Shruti Gave speech at Pindara of Varanasi
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Honour to Matryas against Hunger,Ms. Namita Pal
Ms. Shruti,Founder of Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum is giving the honour to matryas against malnutrition ,Ms. Namita
http://lenin-shruti.blogspot.com/2008/11/varanasi-uttar-pradesh-minor-girl.html
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Founder of SBPMP(SWF) Ms. Shruti in honor cermony of Survivors
Ms. Shruti-Founder of Savitri Bai Phuley Women Forum(SWF) gave speech at honour ceremony of survivors at Raup village of Sonbhadra,India,organized by PVCHR,RCT and EU-FNSt-PW Natioanl Project for prevention of torture.News published in Hindi Daily Amar Ujala
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
Voice of a mother from Varanasi of India
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=4815#
Voice of a mother from Varanasi of India
History and Geography of mothers from Cybele to Julia Ward, Seema, Savitri, Durga…
Shruti Nagvanshi 12/5/2008 1:08:44 PM(IST)
Contrary to popular belief, Mother''s Day was not conceived and fine-tuned in the boardroom of Hallmark. The earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honour of Mary, mother of Christ. In England this holiday was expanded to include all mothers and was called Mothering Sunday.
Photo: Cybele -- She is the Mother of the Greek gods; Peace! Virtue!--Like Hindus' Devi Durga
In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day."
Fifteen years later, Julia Ward Howe, a Boston poet, pacifist, suffragist, and author of the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," organized a day encouraging mothers to rally for peace, since she believed they bore the loss of human life more harshly than anyone else.
In 1905 when Anna Jarvis died, her daughter, also named Anna, began a campaign to memorialize the life work of her mother. Legend has it that young Anna remembered a Sunday school lesson that her mother gave in which she said, "I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother's day. There are many days for men, but none for mothers."
Anna began to lobby prominent businessmen like John Wannamaker, and politicians including Presidents Taft and Roosevelt to support her campaign to create a special day to honour mothers. At one of the first services organized to celebrate Anna's mother in 1908, at her church in West Virginia, Anna handed out her mother's favourite flower, the white carnation. Five years later, the House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling for officials of the federal government to wear white carnations on Mother's Day. In 1914 Anna's hard work paid off when Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday.
At first, people observed Mother's Day by attending church, writing letters to their mothers, and eventually, by sending cards, presents, and flowers. With the increasing gift-giving activity associated with Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis became enraged. She believed that the day's sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit. In 1923 she filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother's Day festival, and was even arrested for disturbing the peace at a convention selling carnations for a war mother's group. Before her death in 1948, Jarvis is said to have confessed that she regretted ever starting the mother's day tradition.
Despite Jarvis's misgivings, Mother's Day has flourished in the United States. In fact, the second Sunday of May has become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone lines record their highest traffic, as sons and daughters everywhere take advantage of this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mothers.
However much a mother may love her children, it is all but impossible for her to provide high-quality child care if she herself is poor and oppressed, illiterate and uninformed, anaemic and unhealthy, has five or six other children, lives in a slum or shanty, has neither clean water nor safe sanitation, and if she is without the necessary support either from health services, or from her society, or from the father of her children.
- Vulimiri Ramalingaswami, "The Asian Enigma"
Friends, Not only in India but in whole world condition of women are becoming bad to worse. Violence against them is increasing. Women are the most affected at the time of war as well as peace. Their life and dignity is not secured inside or outside of home. Everywhere greedy eyes are at set to exploit the women’s body and soul.
Women have no independent entity in this society. They are like an easy prey, which can be consumed easily. Women face violence and torture from their birth. They do not have life of dignity and honour as a human being. There is no doubt that our society has been driven by the Manuist tradition based on patriarchal supremacy and exploitation. If one looks at the conditions of Dalit women, he will get upset deeply.
