India Foundation Journal November December 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editor’s Note .................................................................................................................................... 2
FOCUS: Women in India

Not for the Faint-hearted: Observations on Women in Indian Culture .......... Renuka Narayanan 3
Breaking the Mould: Women in a Patriarchal Society ................................ Tilottama Mukherjee 10
Impact of Insurgency on Women: A Study within the Context of Northeast India ..... Rami Desai 16
Socio-ethics of Surrogacy in India and Reproductive Justice .......................... Sheela Saravanan 23
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition
and Redressal) Act, 2013 – A Commentary .................................. Shivakami Kumaramangalam 32
Women as Leaders: The Story of a Successful Sanitation Drive ............ Poonam Kulshreshtha,
Paridhi P Yadav and Akhila Sivadas 39
Women in Indian Media ........................................................................................... Srishti Singh 49
SPECIAL ADDRESS
Ushering into an Era of Connectivity and Prosperity .................................. Mohd. Ashraf Ghani 54
REPORTS
Conference on Smart Border Management 2018 ...................................................... Ankit Gupta 58
Indian Ocean Conference 2018 ............................................................................... Deeksha Goel 64
BOOK REVIEWS
Devaki Jain’s “Close Encounters of Another Kind:
Women and Development Economics” ................................................................... B. Shruti Rao 76
Alok Bansal's "Gilgit - Baltistan

And Its Saga of Unending Human Rights Violations” ......................................... Aayushi Ketkar 79
India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {1}

India Empowerment of Women
Foundation Dear Readers,
Journal In the Indian tradition, worship of God as mother goes back to very
ancient times, perhaps to the very dawn of civilisation itself. It finds
expression in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas and the Tantras.
India’s great sage, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa always referred to God
Vol. VI as ‘my Mother’. Not only has God been looked upon as the feminine par
Issue No.6 excellence, the Divine Mother, but women in India have also been looked
upon as manifestations of the Divine. From remote antiquity, to the modern
age, the conception and adoration of the feminine principle as Divine has
November-December been in existence, and despite it having undergone evolutionary changes
2018
over millennia, the underlying principle has remained a constant in India’s
spiritual history. This finds expression in the great Hindu festival,
Navaratri, which is celebrated as the name implies for nine days, during
which period God is adored as Mother and Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati
Editor are worshipped as three different manifestations of Shakti or Cosmic
Maj Gen (Dr) Dhruv C Katoch energy.
Before the onset of the Muslim invasions of India and the more recent
Assistant Editors British rule, exemplified by Victorian prudery, women in India were more
Srihari Avuthu liberated than they are now. Indian scriptures depicted women as creators,
destroyers and warriors as well as wives and mothers who held a position
Shreya Challagalla
of equality with respect to their male counterparts. Over time, they became
subservient to their fathers, husbands and in their old age, to their sons.
This is now changing in modern India, and women are once again seeking
Publisher their rightful place in society, breaking the shackles which have bound
India Foundation them all these years.
New Delhi As the Indian woman seeks emancipation, a new India will emerge,
strong powerful and vibrant. The #MeToo movement, is but a reflection of
E-mail the hopes, desires and ambitions of the modern woman, who seeks her
[email protected]
rightful place in society, free of discrimination. Education of the girl child,
Website
www.indiafoundation.in as emphasised by the Prime Minister in his landmark “Beti Padhao, Beti
Bachao” programme, remains the key. As Queen Rania of Jordan pointed
out, “If you educate a woman, you educate a family, if you educate a girl,
you educate the future”.
for private circulation only
{2}
{2} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018
FOCUS
Not for the Faint-hearted:

Observations on Women in Indian Culture
Renuka Narayanan*
W
omen in Indian culture occupy an respectably married woman is supreme in Hindu
ambivalent position. Accordingly, this society. As in any other transactional relationship,
article confines itself to an overview this status comes at a price.
of the cultural situation of the majority of Indian Drawn from preceding centuries, the wifely
women, which is to say, women in Hindu culture virtues postulated by the sixteenth century poet
of which the author is personally a part. Coevally, Goswami Tulsidas of Varanasi went out as advice
the article consciously stays away from discussing for wives given to Sita by Rishi Atri’s wife
the noticeably difficult and far from enviable Anasuya: “Devotion of body, speech and mind to
position of women in non-Hindu cultures in India, the feet of her lord, the husband, is the only duty,
lest the author be suspected of minority-baiting sacred vow and penance of a woman.” This is
in these perilous times. Whereas, as a devout found in the Sri Ramacharitamanas, Aranya Kand,
Hindu herself, the author can claim to speak with Verse Four; a seminal book of pervasive and
belonging, ownership and reform-minded good lasting influence across North India.
intentions from within mainstream Hindu society, This job description was detailed in the sub-
not outside it. universe of South India in the thirteenth century,
In the traditional patriarchal Indian mind-set, in a hugely popular verse. Written by the Telugu
the Devi or prime goddess of Hindu theology is poet ‘Baddena’ or Bhadra Bhupala in Neeti Saara,
enthroned on a pedestal to be worshipped as the his treatise on morals, it says: “Karyeshu dasi,
sacred feminine. The position of Devi or Shakti is karaneshu mantri, bhojeshu mata, shayaneshu
thus greatly exalted. She is worshipped as the Rambha, roopeshu Lakshmi, kshamayeshu
Parashakti or Supreme Power, as the Jagadamba, Dharitri, shat dharmayukta kuladharmapatni,”
the Universal Mother who created the male Gods meaning “Like a servant in doing the household
and their feminine counterparts. chores, like a minister in giving her husband
How does this translate vis-à-vis the situation intelligent advice, serving him food as lovingly
of mortal women? The reality is that Indian as a mother feeds her son, as seductive and
tradition discounts mortal women unless they pleasing in bed as the celestial nymph Rambha,
deliver the goods in their prescribed role as a as beautiful as Mahalakshmi and as forbearing as
service sector. In particular, the position of the Mother Earth: the woman who has these six
*Renuka Narayanan writes on religion and culture. Formerly an editor and a diplomat, her published books
include The Book of Prayer, Faith: Filling the God-sized Hole,The Little Book of Indian Wisdom (Penguin),
A Madrasi Memoir (Academic Foundation), The Path of Light - Inspiring Tales from Upanishads, Jatakas and
Indic Lore (Penguin Random House India) and Hindu Fables (Juggernaut). She has just completed a book on
Lord Shiva for Penguin and is presently working on a life of Adi Sankara for Speaking Tiger Books.

qualities is the ideal married lady of the house.” It is in the context of taking that positive,
This verse hold up an ideal that is very much inclusive change further that it becomes necessary
around in South Indian families even today. to review the entrenched nature of the patriarchal
Intriguingly, though, there is not one verse in the attitude that colours everyday life in twenty-first
entire corpus of classical Indian literature that details century India for Hindu women. To do so, it may
the virtues and qualities required of a mortal husband. be worth our while to look at stories rather than
The author verified this in 2008 with the renowned statistics, since culture comes from ‘a way of life’.
Sanskrit scholar Sundararama Dikshithar of But first, what is the way of life of ‘Hinduism’ or
Kumbakonam, a ninth century temple town and rather, Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Law? What
seat of learning in the Kaveri Delta. are its components? We may call it the Pancha
This ‘pragmatic’ attitude towards women Darshana or five aspects.
sprang from the old Hindu belief that only a son First, the foundational books in Sanskrit -
could save a man from the hell called ‘put’: hence Sruti-Smruti-Itihasa-Purana, which are:
the term ‘putra’ for son – the ‘deliverer from put’. z The four Vedas (Rik, Yajur, Sama and
A wife was the socially endorsed conduit for this Atharva)
outcome, of no earthly use unless she produced a z Vedanta (16 principal Upanishads)
fine, healthy son and fulfilled her ritual duties as z The two epics (the Ramayana and
a griharani, the ‘queen of the house’. Indian patriarchs Mahabharata) and
in general did not see wives as precious individuals; z The 18 major Puranas.
any eligible woman from the caste-allotted gene Second, there is a strong tradition of
pool would do to keep their lives going. philosophers who have successively replenished
Of course, there were rebels and breakaways the heritage. Three principal views of the abstract
but this was the holding pattern that prevailed human-Divine connect are the philosophies of
across society for millennia and holds even today Advaita, Visishta-Advaitava and Dvaita. Third, there
in both deeply conservative and superficially is a strong living oral tradition of Katha (religious
modern swathes. This entrenched attitude still discourse) and Naam Sankirtan or Bhajana
plays out in millions of ordinary Indian lives Sampradaya (religious songs) by saint-composers
notwithstanding the many exceptions resulting across Indian languages, which have kept this
from over a century of Hindu reform in the heritage alive in popular culture across India.
growing number of educated women in many While philosophy is the intellectual
spheres of national life. The author may also claim articulation of a world view, the oral traditions of
to be a legatee and beneficiary of Hindu reform in Katha and Naam Sankirtan are its popular
several ways and owes her present freedoms to expression, conveying those ideas to the layman
the courage and conviction of preceding through the medium of the Ramayana,
generations of enlightened Hindus who changed Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana. Katha and
society for the better. Naam Sankirtan are easily accessible on TV, on
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YouTube and in live discourses/satsang. Though Ujjain, Mathura, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Dwaraka
Katha and Naam Sankirtan are expressed in the and Kanchipuram.
mother tongues, they often include quotations You can find the hand of sacred geography in
from and references to the Sanskrit texts, the the waters, too. First of all, take the Arabian Sea
source that feeds them and unites them. to the west and the Bay of Bengal to the east. These
They also rely heavily on the Bhakta Vijaya, are recent names. The old Indian names for these
the eighteenth century Marathi book which retold two great seas are ‘Ratnakara’ for the western sea
the lives of 108 important saints from the and ‘Mahodadhi’ for the eastern sea.
preceding five centuries. Its special focus is on Now take the rivers. There are seven sacred
saints between the thirteenth and seventeenth rivers of note: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari,
centuries from the ‘Varkari’ tradition, centred on Sarasvati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. Most
Krishna as the deity Vitthala in Pandharpur. Its Indian rivers flow eastwards. They are called
author, Mahipati, was a scribe turned ‘nadi’. A few rivers flow west like the Sharavati
hagiographer. His book was translated into several in Karnataka of Jog Falls fame, the Narmada and
Indian languages in the last 250 years and into the Tapti. Technically, they should be called ‘nadah’,
English in the 1920s. Its tone and content uphold not ‘nadi’. However, since most of our rivers flow
the patriarchal status quo which is often repeated, east, the common word for river is ‘nadi’.
un-updated, in twenty-first century religious It is well-known that the Ganga is India’s
discourses. holiest river. The Mekong in South-east Asia is
Fourth, the components above, from across named after her. Mekong means ‘Ma Ganga’,
time and space, are held together by the ancient Mother Ganga. Of all the towns on the Ganga’s
Hindu concept of the sub-continent’s sacred banks, it is Kashi or Varanasi which has made
geography, ‘AaSetu Himalaya’, from the tip of the Ganga pre-eminent. Kashi itself is made great by
Indian Peninsula to the Himalayas – from the Lord Shiva. He is worshipped in Kashi as
southernmost shores to the northernmost Vishvanath, Lord of the World. Every believing
mountains. This sacred geography is underpinned Hindu is supposed to make a pilgrimage to Kashi
by innumerable living temples and by pilgrim at least once. There are boys in places very far
circuits like the Char Dham, the Dvadasha away named ‘Kashi Vishvanath’ because they
Jyotirlinga, the fifty one Shakti Peeth, the Devi were born after the momentous family pilgrimage
circuit in Himachal Pradesh, the Aaru Padai Veedu to Kashi. In the old days, when people from other
or Six Holy Places of Kartikeya in Tamil Nadu, parts of India set out to Kashi, they said their final
the sacred rivers and lakes (tirtha) and the sacred goodbyes at home because it was so far away and
landmarks (kshetra) across the length and breadth the journey to and fro was so dangerous and
of India. The seven mokshapuri or ‘salvation difficult. But go they did. Everyone was so
cities’ also play their part in holding this grid of emotionally invested in Kashi that they risked their
sacred geography together. They are Kashi, lives for millennia to get to ‘Hindu Central’. So,

in actual fact, what makes Kashi great is the living Her identity is usually subsumed in her husband’s
river of believers. and society is noticeably wary of widows,
The flora of India is also deeply entwined in divorcees, single women and women who have to
the country’s culture, in its epics, its temple live alone. It is frequently as uncharitable to wives
architecture, its prayers, pujas and daily rituals, who do not bear healthy sons.
in every region of Sanatana Dharma. This concept Regrettably, in this vivid, dynamic culture that
is active from the notion of the ancient tapovan or marries a land to its people with both poetry and
sacred forest to the tulsi in each Hindu home, the precision, besides the respectably married mother
sthalavriksh or sacred tree of every temple, the of sons, only two other kinds of women are
bilva leaves offered to Shiva, the presence of Sri accorded dignity – old women and celibate
Hanuman believed to grace the coral-jasmine tree renunciates. Traditionally, therefore, the only
(parijatatarumoolavasinam), the pipal, sacred to escape route for Hindu women from the narrowly
Vishnu, the banyan under which Shiva meditates judgmental side of patriarchal culture was through
as Adi Guru Dakshinamurti, and the lotus which religion. They could leave home only to become
is both the seat of the gods and their hand-held women saints.
attribute, and also the philosophical metaphor for The common link between the women saints
the seat of the gods in the human heart is that they all wished to escape oppression or
(hridaykamal). heartbreak at home. All except for the girl-saint,
Fifth, the panchang or Hindu lunar calendar Andal, in the eighth century, who was in love with
of personal and public rituals, fasts, feasts and Lord Vishnu. She is believed to have disappeared
festivals serves to guide, affirm and keep all of into Vishnu’s image at the temple of Srirangam in
the above alive in the daily life of the majority of Tamil Nadu. Her collected poems to Krishna, the
Indian people despite the differences in region, Tiruppavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi, are
language and local culture. The panchang, with acknowledged as a major influence on Sri
some regional variations, is based on the vast Ramanuja, the tenth century founder of the
Hindu cyclical concept of time. This Hindu Srivaishnava movement, which swept like wildfire
concept of time informs and directs the above four over India. Sant Ramanand was Sri Ramanuja’s
components. The city of Ujjain is the prime follower; Sant Kabir was Ramanand’s disciple and
meridian of the Hindu universe of discourse since so on. The tradition includes deeply influential
ancient times. poets like Jayadeva in the twelfth century and
The Pancha Darshana, as the author calls this Tulsidas in the sixteenth. This means that little
scheme of things, is all-pervasive and deeply Andal was a person of great influence in Indian
rooted across Hindu society for millennia. Within history. However, our textbooks do not tell us that
such a strong, vibrant culture that has been thought a girl child inspired a great and lasting religious
through to the last detail, it requires great courage and social reform movement.
for a Hindu woman to claim an individual identity. Meanwhile, Karaikal Ammayar, ‘the old lady
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of Karaikal’, is the earliest woman saint known Avvai. ‘Avvaiyar’, meaning ‘Respectable
to us. Her real name was Punitavati. She lived in Woman’, was the title of more than one poet in
the port city of Karaikal in the sixth century, in different periods of Tamil literature. The first
the old Chola country. She is one of the sixty-three Avvaiyar is said to have lived during
ancient Tamil Shaiva saints, collectively called the the Sangam period, c. 3rd century BCE and was
Nayanmar, whose statues are found in every major greatly respected by the Tamil chieftains VelPaari
Shaiva temple in Tamil Nadu. The legend goes and Athiyaman. She wrote 59 of the poems in
that Punitavati was a young woman devotee of the anthology called Purananuru. The second
Shiva who received a magic mango from him one Avvaiyar reportedly lived during the time
day as a mark of his favour. Her husband, the of Kambar, of Tamil Ramayana fame, in the reign
merchant Paramadattan, refused to believe it and of the Cholas, c. ninth-tenth century CE. She is
so she begged for another mango from Mahadev imagined as an old and intelligent lady. Her poems
to convince her husband that she spoke the truth. remain very popular even today. Her aphorisms
When the second magic mango appeared, her in the Aatichoodi contain a list of dos and don’ts
husband could no longer think of Punitavati as for daily life. Avvai’s sayings, even after a
his wife for she now seemed like a goddess to millennium, are among the very first texts taught
him. He moved to another town and married to children in Tamil Nadu.
another woman. Punitavati was devastated. She After Karaikal Ammayar and Avvai, we have
begged Mahadev to turn her at once into an ugly Akka Mahadevi of Karnataka in the twelfth
old woman. She then went all the way north to century and Lal Ded or Lalleshwari of Kashmir
the Himalayas and climbed Mount Kailash upside in the mid-fourteenth century. They became
down on her head and hands, for she did not want ‘women saints’ after they were severely ill-treated
to disrespectfully put her feet on holy Kailash. by their in-laws. They left their families and
The positive interpretation of this story is very actually wandered about naked in utter rejection
Shaiva, that she was liberated from a lifetime of of everything that their societies stood for. Akka
worldly ties and went off to God sooner rather was ten when she was married and Lalla was
than later. twelve. The Kashmiri language is reportedly full
Besides Karaikal Ammayar, the most famous of Lalla’s sayings. Lalla had to eat last, alone in
old lady saint of the Tamil country is Avvai, a the kitchen, after everybody else. Her mother-in-
composite of two personas. The legend goes that law used to put a big stone on her plate and cover
when her parents fixed her marriage, young Avvai it with a layer of rice to make it look like a large
begged her favourite deity, Ganesha, to turn her helping. Her husband was of no support at all.
into an old woman so that she could escape having Why was the mother-in-law so unkind to a
to be married and waste her human birth as a bond- little girl? We do not know. Perhaps she was
slave of domesticity. unkind because she had the culturally sanctioned
At this stage, let us look into the historicity of power to be so. But it is too easy to sneer that

