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अवश्य ही कुछ अच्छा होने वाला है|

यह तो समय चक्र है इसमें हर चीज एक दूसरे के साथ आती जाती है| अभी अभी हम सबने जन्माष्टमी का  महापर्व  मनाया । महापर्व इसलिए क्योंकि , श्री  कृष्ण भगवान के जन्म के बाद पहली बार यह योग  बना है।  अर्थात् पूरे 5241 वर्षोँ बाद। रात्रि 12 बजकर 12 मिनट का दिन, नक्षत्र ,घड़ी, लगन,मुहूर्त्त, योग आदि विशेष सभी उसी समान है।  जब भगवान श्री कृष्ण का जन्म हुआ था । रात्रि 12 बजकर 12 मिनट का दिन, नक्षत्र , घड़ी ,लगन, मुहूर्त्त,  योग आदि विशेष सभी उसी समान था ।  जब भगवान श्री कृष्ण का जन्म हुआ था। उस समय  चन्द्रमा वृष राशि मेँ उच्च लग्न मेँ स्थित था , सूर्य सिँह राशि मेँ स्थित था , नक्षत्र भी रोहिणी थी, भाद्रपद कृष्ण अष्टमी और दिन भी बुधवार था , काल सर्प योग भी था ।

अर्थात् ऐसे योग भगवान श्री कृष्ण के जन्म के बाद पहली बार बने हैँ।

ये सब देख कर मन उत्साहित हुआ क्योंकि इतिहास गवाह है । जब- कंस और रावण आएंगे भगवान किसी न किसी रूप में हमारे सामने जरूर आयेंगे चाहे श्रीराम के रूप में या  श्रीकृष्ण रूप में ।

तो क्या इस होनी को एक दिव्य संकेत माने  ! हमे ऐसा लगता है - अवश्य ही कुछ अच्छा होने वाला है|  क्योंकि जब कंस था , तभी भगवान श्री कृष्ण का जन्म हुआ था। और अब तमाम तरीके के समस्याएं कंस की तरह समाज में जो फैली है संभवतः इंनके खात्मे का समय आ गया है।

जय श्री कृष्ण

श्री हरिः श्री हरिः श्री हरिः

श्री कृष्ण गोविन्द हरे मुरारि । हे नाथ नारायण वासुदेवा।

माता श्री लक्ष्मी भगवती परमेश्वरी । हे मात् नारायणी योगमाया॥

Women empowerment is an important & useful concept in the development of the community

There are umpteenth agreements which affirm women's rights but still women are more likely to be poor & illiterate vis-a-vis men. They can hardly avail medical care, property ownership, credit, training & employment. In political sphere they have no say & domestically they spend pathetic life. 

The relative status of men & women, the interaction between gender & race, class & ethnicity & question of rights, control, ownership, power & voice all have a critical impact on the success & sustainability of every development intervention.

Gender mainstreaming was defined by the United Nations Economic & Social Council in 1997 as a strategy for making women's as well as men's concerns & experiences an integral dimension of the policies & programmes in all political, economic & societal sphere so that women & men benefit equally & inequality is not perpetuated.

Women empowerment is not limited to control population explosion or financial independence rather it is a combination of literacy, employment & health. 

Women empowerment is an important & useful concept in the development of the community as it represents women as active agent rather than passive recipients of development policies.
If we really want to see our women empowered, then we must provide them best suitable education which will ultimately help them in improving their economic lot by getting suitable jobs both in the public & the private sectors of the country. 

Without giving education & jobs to our women especially of rural areas, all over dreams of making our women empowered will perish in open air. Besides this, women of our country should equally be given opportunities in making important decisions in the affairs of both house & society.

Akshara Stories

I come from a family of a marginal farmer, below the poverty line, and where education is not a priority for economic as well as socio cultural reasons. I was part of the first Akshara batch in Mulshi Taluka. Nobody believed that the project would be successful or that we, the students, would be benefited in any way. I always thought of us as guinea pigs that were being experimented with.