Where women belonging to caste Hindus community face two-fold exploitation the women belonging to Dalit community face three fold exploitation due to Brahamanical and patriarchal dominated policies which are following-
1. Caused by castist discrimination.
2. Caused by patriarchal values.
3. Caused by poverty.
The exploitation and torture of Dalit women often of such nature and so inhuman that an outsider unknown to the caste system could hardly imagine it. Sometimes they are made forced to walk naked and sometimes they are brutally killed. This is the very reason why women tortured by such a cruel and inhuman way become forced to adapt the path of Phulan Devi. On the vulnerable condition of women neither media is sensitive nor the so called intellectuals. Analyzing the conditions of Dalit women exclusively, we have decided that on the question of torture of Dalit women and for their liberation, it needs comprehensive, deep and wide campaign. We talked with some like-minded people and groups and reached to a common understanding, which came forth in the shape of Savitri Bi Phule Mahila Panchayat.
This conference is being organized to sensitize the people of each community against the violence and torture of Dalit women. In India, population of Dalit community is nearly up to 16 crore 70 lakh and population of Dalit women is nearly 8 crore, which is 47.06% of total Dalit population. It means population of Dalit women is nearly 16.3 percent of total Indian population. Each 12th woman can be identified as Dalit woman. Today 89.5 percent Dalit women are living under acute poverty in spite of the fact that these dalit women are contributing a lot in national production as an important and huge source of labour force. They are involved in agricultural production and non-agricultural production. Among them 94 percent Dalit women are made forced to work at a low wages under unorganized sector, it is ironical that such a big labour force, which is playing so important role in the national production, are totally deprived of their human Rights. In their 4th annual report, national commission on Sc/St has reported that yearly 25,000 women are facing torture and violence caused by caste discrimination. But actually such type of complains against Dalit women are far more.
There, a comprehensive study was conducted on 500 victim women belonging to Dalit community taken from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Pondicheri (Puducheri). In this study different forms of violence against women are detected, as for example Physical assault, verbal abuse, sexual exploitation, rape, abduction, forced prostitution, murder etc. which are inflicted by the men belonging to caste Hindus. Apart from that there are some more form of violence are reserved only for Dalit women as misbehave, verbal filthy abuse, sex violence, force to walk naked, Dalit women are forced to throw urine on their own face, they are tortured by taking their teeth and nail out, to cut the breast off, to pour the petrol in their vagina are commonly occurred.
Women frequently face violence and torture in their life but due to weakness of judiciary and predominant patriarchal mentality perpetrators easily escape out of the hands of rule of law. All studies and research work indicate that even not 1 percent perpetrator has been convicted in the matter of violence on women. In such a condition how can one hope to get justice for the women? There has been important contribution of Dalit woman in the social development of India and its history. It is ironical that this Manuist society never accepted the contribution of Dalit women in Indian society. It can be said that all literature and history is nothing but documents of so called heroic saga of patriarchal greed and Brahamanical values because there has not been mentioned the contribution of Dalit women. These reactionary historians have intentionally forgotten the heroic role of Jhalkari Bai in the struggle of Indian national independence.
They never remember revolutionary role of Savitry Bai Phule who dared to open school for girls first time. They exploited Dalit women by making forced them to adapt the life of a prostitute as Devadasi in the name of religion and god. But when an upper caste Hindu forcefully make sexual relation with a Dalit women then how she becomes touchable it is a mystery. They forget that when hands of labours unite they can throw the reign of terror away. Our supporters and we Dalit women declare that now it would not happen. We will hit hard to abolish the Brahanical and patriarchal tyrannies. Our struggle is not against the men but against those traditional reactionary ideas and system, which creates mentality to enslave the women. Our struggle is in the support of all those voiceless communities, classes who are grinding under imperialism, Manuistic and patriarchal system. Friends what might be done in such a situation without raising the question of liberation of Dalit women? Whether we can talk about the liberation of women as a whole.