‘women are women’s worst enemies’. If that is sons and fulfil her prescribed biological, domestic,
so, is it not because their softer natures have been social and ritual duties. Instead, Akka ran away.
perverted over a long time by the social pressure Moreover, she cast off her clothes, possibly
to produce sons and quietly put up with bad influenced by the Digambara or ‘sky-clad’ sect of
behaviour as their duty? In this discouraging naked Jain ascetics, and wore her long hair as her
scenario, both Akka and Lalla transferred all their only covering.
love to Shiva. They wrote poems to Mahadev that What made a young, gently-bred girl reject
people still recite. her prescribed life and wander bravely alone into
And then, in the 16th century, we have the most the aggressive, jeering world of the male gaze?
famous woman saint of north India, Meera Bai, We cannot begin to imagine what she must have
who suffered extreme persecution from her in- endured, or the strength of mind and conviction
laws because of her unswerving love for Krishna. she had to make and keep this terrifying choice.
Meera left home too, to take her chances alone in We can understand why Punitavati and Avvai
pursuit of Krishna, although she was a royal wanted to be turned at once into old women.
Rajput widow of only thirty-eight years. Akka loved Shiva as ‘Mallikarjuna’, her
Medieval Marathi women saints like Jana Bai, ‘Lord, white as jasmine’, the way Andal and Meera
who loved Krishna as Vitthala Pandurang at loved Krishna. This love poured out in about 350
Pandharipur, did not have an easy time, either. Jana vachana or sayings in Kannada. After wandering
Bai was left as a child at the temple by her starving around alone for some time Akka wished to join a
parents. Sant Namdev rescued her and took her ‘soul family’ of Shaivas. The Veerashaivas were
home. She spent her whole life as a servant to his a new and radically democratic group of Hindus
family. Such examples suggest a consistent pattern in the region. She made her way to their camp at a
that women saints sublimated their suffering and place called Kalyana and asked to be one of them.
individuality into God-love. Scandal had preceded her and she must have
To return to Akka Mahadevi in more detail, presented an unsettling sight; young, staunch and
‘Akka’, means ‘elder sister’ in Kannada, Marathi, unclad. Allama Prabhu, the Veerashaiva leader,
Telugu and Tamil. She was called that later in life. was caught between his heartfelt Shaiva empathy
The name she was given at birth was ‘Mahadevi’, with all creatures and this severe test of his belief.
meaning ‘Goddess Parvati’. Akka was born to a Did ‘all creatures’ include a woman who broke so
rich Hindu family in Udutadi village, in present- many male rules? Despite his great saintliness and
day Shimoga district in Karnataka. She was impeccable credentials as a spiritual democrat, this
married off at the age of ten to a man named democracy did not automatically include single,
Kausika, who was a Jain chieftan. The Jains, then socially free young women.
as now, were a prosperous community and Akka Instead we see the overpowering need of the
was expected to live the life of a medieval male mind to build a social context for Akka’s
‘corporate wife’ - to dress well, bear her husband ‘wildness’, to fit her into society as ‘God’s wife’
{8}
if not man’s. This is how tradition reports the Hindu women saints. Nine hundred years after
encounter. Allama Prabhu asked Akka, “Who is Akka, in the twenty-first century, little girls are
your husband?” Akka answered, “I am married still being married off early in India despite the
forever to Mallikarjuna.” Allama Prabhu said: modern law that forbids it. Although the present
“Why do you roam around naked as though law of the land is on the side of Hindu women,
illusion can be peeled off by mere gestures? And society has yet to catch up with the law in many
yet you wear a sari of hair? If the heart is free and areas, for it is mentally held back by its old cultural
pure, why do you need it?” Akka said, with reflexes as indicatively sketched above. It will take
absolute honesty: “Until the fruit is ripe inside, a collective and detailed effort across Hindu
the skin will not fall off”. By ‘fruit’ she meant society to upgrade its attitude to its women while
that her mind was not ready yet. keeping much that it holds dear from its deep and
Melted by her sincerity, Allama Prabhu vast tradition.
accepted Akka into the Veerashaiva fold. But after There is that vital, inexorable difference
some years, while merely in her twenties, Akka though between the past and the present to speed
left to look for Mallikarjuna. Not one person Hindu society along the margdarshan or path
supported her. The tale goes that she went to the marked out by our Constitution. Today, a Hindu
holy peak of Srisailam, an ancient Shaiva temple girl is legally empowered by Hindu reform to ‘get
in Kurnool district in Andhra Pradesh. Adi a life’ as the colloquialism goes without having to
Shankara, the founder of Advaita philosophy, is renounce normal human ties as her saintly
believed to have meditated under an ancient predecessors were compelled to. In the eyes of
banyan tree at Srisailam and composed the Indian law, the Hindu woman is a free, equal
Shivananda Leheri there. citizen.
It is possible that Akka was eaten by a tiger in In sum, our society is a work in progress with
the jungles around Srisailam. Her body was never regard to women in Hindu culture and the task
found. Alas, there are many in our land even today calls for encouragement at every level to fulfil
who bear witness to Akka and the company of India’s human potential.


FOCUS
Breaking the Mould: Women in a Patriarchal Society

Tilottama Mukherjee*
Anger and women Some even think the poor umpire “did not stand a
A
s I sit down to write this, the world (of chance” against her rage. Many opinion pieces and
news and otherwise) has erupted over posts on this that I have seen use these words or
Serena Williams and her actions at the strongly imply that that’s what the 36-year-old did
US Open final against Haitian-Japanese player — fight unfair because she was angry. And at a
Naomi Osaka. Post after post on my social media time when feminism is back under a spotlight, and
timeline since Sunday, September 9, has been especially when men feel threatened, it is no
about her fit of anger after an umpire gave her a wonder this is garnering so much attention. When
code violation. It soon went on to be called “the questions of colour, race, women, immigrants,
mother of all meltdowns” by at least one leading being woke, being liberal surround us, did one of
US media house. the most successful black women in the world
The coverage when I woke up on Sunday actually have the audacity to claim someone was
morning Indian Standard Time was skewed, at being sexist (or racist) towards her because she
least from what I could immediately get my hands was losing a match and angry?
on. Initial reports made it out to be this: Williams One cannot assume to know what Williams
was handed a code violation after she was coached was trying to do or what went through her mind,
from the side, she then lost a penalty point for but from the videos I watched later, it did not seem
breaking her racquet in frustration over this, and as simple as the reports made it out to be — sure,
then a game penalty when she called umpire Carlos she lost her temper, she shouted at the umpire
Ramos, a “thief” and “liar” and became very angry which led to her losing a match, but she also
with him. Williams was nowhere close to winning attempted to make up for the disaster of an evening
the match, and she then lost and allowed the by telling a crowd of booing people to let Osaka
audience to boo 19-year-old Osaka, Japan’s first have her moment. Later, at a press conference,
Grand Slam singles champion. The teenager, who she brought up sexism, which seems to be
idolises Williams, cried during her prize ceremony “convenient” to people. But sexism has never been
and apologised for winning. Following that, convenient for women. Some weeks ago, Williams
Williams accused the umpire of sexism at a press wasn’t allowed to wear a black catsuit — which
conference. she had worn to prevent life-threatening blood
Why has this become such a huge deal? clots — and I was surprised that she did not say a
Williams is a woman, and black. Most people — word though women on the internet rallied around
men and women — think she is “using the gender her. But that night at the US Open final, she did
card”, and not just that but the “colour card” too. speak up. And she seems to be paying the price.
*This article has been written under pseudo name for personal reasons.

I have heard many arguments and complaints it because Osaka was a better player, and that
against her now. Some would say she is a global Williams owed it to Osaka to win gracefully. There
figure, an idol for women, black or otherwise, and are thousands of “arguments” against what
that she needs to act the part, she cannot go around Williams did. But how many of these people have
accusing people of racism and sexism whenever thought about what it is like to be a black woman
convenient, or much less shout about it. But some for a day, forget a lifetime? And why cannot they
people do not seem to realise this — women have just allow her her anger, even her accusations?
tempers, they are not perfect, they cannot keep But everyone is always worried about accusations
quiet while fighting their battles all the time. harming a man’s reputation, hurting his feelings
Whether there was sexism from Ramos or not, we or whatever it is, whether it is to do with sexism
should probably just allow Williams her anger. or assault or any such thing. Very few people give
She has earned it after years of being two of the the accusers the benefit of the doubt, and if they
things that people vilify most — black, and do, they are viewed as crazy feminists.
woman. Williams has probably lost thousands of Dr Salamishah Tillet, co-founder of A Long
battles in her lifetime just because of her gender Walk Home, a non-profit to end violence against
and race, and is perfectly human if she loses her women, wrote in an op-ed: Studies show that black
temper when she feels an umpire is being unfair. women are less likely than other groups to express
Who would not? anger in situations in which they are being treated
Some would argue then, that the point is they unfairly. Tillet also wrote that her sister was afraid
are not judging her because she got angry but for the tennis player because “she knew too well
because she dragged gender and discrimination how easily black women’s expressions of rage
and even her daughter into it. And that she has could be turned against them.”
done this before. But let us return to just the anger “Do not bring gender into it when it’s all about
for now. behaviour,” a cartoonist said, defending his now-
A lot of people did not appreciate the way she famous caricature of Williams in The Herald Sun.
handled herself that night, women included, of But, how do you separate the two when all your
course. But it simply seems to reinforce that life’s experiences provide the context?
women have to constantly behave themselves in
order to be taken seriously. By other women as The male coverage: ‘The sport that
well. I am not sure that because Williams lost her made her a multi-millionaire’
temper she is less of an idol or sportsperson. It But what really angered me, considering I do
seems most people would have preferred her to not play tennis and cannot judge how an umpire
remain silent, behave appropriately, because in and sportsperson should act in the game, was the
sports, losing a point or game is all part of the coverage of Williams and later, opinion or
package and one has to be prepared for it. “analytical” pieces. The media reports on what
There are those who would also say she lost happened at the match all blended into one for

me. From local Indian reports to AFP and the like, icon and multi-millionaire of sexism.” This is how
they all used words such as “tantrum”, the piece opened. I won’t elaborate on how it
“meltdown”, “fit” etc to describe how Williams continued.
behaved. It made me wonder how many of the The implications? Since she is an icon and
editors were women, let alone women of colour, millionaire, she has no right to call out sexism in
or even just people thinking about the language the sport, especially since some people think it is
they were using. fake. So, if journalism or writing make me wealthy
The same pictures were used too — Williams and I am luckier than a lot of other disenfranchised
pointing at the umpire angrily, or her weeping at women, I cannot complain about sexism in
the podium. Pictures can be used very effectively journalism? Ah. I see.
in copy. It is often the first thing a reader catches,
and one of the most important. Anger and other feelings at work
In the first day or two after the incident, I saw I have worked at multiple organisations now,
one news outlet, just one, had used an image of almost all in the media in India. One of the reasons
Williams hugging Osaka during the prize I have been able to empathise with women like
ceremony. Williams is because she is human. Her fights are
The tendency for the media is to play up what public, and her emotions are real.
they think readers will like. In this case, as in most Thinking about it after I read a piece in ‘The
others, it was negative emotions. But it would have Cut’, I find I cannot be openly angry in the
done no harm whatsoever to use an image of workplace either. I have never thought about it
Williams crying with Osaka (which some did do much since I have not had time to, but the truth is,
later, but very few), or trying to grin and bear the I have not been allowed to be. Most women have
pain together. It is just (terrible) instinct to hone to be pleasant, affable, preferably smiling, no
in on the negative emotion here. matter how much work they do, and how little
Several media houses that I follow, both print they are paid. And God, forbid they ever speak of
and web, carried similar copies too. They printed inequality at work — they become outcasts then.
the initial news (with headlines similar to the ones Most organisations would like to believe they
mentioned above), and then what she said at her treat men and women equally. They do not. In my
press conference. A leading English Indian view, very few, if any of them do. Even if, say,
newspaper’s website posted a piece from AFP one’s argument is that half the top positions at
titled “After US Open meltdown, Serena these companies are filled by women, who says
Williams says she is ‘not a cheat’, accuses tennis women are not sexist? They have been raised in
of sexism”. The image used was a close-up of her the same society that teaches men they can behave
crying. “Serena Williams insisted she was not differently from women.
cheating in the US Open final on Saturday before At work how does one explain to men that
accusing the sport which has made her a global they take up more space than women do, that they