I was in the 10^th grade and wasn’t in the first choice for the Akshara initiative. The selectors thought I was faring well in the village school and did not need extra support. However, I pushed and almost bulldozed my way into the program, as for me, Akshara was a stepping stone for my unbridled ambition to rise in life – above my circumstances.

So started my story at Akshara, and the ensuing life at Mahindra United World College, (MUWCI) through Akshara. I found it very difficult to cope with the drastically different open culture and the language barrier I was exposed to on the MUWCI campus – from a village to interacting and living with children from over 40 nationalities. For us villagers, it was tough to understand the conversation around us and we felt confused many a times. However, compared to the other two participants in the program (my peers, Milind and Pramod), I made friends more easily. I think I became part of the MUWCI family smoothly.

Since this was the very first batch, academics was the main focus at Akshara. Most of us were not comfortable with English and that restricted our ability to share our knowledge of other subjects too. We had to work extra hard at every subject, yet we were not able to express our opinions on the topics. I think that this factor single-handedly was responsible for many of the students’ inability to perform well. But for me, my aspiration overpowered my frustration and disadvantaged position.

However, it was a positive experience and opened new horizons for me. I went on to successfully complete the IB diploma at MUWCI. Then I went off to Luther College, Canada for undergraduates. I had risen above my circumstances and was now a full and equal participant in all activities at Luther College. I have done a double major at Luther College. Had there not been Akshara, I would have studied only till 12^th.

I hope I can be an example, not only for other Akshara students, but also for every girl in the Mulshi valley. At home, I have been able to successfully convince my parents that I have a lot to do in life and a future to look forward to, apart from just getting married and having kids. So now, unlike my other friends from my village, there is no pressure from my parents about me getting married. I have all the freedom to choose the time and the man I want to marry. There still is some pressure from relatives, but I think I can handle that. I want to concentrate on my career now. I want to make sure I reach a position in life that will help me extend the same help to my community that I got through Akshara.

But that is a dream and for now I am concentrating on me and my family. I insisted that my mother attend literacy classes and now she can read and write Marathi.  It is such a wonderful feeling to know that my mother can read and write today because of me.

When my brother got married, like the usual custom, my family was going to take a dowry from the bride’s family. I put my foot down and insisted on no dowry. This was a result of various discussions we had with Harsha Ma’am and the other Akshara teachers. They were always telling us to think about how we want our society to be and to make a difference in our own small ways. I also encouraged my sister-in-law to study. I made sure that my sister earned and continued to learn at the same time.

I know that at Akshara they call me a “stubborn kid”. But I think that is because I don’t want to live like a woman. I want to live like a human.

I hope my education at Luther College in Economics and Business Management will go a long way in helping me do this. Today, I am a Management Trainee at Deloitte. I want to work in the corporate sector in Human Resources. I love Human Resources as I would like to understand the women employees’ problems.
Thank you Akshara. Thank you MUWCI and above all, I thank myself for that stubborn aspiration to Rise in life irrespective of where my roots were!
 
Source : Mahindra Rise Blog:

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Rights of Women and Law by Romilla Akham Part 2

Rights of Women and Law by Romilla Akham Part 2
Fundamental rights: 

The Constitution guarantees that the State shall not deny any person equality before law and equal protection of law in the territory of India (Article 14). This Article forms the bedrock for all other provisions. 

This is the key principle for a welfare State to ensure social and economic equality. The idea of the right without the capability and the means to avail the benefits equally would be a farce and a mean joke on the weaker sections. Right to equality is one of the most important rights and there can be no discrimination based on the sex, race, religion, caste, creed, region, etc. The Article 15(1) prohibits the State from discriminating on the basis of religion, race, case, sex, or place of birth, Article 15(3) allows the State to make special provisions for women and children. It is imperative for the State to make laws as per the social condition of the various people. Article 15 simply elaborates that the same concept and acknowledges that women need special treatment for their betterment. The Article 16 states about equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment. 

