UNICEF: SCs/STs account for 50% pregnancy deaths

Of the 301 women who die annually for every 1,00,000 live births, there are many stories that go untold. New data suggests that among the women dying during pregnancy, delivery or post-partum complications, a large proportion — about 50% — are from the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

According to data collected by Unicef from 16 districts of Rajasthan, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) shows that women are dying of preventable causes of death.

In the first phase of implementation of Unicef's maternal and perinatal death inquiry and response (MAPEDIR), cases of 1,600 women were analysed. While in Dholpur (Rajasthan), 49% of deaths were from SC/STs, in Purulia (West Bengal) of the 375 deaths examined between 2005 and 2008, 51% were from SC/STs.

In Ranchi (Jharkhand), 123 deaths in the last year were examined, of which 56% were from SC/STs and in 8 districts of Orissa — including Koraput, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bolangir and Sonepur — the percentage of SC/ST deaths was as high as 68. In Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district, 60% of the deaths were of SC/STs while in Guna district the figure was 49.4%.

In some states, the MMR was higher that the national average of 301 — 358 in Orissa, 371 in Bihar and 379 in MP. Since many deaths occurred in the anonymity of women's homes or on the way to seek help at a medical facility, they often go unrecorded. An estimated 80,000 pregnant women or new mothers die each year in India often from preventable causes, including haemorrhage, eclampsia, sepsis and anaemia.

"The tragic reality is that too often maternal deaths are not visible. They don't leave any trace behind, and their deaths are not accounted for," Chris Hirabayashi, Unicef India deputy director of programmes, stating that Unicef was committed to continue working with the National Rural Health Mission to promote surveillance as a key strategy to lower maternal and child mortality.

For India to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters by 2015, social and economic factors like the low status of women in communities, the poor understanding of families on when to seek care, lack of transport, poor roads, the cost of seeking care, multiple referrals to different health facilities and delay in life-saving measures in rural areas need to be addressed. For the survey, a team of state government health and nutrition officials and NGO members, headed by a member of the local village council, conducted interviews with surviving family members at the community-level.

Source: The Times Of India

De-reservation of SC/ST jobs ends

New Delhi: In a politically significant decision in an election year, government on Wednesday decided to end de-reservation of posts meant for scheduled castes and tribes in central government jobs.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved enactment of a law to enforce job reservation for SCs and STs by stipulating penalties on offices which do not implement them effectively.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the Cabinet gave its nod to enact the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation in Posts and Services) Bill 2008.

"Posts reserved for SCs and STs will not be de-reserved and they (vacancies) will be carried over," he said, adding the proposed bill would contain provisions for imposing penalties on offices which do not implement the job quota.

Source: The Times Of India

Tribal students to rally in Delhi

All tribal students from Manipur and currently based in the capital are all set to hold "massive" rally in New Delhi on October 10 to show solidarity to the Manipur tribal students' demands.

According to leaders of the tribal students based in New Delhi, the October 10 rally will start at 10 am from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street as a mark of "extending our solidarity to the demands of All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) and Manipur University Tribal Students Union (MUTSU) for justice and equality and in condemnation of the brutality of the Government of Manipur in dealing with the democratic aspirations of the tribals".

The New Delhi based tribal students' leaders also said that the October 10 rally is also to demand for a separate "Hill University" for the tribals in Manipur.

The tribal students based in New Delhi strongly condemned the arrest of the student leaders in Manipur on October 6.

Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Naxals in Chhattisgarh interfering in the lives of tribals

Naxalites in Chhattisgarh are interfering in the day-to-day life of tribal forcing them to support the movement, indulge in human trafficking and enroll minors in their organisation, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said.

The Commission said the right to life of tribal is being "practically enjoyed" only at the mercy of naxalites and anyone who tries to raise a voice against their "tyrannical" ways were "killed or maimed".

"The naxalites interfere in the day-to-day life of the tribal - in family matters, education, marriages, religious beliefs etc. They force tribal to give one boy or girl from each family to become 'sangham' member," it said.

These are among the findings of a three-member NHRC inquiry committee which investigated a complaint against Salwa Judum, an anti-naxal programme in Chhattisgarh.

It said naxals were "indulging" in human trafficking and forced labour by compelling villagers to send one young member from each family, either boy or girl, to become members of their organisational units called 'sangham' or 'dalam'.

"In addition, it is also well known that the naxals use minors in one of their oraganisations called Bal Sangham," the report said.

It said many villagers told the inquiry panel that naxalites always "discouraged" education beyond Class V and "forced" the villagers to send their children to 'Bal Sangham' besides destroying school buildings.

On the rights violation of Salwa Judum, the report said there have been instances where Salwa Judum activists, Special Police Officers and security forces have also been involved in excesses.

Source: The Times Of India

481 SC/ST candidates receive appointment orders as lecturer

Chennai: “We have been waiting for over 10 years for this moment,” said B. Vatsala, who received her appointment order as a government college lecturer from Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi here on Tuesday. “We will remember this,” she said, and folded her hands in gratitude.

As many as 481 candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes received similar appointment orders from Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and Higher Education Secretary S. Ganesan at the University of Madras Senate Hall. Many had travelled long distances to reach in time to receive the order; and they did not seem to mind. Many parents, too, travelled to Chennai to see their children get the order.

Mr. Ponmudy explained that the backlog of vacancies of SC/ST lecturers had not been filled for over a decade. In addition to this, the earlier government banned recruitment, which led to more delays for all job seekers, especially those from the oppressed classes.

Mr. Ponmudy said that the recruitment was done in a transparent manner. Qualifications, such as a Ph. D carried weightage, which were publicised ahead, and marks were also awarded on the basis of experience.

The whole process of marking was transparent and anyone could calculate his/her marks.

After presenting appointment orders to a select few, Mr. Karunanidhi said that the government was committed to filling the backlog of vacancies of SC/STs and backward classes.

In the distant past, only about three persons from the oppressed classes from among a hundred had the benefit of education. Now, as many as 97 out of 100 had access to education.

They should utilise the opportunity available now, work hard and occupy high positions in academia and other frontier fields of knowledge.

Source: The Hindu