It is not possible to think of a batter society without solving the problems of Dalit women. Struggle of Dalit women is a symbol of struggle of social honour and to have an independent recognition as a human being. There should be ensured social security by giving them employment. So we call for all these progressive forces working for the upliftment of the whole society to come forward and to join the struggle against the exploitative system based on patriarchal supremacy. A better world and better society can only be constructed by our collective effort and struggle.
Taking this into the view Shruti formed Savitri Bai Phule mahila panchayat in 2002 and Seema, Kalawati, and Durga joined her. Now it has taken the shape of an organization by carring out continuous of struggle. On 10th march which is death anniversary of Savitry bai phule, Savitri mahila panchayat has decided to celebrate this day as national women liberation day and has clarified that until women belonging to upper caste Hindus do not come out of Varna system and until the question of Dalit women would not be in the centre of Indian women’s movement there is no meaning of celebration of Mother Day.
The persistence of hunger and abject poverty in India and other parts of the world is due in large measure to the subjugation, marginalization and disempowerment of women. Women suffer from hunger and poverty in greater numbers and to a great degree than men. At the same time, it is women who bear the primary responsibility for actions needed to end hunger: education, nutrition, health and family income.
India has a long history of activism for women's welfare and rights, which has increasingly focused on women's economic rights. A range of government programs have been launched to increase economic opportunity for women, although there appear to be no existing programs to address the cultural and traditional discrimination against women that leads to her abject conditions.
India, with a population of 989 million, is the world’s second most populous country. Of that number, 120 million are women who live in poverty.
India has 16 percent of the world’s population, but only 2.4 percent of its land, resulting in great pressures on its natural resources.
Over 70 percent of India’s population currently derives their livelihood from land resources, which includes 84 percent of the economically-active women.
India is one of the few countries where males significantly outnumber females, and this imbalance has increased over time. India’s maternal mortality rates in rural areas are among the world’s highest. From a global perspective, Indian accounts for 19 percent of all lives births and 27 percent of all maternal deaths.
"There seems to be a consensus that higher female mortality between ages one and five and high maternal mortality rates result in a deficit of females in the population. Chatterjee (1990) estimates that deaths of young girls in India exceed those of young boys by over 300,000 each year, and every sixth infant death is specifically due to gender discrimination." Of the 15 million baby girls born in India each year, nearly 25 percent will not live to see their 15th birthday.
WOMEN ARE MALNOURISHED
The exceptionally high rates of malnutrition in South Asia are rooted deeply in the soil of inequality between men and women.
"…the poor care that is afforded to girls and women by their husbands and by elders is the first major reason for levels of child malnutrition that are markedly higher in South Asia than anywhere else in the world."
This point is made in the article, The Asian Enigma, published by Unicef in the 1996 Progress of Nations, in which the rates of childhood malnutrition in South Asia are compared with those in Africa. We learn that malnutrition is far worse in South Asia, directly due to the fact that women in South Asia have less voice and freedom of movement than in Africa. "Judgement and self-expression and independence largely denied, millions of women in South Asia have neither the knowledge nor the means nor the freedom to act in their own and their children’s best interests."
"Gender disparities in nutrition are evident from infancy to adulthood. In fact, gender has been the most statistically significant determinant of malnutrition among young children and malnutrition is a frequent direct or underlying cause of death among girls below age 5. Girls are breast-fed less frequently and for shorter durations in infancy; in childhood and adulthood, males are fed first and better. Adult women consume approximately 1,000 fewer calories per day than men according to one estimate from Punjab. Comparison of household dietary intake studies in different parts of the country shows that nutritional equity between males and females is lower in northern than in southern states."
Nutritional deprivation has two major consequences for women: they never reach their full growth potential and anaemia. Both are risk factors in pregnancy, with anaemia ranging from 40-50 percent in urban areas to 50-70 percent in rural areas. This condition complicates childbearing and result in maternal and infant deaths, and low birth weight infants.