The Article 21 is one of the most important fundamental rights states as right to life and personal liberty, which is known as human rights article also. In many cases, this Article has saved women who have been wronged. 

India plans first university for women

India plans first university for women .

The university, which would focus on advanced disciplines of education, would be named after late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who represented Rae Bareli, a city and a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh

Establishment of a Central University for women would have a multiplier effect on availability of empowered women in all walks of life. As a model central university for women, it will create standards of excellence to be followed by others.

"Such a university will help in the fight to overcome discrimination and change perceptions about what women can and should do. 

महिलाओं की समानता और अधिकारिता से संबंधित कानून मातृत्‍व लाभ अधिनियम, 1961

मातृत्‍व लाभ अधिनियम, 1961 प्रसव के पहले और बाद में कुछ अवधि के लिए कुछ प्रतिष्‍ठानों में महिलाओं की नियुक्ति को विनियमित करता है और मातृत्‍व एवं अन्‍य लाभों की व्‍यवस्‍था करता है। ऐसे लाभों का उद्देश्‍य महिलाओं और उनके बच्‍चों का जब वह कार्यरत नहीं रहती है पूर्ण रूप से स्‍वास्‍थ्‍य रखरखाव की व्‍यवस्‍था करने के द्वारा मातृत्‍व की प्रतिष्‍ठा की रक्षा करता है। यह अधिनियम खानों, फैक्‍टरियों, सर्कस उद्योग, बागान, दुकानों और प्रतिष्‍ठानों जो दस या अधिक व्‍यक्तियों को कार्य पर लगाते हैं, के लिए प्रयोज्‍य है। इसमें राज्‍य बीमा अधिनियम, 1948 में शामिल कर्मचारी नहीं आते हैं। यह राज्‍य सरकारों द्वारा अन्‍य प्रतिष्‍ठानों तक विस्‍तारित किया जा सकता है।

श्रम मंत्रालय में केन्‍द्रीय औद्योगिक श्रम संबंध मशीनरी (सी आई आर एम) इस अधिनियम को प्रवर्तित करने के‍ लिए जिम्‍मेदार है। सी आई आर एम मंत्रालय का संबद्ध कार्यालय है और यह मुख्‍य श्रम आयुक्‍त (केन्‍द्रीय) [सी एल सी (सी)] संगठन के रूप में भी जाना जाता है।

अधिनियम के मुख्‍य प्रावधान निम्‍नलिखित हैं :-

• कोई नियोक्‍ता उसके प्रसव या गर्भपात के तुरन्‍त बाद छ: सप्‍ताह तक किसी प्रतिष्‍ठान में जान बूझकर महिला को नियुक्‍त नहीं करेगा। और कोई महिला अपने प्रसव या गर्भपात के तुरन्‍त बाद छह सप्‍ताह के दौरान किसी प्रतिष्‍ठान में कार्य भी नहीं करेगी।


• प्रत्‍येक महिला का यह हक होगा और उसका नियोक्‍ता पर यह दायित्‍व होगा कि औसत दैनिक मजदूरी की दर से उसकी वास्‍तविक अनुपस्थिति की अवधि के लिए उसके प्रसव के दिन सहित इसके तुरन्‍त पहले और उस दिन के बाद छ: सप्‍ताह तक के लिए उसे मातृत्‍व लाभ का भुगतान किया जाएगा। औसत दैनिक मजदूरी का अर्थ है महिला की मजूदरी का औसत मातृत्‍व के कारण जिस दिन से से वह अनुपस्थित रहती है उसके तुरन्‍त पहले तीन कैलेण्‍डर माहों की अवधि के दौरान उसके कार्य किया है उन दिनों के लिए भुगतान योग्‍य मजदूरी या दिन का एक रुपया, जो भी अधिक हो।