speak louder, have more confidence because they really lose her temper at the workplace. I am sure
have been allowed to do so since they were young, there are companies with fuming, screaming
and that this is usually much harder for women to women bosses, but I have not had one. The closest
do? When women shout or strongly put forth their I had was a loud, female colleague who often told
opinions, especially if it is to disagree with me what to do, which annoyed me. I realise now,
someone else (usually a man?), how seriously are her behaviour was unnatural for her gender, which
they treated? These are even smaller instances of is why I disapproved. I have had plenty of men
sexism though. From what stories women in Indian behave the same way with me, but they did not
media share with me, it seems difficult to even evoke the same anger till a couple of years ago.
occupy a space at the top, or somewhere near there Now, when I find myself losing my temper
in some media outfits, unless the woman is a more often than not, I have to bite my tongue. It’s
“features person”, let alone be there and be able impossible to fight the system, keep your job, and
to express strong opinions, or anger. This is not to your cool, and impossible to do it day in and day
say that there are not Indian media houses with out. (Which is why one would think Serena
women at the top, but this certainly is not the norm, Williams just lost her temper one day. It happens.
and not all the women have as much power as it We get tired of having to fight.) To many the media
seems they do. seems an open, less gendered, more “liberal” field,
From personal experience, men are given but it just comes with its own forms of sexism.
promotions quicker than women. Men speak up Once you are viewed as “that feminist”, even the
during meetings more, and even if they do not seemingly gender norms defying, cool bro boss
always contribute something new and fresh, they (be it male or female) will be wary of you. And I
speak with confidence — something a lot of am not even getting into unequal pay, mostly since
women do not always have. And if we disagree salaries are kept private and whatever one hears
with someone, especially if it is to do with gender is based on rumours.
policy or something related, we are labeled I also realised that men have fragile egos or
difficult, unfriendly, “that feminist”, or something feelings. Half the reason women cannot yell back,
else. I have never had to hear what men at work point out errors or be assertive is because men
say about me when I am not around, but there has just have not been trained to handle it and end up
been one instance when a junior photographer told taking it badly. Simply put — we cannot behave
me that women like me “take this mansplaining like men. At least, we cannot behave like them
thing too far”, because I asked him not to coach and expect there not to be any ramifications. For
me on how to edit a copy. instance, a female colleague of mine once had to
In this instance, I did not even get angry, since tell a male editor that she used to play cricket,
it was not the first time a younger man was telling and hence, she could write up a match report. He
me how to do a job he had never had. had told her he would be away that evening, but
Now I realise, I have never seen a woman could still write it up, before he launched into why

the match was important, and so on. Once she told of relief, I have heard from some that they fear
him she was perfectly capable of writing up one, their bosses could do them more harm now, since
and hey, she used to play the game too, he looked they were entitled to twice the amount of paid
shocked and, briefly, even hurt. Although it was leave. Of course, people could argue these fears
only for a few seconds, she and I saw it. Then he are unfounded, baseless. But then why do so many
grew embarrassed. Since then, he avoided her as more women choose to freelance?
much as someone working at the same company But even for women who do not have to split
possibly could. We later learnt he had given the their time between children and work, rising to
resident editor a negative report about her work the top is hard. The numbers speak for themselves.
(he was higher up than her in the hierarchy), According to a UNESCO report on women in
though there was no proof to connect the two the media, in the Asia-Pacific region, women hold
incidents. only a fifth of governance positions, and less than
ten per cent of top management jobs. The numbers
Women at work are highest in Eastern Europe — 33% and 43% in
When I was younger, I would often wonder the top management and governance — and in
why so few women occupied senior posts at the Nordic Europe — 36% and 37%.
organisation where I worked. I noticed that even A look at the gender discrepancies on Page 1
if any topmost positions were filled by women, bylines shows a disparity, ranging from 49.5% and
they tended to be single women. Of course all of 40.9% of articles written by women to 16% at
these are not meant to be sweeping generalisations, another English newspaper in 2017. Not
but in the course of my career, these have been surprisingly, sports had the lowest representation
my personal observations. of women, at 9.1% at one newspaper. As the report
Some years ago when a colleague worked until I am quoting points out, editorials and op-eds by
almost her due date, and came back to work a few women are slightly higher (24.5% by women), but
days before her three months of maternity leave this in no way means there is diversity among the
were over, I asked her why. She said something to women.
the effect of, she could not presume her job would “In our conversations with female journalists
just be there waiting for her when she returned. currently or previously employed at print
Since then, many of my friends and colleagues newspapers, many people noted that there are
have become mothers. Most have given up their many female reporters on staff, but there are few
jobs, or had to choose between staying late at work in leadership roles,” the report said.
or returning home to their children, ie, between a Aside from the people who write the news,
promotion and their child(ren). the people in the news are also more likely to be
Since the above incident, the law has changed men. From stock images used, the subjects of news
in India. Maternity leave is now six months, not reports, and people or experts whose quotes are
three. But, instead of helping women heave a sigh gotten for stories, the majority are likely to be men.

“Only 22 percent of the people heard or read about While a sexual harassment complaints
in the news in India was female; the corresponding committee, commonly known as the Vishakha
figures for Malaysia and Nepal were the same: 15 committee, has been made compulsory at the
percent… Women were found to comprise only workplace in India, only one company I have
23 percent of the news subjects in stories from worked at made it clear that they had one. Mostly,
the total of 84 news websites included in the the women I know who have been harassed chose
survey,” UNESCO says. The report covers a lot not to say anything, for reasons ranging from, “It
more — safety of women, the pay gap, and sexual is too much effort”, “Nobody will believe me”, or
harassment. “I do not want to get into trouble”, to “I was not
sure it was proper harassment since he did not
Onto the H-word touch me”.
Harassment? What is that? Most people do Most of the cases I have heard as stories.
not seem to know what harassment constitutes “Someone said Rahul said this about married
exactly. And yet, I have not worked at a single women, because Ananya is not doing her work
media organisation where there has been a clear properly”, or a (often drunk) man coming on to a
sexual harassment policy or a workshop held, or woman at a party (happened at multiple
anything concrete done to let people know that organisations), to a senior editor sending
these problems are real and can be tackled at the inappropriate text messages to staffers or
workplace. Not one. commenting on clothing. There are hundreds of
Forty percent of the women respondents to examples. Yet, nobody cares to spell them out as
the UNESCO report said they “witnessed sexual harassment. No woman wants to be the one
harassment” at the workplace, versus the 25% of insisting such trainings or meetings or workshops
men. I am guessing there were also some who did are held either. Even if they are, they often just
not know that they were being harassed. end up crying themselves hoarse.


FOCUS
Impact of Insurgency on Women:

A Study within the Context of Northeast India
Rami Desai*
Introduction children. Therefore, this article makes a modest
A
rmed conflict, insurgency, civil war and attempt to understand the dynamics of insurgency
ethnic rivalry all have devastating and its effect on women in the region.
effects on the entire community,
however, it is the women and children who are Conflict, Insurgency and
particularly affected due to their vulnerable Women: An Overview
social status in society. This is predominantly Insurgency, conflict and war affects society
evident in patriarchal societies in which women depending upon the nature and magnitude of the
have relatively smaller roles in social and conflict. Sometimes, it affects the life of the people,
political decision making. According to the entire economy, livelihood and social fabric of the
estimates of UN, systematic abuse of women, community (Walsh, 2000). The state machinery is
sexual slavery, rape, forced sterilisation and often paralysed and the life of common people is
murder are often used in conflict situations as devastated by the collapse of health and transport
‘effective’ strategies of war (Bushra & Lopez, systems. The case of Afghanistan, Bosnia, and
2004). Similarly, conflict and insurgency leads Darfur etc. are classic examples of such conflicts.
to loss of family support when their husbands Some conflicts are less pervasive and the impacts
and other earning male members are killed and are limited to partial failure of economy and
the social stigma attached to being a single infrastructure. The specific impact of conflict on
woman in a male dominated society becomes men and women also depends on the social role of
exponentially higher. Their safety as well as women and their positions in family prior to the
recovery from untoward incidents is also conflict (Walsh, 2000).
compromised by their lack of exposure and With the emergence of insurgent groups within
understanding of established government aid the national territory demanding secession, there
machineries. have been significant changes that have affected
Against the broader social political women. In the case of these conflicts, the traditional
landscape of the expanding participation of warfare with military is often replaced by the use
women and their increased vulnerabilities in of new actors including women soldiers, child
situations of armed conflict, this article attempts soldiers and suicide bombers (ADA, 2009). Women
to analyse the effects of insurgency on women also take part in ethnic violence either voluntarily
in India’s Northeast region. The Northeast has or as a result of forced abduction into the group.
witnessed insurgency as well as the longest Women and girls are abducted and forced to marry
running armed conflict in the country. This has leaders of rebel groups or captured as slaves. In
resulted in huge casualties including women and many contexts, rape and physical violence are used
*Rami Desai is the Director of iSTRAT CA, a company that deals in research, communication and
data management and skill development. Views expressed are personal.
as the strategies to exhibit power, authority and hand and drastically reduces their support system
control over the opponents (ADA, 2009). on the other (Bushra & Lopez, 2004). For example,
There are three ways in which women are when the earning male member of the family is
affected by conflict. One is in the personal sphere killed, they have to shoulder the responsibilities
as individuals, in which women face threat of their of farming or trading in which they have no
life from landmines, bullets, bombs etc. Here, previous experience. Apart from that, conflict
unlike men, women may not be able to escape forces women to migrate to other places in search
quickly due to their physical health, pregnancy or of jobs and income. In many contexts, women are
general restrictions in mobility (Bushra & Lopez, also forced to take to commercial sex work as a
2004). Thus, they are at a higher risk than men livelihood option (Bushra & Lopez, 2004).
while directly confronting militants. Also, they are Third dimension is the public sphere in which
vulnerable to rape and sexual violence. The fear the policies and social rules alienate and oppress
of personal danger and chances of rape force the human rights of women. In many post-conflict
women to restrict their mobility. This reduces their reconstruction phases, women are denied
participation in work, food aid, relief programs participation and their social role is restricted to
and even their effort to get fire wood for cooking the household level. Women hardly get support
(Carrillo, 2000). The restricted mobility as a from community structures that are built on the
consequence of fear of personal danger has deeply premise of patriarchal values (Bushra & Lopez,
affected their livelihood and survival during the 2004). For example, in Nagaland, where entire
phase of armed conflict effecting their mental as state is affected by the longest running insurgency
well as physical well being. Lack of in the country, there was a strong objection to
communication, transport and medical services women’s participation in the political sphere. The
also restrict the availability of medicines further Naga Hoho – the apex body of all the hill tribes in
effecting their health and safety. In traditional the state strongly opposed the initiative of 33%
communities in which men control power, male reservation for women in urban local body
members of the family get preferential rights over elections stating that it would infringe upon Naga
food items. Thus, in many conflict-affected customary laws and traditions. This kind of
communities, women eat last and are forced to opposition not only puts social pressure on women
suffer from starvation and famine. Hence, it is candidates but also prevents them from taking
evident that social context and gender relations necessary steps towards public participation.
also play a key role in determining the impact of
insurgency over women. Insurgency and Armed
The second dimension is the private sphere. Conflict in Northeast
Insurgency and conflict affects the survival of the Since independence, almost all the states in
family, which is the principal arena of a women’s the Northeast have witnessed insurgent
responsibility. Often, women have to take movements and armed struggle in one form or
responsibility of the household when their father another. The reasons for the emergence of
or husband loses his life. This increases their insurgent movements include ethnic rivalries,
economic, social and psychological burden on one cultural supremacy of one tribe over the other,

migration and religious identity amongst various people have had to live under the fear of a parallel
other factors. While some movements demand government collecting taxes, they have often
separate statehood or autonomous territory within found it convenient to bribe militant groups for
the region, others demand secession from the peace and safety rather than risk death and
country. The armed conflicts in the region and abduction.
terrorist activities have ultimately resulted in mass
killings, breakdown of administration and collapse Effect of Insurgency on
of the democratic edifice of the region. Terrorist Women in the Northeast
groups run various parallel administrations in their While we consider the indicators of women’s
strongholds and have disintegrated the public status and social position in society, the Northeast
distribution system (Sachdeva, 2006). is relatively better than the rest of India. Recent
While observing the magnitude of militancy evidence shows that except in Arunachal Pradesh,
in the Northeast, it is visible that the majority of literacy rate among women is much higher in the
the insurgent groups have transformed themselves region compared to other states in India (Das,
into terrorist and extortion based entities, 2013). While Mizoram ranks second in female
regardless of their primary objectives and literacy rate, Tripura enjoys fourth and Nagaland
ideology. In the case of ULFA in Assam, one of occupies eighth position (GoI, 2011). Similarly,
the many factors why insurgency emerged was due in terms of female work participation, Northeast
to unabated Bangladeshi migration into the state. is far ahead of other Indian states. Apart from that,
But, later, the leadership found shelter in there is a relatively low gender disparity in work
Bangladesh and rejected their earlier anti- participation (GoI, 2011). However, this is mainly
Bangladeshi position (Menon, 2008). Similarly, because of the existence of community based
insurgent groups in Tripura, the National subsistence agriculture that utilises more female
Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All labor. Though higher literacy rates and education
Tripura Tiger Force, was based on the premise amongst women also leads to increased
that there was a need to uphold the cause of tribal participation of women in the workforce, this is
population in the state. However, it was this very still limited to a greater degree because of the
tribal population that NLFT represented that conflict in the region resulting in a slower
suffered due to conflict and was forced to support economy and limited industrialisation. The
the organisation. While these organisations today, positive trend is visible in terms of sex ratio which
get small arms from neighboring countries, is higher than the national average in almost all
capabilities of even relatively smaller groups to Northeastern states (Das, 2013).
challenge peace in these regions is high. As a However, in spite of their higher participation
result, insurgent groups have successfully in the work force, and the high level of literacy
transformed themselves into huge abduction and amongst women, their role in the decision making
extortion rackets collecting regular contributions process is minimal. Even though there are high
from the public, government servants and business social indicators, women in the Northeast face
houses as is the example of Government of Peoples serious problems that affect their life and
Republic of Nagaland/Nagalim (GPRN). When livelihood. The prolonged conflict and insurgency

as well as the emotional toll of living in an the magnitude of rape is ambiguous in the case of
oppressive environment has devastated their the Northeast. Therefore, intervention and
support systems and restricted their social provision of post-trauma care is very difficult in
mobility. The destructive effect of insurgency is several contexts (Goswami et al., 2005). Also, due
deeper amongst women and there is relatively little to fear of repercussions by insurgents who have
documented evidence on the physical and informers and supporters embedded in civil
psychological impact of conflict in the Northeast. society and even in government posts, a large
This does not necessarily mean that the impact number of incidents and crimes against women
was less compared to other conflict areas but that are not reported.
scholarship and data collection is limited. Although, it is known that in most of the states
Due to the remoteness of the region as well in the region, there has been a large displacement
as the economic backwardness caused by decades of population due to insurgent activity, the effects
of conflict this situation of extreme poverty and of displacement have been harsher on women than
social exclusion in the region is often exploited men. For example, many women from the Chakma
by the human trafficking mafia. Both girls and community in Mizoram lost their homes and
young boys were trafficked for child labor and savings when the entire village was burnt down
sex trade. Reports state that young girls and by insurgents. They had to escape into dense
women from majority of the insurgent affected forests and live for weeks without food and shelter.
regions were trafficked to Singapore, Thailand and Pregnant women died without any medical
Malaysia (Hayes, 2012). intervention and children suffered. Subsequently
In Assam, missing girls were reported from they moved to makeshift refugee camps in
Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Nalbari, Southern Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh amongst
Kamrup and Guwahati (Goswami et al., 2005). other states. There were accounts of rape and
These are insurgency affected areas which suffer sexual assault against the women in the camps and
from rampant poverty and lack of livelihood. Most many refugees sent their children away to
of the girls were lured by agents on the pretext of orphanages in order to give them a safer
getting jobs but could never be traced again. This environment. This is not an isolated account many
alarming situation is prevalent in other parts of women even today under the physical and mental
the region as well. Reports state that acute strain of living in conflict areas send their children
unemployment, prolonged conflict and loss of to far away boarding schools run by NGOs or even
livelihood forced many women to take up the sex orphanages.
trade as a livelihood. In addition, there are also In the case of one of the women interviewed
case studies that show the plight of women in the by me in Manipur (Case Study 1); her husband a
Northeast selling liquor and drugs to support their truck driver refused to pay the tax that was
family (Das J. , 2012). collected by insurgents operating in his area. He
Sexual violence and rape are common in the was shot dead leaving Case Study 1 without any
region. But due to social taboos and cultural means to support herself. Her husband’s family
dignity, many women suppress and hide the refused to help her and abandoned her shortly after
incidents. Hence, the documentary evidence on the incident. With three daughters under the age