One study found anaemia in over 95 percent of girls ages 6-14 in Calcutta, around 67 percent in the Hyderabad area, 73 percent in the New Delhi area, and about 18 percent in the Madras area. This study states, "The prevalence of anaemia among women ages 15-24 and 25-44 years follows similar patterns and levels. Besides posing risks during pregnancy, anaemia increases women’s susceptibility to diseases such as tuberculosis and reduces the energy women have available for daily activities such as household chores, child care, and agricultural labour. Any severely anaemic individual is taxed by most physical activities, including walking at an ordinary pace.
Market economy is highlighting the mother day, but killing of female foetus through sex-selective determination, killing of women for dowry, violation of right to choose by upper caste Hindus male funded by funding agency, exclusion of women from right of property, plight and struggle of Dalit and tribal women, child sexual abuse are not focus points for market economy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_India
http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org/content/view/1627/59/
Shruti Nagvanshi is founder of Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum
Friday, April 25, 2008
An apeal to save the life of a Dalit girl
Appeal from Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum:
INDIA: Sitara three years and six month old daughter of Mangala Prasad belong to chamar community in village Kakalpur Harahua block, Varanasi may die due to malnutrition
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INDIA: corruption, failure of local administration……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dear friend,
Savitri Bai Phule women Forum got information from its local partner People’s vigilance on Human Rights. Sitara three years and six month old daughter of Mangala Prasad of chamar community in village Kakalpur, block- Harahua in jurisdiction Cholapur, Varanasi. Sitara may die due to malnutrition if immediate assistance is not provided to her.
Case detail:
Sitara three years old and the youngest daughter of Mangala Prasad in village Kakalpur of Harahua block in jurisdiction of Cholapur is suffering from Malnutrition grade IV and her weight is only 6 ½ kg. Mangala Prasad has six children-
1. Raju 18 years literate up to four standard
2. Shashi Kala 13 years old illiterate, she have to look after her younger brother and sister
3. Shyammu 16 years literate up to three standard
4. Golu 7years old studying in Primary school in class 1
5. Sapna 5 years old not going to school
6. Sitara 3 Malnourished
Sitara health is deteriorating. Now is lying on the bed and fighting for her life. It is at this time the SWF grass root activist Ms. Sushila Devi came to know about Sitara and her family. Currently Sitara is taken care of by the PVCHR and doctors of Pt Din Dayal Upadhaya state hospital diagnosed her as malnourished child.
Sitara was admitted in Pt Din Dayal Upadhaya state hospital from 12th September, 2007 to 16th September, 2007 that is for four day. Due to lack of vitamin she may suffer from blindness. Saline drip and vitamin injection was given and now she is discharge from hospital. Now Sitara is getting treatment at her home all the medicine prescribe by doctor from outside is beard by PVCHR through the support of a social worker Ms. Parul Sharma of Care Hose Foundation of Sweden.
Mangala Prasad father of Sitara belongs to chamar community. Earlier Mangala Prasad have 5-twelth part of bigha of land, he sold his land 18 years earlier for him treatment, as he was suffering from tuber closes. Now Mangala is landless and suffering from stomach disease (Gastric) and heart disease from last 25 years, due to his old age and illness he is unable to do work. Mangala Prasad have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) and he gets 35 kg of ration on it.
Sitara elder brother of Raju age 18 years work as labour anywhere he finds work and earn 60 Rupees per day. In between, he didn’t finds work then he sit for more days.
Background information
Kakalpur Village is 20 kilometer far from Varanasi and Chamar dominates this village and they are landless. The main occupation is weaving and labourer. Primary health center is 5 kilometer far from the village and the condition of the road is not good. Primary health center is 70 meter far from the village.