• कोई भी महिला तब तक मातृत्‍व लाभ का हकदार नहीं होगी जब तक कि उसने वास्‍तव में नियोक्‍ता के प्रतिष्‍ठान में जिससे वह मातृत्‍व लाभ का दावा करती है, आशयित प्रसव के तुरन्‍त पहले बारह माहों में कम से कम एक सौ साठ दिनों की अवधि के लिए कार्य किया हैं। दिनों की गणना के प्रयोजन से जिन दिनों में महिला ने प्रतिष्‍ठान में वास्तविक रूप से कार्य किया है, जिन दिनों के लिए उसे भुगतान किया गया है,यह उसके आशयित प्रसव के तुरन्‍त पहले बारह माह की अवधि के दौरान, को ध्‍यान में रखा जाएगा।


• अधिकतम अवधि जिसके लिए महिला मातृत्‍व लाभ के लिए हकदार होगी वह बारह सप्‍ताहों के लिए होगी अर्थात उसके प्रसव का दिन सहित पहले छ: सप्‍ताह तक तथा उस दिन के तुरन्‍त बाद छ: सप्‍ताह।



• मातृत्‍व लाभ के लिए हकदार महिला की सामान्‍य और साधारण दैनिक मजदूरी से किसी प्रकार की कटौती नहीं की जाएगी यदि - (i) अधिनियम के प्रावधानों के कारण उसे कार्य की प्रकृति सौंपी गई है; या बच्‍चे की देखभाल के लिए अवकाश अधिनियम के प्रावधानों के तहत अनुमत होता है।


• जब किसी अवधि के लिए महिला अनुपस्थित होने के लिए अपने नियोक्‍ता द्वारा अनुमत होने के बाद किसी प्रतिष्‍ठान में कार्य करती है उस अवधि के लिए मातृत्‍व लाभ का दावा वह नहीं करेगी।


• यदि कोई नियोक्‍ता इस अधिनियम के प्रावधानों का या उसके तहत बनाए गए नियमों के प्रावधानों का या उसके तहत बनाए गए नियमों के प्रावधानों का उल्‍लंघन करता है तो उसे कारावास की सजा हो सकती है या जुर्माना या दोनों हो सकता है या किसी अन्य राशि संबंधी भुगतान का और ऐसे मातृत्‍व लाभ का या रशि पहले ही वसूली न की गई है तो इसके साथ अदालत ऐसे मातृत्‍व लाभ या राशि, मानो वह जुर्माना हो, वसूल सकता है और हकदार व्‍यक्ति को इसका भुगतान कर सकता है।

Source: http://business.gov.in/hindi/legal_aspects/maternity.php

महिलाओं की समानता और अधिकारिता से संबंधित कानून

आज की उदारीकृत परिस्थितियों में महिलाएं भारतीय श्रम शक्ति का अभिन्‍न हिस्‍सा बन चुकी हैं। ऐसे माहौल में, महिला के रोजगार का स्‍तर बहुत महत्‍व रखता है और यह अनेक कारकों पर निर्भर करता है। इनमें सर्व प्रथम कौशल विकास के लिए शिक्षा एवं अन्‍य अवसरों का समान रूप से उपलब्‍ध होना है। इसके लिए महिलाओं की अधिकारिता के साथ-साथ उनके बीच उनके कानूनी अधिकारों और कर्त्तव्‍यों के बारे में जागरूकता पैदा करने की जरूरत है। यह सुनिश्चित करने के‍ लिए भारत सरकार ने अनेक कदम उठाए हैं।