of ten to raise in addition to navigating through participation to women. These biased and
government procedures to claim benefits, she was patriarchal social norms make life for women
not sure if she could continue and became extremely difficult.
psychologically unstable. Fortunately for her she In Nagaland as well, women living in conflict
came across an NGO that helped her to get back areas are often victims of patriarchal norms. Young
on her feet. She relied on her knowledge of widows are forced to work and look after their
weaving common amongst women in the region families, although the patriarchal system does not
for her income. The NGO also helped her access allow them to claim property rights. Not only do
the government pension allotted to widows, a they have to suffer from structural and social
small sum of Rupees three hundred per month. backwardness, but also have to face the emotional
Though it was not much, she said that she repercussions of armed conflict as well.
appreciated it greatly in her time of need. She also The role of women as members of insurgent
sent two of her daughters away to a boarding groups is also a dimension that needs exploration.
school in Noida, UP with the aid of the NGO. Case However, with the limited research that has been
Study 1 also recognised that most of the women undertaken on the subject it is apparent that they
in this situation are not as lucky, she only sent her too are victims of not only their situation but also
children when she was completely satisfied that oppressive patriarchy. In an interview with former
they would be safe and taken care of. women members of ULFA, it was understood that
The second victim I interviewed in Manipur they were trained in arms and at the forefront of
(Case Study 2) also lost her husband to conflict. underground movements. However, they were not
Similarly to Case Study 1, she had no means to part of any decision making or negotiations in the
supplement his income and was left with five post-conflict period. Besides, having experienced
children to take care of. She also had no knowledge physical, mental and social violence on a
of how to pursue her case in order to get justice continuous basis their identity as women militants
for her husband. She used to cut and sell betel nut was never recognised by their male counterparts
and weave to supplement the income that was lost (Deka, 2018). Similarly, their suggestions and
with her husband. She not only fought the social demands were never articulated or represented in
stigma involved with being a widow but as in the the post-conflict peace building process.
situation with Case Study 1, her husband’s family
also abandoned her. The Way Forward
In both cases, the women had to live under While analysing the impact of insurgency in
suspicion, constant vigilance and fear in addition Northeast India, it is evident that gender
to the unimaginable emotional strain and pressure dimensions have been completely neglected.
of finding ways of looking after themselves as well Considering the impact of insurgency on women
as their children. Situations like these are in the region, the issue requires specialist
worsened by the limited rights women have over mitigation during peace talks and agreements by
property and land ownership. Tribal councils too the government agencies. Even so called ethno
do not favour giving any representation and nationalists have never taken into consideration

the gender dimension in any of their demands, at a loss on how to navigate the government
completely forgoing the alleviation of women’s machinery in order to find the right form of
status in their narrative. assistance. The government must recognise the
Women have been forced to not only to be an emotional toll borne by victims and set up free
active part of the conflict but also unwilling effective treatment centers/help centers for
victims. In short, the place of women has never counseling and psychiatric evaluation based on
been defined in ethnic nationalistic discourse their specific needs. Alongside primary
although women have been forced to suffer the intervention, the importance of their rehabilitation
aftermath of ethnic violence across the region must not be overlooked through women specific
(Hmingthanzual & Pande, 2017). This reality skill centers and employment initiatives. The
makes the situation extremely complex for the implementation of these initiatives must also be
women survivors and victims of insurgency in evaluated annually to ensure that funds and
Northeast. services meant for victims are not held back or
Similarly, there is lack of a common platform diverted as often happens.
for women on which they can discuss the impact It is evident that insurgency has seriously
of insurgency in order to not only create a support eroded the social, economic and political structure
group for themselves but also to create knowledge of the region and thereby creating a culture of
and scholarship on the same. There is a need for violence, oppression, mistrust and mutual
accountability from government bodies that have destruction. Insurgent movements and armed
been set up to aid women in difficult situations conflicts have destroyed the life and livelihood of
like these, for instance, the State Legal Services women in the region through systematic rape,
Authority that should have dispensed free legal killing, physical assault, displacement, trafficking
aid to victims but failed to do so in the case of the and many other factors. Since women have added
two case studies from Manipur. responsibilities in the household, the economic
The lack of awareness also plays a and social burden over women is more intense.
considerable role in preventing the right A modern day civilised society must be judged
intervention and support for women. In the case by the way they treat their vulnerable groups. As
of grants and pensions, it is necessary (and the we move towards peace and security in the region,
responsibility of the government) to intervene. it is necessary for the government to take concrete
Awareness programs need to be set up to ensure steps in recognising the impact of this long
that every woman is aware of the monetary support emotional process women have had to bear by
that she is liable to receive. Often women are also living in a conflict region.
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FOCUS
Socio-ethics of Surrogacy in India and Reproductive Justice

Sheela Saravanan*
I
ndia had become one of the most popular avoid slipping further into poverty, while others
global destinations for commercial surrogacy were involved as surrogate mothers to provide
by the year 2015, providing standardised in- their family with immediate basic human needs
vitro fertilisation technology and English-speaking and adequate food. One important ethical concern
doctors for cheaper rate especially to couples of this practice is the development of biomarkets,
seeking surrogacy from abroad. Surrogacy agents in which certain bodies become more bioavailable
linking clinics in India with prospective parents within the existing global ornational structural
abroad had mushroomed all over the world. inequalities. As Nepal, India, Thailand, Mexico1
However, it was only during my field work in and Cambodia limited or proposed a prohibition
2009-10 that it became evident to me that intended on commercial surrogacy, the practice has moved
parents from abroad were coming to India mainly to Laos, Malaysia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South
because surrogate mothers had lesser rights over Africa, Argentina and Guatemala. This pattern of
the child and over their own bodies as compared globally moving markets that is based on
to Canada, USA and UK and also because of the exploitative capitalisation and the control over
unregulated manner in which surrogacy was human reproductive biomaterial2 by the rich using
practiced. I conducted my research in two clinics global inequalities and vulnerabilities is a form
in India, one in a smaller town in Gujarat with of recolonisation of women’s bodies and labour.
three surrogate homes and one without a surrogate It also raises globally relevant questions of
home in Ahmedabad between 2009 - 10. I geneticisation, alienation of the gestational role,
interviewed five intended parents, 13 surrogate human and child rights violations, trafficking and
mothers, and five medical practitioners. Among reproductive injustice. These markets raise ethical
these, I closely followed five surrogate mothers questions of exploiting the needs of the poor
throughout their pregnancy (from embryo transfer particularly where disadvantaged participants
to post relinquishment) and five intended parents enter into unjust contracts, its relevance to
using participant observation method and hence informed consent, unequal distribution of health
could interact intensively also with their spouses resource, unfair distribution of benefits, violation
and family members. of good medical practices, and commodification
Most women in my study were living on the of women and children. Such concerns are evident
edge of poverty wanting to provide for their not only in the transnational movement for
children’s education, to pay for a dowry, marriage surrogacy but also in similar biomarkets such as
or sickness in the family, to buy a house and to gamete donation, organ donation, trafficking and
*Dr. Sheela Saravanan is a Research Associate at South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
She is the author of the book ‘A Transnational Feminist View of Surrogacy Biomarkets in India.’

prostitution. Along with the booming surrogacy necessitation of surrogacy as a need to solve
market in India was a growing impetus for illegal infertility and naturalises genetic ties as the most
activities and the nexus of trafficking young girls desired form of child bearing and rearing. The
into this business. It has been noted that the same surrogacy practice hence promotes deeply
well-established nexus that has been used for embedded pronatalist, patriarchal, racial and
trafficking young girls from poorer regions in India ableist hegemony.
into domestic work and sex labour feeding into
urban centers was also being used for surrogacy. The Global Indian Surrogacy Industry
The Government of India proposed prohibition of Many intended parents poured into India
commercial surrogacy in Sept 2016, because of seeking surrogacy even from countries where
the deaths of surrogate mothers and egg donors, surrogacy was permitted or altruistic surrogacy
custody battles for children, abandonment of was allowed such as Canada and UK. It is
(disabled) children, exploitation of poor women estimated that 60 – 80% of all surrogacy
and trafficking of women and teenaged girls for pregnancies in India were commissioned by
surrogacy. However, there are some continued foreigners (Bhalla and Thapliyal 2013). According
concerns and loopholes in the new Surrogacy to Dr. Sudhir Ajja from a Mumbai-based fertility
(Regulation) Bill 2016. This article raises some bank that has produced 295 surrogate babies, he
of these concerns with the present regulation of catered to 90% overseas clients and 40% same-
altruistic surrogacy in India. Theoretically, sex couples, since it opened in 2007 (Bhalla and
altruistic surrogacy means that the surrogate Thapliyal 2013). Dr. Nayna Patel boasted of 500
mother provides all the services as in commercial babies born until 2013 through surrogacy, two-
surrogacy, but without a remuneration. However, thirds of whom were for foreigners and people of
in practice there is evidence of several forms of Indian origin living in over 30 countries abroad
money transfers. In a TV debate in India, Dr. (Bhalla and Thapiyal 2013). Hence, surrogacy
Nayna Patel noted “nobody would be ready to do practice, just like the garment industry, is a specific
surrogacy for someone else without money, among form of classist and racist exploitation of
the 1120 babies born in my clinic through reproductive labour directed at the vulnerabilities
surrogacy, only 25 were within the family and they of women primarily from the Global South
were not for free” (Time 2015). Presently India is catering to demands in the Global North.
following the British system in allowing altruistic Intended parents were coming to India
surrogacy. While the entire globe should follow primarily because the surrogate mothers
Sweden towards a complete prevention of had minimal rights over their body or the baby,
surrogacy on the grounds of violation of women’s these women are also willing to abide by all the
bodily integrity, human rights violation and non- rules imposed by the clinic and the intended
conformance with reproductive justice. The parents in their desperation to bring their families
altruistic surrogacy continues to be based on the out of poverty. The clinics in India were drawing

on this steady supply of socio-economically nanny care after birth. The surrogate mothers were
disadvantaged women willing to become surrogate paid according to their weight gain during
mothers. Typically, the surrogate mothers have pregnancy and their final payment depended on
lesser employment opportunities with lower the birth weight of the child or preferred sex of
educational qualifications and were employed in the child. It is a concern and challenge how the
the informal sector such as: domestic work or present Bill will be able to monitor these known
garment factory workers with no form of illegal practices within the surrogacy industry in
employment security or allowances. This situation India.
meant that they had lesser bargaining power to There were severe violations of good medical
fight for their rights within the surrogacy process practices in the clinic in Gujarat. Although legally
as well. Surrogate mothers in India had to sign off only 3 embryos were allowed to be transferred
all rights over the child in the contract. Surrogacy into the surrogate mother’s womb, up to 5 embryos
was practiced in a manner in which women had were being transferred and in-utero selective
to sign off all rights over their bodies during the abortions were conducted if more than two
surrogacy process. Hence the surrogate mother embryos progressed into successful pregnancies.
could not question any medical intervention on Invariably all the deliveries were forced cesarean
her body such as selective abortions and caesarean sections; even if the surrogate mothers developed
sections but also social interference such as labor pains they were rushed to the operation
mandatory rules to stay in dormitories. Moreover, theatre for emergency cesareans. After several
the women were also vulnerable due their months of nanny care and breastfeeding, the
substandard health status making them susceptible surrogate mothers were suddenly separated from
to maternal mortality and morbidity. There were the children causing severe psychological harm.
violations of good medical ethics, clinics were also While for the intended parents, this was a justified
involved in several illegal activities trying to take move as they felt an ownership right over the
advantage of the loopholes and ambiguity in the child(ren) based on their genetic link or as
law. Women were detained in dormitories for commissioners of the surrogacy contract, the
almost one year, from the embryo transfer to the surrogate mothers perceived themselves as a
delivery and also post-delivery to breastfeed and mother based on the cultural context and the child
provide nanny care according to the requirements as a sibling to their existing child(ren). The baby
of the intended parents or the clinic. In these was also on sale with the payment based on the
dormitories, they were kept under strict conditions weight or sex of the child, every extra child in
restricting their movement and meeting with their twins or triplets were priced extra, not double or
family members and children, rules on food intake triple but on a concessional rate. In essence, as I
in order to increase their weight and limits on the have mentioned in my book titled ‘A Transnational
kind of music they could listen to and additionally Feminist View of Surrogacy Biomarkets in India’,
were made to breastfeed the children and provide surrogacy in India had turned into a “bazaar where

everything about women’s reproductive capacity with the memories of nineteenth-century
and the children born has been marketed and raciological biology that haunts rhizomic theories
priced; the woman’s body parts, her breast-milk, of hybridity. Geneticisation reinforces the
her labour as a nanny, the number of child(ren) concepts of race and ableism encouraging social
born, the weight of the babies, the gender/ differences and domination. During the surrogacy
(dis)abilities of the child and even the surrogate pregnancy geneticisation plays an important role
mother’s caste, body weight or religion was in controlling the surrogate mother’s body
priced” (Saravanan 2018: pg. 6). and after the child is born, in prioritising the
Childlessness is socially constructed as a parenthood of intended parents while downplaying
malady, arising from patriarchal hegemony of the gestational role of the surrogate mothers. I have
social norms pressurising, especially women, to suggested possible inclusions in the Bill that gives
use ARTs. Women in different cultures face a optional guardianship to surrogate mothers.
diminished sense of identity and social standing
in the community on experiencing infertility and Ethical Concerns on Altruistic Surrogacy
are pressurised into using IVF technologies as a Allowing altruistic surrogacy continues to
solution (Donchin 1996). This myopic social and raise ethical questions on altruistic surrogacy,
medical focus on women’s body to solve infertility extra-territoriality, selective prohibition and the
and the perpetuation of objectification and possible ease in which NRIs and affluent people
commodification of women’s bodies is to fulfil in India will be able to continue choosing
patriarchal and commercial ends (Raymond 1993; surrogacy as an option both in India and abroad
Corea 1985; Harding 1991). Infertility is socially for fulfilling their childbearing desires. The
stigmatised and reinforces pronatalist and Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 permits
heteronormative identities resulting in pressures altruistic surrogacy in India if the surrogate mother
to conform with it. Genetic selection identifies the is a close relative. Altruistic surrogacy has been
gene as being central to human personhood, considered a better approach to reduce
identity, and social relationships. When most court commercialisation. However, altruistic contracts
cases hand over the custody of the children to raise ethical questions of agency especially within
intended parents, based on the genetic families in India. It also has elements of structural
determination of parenthood, despite a request of inequalities and previous experience from other
custody by the surrogate mother, it reiterates countries, like the UK, reveals that considerable
geneticisation. The significance given to amounts are transferred in the name of medical
geneticisation and genetic essentialism, the bills in this process. Other scholars have noted
meanings given to genetic links through the that affluent families can coerce or compel their
ownership over the gametes and gestation, the poorer relatives or maids to engage in altruistic
gestating body, and the babies born, and such surrogacy for them which can deepen exploitation
naturalisations of filiality, bring us face-to-face (Rao 2015). Ranjeeta Lal, a heart patient was