The Anganwadi (Ms. Asha Devi) and ANM (Ms.Savitri Devi) are appointed in this area. ANM and Anganwadi worker are doing negligence in immunization sit at the center and give immunization to those people who are coming to the center and nourishing food and they are not doing any initiative for prevention. ANM is taking money form pregnant mother for enrolment in Maternity benefit scheme. Village women four month earlier were talking that ANM is bribing then Vijay Bharti grass root activist of PVCHR, but today this women are not ready to tell their name because they are feared that their name will be disclose
The Anganwadi is a government run center where nutritious food and primary medical care is expected to be provided to the poor children. It is also a place where the staffs are expected to keep records of the general health conditions of rural children who visit the Anganwadi. These records are vital because they are also used by the state governments to take policy decisions regarding medical care for rural children.
Anganwadis have also been trained in adopting WHO protocols. The activities at the Angawadis are-
(i) On going mapping of severely malnourished children in village
(ii) Regular weighing of children with involvement of mothers
(iii) Tracking and listing, referral services, home visits by Anganwadi Helpers
(iv) Special visits to the homes of the children discharged from MTC, and
(v) Involvement of community volunteers. Children falling in Grade III and IV of malnutrition are monitored for signs and symptoms of infections and referred to Public Health Centers, FRU or Community Health Centers for treatment.
There are Auxiliary Nursing Mothers [ANM] who are supposed to be working through the Anganwadis to attend to the immediate medical needs of rural children. The ANM and Anganwadi employees didn’t provide any assistance to malnourished children.
Started by the Government of India in 1975, the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) has been instrumental in improving the health and well-being of new mothers and children under 6 by providing health and nutrition education, health services, supplementary food, and pre-school education. The ICDS programme is one of the largest national development programmes in the world. It reaches more than 34 million children aged 0-6 years and 7 million pregnant and nursing mothers. The government of India intends to universalize ICDS in the near future. Other programs impacting on under-nutrition include the National Mid-day Meal Scheme, the National Rural Health Mission, and the Public Distribution System (PDS).
http://www.unicef.org/india/nutrition_1556.htm
But the fact is 1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India
http://www.unicef.org/india/children_2356.htm
Law Made by the UP Government:
The chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh Mr. Vinod Kumar Mittal on 22nd December, send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary village panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees.
In 2005 honorable Supreme Court gave decision to stop hunger and malnutrition village Panchayat should provide 1000 Rupees emergency assistance should be given to properly nourish child. In article 21 of Indian constitution have provision of “the fundamental right of living” should be safe. Then also children are suffering from malnutrition.
Sample Letter:
To,
…………………..
………………………
Subject: INDIA: Please take immediate action to save three and half years old girl Sitara
Name of the Victim: Sitara aged three and half years old, daughter of Mangala Prasad, Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Location: Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Respected Sir/ Madam
I am disturbed to see and to come to know about the case of Sitara who is suffering from Grade IV malnutrition in Kakalpur village, block- Harahua district Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Sitara three and half years old and is the youngest daughter of Mr. Mangala Prasad, who is not able to work due to his illness and old age. Mangala Prasad is landless and his elder son work as labour and earn 60 Rupees per day and in this small amount he finds it difficult to find food for his family.
Mangala Prasad has 5- twelth part of bigha and he sells this land 18 years earlier for his treatment of tuber closes and now he is suffering from Gastric and heart disease.
The Anganwadi (Ms. Asha Devi) and ANM (Ms.Savitri Devi) are appointed in this area. ANM and Anganwadi worker are doing negligence in immunization sit at the center and give immunization to those people who are coming to the center and nourishing food and they are not doing any initiative for prevention. ANM is taking money form pregnant mother for enrolment in Maternity benefit scheme. Village women four month earlier were talking that ANM is bribing then Sushila grass root activist of Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum, but today this women are not ready to tell their name because they are feared that their name will be disclose
Sitara and her sister were not enrolled in Anganwadi center that near by the village. and school is also near this center
Now Sitara and her family are taken care of by the local human rights organization, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. I am informed that Sitara‘s case symbolizes the living condition of millions of chamar community in Uttar Pradesh.