यह ऐसे कई कार्यक्रम चला रही है जिनका उद्देश्‍य महिलाओं को शिक्षा एवं व्‍यावसायिक प्रशिक्षण की सुविधा देना है। इनमें सबसे महत्‍वपूर्ण है श्रम मंत्रालय में रोजगार और प्रशिक्षण महानिदेशालय (डीजीई एण्‍ड टी)के अंतर्गत शुरू किया गया 'महिला व्‍यावसायिक प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रम'। इस कार्यक्रम में कौशल प्रशिक्षण सुविधाओं में उनकी सहभागिता को बढ़ाकर उद्योग जगत (मुख्‍यतया संगठित क्षेत्र) में महिलाओं को अर्ध कुशल, कुशल और अति कुशल कामगारों के रूप में बढ़ावा देने का प्रयास किया गया है। इस कार्यक्रम में, डीजीई एण्‍ड टी मुख्‍यालय में एक अलग --महिला प्रशिक्षण स्‍कंध'' स्‍थापित किया गया है जो देश में महिलाओं को व्‍यावसायिक प्रशिक्षण देने से संबंधित दीर्घावधिक नीतियां तैयार करने एवं उनका पालन करने के लिए जिम्‍मेदार है। साथ ही इस कार्यक्रम के एक भाग के रूप में, केन्‍द्रीय क्षेत्र में, देश भर के विभिन्‍न भागों में एक राष्‍ट्रीय और दस क्षेत्रीय व्‍यावसायिक प्रशिक्षण संस्थान स्‍थापित किए गए हैं। जबकि राज्‍य क्षेत्र में, राज्‍य सरकारों के प्रशासनिक नियंत्रण मे विशिष्‍ट 'महिला औद्योगिक प्रशिक्षण संस्‍थान (डब्‍ल्‍यूआईटीआई)' को नेटवर्क स्‍थापित किया गया है। ये संस्‍थान महिलाओं को बुनियादी कौशल प्रशिक्षण प्रदान करते हैं।

साथ ही सरकार महिला कामगारों के लिए काम का अनुकूल माहौल बनाने के भी प्रयास कर रही है। इस प्रयोजनार्थ, मंत्रालय में महिला श्रमिकों के लिए एक अलग सेल स्थापित किया गया है जो कामकाजी महिलाओं की स्थितियों पर ध्‍यान केन्द्रित करेगा और उनमें सुधार लाएगा। इस सेल के कार्य निम्‍नलिखित हैं :-

• राष्‍ट्रीय जनशक्ति और आर्थिक नीतियों के ढांचे के भीतर महिला श्रम शक्ति के लिए नीतियों एवं कार्यक्रमों को तैयार करना एवं समन्‍वय करना।
• महिला कामगारों के संबंध में कार्यक्रमों के कारगर कार्यान्‍वयन
• समान वेतन अधिनियम, 1976 के कार्यान्‍वयन की निगरानी करना।
• समान वेतन अधिनियम, 1976 के तहत एक सलाहकार समिति की स्‍थापना करना।
• महिला कामगारों के लिए कार्योन्‍मुखी परियोजनाओं को तैयार करने एवं कार्यान्वित करने के लिए गैर सरकारी संगठनों/स्‍वैच्छिक संगठनों को सहायता अनुदान देना।

इसके अलावा, महिलाओं की समानता और अधिकारिता के लिए अधिनियमित विभिन्‍न कानूनों में अनेक संरक्षणात्‍मक उपबंध शामिल किए गए हैं, जिनके उचित प्रवर्तन से महिला कामगारों के लिए एक समर्थकारी माहौल निर्मित होगा।

Source: http://business.gov.in/hindi/legal_aspects/empowerment_women.php 

Ministry of WCD implementing scheme for Children of Women Prisoners

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) from 2009-10 for children in conflict with law as well as children in need of care and protection, including, children of women prisoners. Under ICPS, financial assistance is provided to State Governments/UT Administrations, inter-alia, for setting up and maintenance of various types of Homes, including, Children Homes. 

These Homes provide inter-alia, shelter, food, education, medical attention, vocational training, counselling etc. to such children so that they can ultimately reintegrate into the mainstream society. Besides, the Ministry is also implementing another Scheme, namely, Scheme for the Welfare of Working Children in Need of Care and Protection under which non-formal education, vocational training, to such children is provided to facilitate their entry/re-entry into mainstream education in cases where they have either not attended any learning system or where for some reasons their education has been discontinued with a view to prevent their continued future exploitation. 

