Article review: Empowerment of Rural Women

Patel, A. (2010). Empowerment of Rural Women – Concern and Commitment of Elected Women Representatives. Kurukshetra, 58(8), 3-7.

Dr. Amrit Patel, author of this article is Ex-Deputy General Manager, Bank of Baroda, currently International Consultant, Kazakhstan

Summary

Dr. Amrit described the role of women in an agrarian India. He indicated that women constitute about 66% of the agriculture force. Around 48% self-employed farmers are women and 64% of the informal sector work force depending on agriculture is women.

He clearly documented the “genesis of women empowerment” and the establishment of “Women’s Day” (p. 3) in the international arena. He highlighted the status of Indian women in ancient, medieval and modern India (p. 4). He categorically emphasized on the pathetic condition of the rural Indian women stating that “the plight of most rural women has been pathetic since they have to collect firewood, fetch drinking water, search fodder to feed cattle, work on their meagre land to raise crops, work as labourer on another farms, take care of children etc.” (p. 4). He further elaborated the gradual improvement of rural women by means of “Self-Help Group” (p. 5), “Education” (p. 6) and in the field of politics. Many of his view explained the “weak enforcement” of women related acts passed by the government of India.

Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

INTRODUCTION

Public Interest Litigation is of a recent development, which has, of late, aroused considerable interest and attracted a lot of publicity. It has been hailed as a new Juristic horizon, an important step in widening the area of administration of Justice. Its votaries have described it as a boon devised by the enlightened judiciary for providing relief to the poor, needy and those members of community who by reason of poverty, helplessness or disability, ignorance, illiteracy or socially or economically disadvantaged position are not able to exercise their rights. Public Interest Litigation gives scope and opportunity to the vigilant citizens to bring to the notice of the court, wrongdoing to the downtrodden and the oppressed section of the society.

MEANING

The word Public Interest Litigation has been deeply surveyed, explored and explained not only by various judicial pronouncement in many countries, but also by eminent judges, jurist, activist lawyers, outstanding scholars, journalist and social scientist etc. with a vast eradication.

Armed Forces Special Power Act, 1958

A code of laws prepared by Draco, the celebrated lawgiver of Athens, that, by modern standards, are considered exceedingly severe. The term draconian has come to be used to refer to any unusually harsh law.

INTRODUCTION

“An effective international strategy to counter terrorism should use human rights as its unifying framework. The suggestion that human rights violations are permissible in certain circumstances is wrong. The essence of human rights is that human life and dignity must not be compromised and that certain acts, whether carried out by State or non-State actors, are never justified no matter what the ends. International human rights and humanitarian law define the boundaries of permissible political and military conduct. A reckless approach towards human life and liberty undermines counter-terrorism measures”. - Mary Robinson, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in her report to the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.[1]

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), was passed on September 11, 1958, by the Parliament of India.[2] It conferred special powers upon armed forces in what the act calls "disturbed areas" in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. It was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir as The Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 in July 1990.[3]

Child Soldier – With Reference to African Nations

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

“Over 20 million children of conflict are out of school. Education is often forgotten.”

~ Angelina Jolie, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

A child soldier is anyone under the age of eighteen who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity. Child soldiers are boys and girls who fight in adult wars, missing out on the safe childhood that many of us take for granted, but to which every child is entitled according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.^[1] 

According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers:  “Child soldiers perform a range of tasks including participation in combat, laying mines and explosives; scouting, spying, acting as decoys, couriers or guards; training, drill or other preparations; logistics and support functions, portering, cooking and domestic labor; and sexual slavery or other recruitment for sexual purposes.” ^[2] 

·       As of mid-2004, up to 100,000 children - some as young as nine - were actively involved in armed conflict in Africa.*

SOS Children's Villages, Shillong

Orientation Visit to
SOS CHILDREN'S VILLAGE, SHILLONG
P. O. Umiam, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya – 793 103

 Orientation Date : 9th September 2011 (Friday)
 Time: 01.30 PM to 03.00 P.M.

SOS Children's Villages is active in 133 countries and territories. The variety of this international work is brought together by the umbrella organisation SOS Children's Villages International, which unites all of the autonomous national association. SOS Children's Villages was founded in Austria by Hermann Gmeiner; first SOS Children's Village built in Imst, Austria in 1949.

The Shillong SOS Village

It is no less than a developed and well maintain village.

SOS Children's Village Shillong was opened in 1999. It is situated about 12 km from the city of Shillong on a green hill covered with pine trees.

SOS Children's Village Shillong consists of twelve family houses, staff accommodation, a multi-purpose hall and the necessary administration and service area. It has its own playground where the children can romp around and have fun. The sick bay at the SOS Children's Village provides basic medical care for the inhabitants of the village. A building with a ground floor and 1st floor consists of several bed rooms with a huge kitchen and a common room.