I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this case and ensure that Sitara receives immediate medical attention and 1000 Rupees immediate assistance under the guideline of Honorable Supreme Court so; the fundamental right should be saved. On 24th December, 2004 the chief secretary of UP send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village Panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary, village Panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees. But in this district not in a single village this committee is formed.
Yours sincerely,
…………………………
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 23384918
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in
2. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 2338 6521
E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in
3.Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857
4. The Special Commissioner
Samya – Centre for Equity Studies
Secretariat of the Commissioners
R – 38A, South Extension – II
New Delhi – 110049
INDIA
Tele Fax: 91-11-51642147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net
3. District Magistrate, Varanasi (UP)
Phone: 0542-2502727(O), 2502626(R), 2508585(R)
Fax: 0542-2502754(O)
dmvar@up.nic.in
4. The Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-26150019
Email:wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org
5. The Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-6554413
E-mail: bkk.unescap@un.org
6. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
7.Mr. Doudou Diene
Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9271
Fax: +41 22 917 90502 9179010
8. Ms. Mayawati,
Chief Minister
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 522 - 2230002/2239234
Email: mayawati@sansad.nic.in, cmup@up.nic.in
Thank you.
Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum
Folk voice a woman
Dulari Devi 80 years old Dalits and her mentally challenged son chirkut 40 years old lives in village kaluwa Kaura Akbarpur, Ambedkar nager are suffering from hunger and marginalized from the Government facilities.
Dulari Devi 80 years old widow of late Saddu died seven eight years ago. Dulari Devi lives with her abnormal son Chirkut 40 years old in village Kaluwa Kaura Akbarpur, Ambedkar nager. Dulari Devi is the head of the family and there is no other source of income time. They are landless and living in the thatched roof, which can fall at anytime.
She have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) card but from last seven month her name was deleted from AAY card by village panchayat officer. Dulari Devi is not getting old age pension in which 1800 Rupees given by the Government to old age person. She begs in the village and to fetch her son and from last four months she is sick and unable to beg she sit outside her house and live on the pitiness of the villager.
When PVCHR grass root activist of Tanda Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh came to know about her and intervene in this case and media ETV and UP news aired 45-minutes programme on it. Then DM of Ambedkar Nager ordered Block Development officer to enquire and provide assistance to this family then village panchayat officer gave 25 kg rice and 25 kg of wheat and 500 Rupees to Dulari Devi. Her name is also send for AAY card and for the allotment of room Indira Awas Yojana.
Chief Medical officer send doctors to Kaluwa Kaura for the free medical treatment of Dulari Devi and her abnormal son.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition
INDIA: The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
INDIA: corruption, failure of local administration
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Dear friend,
Savitri Bai Phule Women forum got information from its local partner People’s vigilance on Human Rights. The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar of village Chintawara, Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
Case detail:
Bhure Lal Rajbhar who belong to backward class in village chintawara, Tanda, Ambedkar Nager district. Bhure Lal is living with his wife, five daughters and one son.
Sangeeta six years old and Rangeeta five years daughter of Bhure Lal Rajbhar are suffering from Malnutrition. Due to malnutrition and deficiencies of vitamins A Sangeeta and Rangeeta loose her vision.
Sita Ram three years old only one son of Bhure Lal is suffering from polio since his childhood from last three years earlier he was taking drop of polio immunization but now he is not taking any drop of polio and he is also suffering from malnutrition. The children of Bhure Lal cannot move from one place to another without the help of any body.
Bhure Lal Rajbhar washes the new wooven handloom clothes and hardly earns 60 Rupees per day and he finds it difficult to fetch the family enough food everyday. Bhure Lal Rajbhar doesn’t have Antodaya Anya card (AAY) so, he could buy ration at cheap price and fetch the family. Bhure Lal Rajbhar land is washed out in soil erosion in Saryu and Ghaghara River and now he is landless.
PVCHR grass root activist Mr. Manoj Singh came to know about Bhure Lal Rajbhar family and he send letter to District Magistrate and Chief Medical officer of Ambedkar Nager. Now the family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar is cared by PVCHR.
