needs. Women are also major producers of food in the country but are not recognized as farmers and have to fight to have land rights and access to information and loans.

The knowledge that women farmers have about natural resources is often undervalued by the state and agro-scientists. For example, some plants that poor farmers subsist on during periods of scarcity are regarded as weeds by agro-enterprises and are often sprayed with herbicides. And while women farmers provide the labor force for most agricultural activities, decisions relating to the management of farmland lie largely in the hands of men.

In view of growing climate unpredictability and increased expenditure on external resources, it is highly advisable that traditional wisdom on selection and conservation of seeds as well as natural practices be documented and promoted. Seeds are a symbol of self-reliance and key to safeguarding the biodiversity of indigenous crops on small farms across India.

Source: earthisland.org

NGO EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR ASHA-KIRAN

Asha-Kiran Shelters Foundation was honoured to receive the prestigious NGO EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP AWARD, 2014 on the occasion of World CRS Day 17th and 18th February 2014 in Mumbai. The award was given by World CSR Congress and presented by ABP NEWS. The award was conferred on us for our development work in the field of Education, especially the project of Migrant Children “Opening Educational Pathways for Migrant Children” (OEPMC), which involves the educational development of children of labourers at construction sites.

After announcement of the award we sent our project proposal and reports detailing of our work in the sector to the World CSR team, which goes through a diligent investigation and verification of our work and then passes on to the Jury, who then selects the finalists for the award from among the many NGOs who have applied. We were selected for our innovation and sustainability in our projects and CSR methodology.

The Objectives of World CSR Congress:

The World CSR Congress will be guided by Leaders.... who believe in the value of Sustainable CSR; that which is built in the fabric of business - making it a reality. Leaders produce Leaders Program will be a common thread uniting nations and people who take CSR more responsibly. They also believe that CSR is a tool to the Development of the Future.

We thank all of our friend and collaborators for helping Asha-Kiran to offer better development pathways to the people who need them.

GETTING AN EDUCATION BEFORE GETTING MARRIED

Khushboo, like her mother before her, was forced into marriage when she was just a girl. Khushboo’s father died when she was very young, leaving her family with little means. It wasn’t long before her mother and the community pressured her to marry to help her family. “I was very young, I couldn’t say anything, I didn’t understand,” she explains.

Shortly after marrying, Khushboo dropped out of school and, with no access to family planning, became pregnant. Complications arose during childbirth and even though tried to save both mother and child, her son died and she fell into a deep depression.

Despite her ordeal, Khushboo now works as a peer educator. With her colleagues, she arranges meetings and informs villagers of the ill effects of early marriages. She has even prevented several child marriages from happening. 

Watching her sister lose her baby deeply changed Priyanka too: “My sister’s experience taught me that I shouldn’t even think of marrying until I’ve finished my studies and am able to stand on my own two feet. And I hope that not only me, but that all the girls wait to be independent before they start thinking about marriage”.

LET'S CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM OTHER LIFE OPTIONS

Source: girlsnotbrides.com

ANNUAL PRIZE DISTRIBUTION AT YASHODHARA

In the month of January and on the occasion of our Annual Gathering Function at Yashodhara Shelter, there was a Prize Distribution Program for the children who participated in various activities such as sports, individual and group games, science exhibits and projects in Hindi. Many children took part and many were happy to receive prizes for their performance.

LET'S HELP THEM EXCEL

GLOBAL HEALTH FOR TEENS

This month’s session at the Community Development Project carried over from last month, as the topic is very wide and difficult to understand. The subject was “Self Awareness”, particularly in regard to emotions. In this session we asked the participants about their strengths, their weaknesses, the opportunities they saw for themselves, and the threats they found in their daily routine.

Another focal point was Communication – verbal and non-verbal, expressing feelings, listening skills, gestures, etc. The girls liked this topic. They said communication is an important part of life that they had never thought about. In their opinion, good communication skills are necessary. Being aware of this fact will help them in their present and future relationships. 