forced into surrogacy by her in-laws for her elder surrogate mothers in India have lesser rights over
sister-in-law to compensate for the less dowry she the child. Moreover, it has also been observed in
had brought into the family (Jaipuriar 2014). A countries that allow altruistic surrogacy that
woman in my study became a surrogate mother to affluent citizens tend to move to other countries
be able to pay off dowry for her husband’s sister. for accessing surrogacy. Extra-territoriality is
Altruistic surrogacy that allows surrogacy within another important ethical concern. These laws
close family members glorifies family reinforcing have been implemented in some countries
inequalities. I have also heard direct reports of imposing strict rules on citizens who travel abroad
people bringing their domestic maids or any other for fertility treatments not permitted in the source
poor acquaintance for surrogacy claiming that they countries. The law in the source country decides
are their close relatives. Regarding consent, about the citizenship to children born through
although the bill restricts coercion of women into surrogacy outside their jurisdictions and the
surrogacy, it would be difficult for women to prove parentage of the individuals who have travelled
it legally especially after signing the consent form. abroad to have these children. The countries which
Altruistic surrogacycan exploit women who may do not have clear extra-territoriality laws have
be dependent on other family members such as been criticised for protecting their own citizens
the first famous surrogacy case of mother while allowing vulnerable citizens from other
dependent on her daughter and carried her baby countries to be exploited.The global pattern of
in Anand to become the first grandmother-mother surrogacy that is moving to Africa and South
to the grandchild. It is well known worldwide that America after many Asian countries banned
most forms of abuse take place within close commercial surrogacy is a clear indication that
families and friend circle. It is known that women global inequalities play a major role in this
in India tend to put other’s need and priorities biomarket. India hence needs to tighten their extra-
before their own, which was evident among territorial laws to ensure that there is no scope for
surrogate mothers in India who wanted to sacrifice affluent couples to move out of India for surrogacy
their lives for the sake of the family (Saravanan and return with children.
2013). Feminists criticise altruistic surrogacy as Corea (1985) strongly objected to surrogate
a ‘compassion trap’ that glorifies the surrogate as motherhood as it creates divisions among women
a generous-loving woman offering a gift of love referring to this phenomenon as “segmented
to lonely-childless couples. reproduction” that divides women into child-
Moreover, altruistic surrogacy also involves begetters, child-bearers, and child-rearers. She
money transfers. Evidence from other countries, critiques this segmentation as if it were a mode of
like the UK, reveals that considerable amounts are production of genetically superior women
transferred in the name of medical bills in this begetting embryos, strong-bodied women bearing
process. UK was one of the main source countries the babies to term, and sweet-tempered women
in the surrogacy markets of India because the rearing the infants to adulthood. Colen’s (1995)

concept on stratified reproduction is similar to commendable that India is proposing to prohibit
Corea’s reference as it examines reproductive commercial surrogacy and the Bill has several
labour of bearing, rearing, and socialising children aspects that aim at reducing exploitative elements
that may be differentially experienced, valued, and in the practice. However, because surrogacy itself
rewarded according to inequalities of access to is inherently an exploitative practice the Bill needs
material and social resources structured by to aim at reducing the ease at which surrogacy
hierarchies of class, race, ethnicity, gender, place, becomes an option to intended parents. Since
and migration status differences, aspects of which surrogacy and other IVF possibilities are now
promote or interfere with socio-economic and easily available to the affluent in India, the
political status. Surrogate motherhood is not a adoption rates are declining rapidly (CARA 2018).
technique in itself, but a practice that technology The intended couples should be able to provide
exploits within the already existing hierarchies and proof of: their inability to conceive, to have tried
hegemonic systems. The technologies that were IVF on themselves wherever applicable and proof
used earlier on one’s own body is now used on of having tried adoption as an option before they
another person’s body violating their freedom, can choose surrogacy. Even medical clinics are
dignity and integrity. It is likely to put another meant to assess the reproductive capacity of the
woman (the surrogate mother) through social couple, suggest IVF wherever possible followed
stigma, psychological challenges, violation of her by suggesting adoption before the intended parents
bodily integrity, and also put the surrogate can choose surrogacy as an option. In my study,
mother’s health, freedom, liberty and even life at there were couples completely able to conceive
stake. Hence, surrogacy cannot be considered a and yet had opted for surrogacy. To some extent,
socially justified practice and certainly should not this may also address the ease at which NRIs are
be considered a constitutional right. Reproductive coming to India for a short while and returning
justice aims to reduce inequalities and not to use with children born through surrogacy. Hence, a
one person’s vulnerability to fulfil another detailed review of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill
person’s reproductive liberty. 2016 reveals that it has left some ambiguities and
omitted certain other important elements. It is very
The Surrogacy Bill 2016, Human important that these ambiguities and omissions are
Rights and Reproductive Justice addressed before the practice takes over some of
Despite the above-mentioned points, if India the existing loopholes.
continues to follow the British system instead of A great deal of attention needs to be paid to
the Swedish pattern, I would suggest some the conditions of the surrogacy contract and to
possible changes in the present Bill. The primary address the questions of exploitation once the
reason for the proposed ban of surrogacy in India contract has been made. The rights of the surrogate
was because there was exploitation and mother during the surrogacy; her right to eat and
commodification of women and children. It is perform all her normal day-to-day activities, her

right to remain free from any form of detainment the child if she desired to. Even if the custody of
or conditions by the doctors or the intended parents the child is handed over completely to the intended
unless required for medical reasons and her right parents it should be done after the birth of the child
to choose the kind of contract. The surrogate and with full consent of the surrogate mother. Even
mother should not be restricted from engaging in if she signs a contract of closed surrogacy, she
her non-reproductive aspirations during the should be allowed to revert into an open surrogacy
pregnancy. The insurance support should extend after the child is born. Requiring a surrogate
into post-partum as it is known that most maternal mother to decide even before pregnancy about her
complications occur during this phase. It is known parenthood expressions, during and after birth,
that widowed and deserted women were getting represses any feelings that may possibly emerge
involved as surrogate mothers, there is no clarity towards the child during pregnancy or childbirth,
in the Bill on this. and also giving others the power to hold her guilty
Within the regulation, there should be a if she diverges is ‘alienation’ (Pateman1988). As
possibility of choosing an open or closed contract. questioned by Anderson, “What if, despite her
An open contract is one in which both the initial intentions, she finds herself coming to love
surrogate mother and the intended parents desire her own child?” (Anderson 2000: 27).
to continue their relationship after the birth of the International Coalition for Abolition of
child. In case of the close relatives it would more Surrogate motherhood supported by hundreds of
often than not that the surrogate mothers will be organisations calls for recognising surrogacy as a
known to the intended parents and would like to human rights violation on the grounds of: gender
have an open contract for a continuous equality, emancipation and autonomy of women;
relationship. While the closed contract is one in legal access to abortion and contraception;
which both the intended parents and the surrogate equality between heterosexual and homosexual
mothers are not obliged to engage in any further sexualities. This charter and coalition was formed
contact. Until now in India, the surrogate mothers after several conferences and events were held all
were never asked their consent and a closed over Europe starting from 2011. Apart from this,
contract was enforced on them. The present there is an important consideration of the human
Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill 2016 also follows the rights of children. The only right mentioned in
same pattern. Chapter I, 2 (zb) says, “Surrogacy the bill is the right of the child to be considered
means a practice whereby one woman bears and equivalent to the biological child of the intended
gives birth to a child for an intending couple with parents. However, there is a surrogate mother who
the intention of handing over such child to the carried the child, hence the child should have the
intending couple after the birth” (Minister of rights to know the surrogate mother. Surrogacy
Health and Family Welfare, Bill No. 257 of consciously creates a state of abandonment by
2016:3). The Bill should include a clause that the denying the rights of the child to know his/her
surrogate mother can become a legal guardian of origin and the rights of the surrogate mother over

the child, to know about his/her well-being and surrogacy practice promotes deeply embedded
maintain a long-standing relationship. There have pronatalist, patriarchal, racial and ableist
been children who have suffered as a result of not hegemony. The reproductive liberty argument is
knowing their personal history. 3 The Rome limited to individual level and is hence inadequate
Petition asked for a procedure to be set up for the in analysing the complete complexity of global
recognition of the new-born, which shall be inequalities. Applying the reproductive justice
consistent with the rules on the rights of the child, framework, I argue that surrogacy is likely to put
especially with Article 7 (1) of the Convention on the surrogate mother through multiple forms of
the Rights of the Child, which recognises the right indignity and injustice along with life risk and
of the child to know his or her mother and, as far hence cannot be considered the intended parent’s
as possible, to be cared for by her (The Rome reproductive right. Any form of individual liberty
Petition 2017). Hence, keeping the child rights in that seriously impinges another’s health and
view, surrogacy not only violates the human rights freedom, violates another person’s dignity,
of women’s bodies but also of children. integrity or economic needs does not conform to
In the garb of reproductive liberty, the the reproductive justice framework.
References:
Anderson, Elizabeth S. 2000. Why commercial surrogate motherhood unethically commodifieswomen and
children: Reply to McLachlan and Swales. Health Care Analysis 8: 19–26.
BBC News, Thailand bans commercial surrogacy for foreigners, Feb. 20, 2015,http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
worldasia-31546717.
Bhalla, Nita, and Mansi Thapiyal. 2013. Foreigners are flocking to India to rent wombs and grow surrogate
babies. Reuters, Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/india-surrogate-mother-industry-2013-9?IR=T
CARA 2018. Adoption Statistics. Central Adoption Resource Authorities, New Delhi. Ehttp://cara.nic.in/
resource/adoption_Stattistics.html. Accessed on 13th October 2018.
Colen, S. 1995. Like a mother to them: Stratified reproduction and West Indian childcare workers and
employers in New York. In Conceiving the new world order: The global politics of reproduction, ed. F. Ginsburg
and R. Rapp, 78–102. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Corea, Gena. 1985. The mother machine: Reproductive technologies from artificial insemination to artificial
wombs. New York: Harper and Row.
Donchin, Anne. 1996. Feminist critiques of new fertility technologies: implications for social policy. The
Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 21 (5): 475–498.
Harding, Sandra. 1991. Whose science/whose knowledge? Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
International Coalition for the Abolition of surrogate Motherhood 2018. http://abolition-ms.org/en/home/
Jaipuriar, V. 2014 ‘Dowry cry in surrogacy death - Woman’s brother files FIR, accuses in-laws of conspiracy’.
2nd October, The Telegraph, Jharkhand. https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/jharkhand/dowry-cry-in-surrogacy-
death-woman-s-brother-files-fir-accuses-in-laws-of-conspiracy/cid/320485. . Accessed 14 Oct 2018.
Meta, Kong. 2017. ‘Cambodian Surrogacy Law due in 2018. The Phnom Penh Post, Phnom Penh, 11th
August 2017, Cambodia.

MoHFW 2016. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016. Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government
of India.
Pateman, C. 1988. The sexual contract. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Photopoulos, Julianna. 2015. US couple ‘trapped’ in Mexico following surrogacy law change, BIONEWS,
May 11. http://www.bionews.org.uk/page_522610.asp. Accessed on 19th October 2018.
Raymond, Janice G. 1993. Women as wombs: Reproductive technologies and the battle over women’s freedom.
San Francisco: Harper.
Saravanan, S. (2013). An ethnomethodological approach to examine exploitation in the context of capacity,
trust and experience of commercial surrogacy in India, Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 8:10.
Saravanan, S. (2018) ‘A Transnational Feminist View of Surrogacy Biomarkets in India’. Singapore: Springer
Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
Time. 2015. Outsourcing surrogacy. Red Border Films. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=N9FPiNc6-dI. Accessed on 14th Aug 2017.
The Himalayan. ‘SC turns down petition seeking to allow surrogacy’, Kathmandu 6th January 2018. https:/
/thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/sc-turns-petition-seeking-allow-surrogacy/
The Rome Petition. 2017. 2nd NGO European meeting on the abolition of surrogacy. 27th February. European
Women’s Lobby: piazza di Monte Citorio, Rome.
1 Mexico prohibited surrogacy in Tabasco state (Photopoulos, 2015). In Nepal, The Supreme Court (SC) of
Nepal has issued an interim order to immediately halt the surrogacy (The Himalayan 2018). Thailand banned
commercial surrogacy for foreigners (BBC 2015). India has proposed a ban on commercial surrogacy since
Sept 2016 with the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill (MoHFW 2016).Cambodia has proposed a ban on commercial
surrogacy (Meta 2017)
2 Human biomaterial refers to the child making industry that is based on biological material such as oocyte,
sperms, stem cell, tissues, breast milk and the surrogate mother’s womb.
3 European Court of Human Rights 2017; http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/FS_Childrens_ENG.pdf


FOCUS
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,

Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 – A Commentary
Shivakami Kumaramangalam*
Abstract many of its populace suffer from the historical and
M
uch has been said, written and the pervasive malignance of the caste system,
proselytised about the Sexual religion, the colonial legacy of ‘class’, skin tone
Harassment of Women at Workplace and especially the subordination of women.
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 At present, life in our country is still a study
and the now renowned Vishaka vs. The State of of paradoxes. The juxtaposition of urban and rural
Rajastan1 judgment of the Supreme Court. While areas is scripted by paradoxes relating to economic
the de-criminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian as well as societal position and gender. It is
Penal Code may be in the news, it is important to pertinent to discuss this as these paradoxes often
examine welfare laws such as this which paved impede the enforcement of this law.
the way for our current legal amelioration. It is also relevant to know that the current
This article seeks to examine this crucial application and enforcement of the Act is preceded
legislation from a positive, objective perspective. by cases of harassment prosecuted under the
However it is also important to note that law needs provisions of the Indian Penal Code punishing
to be understood as a discursive process, both crimes committed ‘with the intent to outrage the
emancipatory and oppressive. modesty of a woman’ and the landmark judgement
on the issue - “Vishaka and others vs. the State of
Introduction Rajasthan”. Vishaka was the first judgement to
Our country has affirmed its commitment to define SHW in India, after which “Medha Kotwal
women’s rights at local, national and international Lele & Ors. v Union of India & Ors.”2 analysed
platforms on several occasions. Towards this goal, the implementation of the Supreme Court
the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Directives set out in Vishaka. The Bill for the
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 current Act was enacted a month before the Apex
received the assent of the President of India on Court’s decision in this case. In a similar vein, it
April 22, 2013. It came into force on December 9, was the Justice Verma Committee Report
2013. following the unspeakable crimes against
However it is no secret that India is a complex Nirbhaya that served as the final catalyst for the
and diverse democracy; and that despite its passing of this legislation on sexual harassment
insistent advancement towards globalisation, of women at work in India.
*Shivakami Kumaramangalam is a trained lawyer and a practicing legal consultant. She studied law at
the prestigious ILS Law College, Pune, India and later graduated with a Masters in Law from the
internationally acclaimed University of Warwick, United Kingdom. Her thesis, submitted in
September, 2006 evaluated the crucial Vishaka vs. The State of Rajastan on sexual harassment law.
She continues to work in the field of workplace discrimination.