This was stated by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister for Women and Child Development, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 14 August 2013 

Source : http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Shownews.asp?newsid=24836 

How Badly Do We Eat?

How badly do we eat?: There is currently a range of proposed legislation to assist South Africans with eating properly, ranging from the control of baby food and alcohol advertising to reducing salt levels in food. Learn more here.

There is currently a range of proposed legislation to assist South Africans with eating properly. The regulations and statutes range from the control of foodstuffs for infants and the manner in which these products are advertised and packaged, the levels of salt in certain foods and the planned control of advertising and labelling of alcoholic beverages.

The efforts by the Department of Health to control foodstuffs range from a need to control sodium - presumably to address issues concerning high blood pressure and related diseases, which place a burden on the South African healthcare system - and the need for regulations dealing with the manner in which infant foodstuffs and products used to provide infants with access to those foodstuffs are marketed and advertised. 

Reducing salt levels in foods

Turning to the control of salt in the South African diet, these regulations were published as Regulations Relating to the Reduction of Sodium in Certain Foodstuffs and Related Matters on 11 July 2012 and will come into effect shortly.  

The regulations prescribe the levels of salt that are to be incorporated, by law, into basic foodstuffs, including, but not limited to, bread, butter, processed meats, snacks, and biscuits.

The Department of Health in its Annual Report for 2011/2012 states that one of its key directives is to "[r]educe the mean population intake of salt to an intake of sale to less than 5 grams per day by 2020." In addition, the Annual Report states that it is also a directive and goal of the Department of Health to "[r]educe by 20% the relevant per capita consumption of alcohol by 2020". 

This is all to the end that the Department of Health wishes to "[r]educe by at least 25% the relatively premature mortality [under sixty years of age] from [non communicable diseases] by 2020".  

Certainly, one understands the control or the need to control levels of sodium in basic foodstuffs and actions taken by the Department of Health to lower the availability of sodium in the ordinary South African diet may very well be lauded. However, on the opposite end of the spectrum of control are the regulations for foodstuffs and the equipment used to administer foodstuffs to infants.

Breastfeeding is best

The Regulations Relating to Foodstuffs for Infants and Young Children, published finally in 2012 in Government Gazette 35941 on 6 December 2012 endeavour to control the availability of products such as bottles and teats to the public in South Africa in order to dissuade the use of such items for purposes of administering foodstuffs to infants and young children. 

The rationale underlying this control is the view held by the Department of Health that breast feeding is the method of feeding infants that should be preferred by new mothers. 

The regulations go as far as prohibiting promotional activities, advertisements and statements on the Internet and other related social media concerning items such as bottles and teats. 

In fact when one views the regulations and the measures that are to be introduced by these regulations in respect of the control of items such as bottles and teats, the controls are as vigorous as those imposed in respect of the advertising and selling of tobacco products.  

The rigid nature of the regulations and the intention of the regulations may indeed lead some to argue that the environment created by the regulations is such that it stifles speech, a right protected in terms of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.  

The regulations are due to come into effect in a phased manner and the process will be as follows:

EFFECTIVE DATE	REGULATION/S
6 June 2013	Prohibition on free or low-cost designated products and samples and displays of such products
6 December 2013	Sale and promotion of certain foodstuffs, feeding bottles, teats, feeding caps with spouts, straws or teats and gift packs
6 December 2014	Specific labelling and packaging requirements for "designated products", infant formula, complementary foods, liquid milks, powdered milks, modified powdered milks, sweetened condensed milk, imitation dairy, and goat’s milk products
6 December 2015	The transitional measures are amended from 18 months to 36 months

Diseases associated with alcoholism

The proposed legislation dealing with alcoholic beverages is currently before Parliament. Certainly, as stated above, this ties in with the Department of Health's prerogatives to control the consumption of alcohol amongst the South African population with a view, in turn, to controlling non communicable diseases associated with alcoholism.  