Mother of Bhure lal is supposed to be paid a nominal sum of money as old-age pension. The pension is distributed to the aged persons in the state by the government so that they receive some financial help in the absence of any pension from former employment. This pension distribution is a venue of high degree of corruption. Several persons like Bhure Lal mother do not receive any pension even though they are entitled to it.
Background information:
Chintawara is one of the village of Ambedkar nager district. Mostly dominated by backward class and the main occupation of the villagers are they are engaged in work related to weaving like cleaning handloom clothes, ironing and packing of handloom clothes. As weaving industry is in it worst condition many people leave weaving and engage in pulling rickshaw and working as agriculture labour. Mostly people are getting landless because there land is washed out in soil erosion in river Saryu and Ghaghara.
Anganwadi and ANM are appointed in this area but they never visit the area.
There are Auxiliary Nursing Mothers [ANM] who are supposed to be working through the Anganwadis to attend to the immediate medical needs of rural children. The ANM and Anganwadi
Anganwadis have also been trained in adopting WHO protocols. The activities at the Angawadis are-
(i) On going mapping of severely malnourished children in village
(ii) Regular weighing of children with involvement of mothers
(iii) Tracking and listing, referral services, home visits by Anganwadi Helpers
(iv) Special visits to the homes of the children discharged from MTC, and
(v) Involvement of community volunteers. Children falling in Grade III and IV of malnutrition are monitored for signs and symptoms of infections and referred to Public Health Centers, FRU or Community Health Centers for treatment
The Anganwadi is a government run center where nutritious food and primary medical care is expected to be provided to the poor children. It is also a place where the staffs are expected to keep records of the general health conditions of rural children who visit the Anganwadi. These records are vital because they are also used by the state governments to take policy decisions regarding medical care for rural children
Law made by the Government:
Supreme Court Order: In a Public Interest Litigation (WP No. 196/2001) filed by PUCL the Supreme Court has given the following directions by order dated 28-11-2001 with regard to the ICDS Scheme: -
"I we direct the State Governments/Union Territories to implement the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in full and to ensure that every ICDS disbursing center in the country shall provide as under:
Each child up to 6 years of age to get 300 calories and 8-10 grams of protein;
Each adolescent girl to get 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein;
Each pregnant woman and each nursing mother to get 500 calories and 20-25 grams of protein;
Each malnourished child to get 600 calories and 16-20 grams of protein;
http://wcd.nic.in/icds.htm
On 24th December, 2004 the chief secretary of UP send D.O letter to every district office. For hunger, malnutrition and starving committee should be formed in every village panchayat. The chairperson of the committee will be village head and secretary village panchayat officer and member will be Lekhpal. He will immediately inform district magistrate if any natural disaster happened, for the immediate assistance of 1000 Rupees. But in this district not in a single village this committee is formed.
Suggestive Action:
Please write to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to express your concern in this case. So, she might intervene in this case.
Sample Letter
To,
…………………………
…………………………….
INDIA: The whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar in village Chintawara Ambedkar Nager district is suffering from malnutrition. If immediate facilities are not provided then whole family of Bhure Lal Rajbhar may die.
Respected Madam/Sir,
I am disturbed to see the picture of Bhure Lal children in village Chintawara, Ambedkar Nager district. The two daughter of Bhure Lal is suffering from blindness due to deficiency of vitamin A and Malnutrition. Bhure Lal younger son is suffering from Polio and with out any body help they cannot move from one place to another.
I am also informed that Bhure Lal washes new woven clothes and hardly earns 60 Rupees per day and he is unable to fetch his family in this small amount.
I am also informed that Bhure Lal did have Antodaya Anya Yojana (AAY) card so, he could buy ration at cheap price and fetch his family. The land of Bhure Lal was washed out in the soil erosion in river Saryu and Ghaghara
I am also informed that Bhure lal mother’s did not get the benefit of old age pension.