The Act by employees during the course of
The Act, a significant legislation for a plethora employment or for reasons arising out of
of reasons, also requires amendments to strengthen employment - including transportation
its vigour and application. provided by the employer for the purpose
of commuting to and from the place of
Summary of the Salient Provisions
employment. Additionally prominent cases
z At the heart of the Act is the intent to afford
of sexual harassment (both admitted in
protection to all women in India from
court and otherwise) reveal the broad
sexual harassment at workplace (SHW)
spectrum of workplaces that have been
and to encourage their participation in
construed by various redressal forums
work and their social and economic
across the country.
empowerment.
The Act focuses on prevention, prohibition
z The Act extends to the whole of India and
and redressal of sexual harassment of women at
seeks to address the sexual harassment of
the workplace in India; and the rights and duties
women alone. It is pertinent to note
are invested in
however that the aggrieved woman as
(a) the employer (section 2{g}),
envisaged under the Act is not required to
(b) The employee (section 2{f}),
be an employee at the workplace where she
(c) the aggrieved woman (section 2{a}),
may be subjugated to harassment. Apart
(d) the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)/
from the lack of gender neutrality with
Internal Committee (IC) or the Local
respect to the complainant, the application
Complaints Committee (LCC)/Local
of the Act is intentionally wide and this
Committee (LC) as the case may be,
can be inferred foremost from the
(e) the appropriate Government (section
definitions of ‘employee’, ‘employer’ and
2{b}),
‘workplace’. The Act applies to the
(f) the District Officer (section 5),
organised sector as well as the unorganised
(g) the designated nodal officer (as under
sector. In view of the wide definition of
section 6{2} of the Act ), and
‘workplace’, the statute, also applies to
(h) the Appellate Authority (in accordance
government bodies, private and public
with section 18 of the Act).
sector organisations, factories, non-
governmental organisations, organisations Rights and Duties of the Employer
carrying on commercial, vocational,
PROHIBITION: The Act expressly invests in
educational, entertainment, industrial,
every employer the duty to provide women
financial activities, hospitals and nursing
employees with a safe working environment and
homes, educational institutes, sports
a workplace devoid of sexual harassment.
institutions and stadiums used for training
Additionally, Section 19 of the Act mandates that
individuals, among others. In accordance
the employer regard SHW as misconduct under
with the provisions of the Act, a workplace
the service rules (of such workplace) and take
also covers within its scope, places visited
action for such misconduct.
India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

{33} {33}
Prevention : Section 3 of the Act cases at the respective workplace in the
expressly prohibits SHW of women annual report of company and in the annual
The primary responsibility of every employer report of the ICC every year.
that employs more than 10 employees working at 6. Penalty: Section 26 of the Act provides for
the specific workplace is to: a fine of upto Rs.50, 000/- on the employer
1. Organise workshops, awareness in the event of non-compliance with the
programmes and capacity building provisions of the Act relating to
programmes for both the employees and constitution of the ICC, inquiry and the
the internal complaints committee (ICC) annual report.
members at regular intervals, disseminate
the internal policy for prohibition, Rights and Duties of the Committee
prevention and redressal of SHW including (ICC/LCC) Members
the contact details of the ICC members. Prohibition and Prevention : Section 4 to
2. Another important function imposed on Section 16 enumerates the duties of the Internal
employers is the duty to institute an Internal Complaints Committee and Local Complaints
Complaints Committee in accordance with Committee members.
the provisions of the Act (Chapter II; z The Presiding Officer or any Member of
Section 4 {1}) to hear and address the the Committee is invested with the duty to
complaint and to make a recommendation assist the aggrieved party when she wishes
in every matter. This includes the payment to make the complaint (Section 9).
of fees for the Committee members (Rule z The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)
3). It bears note that there is no specific must be setup as per the guidelines
penalty imposed by the Act on employers prescribed in Section 4. As per the current
who do not accept or act according to the law, there should be an ICC formed at every
ICC’s recommendations. branch of the company in the country,
3. Provide the necessary facilities to the where there are more than 10 employees.
committees to conduct the inquiries. This The District Officer is required to
includes providing assistance to the constitute a Local Complaints Committee
respondent and necessary witnesses, (LCC) in each district, and if required at
making available such information as may the block (Taluk) level (Sections 5, 6 and
be required for the inquiry etc. 7).
4. The employer must also assist the z The Act mandates for the LCC to be set up
aggrieved woman if she so wishes to to address complaints in the event an

proceed with filing a complaint under the establishment has less than 10 workers or
IPC or any other relevant law. if the complaint is against the employer
5. Section 19 (j) read with sections 21 and himself. The appropriate Government
22 invest in every employer the duties to notifies a District Officer to discharge the
include certain information and statistics functions of this Act. The Act deems that
regarding the number of sexual harassment the Chairperson of the LCC shall be a

woman. A minimum of four persons are to monitor the timely submission of reports
constitute the LCC, and at least half of the furnished by the Local Complaints
members are to be women. The ICC/LCC Committee.
should be equipped to investigate all z The Appropriate Government shall monitor
complaints thoroughly (seeking the the implementation of the Act and maintain
assistance of the employer when required) data on the number of cases filed and
and recommend actions to be taken. disposed of in respect of all cases of sexual
z The inquiry process should involve the harassment of women at the workplace.
respondent, witnesses and the examination
of evidentiary documents etc., if any. Rights and Duties of the Employee
z The recommendations can include the The definition of ‘employee’ in section 2(f)
transfer of the woman aggrieved or a grant of the Act is wide and covers regular, temporary,
of a leave of absence during the course of ad hoc employees, ‘individuals engaged on daily
the inquiry. wage basis, either directly or through an agent,
z Statutory reporting of the cases filed and contract labour, co-workers, probationers, trainees,
action taken should be reported and filed and apprentices, with or without the knowledge
in the company’s annual report. of the principal employer, whether for
z The inquiry must be conducted within 90 remuneration or not, working on a voluntary basis
days from the submission of the complaint. or otherwise, whether the terms of employment
Additionally, the Act also invests the are express or implied’.
protagonists with the task of monitoring The primary duties of the employee albeit not
and reporting with the specific objective expressly mentioned anywhere in the Act would
of prevention. Of relevance are the be to abstain from committing sexual harassment
following provisions. at the workplace, complain in a timely manner,
z The employer shall monitor the timely cooperate with the Employer/ICC/LCC as the case
submission of reports by the Internal may be and participate in gender sensitisation
Complaints Committee. initiatives. There is also a general duty/right
z Penalty for violation of confidentiality: If imposed by the Act on any person having
any person violates the provisions of knowledge of any incident of SHW to report it
Section 16 (confidentiality), the Employer (Rule 6{b} read with section 9{2}).
is vested with the power to recover a sum Penalty: It bears note that the Act prescribes
of Rs. 5,000/- as penalty from such person. no specific penalty on those persons found to be
z The ICC or the LCC, as the case may be, perpetrators of SHW by the ICC/LC or through
shall prepare an annual report and submit any other redressal mechanism preferred. The
the same to the Employer and the District provisions of the Act as under section 13, section
Officer. 15 read with Rule 9 enumerates that the ICC/LCC
z The District Officer is duty bound to can impose penalties on those employees found
forward a brief report on the annual reports guilty of SHW. The punishments that the ICC/LC
received to the State Government and can prescribe range from verbal censure or

reprimand, warning letter, community service, order to settle the matter. The terms of the
counselling, withholding pay or promotion or conciliation are to be recorded in writing in order
termination. There is a penalty for violation of to avoid any ambiguity.
confidentiality of the proceedings or relating to
any information of an incident of SHW as Critical Evaluation
envisaged by the Act. An overview of the Act is necessary to
understand the scope and extent of its application
Redressal and the potential challenges to its enforcement.
Complaint Procedure: The Act prescribes that The very existence of this legislation is progressive
the aggrieved woman is required to make a written and has had a positive impact in both the economic
complaint of the same to the ICC or LCC within and social (welfare) facets of working in the
three months from the date of incident and when organised sector in India, but there are gaps which
there are series of incidence then three months need to be clarified in order to extend its benefits
from the last incident. If the woman is unable to to the millions of women who are working in our
make a complaint in writing then proper assistance agriculture, small-scale and cottage industries,
can be given by the Presiding Officer or any among other unorganised sectors.
member of ICC or by the Chairperson or any SHW is a recurring issue across workplaces
member of the LCC. According to the Rules of in India today (both in the organised and
the said Act if a woman is unable to make a unorganised sectors). Although the Vishaka
complaint due to her physical incapacity then the Directives and the Act defines ‘sexual
complaint can be made by her friend or her co- harassment’, a clear comprehension of SHW is
worker or any Officer of the National Commission limited. Perceptions and understanding of what
for Women, or the appropriate State Women’s constitutes SHW is vague and varies within the
Commission or any person having the knowledge many cross-sections of Indian society and this
of the incident, with the prior written permission affects the application of the Act. This is also one
of the aggrieved woman. of the reasons why inconclusive complaints are
Redressal under the Indian Penal Code: Sexual filed i.e. complaints that cannot be deemed as false
harassment of women at the workplace is a as per the Act, but complaints that prima facie do
criminal offence as per the amendments made to not amount to SHW.
the Indian Penal Code in 2013 (refer to Criminal The most common form of SHW in India is
Law Amendment Act, 2013). Under section verbal harassment. This includes unwelcome
354(A) of the IPC a person who is found guilty of verbal comments, comments with a sexual
the offence of sexual harassment may be punished connotation or of a sexual nature, unwelcome
with imprisonment for upto 3 years and/or a fine. flirtation and invitations (for sexual contact of all
Hence a victim can raise a criminal complaint as kinds), comments on the victims’ appearance or
well as a case with the ICC; both can run attire, singing of ‘Bollywood’ (or regional movie)
simultaneously. songs and catcalls (whistling). Other common
Conciliation: The Act (section 10) also allows forms of harassment include physical touching and
female employees to request for conciliation in lewd text messages, phone calls or emails. The

research also revealed that since the passage of transperson) do face this abuse, the number of
the Act perpetrators are becoming smarter and complaints received is far less. SHW is also seen
make certain not to leave a forensic footprint i.e. as a power issue; where the aggrieved women are
perpetrators of SHW ensure that there are no often subordinate to their male harassers. At
witnesses, that the harassment is not in writing or present women constitute only 1% of senior
via text message, email or phone call. This makes management in India, 4% of middle management
the SHW/harassment harder to prove. and 14-18% at the lower level. Another
Also pervasive in India is retaliation against consequence of this is that women that face
complainants and witnesses: (a) Complainants are harassment are often between the ages of 15-40
often deterred from complaining by the employer years. Those women that are at the highest risk of
for various reasons. Failure to comply with the SHW are women in lower-level jobs with little or
employer’s demands by the complainant could no education.
result in punishments that either target her/his The most positive trend reported was
social status (reputation – which is of great awareness of the Act and of the prohibition of
normative value) or job security. Retaliatory acts SHW. As a direct corollary of this most of the
by the employer include intimidation (especially participants reported a significant increase in the
during the pendency of an inquiry), a reduction in constitution of ICCs by organisations. Also, it was
the complainant’s wage or role in the organisation, reported that men express fear of being charged
bad work appraisals negating the complainant’s with sexual harassment and that younger women
chances of a pay-hike and promotion, job transfers, are more vocal with respect to reporting SHW. As
retrenchment or termination. (b) Both for younger men it was observed that they too
complainants and witnesses often express fear of seemed proactive and ready to engage with SHW
retaliation from the alleged perpetrator outside of law; and grasp the nuances of consensual and
the workplace. This remains a crucial challenge unwanted sexual acts better.
and one which the legislators have sought to It was also reported that large multi-national
address with the amendment of the IPC. Although corporations, with numerous branch offices,
employers may not be held legally accountable located across the country were the fore-runners
for an employee’s safety after work hours and with respect to the effective implementation of
outside of the premises, threats on the the Act. This was attributed to several reasons
complainant’s life and to her/his safety is of great including conformance to organisational global
concern. At present, there is no provision in the anti-harassment policies, sufficient monetary
Act to punish wrong-doers who exact revenge resources to create and implement internal
against complainants, so the victim’s only recourse complaints’ mechanism as well as awareness
is under the IPC. training, lack of fear of reporting among aggrieved
While those affected by SHW belong to persons (perpetrators were often transferred to
various industries across the country, it is women other branches) and the consequent lack of
who predominantly face this abuse. Whilst men retaliation against complainants.
and those belonging to other genders (those who While the Act does not mandate the transfer
identify themselves as transgender and of the complainant and/or the alleged culprit

during the inquiry, it was reported that women ‘bad’ woman etc. Others reasons cited by experts
employees felt comfortable sharing details of include the cumbersome ICC process, the lack of
SHW at larger companies where there was scope awareness about which body to approach to
for transfer. ICC members and in-house counsel complain and the lack of encouragement from
adduced that they often recommended both the managers/HR regarding receipt/acceptance of the
complainants and the alleged culprit either work- complaint(s) as deterrent factors.
from-home or go on a leave of absence prior to Another challenge, which has eluded the
and during the pendency of an inquiry. This architecture of the Act, is the lack of liability in
recommendation is of great practical significance: the event of non-adherence of the employer to the
firstly, it ensures that both parties do not seek to recommendations of the ICC/LCCs. Section 13
unjustly influence the ICC or potential witnesses of the Act enumerates that the ICC/LCC provide
in any manner. It also ensures that the alleged a report of its findings to the employer/District
culprit does not malign or intimidate the Officer within a period of ten days from the
complainant at the workplace into withdrawing completion of the inquiry. Furthermore, the
the complaint. Any such retaliatory acts prior to employer has an obligation to submit an annual
or during the inquiry can also be reported to the report with the number of cases filed, if any, and
ICC members their disposal under the Act (section 22). However,
It was observed that the effective application there is no monitoring provision governing a
of the Act in mid-level and small-scale violation of section 13 or section 22.
organisations (with employees ranging from 500- The most prominent challenge to the Act’s
100) as well as in the unorganised sector (this implementation however appears to be the lack
includes agricultural and construction workers, of stringent punishment on the employer. At
migrant labourers etc.) was and continues to be a present, as laudable a legislation as it is, the Act
challenge. With poor rates of education, lack of fails because of the lack of clarity on definitions
access to healthcare and other fundamentals, lack of the LCC, the District Officer, ‘Service Rules’
of awareness on what constitutes SHW, inherent and so can cause great confusion whilst
sexism in the job and extreme poverty dictating implementation. The Act invests a great deal of
the difficult lives of women in the unorganised responsibility in the employer – but there remains
sector. One of the biggest challenges to the no recommended structure for the ICC process
effective implementation of the Act is the lack of (however the courts have attempted to step in
reporting (under-reporting) of SHW incidents. The here), no guidance on information required for the
reasons for silence are many: Fear of loss of job, Annual Report, a lack of clarity on the appellate
family pressure to leave the job, suspicion of process of the ICC, no strictures relating to failure
husband about the woman having an affair, other to comply with non-retaliation requests of the ICC
male colleagues taking advantage of vulnerability, and so on. These ambiguities need to be remedied
sense of shame and not wanting to be seen as a by the lawmakers.
References:
1. Vishaka & Ors v. The State of Rajastan & Ors., 1997 (6) SCC 341