The Bill, which is yet to be released for public comment, has been met with a degree of criticism by certain quarters already where indications are that the Bill will compromise the economics of the consumption, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of alcoholic beverages throughout the country.  

The Bill is a far-reaching legal mechanism for purposes of controlling the availability and advertising of alcoholic substances: bearing in mind that the labelling of containers of alcoholic beverages has already been controlled in so far as health messages are required on these containers pursuant to regulations in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act No. 54 of 1972.  

Those messages include:

• Alcohol reduces driving ability, don't drink and drive. 
• Don't drink and walk on the road, you may be killed. 
• Alcohol increases your risk to personal injuries. 
• Alcohol is a major cause of violence and crime. 
• Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health. 
• Alcohol is addictive. 
• Drinking during pregnancy can be harmful to your unborn baby.

The increasing incidents of control over the manner in which foodstuffs are made available in our society is not a foreign trend when one understands how similar controls are being applied in other societies where certain problems have been identified amongst the health of the population. 

Freedom of speech

However, the difficulty is to balance the rights of the individual to associate with products of his or her choosing and the right of the manufacturers, distributors and producers of certain substances to participate meaningfully in the market place in order to have their products readily available to consumers. South Africa should, in all likelihood, brace themselves for increasing controls to be imposed by law in respect of ordinary day-to-day consumer goods and products.

South African consumers are already in the dark in relation to medicine advertising, which is completely banned in relation to certain Scheduled Substances in terms of regulation 45 of the General Regulations to the Medicines and Related Substances Act No. 101 of 1965, as amended. 

The dearth of information about medicine is still debated on the basis that the population should be informed about medicines and the options available to them as opposed to relying only on the recommendations and dispensing practices of healthcare practitioners. 

Debates about the availability of information about goods is one that may, indeed, play out in court in terms of the freedom of expression provisions in the Constitution.  

In light of the amount of information that is now controlled about day-to-day consumer goods such as medicines, tobacco products, foodstuffs for infants and young children and alcoholic beverages, such debates may be required in order to promote a society based on equality, dignity and freedom.

(Written by Neil Kirby, Werksmans Attorneys Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences.)

Women Must Become Entrepreneurs

MYSORE: She wanted to set up an undergarment business with a tie-up with a popular brand. But the company didn't oblige her request, even after she went through the necessary procedures and got a licence to open the shop. This prompted her to set up her own shop 'Sugeeth' three years ago. Now, the company's turnover stands at Rs 3,00,000.

Sharing her experiences, entrepreneur Geetha shree said: "Women should come up like me, that is by building on ideas in area of interest. Rather than confining themselves to comfort zone, women must come out and prove their mettle in business."This was how .... shared her success story with fellow entrepreneurs at a workshop on 'Empowerment programme for women entrepreneurs', which was held for the members of Mysore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Mand other working women.

Speaking on the workshop, M Shiva Shankar, joint director of District Industries' Centre (DIC), said: "For the past 12 years, we have been conducting the once-in-three-month workshop to empower women. Working women can utilize the opportunity by availing help from non-profit organizations like Rudset and Awake. So far, these organizations have helped many women to make it big in their area of interest."

MCCI president Sudhakar S Shetty, in his keynote address, said: "Like men, women should also come out and work. We should give equal importance to women in society. It is time to support and encourage them to be entrepreneurs."

Anitha Joshi, a beautician, said the workshop is like an awareness programme for working women. "This helps increase our business. I look forward to taking help from Rudset to make it big in the food industry."

Around 40 entrepreneurs took part in the workshop jointly organized by Women in Small Enterprise (Wise), a ladies wing of MCCI, and DIC.

Content Source:

Baby Roona goes home

The 21-month-old girl from Tripura who has  undergone five surgeries for big head syndrome at a Gurgaon hospital, is now fine and ready to go back home. Roona, from Agartala, was admitted on April 16 night for a rare condition called Hydrocephalus, also known as water in the brain. Here, there is excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, causing it to enlarge. This is a congenital condition wherein the overgrowth starts in the womb itself.