I am also informed that now Bhure Lal family is taken of by the local human rights organization, the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. I am informed that Bhure lal‘s family case symbolises the living condition of millions of weavers in Uttar Pradesh.
I therefore urge you to immediately intervene in this case and ensure that Bhure Lal family receives immediate economic as well as medical attention.
Yours sincerely,
…………………………
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Government of India
Shastri Bhawan, Dr Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi - 110 001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 23384918
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in
2. Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi 110001
INDIA
Fax + 91 11 2338 6521
E-mail: chairnhrc@nic.in
3.Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857
4. The Special Commissioner
Samya – Centre for Equity Studies
Secretariat of the Commissioners
R – 38A, South Extension – II
New Delhi – 110049
INDIA
Tele Fax: 91-11-51642147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net
3. The District Magistrate
Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
E-mail: dmamb@up.nic.in
4. The Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-26150019
Email:wfp.newdelhi@wfp.org
5. The Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-6554413
E-mail: bkk.unescap@un.org
6. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
Fax: +41 22 9179010
Thank you.
Savitri Bai Phule Women Forum
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Folk voices of Dalit women in Varanasi
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=2965#
Folk voices of Dalit women in Varanasi
Shruti Nagvanshi/Prashant 19/3/2008 12:51:53 PM(IST)
Varanasi: Savitri Ba Phule was the first Indian woman, who becomes a teacher and founder of the first Shelter home for the battered women victims. When her husband died Savitri went against the social traditions by accompanying the dead body and also lighted the pyre. For saluting the struggle and continuing the movement of Savitri Ba phoole, Ms. Shruti founded Savitri Ba Phoole Women''s Forum (SWF), every year they celebrates 10th March as Indian Women's Mukti Day (Mukti – Freedom), as this is the death anniversary of Savitri Ba Phule.
Savitri Ba Phule Women's Forum has initiated discussions on caste discrimination, gender discrimination, patriarchy, Brahminical oppression etc. and thus empowers the women members to withstand these evils. On this 10th of March 2008, Savitri Ba phoole Mahila Panchayat celebrates this death anniversary in different way on the place of celebration and raising slogans and taking oaths. They organize Folk Schools in the ghettos of Dalit with the Dalit Women.
In this Folk School first they discuss about the concern of Savitri Ba and then they gradually started de-censoring of themselves. SWF organized folk schools in 4 villages on 10th and 11th of March, the villages are- Belwa and Ahirani Village of Badaganw Block, Village Aura and Aayar of Harahua Block of District Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
In the villages of these two blocks the situation of dalits are worse there are lots of cases of malnutrition and hunger Deaths. In this acute poverty region SWF is struggling by joining hands of all dalit women together. In this series they are organizing folk school for awareness and taking together for struggle of establishing rule of law.
The concept of the Folk School is as- Essentially, the folk school approach is to improve equality in a society by improving the speech capacity of the poorer and the weaker section of the society. Improving their capacity to talk back and thereby creating a two-way discourse in the society is the way the concerns of the weak are brought to social discourse. The more silent the poor and the weak are, the less they will get from society.
Matters of justice depend very much on the capacity of concerned people to un-censor themselves and to speak out constantly. Normally there are many unwritten rules through which people censor themselves. For example, some topics may be considered taboo in some societies or sub sections of societies.
For example, as an effect of feudal culture it is often observed that families of hunger victims hesitate and have subjective reservation to express themselves in respect of their acute poverty and hunger situations to which they have been going through. For example it may be an unwritten rule that some "lower class people" do not talk back to "higher class people". It may also be that some unwritten rules of censorship are enforced by punishments.
For example some groups of people, if they talk about themselves and the wrongs that they bear they will be punished either physically or by other means. In all these instances the capacity to un- censor is an essential component of seeking justice. When a small group of people begins to un- censor themselves others watch and soon begin to un-censor themselves as well. In this manner taboos invariably dissolve.
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