Discrimination from Womb to Tomb Pardeep S Attri pardeepattri@yahoo.co.in

World on Empowerment World Bank 2002 : Gender equality is an issue of development effectiveness, not just a matter of political correctness or kindness to women. United Nations Convention on Transnational Organized Crime, Protocol on Trafficking“…the purchasing, transfer, harbouring or receiving of persons by threatening, use of force, fraud, abuse of power or position for the purpose of exploitation…”

Violence against women in India Though the top most position of India (President) a woman is occupying but it is it mean that women society is empowered now as being claimed by most of the political parties? We can only hope that Mrs. President will do something for empowering or making women society to live with dignity. Before this let’s see past record…

Alas..!! Violence throughout life!! Pre - Natal Childhood Female Foeticide * Child marriage, Physical, sexual, * Child prostitution, Emotional abuse. * Physical, sexual, emotional abuse by parents, relatives, * Marginal access to schools, education, food & many other things.

Alas..!! Violence throughout life!! Adolescence During Adult age Rapes, * Dowry, Sexually harassment, * Family violence & abuse, Murders, * Murders & rapes, Trafficking & Prostitution. * Emotional, physical abuse.

Violence against women in India India a young democratic nation of world also land of missing girls & sadly where the sex ratio is steadily decreasing 40 to 50 million girls have gone ‘missing’ in India since 1901 – missing because they were not allowed to be born, or if born, murdered immediately thereafter. -- Report by UNICEF

Violence against women in India 1 out of every 6 girls does not live to see her 15th birthday. Of the 12 million girls born in India, 1 million do not see their first birthday. Of the 12 million girls born in India, 3 million do not see their fifteenth birthday, and a million of them are unable to survive even their first birthday. Every sixth girl child's death is due to gender discrimination. 1 out of every 10 women reported some kind of child sexual abuse during childhood, chiefly by known persons.

Violence against women in India 1 out of 4 girls is sexually abused before the age of 4. 19% are abused between the ages of 4 & 8. 28% are abused between the ages of 8 & 12. 35% are abused between the ages of 12 & 16. 3 lakh more girls than boys die every year. Female mortality exceeds male mortality in 224 out of 402 districts in India. Death rate among girls below the age of 4 years is higher than that of boys. Even if she escapes infanticide or feticide, a girl child is less likely to receive immunization, nutrition or medical treatment compared to a male child.

Violence against women in India 53% of girls in the age group of 5 to 9 years are illiterate. Every year 27,06,000 children under 5 years die in India. And the deaths of girl children are higher than those of male children. A survey showed that the female fetus abortion rate is twice as high among educated mothers compared with those who are illiterate. Poverty and social pressure are said to be responsible for the problem. Main among these two is the SOCIAL PRESSURE, the fear that they would be thrown out of home, made women to abort female children. --Facts from reports of UNICEF & CRY

Violence against women in India Recent census data shows that close to 3 million girls are not only married by the age of 15 years, but have borne children atleast once. The dowry deaths alone totalled at 6787 with 3204 other cases registered under the Dowry prohibition Act. There were 58319 cases of cruelty by husband or relative against the married women. 37.2% of married women reported experiencing spousal violence in India (NFHS-3).

Violence against women in India There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3.3 million between 15 and 18 years. They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India. 80% of these are found in the 5 metros. 71% of them are illiterate. 500,000 children are forced into this trade every year.

Recent News!! State AP tops minor girl marriage charts (March 28th, 2008 Indian Express) Not one, but 2 youths raped 3-yr-old (March 28th, 2008 Tribune News Service ) 7-yr-old gang-raped, strangled (April 7th 2008 TOI) Woman set on fire for dowry in Delhi (March 30th, 2008 Thaindian News) Child marriages continue in 21st-century India (Info Change India) 92-yr-old beaten, thrown out of home (April 6th 2008 TOI) 14 girls rescued from a brothel (April 4th 2008 TOI) Dalit women forced to swallow excreta (April 7th 2008 TOI) List would be endless!!!

Violence against women in India The 1989 UN Charter, to which India is a signatory, guarantees every child the following rights - Right to Survival - To life, health, nutrition, name, nationality - Right to Protection - From exploitation, abuse, neglect - Right to Development - To education, care, leisure, recreation, cultural activities - Right to Participation - To expression, information, thought, religion No-one in India is interested in giving them education, basic health facilities. How many here in India follows the above child rights? Problem of child labor continues despite of “Child Labor Act(s)”.

Provisions under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Rape - Sec. 376 IPC Kidnapping - Sec. 363-373 IPC Dowry death or torture for dowry – Sec. 302/304-B IPC Molestation - Sec. 354 IPC Sexual Harassment - Sec. 509 IPC Domestic Violence - Sec. 498-A IPC (Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961; The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act,1979;Commission of Sati Prevention) Act,1987)

Violence against women in India Despite all these laws & Acts. Its harder to digest all the above facts. Isn’t it? Main Culprits:- Media, Policies makers & those implement Political Leaders, Religious Leaders & Practices, Unawareness & Illiterate, Socio-economic condition,

Media… Women speaking to women :- T.V., radio, newspapers should show their struggle against poverty, marginalisation. T.V. & Radio programmes should be based on the everyday life of the community and deal with women's concerns, providing advice on health, childcare, nutrition, improved agricultural methods, vocational training, literacy, job opportunities, etc..

Leaders… All leaders (religious & political leaders), especially men at the highest levels of policy and decision making, should speak out in support of gender equality, the empowerment of women and the protection of the girl child. Budgets too often ignore women’s social and economic contribution. Review, adopt and maintain macroeconomic policies and development strategies that address the needs and efforts of women in poverty.

Mother’s Education-Impact… A study of 45 developing countries found that the average mortality rate for children under 5 was 144 per 1000 live births when their mothers had no education, 106 per 1000 when they had primary education only, and 68 per 1000 when they had some secondary education. -- World Development Report 1998 In order to iron out the unevenness in society, the women must be educated and they should learn to assert their rights and shun the injustices heaped on them.

Challenge… “The goal of achieving equality between women and men is based on principles of human rights and social justice. Empowerment of women is more over a prerequisite for achieving people centered development…..The abolition of poverty can not be achieved until men and women have equal access to the resources and services necessary to achieve their individual potential and fulfill their obligations to household, community and, more broadly society……..’’ --- UK White Paper on International Development, 1997

Man’s psyche must change!! Respect for a woman, her needs and aspirations is essential because only then can she give her best to society The real change will be when man’s psyche undergoes a transformation and both men and women meet mid-way rather than the girl always making all the adjustments.

“I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.” Dr B R Ambedkar

“Vision without action is dream, action without vision is time-pass and vision and action makes radical change i.e. revolution.” Nelson Mandela

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.

Thank You