After the surgeries, her head had swollen up to a circumference measuring 94 cms has been brought down to a manageable 58 cm. Doctors who are treating her at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said Roona would need another surgery for remodelling her skull to make it proportionate to her body. Doctors also said that her head is still big and needs constant support.

Her head had developed bed sores due constant lying down. The first surgery on Roona was performed on May 15.

Begum, who belongs to a poor family, was malnourished and weighed only 14 kgs at the time of admission. She had also suffered from a chest infection and her eyes were sunken. Due to this, she had to be examined several times and her condition made stable before conducting the surgery.

When Roona was born, local doctors told her parents to take her to a private hospital in a big city but the costs were too high for Rahman, an illiterate labourer who earns 150 rupees ($2.75) a day. Roona's condition had caused her head to swell, putting pressure on her brain and making it impossible for her to sit upright or crawl.

Her parents could not afford to pay for the treatment but photos of her that were published by several news agencies like AFP, saw an overwhelming outpouring of support worldwide, with donors donating a substantial sum for her treatment.

Two Norwegian college students, Jonas Borchgrevink and Nathalie Krantz, started an online campaign through MyGoodAct.com that has raised $58,000. The campaign has paid around $30,000 to the charitable arm of Fortis hospital, as the initially estimated  cost of Roona’s treatment multiplied by more than 30 times, Borchgrevink told AFP.

The donations have covered about half the total cost of treatment so far, with the rest paid by Fortis hospital’s charitable foundation.

“We still have around $28,000 left, which we want to send to the family for her aftercare,” Borchgrevink said.

Roona’s mother Khatun said, “I will never meet all the people who have helped my child, but I want them to know that I am very very grateful to them.”

Courstey - AFP| Photo by AFP PHOTO/ Arindam Dey / Content Source  Yahoo

सिर्फ शिक्षित होना काफी नहीं, हमें बुद्धिजीवी भी होना पड़ेगा

आज  हमारे देश में  चारों तरफ हर व्यक्ति को शिक्षित करने की  जो लहर चल रही है।  वह वास्तव में काबिले तारीफ है। सरकार और  समाज ने भी हर बच्चे को शिक्षा देने के लिए कई योजनायें बनाई है। इस प्रयास से बहूत लॊग शिक्षा प्राप्त भी कर रहें है। परन्तु  ध्यान देने योग्य बात यह है कि इस प्रकार के किताबी ज्ञान से हम सिर्फ शिक्षित बनते है, बुद्धिजीवी  नहीं।

शिक्षा को एक नए रूप में सामने लाना होगा। ज्ञान ऐसा हो जो डिग्री - डिप्लोमा  लेने के साथ साथ हमारी सोच , व्यवहार को भी प्रशस्त करे, हमारे आचार और विचार सराहनीय बने।  जीवन में दोहरे मापदंड न हों। जो हम अपने लिए चाहते है, वही सबके लिए चाहें। हमे दकियानूसी विचारों को संशोधित कर नए विचारों के साथ आत्म सात करने की आवश्यकता है, ताकि नए विचारों का भी स्थान सुनिश्चित हो सके।

शिक्षा ऐसी हो जो हमें संस्कारी, अनुसाशित और संयत से परिपूर्ण बनाये क्योंकि जीवन सिर्फ धन- दौलत  से सुंदर नहीं बनता । जब संस्कारों की सम्पति आती है, तभी वह सुंदर बनता है। शिक्षा के विकाश के साथ आर्थिक, चारित्रिक, सामाजिक विकाश का सही समावेश आवश्यक है।  तभी सही मायनों में हम शिक्षित के साथ बुद्धिजीवी बन पाएंगे।  

जय हिन्द

Content Source : http://readerblogs.navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/seemagoel/entry/educational-empowerment-in-india1