Friday 25 October 2013

Migration and Gender in India

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If we look at the history,we will find out that migration seems to be the law of nature and has contributed to the development of the civilizations immensely.The reasons for migration generally are identical all over the world but in some parts where like India where patriarchy is in its cultural roots,it makes some drift in the whole process.In India,a decade ago, male-only migration was prominent which had their own implications on the family and the children left behind.Less frequent remittances,patriarchal feeling amongst the wider family, responsibility of nourishing children has influenced the participation of women in the economic sphere and interaction with the outside world  under adverse conditions.Thus,strong influence of patriarchy affects the women's autonomy.When we talk of women migration,our policy documents normally see marriage as its main reason and we barely talk of other ones vis-a vis women moving independently or due to broken marriages,destitution,desertion etc. After moving to urban centers,these migrating women and adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable for sexual harassment,trafficking and sometimes murders as happened in the recent Delhi gang rape case; There is an urgent need for ensuring safer migration to women particularly those joining the domestic workforce. So the govt's attention should be towards regulating population movement vis rural development and also in providing basic facilities to the one who has moved.

Migration will not stop immediately-we just need to improve the economic and working conditions of our people in the villages-building quality infrastructure,employment for them there-means of communication like roadways,telecommunication -connecting them with the urban mainstream keeping in mind the environment and then there is a possibility that we can all see all  sections rising up,everybody will have food,clothes, jobs and then we can proudly say "India Shining".

Friday 18 October 2013

Slums-The Real underlying problem

When the word "Slum" comes to our mind we usually have a picture of a densely populated dirty urban place,with very unhygienic conditions,sanitation problem etc but we never try to study the actual problem beneath-the main problem is the urban poverty from which these people are suffering.But have we thought of their children who don't get to study- we are talking about women rights-but have we wondered the condition of women suffering from domestic violence-"A big No".it is high time our policy makers need to do something like providing them basic amenities,housing facilities,economic support or employment otherwise that high level talk of INCLUSIVE GROWTH will just be a dream in our heads.