Archives for category: India in the News

India: 64 Years After Independence, Gandhi Still Inspires Peaceful Change

August 25, 2011 //
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Local citizens, aware of their rights, organize to protest against an illegal transmission tower in Kerala. They are supported by SAFP partner organization, the Women's Initiative Network.

August 15th is Independence Day in India, a national holiday. This year, 2011, marked the 64th anniversary of the termination of British authority and the beginning of self-government for that country. The Indian Independence Act, which provided for Partition of India and Pakistan, was signed in August of 1947, with India and Pakistan becoming two independent nations following the transfer of power from Britain.

Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in helping India achieve its independence. Among other notable individuals, he helped to steer the country toward what was seen as its necessary development into a sovereign nation, freed from the demoralizing rule of its long-time colonial master.

Gandhi was an activist. Throughout his life he campaigned for civil rights, improved labour laws, and equal justice for Indians. He famously used non-violent civil disobedience as a means of advocacy, public engagement, and achieving reform.

Currently, in New Delhi, 74 year-old Indian activist Anna Hazare is fasting to publicly protest against rampant corruption in India. His long-standing campaign to have government pass legislation that would create an ombudsman with sweeping powers to probe corruption at all levels, has led to widespread public support and demonstrations all over India.

Like Gandhi, Hazare wants to make change happen; he wants people to be witness to his actions, so that they can be inspired to demand an end to the endemic bribery and misuse of public funds that stand in the way of equal rights and opportunities in democratic India.

Much public funding is earmarked for local village-level projects and programs in rural India. C. Griffin’s blog of July 12th addresses the issue of corruption and discusses Save A Family Plan’s role in promoting good governance. Properly informed, local citizens can be empowered to demand transparency and accountability from their local governing bodies. They, too, can be models for peaceful action and inspire positive change in their communities.

India was the British Empire’s “jewel in the Crown”. The journey to independence was fraught with incredible challenges that continue to trouble the two nations that emerged in 1947. That India today is world’s largest democracy, fourth largest economy, and a global leader in science and technology, is proof that this country has the resources and ingenuity to overcome a difficult past and achieve greatness.

However, the greatest challenge remains the inequity—the huge numbers of impoverished, marginalized, and oppressed citizens who have yet to experience the benefits of an independent, democratic India. It is these people for whom Gandhi acted—for whom others now act in defence of justice and equality.

Jean Vanier, humanitarian and founder of L’Arche (worldwide network of homes shared by those with developmental disabilities and those who assist them), is an admirer of Gandhi, whom he calls “a defender of the poorest and the weakest…a man with a vision of liberation through love, wisdom, and non-violence.” According to Vanier, non-violence is, “…an attitude where we do not hate or want to use violence, but where we want the oppressor to change and to grow in justice and truth.” (Jean Vanier Essential Writings, Whitney-Brown, 2008)

Independent India and Pakistan did not arise without violence; sadly, Gandhi’s attitude was not shared by all. However, his legacy continues to inspire individuals and organizations in India, and worldwide, who work in peace to ensure a dignified, secure, and healthy life for all.

L.L. Chan

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Categories Development Matters, India in the News

Corruption – An Obstacle to India’s Development

July 12, 2011 //
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Investigations into events such as the 2010 Commonwealth Games have brought problem of corruption in India to the forefront of international news.

Recent protests in India have brought attention to a serious issue that threatens the country’s potential for development – the problem of corruption. Corruption is a deeply rooted issue that penetrates all levels of government and directly affects a great number of people in India. On a large scale, there are reports of individuals and companies illegally benefitting from large government-funded projects, allocation of resources, and the illegal seizure of land. Down at the individual level, many people are required to pay bribes to access services promised to them by the government.