LET'S SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR SELF-DISCOVERY

OPENING PATHWAYS FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN

Our project “Day Care Centers for Migrant Children” makes it possible for the sons and daughters of couples who work in construction sites to improve their health and nutrition, be in a safe and nurturing environment while their parents are at work, and have access to learning experiences they would otherwise be deprived of.

Given that migrant workers are constantly moving from one construction site to another, it may not be possible to mainstream all the children into formal schooling. However, once their parents realize the importance of education, it is more likely that they will actively seek opportunities to enrol their children in school, no matter where they are. This process is facilitated by a card all schooled children receive, which is a formal record of their academic level.

Asha-Kiran looks after migrant children by providing

• Non-formal education
• Nutrition
• Formal school enrolment and transportation
• Dental/Medical checkups and treatment camps
• Parent/Teacher meetings


In our last Parent-Teacher meeting, which a total of 125 parents attended, many expressed pride in having their children in school. Some said that when their children are home they talk about school all the time, and that some children teach their parents as well.

Asha-Kiran’s multi-faceted approach to child care enhances migrant children’s chances of breaking the circle of ignorance-poverty, and of becoming a valuable part of their community. To date, there are eleven Day Care Centers in full operation, with more to be started in the near future.

LET'S OPEN NEW PATHWAYS TOGETHER

WHO MAKES OUR CLOTHES?

The signs in front of the factories claim their adherence to labor laws and intolerance to child labor, but inside, the scenario is very different. The textile industry in India, with an estimated value of 84 billion Euros, and a supplier for dozens of clothing brands across India, Europe, America and Australia, relies secretly and heavily on child labor.

In spinning mills, dyeing plants and factories, girls as young as eleven, vulnerable to physical and psychological abuse, remain locked in residences during their period of service behind high walls and barbed wire.

The system is known as Sumangali, which means “happily married” in Tamil language, and is offered to poor families as a way for girls to earn enough money to pay their dowry. Rights activists estimate there could be around 200,000 girls associated with the system. The Indian government is aware of it, but efforts to eradicate it have failed for lack of political will and the economic power of the sector.

In a village in Tamil Nadu, Rajeshwari plans, with the help of her grandmother, to rescue her sister from a cotton spinning mill. “I'll bring her home,” says the grandmother. “They have to release her, she's my granddaughter. She wanted to go, but now she feels very bad... long hours, low pay and bad living conditions.”

Rajeshwari knows it’s true because she spent a year and a half behind the walls of the same factory. At 14, her verbal contract was for three years, after which she was told she would get €470. While she was working, she made €17 a month which went down to €11 if she missed a single day of work. She had to work overtime and was beaten if her production was not high enough.

“There were three shifts each day, so we had to do compulsory night shifts. I was very tired all the time and sometimes I didn’t even eat.” After a year and a half, she could not take it anymore. Despite completing half of her service, she received no part of the promised amount. Rajeshwari has given up on the money and wants her sister back, but the situation is complicated because the agent who accepted the commission is a relative.

It is not only poverty that drives families to “sell” their daughters. In the heartland of ultraconservative Hindu Tamil Nadu, girls are kept away from society from puberty until marriage. If girls are isolated for three years, safe from harm as far as the parents can tell, and working to pay their dowry at the same time, a valuable social purpose is served.

Systems that make underage girls work in servitude violate numerous laws in India, but textile networks are economically and politically powerful. Many factories belong to politicians or their families, and the huge amounts of money the industry generates are vital for the economy and livelihoods of millions of families.

This massive industry is complex and supply chains are deliberately kept secret so that it is almost impossible for Western consumers to locate the origin of their clothes. The National Human Rights Commission of the government of India has ordered the government of Tamil Nadu to ensure that Sumangali and similar systems are abolished, but the industry hides behind the high walls of the factories.

A representative of Stop the Traffik says that these systems are “a modern form of slavery”, but adds that boycotting countries with entire economies that depend on clothing manufacture is counterproductive. Instead, she says, consumers and Western brands have to ensure that clothes are made ethically. “Right now you can’t make a perfect choice, but you can make a better choice,” she says. “The fashion industry is highly profitable for some. We are asking people to make changes that will make life better for the poorest of the poor.”

LET'S OFFER THEM OTHER CHOICES

Source: smh.com