Since corruption of this kind is nothing new to India, why has it recently brought about such a strong reaction from the people? It has been suggested that the rising inequality that can be seen throughout the country is partially responsible for triggering the recent protests. As India sees vast improvements in economic growth and prosperity, the government has worked to develop a wide range of anti-poverty programs to ensure that the financial success of the country is felt by everyone. These programs cost billions of dollars and far surpass the efforts of other Asian countries. However, many of the programs have little chance of reaching those most in need, largely because of problems with corruption.

Corruption creates difficulties among many of the families and communities working with Save A Family Plan, as I discovered during my stay in India last year. In one small fishing village that I visited in Tamil Nadu near the city of Tuticorin, we met with several families headed by widows who had lost their husbands at sea. Although all widows living below the poverty line are entitled to a small monthly widow’s pension through the Indian government, only one of the women we met with was receiving it. We learned that all of them had been turned away by the local government official, except the one who was able to pay a bribe of Rs. 4000 (about $100) to have him accept her application. The conditions that all of these families lived in were appalling and as someone from outside, I found it shocking that such a needless barrier could stand in the way of them receiving the assistance that they needed so desperately.

The problem of corruption is a major obstacle to India’s development and to achieving justice for the poor. With more than 45 years of experience working in India, Save A Family Plan understands the seriousness of this problem and designs programs that work to challenge corruption at a grassroots level. All families and communities involved undergo awareness training to learn about their rights and what they should expect from the government. They gain experience organizing themselves through their participation in sanghams (self-help groups) and have the chance to discuss the problems that they are facing. By joining together, communities can work to challenge corruption within their local government and ensure that everyone can receive government services in a fair and honest way. SAFP works to support these initiatives and promote a society where economic development is paired with justice and good governance for everyone.

By Cassandra Griffin
Save A Family Plan Staff

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Categories India in the News

India in the News – India’s Disappearing Girl Children

June 2, 2011 //
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This year, India has undertaken the immense task of compiling the 15th National Census of the Country. As the data is assembled and analyzed, there has been much interest in what the numbers will show in terms of well-being and how much improvement has taken place since the previous census in 2001.

While many areas are showing improvement, one troubling finding that has been making the news in recent weeks is the sex ratio, a measurement of the number of girls in the population for every 1,000 boys. While nature tends to produce slightly more boys than girls (approximately 952 girls for every 1,000 boys), India’s population has seen a steady decrease from this number among children below the age of 6 in the past few decades. The 2001 census found only 927 girls per 1,000 boys in this age group and the number has fallen to just 914 girls in this year’s data. It is estimated that nearly 12 million girls have “disappeared” from the population since the 1980’s.

This trend reflects an inherent preference of male children within families. While many people are now choosing to have fewer children, the desire for male children, who are seen as able to generate income for the family, increases. Girls, on the other hand, require an expensive dowry in order to marry and are often unavailable to take care of their aged parents since they have responsibilities within their husbands’ family. In some cases, this negative view of girl children within families translates into the practice of female feticide and infanticide, as is clearly reflected in the falling sex ratio.

Save A Family Plan is committed to working with the people of India to promote a society where women and men are both valued equally within families.  By providing training in gender issues and creating self-help groups (or sanghams), our partner organizations help to encourage important discussions within communities on critical issues that negatively impact the perception of girls and women. SAFP also places importance on the education of girls and providing women with skills training and small business opportunities so that they can earn an income to support their families. Many move on to become leaders and key decision makers within their communities. When women are able to fully participate in the social, political, and economic life of their communities,  girls can no longer be seen as a burden on the family.

The data found in the 2011 census regarding sex selection of children clearly outlines the importance of the work that SAFP and many other NGO’s are doing in India. We have reason to believe that this trend can be reversed. If we consider the state of Kerala, where SAFP’s work has been concentrated for many years, we find extremely high literacy rates among women and a sex ratio that is increasing, in contrast to the national trend. As SAFP expands its programming to states and remote areas in the India where these problems are more severe, we believe that our work will promote a society where the roles of both men and women will be valued and celebrated.

By Cassandra Griffin

Categories Development Matters, India in the News
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