FOCUS
Women as Leaders: The Story of a Successful Sanitation Drive

Poonam Kulshreshtha, Paridhi P Yadav and Akhila Sivadas*
T
he SAHAY Single Window was set up in the power of community engagement. Members
Ward No. 62, Jaipur city, in August 2017 to of the women’s forum, and the community-based
strengthen community engagement and organization that emerged from the forum, prevailed
administrative convergence to regulate unsafe upon the government and urban local body to
sanitation practices. The one-stop community-led recognise the process of community engagement
sanitation node aims to ensure well co-ordinated which they had evolved and taken to scale in their
service delivery, and enables the community to settlement. In the process, they won over the entire
secure timely intervention for services. community including the men.
This intervention was conceived, anchored and

facilitated by Centre for Advocacy and Research
(CFAR). It was set up by CFAR in collaboration
with Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC). The idea
of a Single Window found support in the
community, as well as with JMC, Department of
The situation in Jhalana Kunda slum, beginning of 2012:
Health, and Directorate of Local Bodies (DLB),
Lack of roads and drainage led to water logging (left).
given the poor access to sanitation services (Table The availability of vast open land made it a place for open
1) in the area. defecation (centre). Women had to queue up for water for
hours as only three tanks were available for the settlement
Table 1: Access to Sanitation Services across of over 1,050 households (right).
Ward 62 in August 2017
Turning Point
The CFAR team facilitated an exposure visit for
the representatives of the Women’s Forum to
Bikaner to see for themselves the low cost twin pit
toilets being constructed there under the rural
sanitation programme. This visit proved to be an
eye-opener. The women returned determined to
do the same in their area. To begin with, 35
households constructed twin-pit toilets. This
boosted the confidence of the Women’s Forum.
They leveraged their collective confidence to bring
in other basic services and amenities to the
EARLY BEGINNINGS settlement such as roads, drains and additional water
The journey of the Single Window began in 2012 points. Jhalana Kunda was soon transformed from
in Jhalana Kunda – a slum in Ward 51 of Jaipur – a neglected settlement to a well-serviced and well-
where women community leaders demonstrated managed one.
*Poonam Kulshreshtha, Paridhi P Yadav and Akhila Sivadas
work with Centre For Advocacy And Research (CFAR).
The community even took their learning to other
settlements. In 2014, Women’s Forum of 10
settlements across Jaipur federated as a Community
Based Organization and registered as Daksha
Samooh.
A resident of Jhalana Kunda poses in front of his completed

household toilet with the completion certificate for online
verification. The process was carried out jointly for all
Director cum Jt. Secretary, Directorate of Local Bodies, households by Daksha Samooh and Urban Local Bodies
and other DLB representatives in discussion with members officials. (September 2016)
of Women’s Forum and community . Challenges in toilet
construction as well as accessing the subsidy scheme were Shaping Community Engagement
discussed. (March 2015) By 2017, it was clear that raising demand was not
enough. It was equally important for the commu-
nity to work towards realising their demand and in
sustaining the services secured. This scale-up re-
quired leadership at multiple levels. In every settle-
ment the Women’s Forum and Daksha Samooh
continued to play a strong role in mobilising the
community and exerting pressure on the govern-
ment to deliver services in a systematic manner.
The management of the gains made in getting im-
proved sanitation services was done by the Com-
munity Management Committee.
Community Management Committees (CMC)

A Toilet Subsidy Camp was organised at Jhalana Kunda for In Jaipur, there are 66 CMCs with 804 members
five settlements of Ward 51. This was facilitated by Daksha across 20 Wards. From these CMCs emerged Lead
Samooh representatives who helped the community in filing Managers who got accredited as Swachhta Grahis
applications for accessing subsidy, on-site verification, and
addressing any gaps in accessing subsidy. (October 2015) by the ULB. There are 15 Swachhhta Grahis in

Jaipur spread across 4 Wards. They are in turn community engagement processes adopted here
supported by 130 peer educators, 20 grassroots at a settlement level to a Ward level. During an
communicators and 292 male enablers. Some of interaction, Sh. Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary,
the enablers also support the community as ma- MoUD, suggested to the representatives of Daksha
sons trained on Sanitation Value Chain and toilet Samooh1 and Community Management Commit-
techniques. These community platforms work in tee (CMC) that the best practices and learnings be
collaboration with Mahila Arogya Samiti1 (women’s replicated.
collectives at the settlement level under National The Commissioner of Jaipur Municipal Corpora-
Urban Health Mission working on WASH issues), tion, Sh. Hemant Gera, backed this decision and
SHGs and Anganwadi workers. selected Ward 62 for this purpose. Subsequently,
In the period between 2014 and 2017, six Govern- in 2016-17, JMC issued three Government Orders2
ment Orders and directives were issued by DLB directing CFAR to strengthen community engage-
incorporating the recommendations of Women’s ment in Ward No. 62.
Forum, Daksha Samooh and CMC in addressing The representatives of Daksha Samooh and the
the gaps in securing toilet subsidy. In 2015, Jaipur CMC seized this opportunity to replicate their learn-
Municipal Corporation mandated the community ing and skills.
representatives and CFAR to organise a camp to PLANNING AND DESIGNING THE SINGLE WINDOW
fast track the process of accessing toilet subsidy The official recommendation turned into a full-
across 91 Wards of Jaipur. This collective effort fledged initiative culminating with a policy consul-
led to the construction of 932 twin pit toilets in tation in July 2017. The Consultation brought to-
Jhalana Kunda. gether different stakeholders such as the SBM
In August 2015, Jhalana Kunda was declared a Nodal Officer; JMC; Coordinator, City Managers
Learnng Site2 by the Director, ULB Rajasthan. Association Rajasthan (CMAR); Directorate of
Local Bodies; Chief Medical and Health Officer
Policy Support (CMHO); consultants from the National Urban
Health Mission (NUHM). This resulted in forging
Taking note of the success at Jhalana Kunda, the
a consensus on the Single Window.
government recommended the replication of the
What is the Single Window?
The Single Window is a sanitation node led by a
community platform. It facilitates inclusion and ad-
ministrative convergence for improved access to
services and facilities and timely response.
Rationale
In Ward 62, the extent of marginalisation proved
to be a challenge for all, including the JMC offi-
cials who could not engage the community to im-
prove sanitation facilities and services.
Community representatives were clear from the
beginning that in Ward 62, the focus must go
Sh. Pravin Prakash, Jt. Secretary, MoUD, interacting with
Maya, Daksha Samooh representative, during his visit to beyond achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF)
Jhalana Kunda along with Sh. Hemant Gera, Commissioner, status and work towards ODF+. This implied focus
JMC. (March 2017) on achieving sanitation sustainability by addressing

the complete sanitation value chain, including safe such as of lack of space for construction of twin
containment, disposal and treatment of fecal pit toilets and inconsistent desludging of single pit
sludge. They realized that unless concerted effort toilets due to the narrow lanes would not be
is made to pursue ODF+, the existing constraints addressed.
“It took Daksha Samooh two years to get toilet subsidy released for 200 toilets in Jhalana Kunda
and other settlements. Now, with the Single Window led by a forum of members from different
CMCs, this could be achieved in a much lesser time. The Single Window has succeeded in
bringing together all stakeholders on a common platform.” – Anju, Daksha Samooh
representative
“The Single Window will ensure timely response from the departments.” – Phoolwati, CMC
representative
“There is great need for a platform like the Single Window for maintenance and monitoring of
services in underserved settlements.” – Ms. Priyanka Sharma, World Bank
Where and for whom? during the summers. You tell us, how can
The Single Window is located in Ward 62 reaching anyone survive without water?” - Geeta
out to community across the Jawahar Nagar belt. It was decided that CFAR would facilitate the
The area is resource poor, under-served, and community structure and its representatives to co-
densely populated. Most residents are migrants and manage the one-stop sanitation node. In this way,
from vulnerable communities. There are complex it would help strengthen the mutual engagement
power dynamics in the community. Some of the of the ULB and the community.
common problems voiced are given below: SETTING UP THE SINGLE WINDOW
“I am a resident of Jawahar Nagar ‘tila’ 3. There Community involvement and participation
are 13 tilas (hillocks/ settlements) across this belt The representatives of Daksha Samooh and the
with more or less similar challenges. Monsoons Community Management Committee (CMC) from
are the hardest, as we live on the foothills of the settlements like Sootmill Colony and Sitaram
Aravallis. With no drainage system there is always Nagar helped mobilise the community across the
terrible water logging and flooding.” - Farida 13 settlements. They went door to door and also
“Since my family moved here 20 years ago, conducted meetings in the settlements.
sanitation problems have increased. The “We went door to door and conducted meetings
household is not connected with the sewer system, with community members to identify issues. We
so we constructed single pits. These are now full shared the concept of Single Window and told
but the lanes are too narrow for desludging them how over the years Daksha Samooh and
vehicles to come in and clear it.” – Kamlesh CMC were facilitating similar processes in other
“I am from Tila IB. There is no household water settlements. Listening to our experiences they
connection here, only common taps on the main gained confidence and agreed to join hands with
road. Residents in the back lanes have to walk up us.” – Poonam, Daksha Samooh member
to a kilometer to get water. The situation worsens “We also took some on-the-spot actions like filing

submissions or applications on issues like
water. This convinced people that we were not
just talking but also taking action. This also
enabled us to identify active community
members and form Community Management
Committees.” – Phoranti, Daksha Samooh
Representative
Clearly, when the community was approached by
peers who shared their experience of collectivising,
it helped break the sense of hopelessness and
apathy. The peers galvanised support and got
community members in each settlement and Ward
to prioritise sanitation issues to be addressed. They
also constituted CMCs everywhere and began to
conduct regular meetings at the Single Window.
CMC representatives from Jawahar Nagar started Display material – Data Dashboard, journey of Single
bringing their sanitation issues to the Single Window. Window and map of the intervention area (above).
In September 2017, 30 CMC members from across Community meetings at ‘Chaupal’ (below).
the 13 settlements federated themselves into a Help Desk team which provides support such as
Forum to represent the Single Window and the sharing information, facilitating peer interaction and
community at all meetings held with different identifying the problem.
departments such as the Jaipur Municipal The ‘Gurukul’ or The Learning Hub that follows
Corporation (JMC), Public Health and Engineering focuses on peer learning, skill training, in-depth in-
Department (PHED), and Department of Labour. formation on different sanitation related themes.
In November 2017, the SBM Nodal Officer visited Regular trainings are conducted on stitching of re-
the Single Window for the first time. He interacted usable cloth sanitary napkins and composting
with the CMC and SW Forum members and kitchen waste. Masonry training on Sanitation Value
understood the process of scaling up community Chain and low cost toilet construction techniques is
engagement in a systematic manner. Following this,
he advised concerned officials of JMC to prioritise
the issues raised by the community at the Single
Window.
Design of the Single Window
The Single Window has been designed to enable

vital processes such as communication, skill build-
ing, and facilitating linkages with JMC and allied
departments, experts and CSOs.
As soon as one enters, there is the ‘Chaupal’ Com-
munication Hub, which is the first level of contact. Training of girls and women on stitching sanitary napkins
This is managed by the Gender and Social Security (August 2018)

also provided. How it works
The final space of the Single Window is ‘Sewa The cooperation of both the departments and the
Sangam’ or Linkage Hub which enables timely community boosted the confidence of the CMC
administrative action by Junior Engineers desig- and Daksha Samooh members. The exposure visit
nated by JMC to address outstanding issues faced by community members of Ward 62 to Jhalana
by the community. Kunda and other settlements helped to strengthen
their resolve.
The Single Window Forum members turned the
resolve into action. Gradually, relatives and
acquaintances from neighbouring Wards started
approaching the CMC Platform or Single Window
Forum members to help them resolve their issues.
The change here was also instantaneous. Seema,
from Tila 7A stated, “for the first time our drains
began to look clean.” This was echoed by Durgesh
from Tila 6A, when she stated, “For the first time
Information on Wards under Single Window, schedule of
SW Forum meetings, Toll free numbers and Ward wise
in my life I went to the department to get some
contact details of ULB officials and important Government issues of the basti sorted and it got done. I feel
Orders very good and wish it continues to work like this.”
Key Achievements
• Four Government Orders, One Inter-Departmental Directive have been released by the Jaipur
Municipal Corporation mandating presence of Junior Engineer nomination of point persons and
release of toilet subsidy
• 6800 households linked to Sanitation services directly
• Out of 153 Cases registered, 118 have been resolved benefiting 11,800 households directly
• Timely desludging rate has increased from 1% in 2016 to 3.2% in May 2018
• 30 timely desludging of septic tanks and single pit done
INSTITUTIONALISING THE SINGLE WINDOW Nine sittings have been conducted thus far. The
Single Window Forum members interact with the
In March 2018, in response to the findings of a J. En and other ULB functionaries and service
survey conducted on Fecal Sludge Management providers like Assistant Engineer (A. En), Chief
(FSM) in Ward 62 of Moti Dungri Zone, the JMC Sanitary Inspector (CSI), Sanitary Inspector (SI),
issued a Government Order deputing a Junior desludging operators and Supervisor-SWM and
Engineer (J. En) to be present at the Single Window submit resolutions passed by their respective CMCs
thrice a month. demanding specific improvements and redress.

They also facilitate visits of service providers to “The Single Window has enabled the
the concerned areas so they can see for themselves department to reach out to the most vulnerable
the nature and extent of the problem. which is otherwise very difficult. This is the
The convergence of services established a first time in my Zone that a mechanism like
meaningful communication between the affected this has been established where the community
community and their representatives and the ULB and department are meeting on a regular basis
officials and service providers. with excellent coordination.” – Sh. N. K.
Agarwal,
“The Single Window has enabled the department Executive Engineer, JMC (Moti Dungri
to reach out to the most vulnerable which is Zone)
otherwise very difficult. This is the first time in “Single Window and Point Persons or
my Zone that a mechanism like this has been Swachhta Grahis have enabled us to fast track
established where the community and department delivery of services by eliminating unnecessary
are meeting on a regular basis with excellent processes.” – Sh. Lokesh K. Meena, Junior
coordination.” – Sh. N. K. Agarwal,
Executive Engineer, JMC (Moti Dungri Zone) and understanding on Fecal Sludge Management
(FSM) and Solid Waste Management (SWM).
“Single Window and Point Persons or Swachhta The Single Window connected with communities
Grahis have enabled us to fast track delivery of of these settlements through various processes.
services by eliminating unnecessary processes.” These include Rapid Participatory Appraisals
– Sh. Lokesh K. Meena, Junior Engineer, JMC (RPAs); joint micro-planning by ULB officials and
(Moti Dungri Zone) CMC and Daksha Samooh; meetings of CMC and
Simultaneously, JMC officials started the process Single Window Forum members; through orienta-
of verification of documents for release of toilet tion and knowledge camps on FSM and SWM. In
subsidy which also included households from three addition, in collaboration with concerned depart-
Wards other than Ward 62. ments enrolment camps on social security schemes
This led to an increase in the footfall to the Single were held in the different Wards.
Window, especially from neighboring Wards. At the The Single Window Forum remodeled itself to ac-
same time, ULB officials also called upon CFAR to commodate active members from the new Wards
expand the services of the Single Window to the in two Zones of JMC. At present there are 61 Single
residents of other Wards of the Zone. Window Forum members drawn from CMCs across
the 7 Wards from 20 settlements.
Scaling up beyond Ward 62 In April 2018, JMC Hawa Mahal Zone nominated
18 Point Persons or Lead Representatives across
By April 2018, the Single Window had scaled up its three Wards and 18 settlements to represent JMC
interventions across seven Wards within a 10 km across the seven Wards of the Single Window. These
radius covering two Zones of JMC1, reaching out Point Persons lead all joint assessments and site
to 17,000 households across 46 settlements. Of inspection visits across the 46 settlements. They
these, 6,800 households have been linked to Sani- bring concerns of the people to the J. En for on
tation Services directly and 10,200 households have the-spot resolution. In August 2018, Moti Dungri
benefited indirectly through increased information Zone nominated another 17 Point Persons taking

the total to 35 across 7 Wards. Table 2: A comparison of access to Sanitation
In June, 2018 this led to the issuance of another (services) across Ward 62 in August 2017 and
GO by JMC, Hawa Mahal Zone, deputing the con- August 2018
cerned J. En from the Zone to be present at the
Single Window twice a month in the manner done
by JMC Moti Dungri Zone.
The Single Window is working closely with NUHM
in building capacity of Mahila Aarogya Samiti mem-
bers on the Sanitation Value Chain.
Achievements and Breakthroughs
Until July 2018, of the 153 cases registered, 118
have been resolved. This has benefited 11,800
households directly, of which 5,000 have benefited
from more than one service.
Graph 1: Number of cases resolved against cases
received at the Single Window between November The SAHAY Single Window is now functioning
2017 and June 2018. like a one-stop equity centre. It has become a
mechanism of convergence between the
community and ULB officials and allied
departments and stakeholders like Resident
Welfare Association (RWA) representatives, local
service providers, youth and adolescents.
The Single Window has begun to bridge the gap

between the service provider and seeker. This is
best expressed in the words of the J. En and
community representatives who are jointly
Graph 2: Through the Single Window, 11,800 shaping the change.
households have benefited out of which 5,000
households have benefited from more than one Explaining this Mr. Lokesh K. Meena, J. En,
service. JMC, Moti Dungri Zone stated:
“Earlier, there was no way of knowing the issues
or to access information of households situated
in the back lanes. We could only identify and
address the issues of households in front. We now
have a mechanism which allows us to reach the
last house. Point Persons and community
representatives support us in all our field visits
which makes this process fruitful.”
Agreeing with this, Ms. Meena, CMC

representative from Ward No. 62 stated:

“Single Window is a place where we can meet not, if they will have the time to listen to you,
with the department functionaries and service but with this arrangement the department is
providers more than twice a month. Initially, we coming to our settlements. It has enabled us to
never went to the department but as CMC members work jointly on issues and ensure community
we had to go. It was not always easy as you never engagement in improving the service.”
know if you will find the concerned officer or
Voices
Lali, CMC representative from Ward No. 62 stated, “We gained a lot of new information especially
on FSM and Solid Waste Management. We used to think that constructing and using a toilet is
enough but we now realize that if we construct the toilet using the right techniques it is not only
beneficial for the environment but also for us in the long run.”
Phoolwati, Single Window Forum member stated, “We came to know of many government schemes
and programmes applicable to us which we had never heard of earlier. The Single Window
did not just provide the information but explained the whole process, taught us how to use
this information, gave hand holding support, to the extent that we can now do the same for
others.”
Lessons Learnt include recognizing and encouraging the

intrinsic strength of community platforms;
This initiative has resulted in four major at a decisive point of time enabling them
learning lessons. to scale up and transmit their learning;
supporting scaling up with appropriate
1. Capacitated Community Platform is a administrative and programmatic processes.
key prerequisite. These community
platforms must have the proven ability or All three forms of policy enablement and support
record to shape the sanitation agenda for were extended. From the National Swachha Bharat
the residents of unauthorised slums or Mission Urban, followed by Directorate of Local
clusters. Bodies and the Jaipur Municipal Corporation, the
The Community Management Committee of Single Window was ably supported by the decision
Jhalana Kunda and Daksha Samooh (CBO) makers and implementers.
saturated the adoption of twin pit toilet technique
across nearly 1,000 households. They also 3. Institutionalising the Single Window
demonstrated to the Jaipur Municipal Corporation requires convergence between
and Directorate of Local Bodies their ability to administra-tive and community
translate the processes they pursued from 2013 process. The former ensures timely
into a learning-teaching site for over hundreds of response and redress while the latter
ULB officials and programme implementers. matches their steps and readies their own
processes.
2. Policy Enablement and Support must
be extended in many forms. These Innovative and community-friendly steps were

taken to ensure both timely coordination and long- harness all efforts, it is important to
term collaboration between the administration and strengthen the culture of accountability to
the community. The Junior Engineers who were make the system responsive.
designated to be present at the Single Window once
every 10 days found that the process could only To inculcate this culture, the CMCs have been
endure if they went beyond salutary advice and doing a daily tracking all the services. This is used
assurances and demonstrated preparedness on both not only to secure better supply of service but also
sides. This happened in one Ward and soon began ensure greater coordination and cooperation. They
to get replicated in neighbouring Wards. also rate the services annually by the users and
providers through a Community Report Card to
4. Building Sustainability is crucial and ensure that sanitation issues get stronger in the face
must be achieved at many levels. To of all odds.
References:
1 Women’s collectives at the settlement level under National Urban Health Mission working on WASH issues.
2 Jhalana Kunda has been declared a Learning Site on Community Engagement under SBM by Directorate of
Local Bodies in 2015.
3 Daksha Samooh is a Community Based Organization registered in 2014 with 105 members from across 10
settlements of Jaipur.
4 1. Conducting Sanitation Campaign across Ward 62 – March 9, 2016; 2. GO for conducting Sanitation
Camp on IHHL and Triggering – November 15, 2916; 3. Orientation Camp on IHHL and Overall Sanitation
– February 13, 2017.
5 The Help Desk is operated by the Single Window Forum with guidance from Subject Experts and CSOs
addressing issues of Pension, Ration, Labour Card, Palanhar Scheme, Domestic Violence and others. Of the
126 cases received between November 2017 and June 2018, the Help Desk successfully resolved 106.
6 The 7 Wards cover 46 settlements under two Zones viz. Moti Dungri Zone- Ward 51, 54, 60 and 62 and Hawa
Mahal Zone – Ward 63, 67 & 68.

FOCUS
Women in Indian Media

Srishti Singh*
M
edia is the sensitive litmus test that responsible to her community and the profession.
represents the dichotomy of tradition Then in 1965, Pratima Puri charmed the audiences
and transformation in society. The to become the ‘First Lady of Indian Television’.
coming of media institutions in India announced In times when women on celluloid were deemed
a culture of revolutionary inclusiveness and its infamous, she overcame the binary of vamp-virgin
further ballooning caused the collapse of representations to be recognised as a professional
conventional pecking orders. Having said that, the newsreader on Doordarshan.
media never disregarded the policy of “I travelled across Delhi on a bicycle, wearing
reproduction and reaffirmation of social a saree, with two huge sling bags across my
inequalities that suited the popular culture. shoulders that held cameras and equipments. I
Perhaps, the internalisation of gender would get strange looks from people on the street,”
discrimination in media flows and media effects discussing her sepia memories with India Today,
was classically convenient to the model of media the first woman photojournalist of India, Homai
capitalism given that women have always been Vyarawalla had consuming anecdotes of covering
sanctioned as the second sex in society. Sonia the World War II for the Indian station of British
Bathla, the author of Women, Democracy and the Information Service. She evolved into an
Media, writes on this phenomena, “The silence uncompromising personality in the mediascape
of the media on women’s issues and the movement because of the enduring realisation that she was
hints at the insignificance attached to women as working in a man’s profession in a man’s world.
citizens and to their participation in the public Regardless of the Vyarawalla example, the Indian
sphere.” media could not receive women war journalists
Praise the lord for the bravery of men who because apparently valour and vulnerability could
never came to the rescue of women in media. Only not coexist in society. Hence, Prabha Dutt had to
when the men in the journalism tribe in their secretly cover the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War since
infinite wisdom decided to misreport and she was not permitted to undertake the assignment
marginalise women, women were stimulated to by her paper. Barkha Dutt in her interview to the
stake claim in the media machinery. In a field Firstpost recalled her mother’s contribution to the
peopled by men in 1942, the relentless activist protestation, that women sought no preferential
Vidya Munshi became the first mainstream woman protection on the frontlines. Prabha Dutt was
journalist in India. The acute awareness of being reserved to report a local flower show in town
a woman is what made her overwhelmingly when she demanded to be assigned to cover the
*Srishti Singh is a student of Journalism at the University of Delhi and

is currently interning with India Foundation.

border conflict. The response from the editor was to further escalate in media organisations where
a categorical ‘No’, so she made her own way to women are denied power positions confirming to
Khem Karan and started sending back dispatches the glass ceiling theory that keeps women from
that her newspaper eventually published. Alas, ascending the editorial hierarchy. This elephant
licensing deprivation of equal opportunities to in the Indian newsrooms significantly influences
people of equivalent skills is still a norm in the the construction of feminine images and
media houses. This tendency is quite noticeable information.
in the unprofessional and unethical practice of The absence of women in policy and
gender based stereotyping of news beats. production stages is painfully, and sometimes
Reading the gender representation in embarrassingly, realised in all media cultures -
newsrooms, Ammu Joseph from the Network of films, television and advertisements that seem to
Women in Media, India (NWMI) observes, “Many be in a stereotype consolidation race. Filmmaker
female journalists still experience slow and limited Bishakha Dutt describes how the narrative in
progress, if not stagnation, in their careers.” In cinema has travelled from femme fatale to women
the fall of 2017 Newslaundry conducted a being dangerously punished for moral
noteworthy research, reviewing the bylines and transgression in the negotiations of the so-called
articles of prominent newspapers, to understand heroine centric films. Shoma Munshi in her book
the gender ratio in the state of reportage. The - Remote Control, explores the eccentric sexist
papers examined were - The Times of India, The imaging on small screen. The soap operas on
Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Telegraph and The Indian television do not sell the embodiment of
Indian Express, the most widely circulated women’s sexuality but rather romanticises an
newspapers in India according to the Audit Bureau obsessive fidelity to family, irrespective of
of Circulations. The numbers revealed that of the reciprocity or exploitation. The advertising
7,372 articles screened in the study only 32 per industry in India has manufactured its own cult of
cent were written by women, which means twice patriarchy, a world where women are doomed with
the number of bylines were attributed to men in the traditional roles of washing clothes and serving
the workforce. The inference drawn from the food. The contemporary bargain to represent a
research appropriately said, “Together the five working woman in the advertisement comes with
papers set the agenda for national discourse and her prepossession to the power of fair and lovely
even as they dissect other establishments on issues skin. The media ecosystem shows no sign of role
of gender equality, our research shows that they reversal or egalitarian power relations, and this
don’t quite pass the test themselves.” gender bias media output is primarily driven by
Correspondingly this statistic discrimination the gender bias media input. The home truth in
conserves momentum through the process of the matter is that women cannot be well
mediamorphosis and is tangible in the livewares represented on reel when they are
of cinema, broadcast and new media. This tends underrepresented in real. Even the liberating

technological domains of new media remain male broader context of patriarchal restrictions on
dominated in the post truth, post human, post women’s autonomy and right to information.
gendered mediums of communication. The new The International Federation of Journalists
media is institutionalised on the models of published a text on women in media in South-Asia
Alternative Journalism and Citizen Journalism, yet - The Stories that Women Journalists Tell. The
even this supposedly participatory media is Indian Roundtable oriented the discourse on how
coloured with the hegemony of men. the media explosion in the country did not impel
India is the second largest market of smart the recruitment of women journalists in smaller
phones and internet consumers but this cities and rural quarters more specifically, because
technological penetration is skewed towards men, of the poor pay and poorer working conditions.
excluding women form the digital progress. “Increasing criminalisation and militarisation also
Reporting on the Gender Digital Divide, Livemint affects women and limits their opportunities.
in the article ‘She is Offline’ demonstrated how Safety and security becomes a major issue and
India accounts for nearly half the digital gender specialised training is needed to help women in
gap worldwide - “The world today has 3.58 billion media.” The participants recommended the
internet users. Roughly 2 billion (56%) are men establishment of stronger networks and support
and 1.57 billion (44%) are women, of that shortfall groups, so that women can encourage and
of 430 million users, 42% comes from India.” An empower each other in the media industry,
evaluation released by the LIRNEasia, Information transcending regional boundaries. In this frame
and Communication Technologies (ICT) think of reference, the Khabar Lahariya model of
tank, published that India has the most meagre journalism is worth mentioning. Khabar Lahariya
number of women online, and the maximum is a pioneering rural news network run by 24
gender gap in mobile phone ownership among 18 women reporters in eight off-the-map districts of
similar countries. According to the study, only 43 North India. The documentary ‘Writing with Fire’
per cent women in India use mobile phones as filmed the revolutionary organisation of Khabar
opposed to 80 per cent men, surpassing the gender Lahariya where women assume absolute
digital divide ratios of Pakistan, Bangladesh, responsibility of running the newspaper by
Rwanda and other countries. With less than one- reporting, editing, designing, publishing, and
third of India’s internet users being females, distributing on their own immunity. Back in 2002
women are endangered to further marginalisation when the first edition was launched from
if they continue to remain digitally unlettered, Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, a woman travelled
more particularly in the backdrop of the country to Allahabad each week to print the newspaper
making a push towards a digital economy. The copies and came back to sell Khabar Lahariya to
impediment in working towards a gender equitable each household in the village. Today the
digital India is the alarm against women using circulation of the newspaper records 3 hundred
mobile phones to access the new media in the thousand copies every month in a variety of rural

dialects and vernacular languages. What makes implementing the laws that deal with sexual
this experiment all the more groundbreaking is harassment at workplace. The South-Asia Media
when women from the tribal and backward Solidarity Network nominated a multi-pronged
communities, women from unschooled and approach to address the concern of sexual
untrained sections, outrival the gender relations, harassment at media organisations by mapping the
caste dynamics, literacy divides to come together incidences and prevalence of predatory
and contribute a feminist voice to the news waves behaviours, execution of existing laws that
of the country. prohibit sexual harassment and setting up an
To engender gender equality in the society, it Internal Complaints Committee to put in place the
is imperative that media promotes and protects redressal mechanisms. For a still greater inclusion
this gender equality in its own backyard. Gender of women, media houses must address to the
equity in media houses is central to any discussion special needs of journalists as parents since the
about a competent representation of women in onus of childcare often falls upon women in the
popular culture. Journalism can essentially country. To support the participation of mothers
practice gender sensitive reporting only when its in media, the organisation can make provisions of
own ecosystem inculcates that sensibility. Hence accommodative working hours, fair allowances in
all journalists, regardless of the gender maternity leaves and availability of child care
determinant, should have the right to certain services to advocate the crèche culture.
fundamental principles in media. The three If as John Stuart Mill suggested, we tend to
elementary entitlements are recruitment subject accept whatever is as natural, this is just as true in
to professional dexterity, equal pay for equal work the realm of media organisations as it is in our
and opportunity for promotion sans social arrangements. The whole purpose of
discrimination. Further the media environment, journalism says, natural assumptions must be
whether public or private, must encourage the interrogated and the mythic constructions must be
participation of women in their workforce by questioned so that the objective truth can live in
committing to the following tenets - training light. It is here when the very position of women
women to operate new technologies, removal of as acknowledged outsiders in the media, the
gender assignment segregation, insurance for maverick ‘she’ instead of the neutral journalist,
women journalists, introduction of anti- defeats the whole purpose of journalism and media
discrimination charters and most significantly in contemporary India.
References:
1. Bathla, Sonia. Women, Democracy and the Media. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 1998.
2. Dasgupta, Sanjukta, Dipankar Sinha, and Sudeshna Chakravarti. Media, Gender and Popular Culture in
India: Tracking Change and Continuity. New Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2012.

3. Deshpande, Anirudh. Class, Power and Consciousness in Indian Cinema and Television. New Delhi: Primus
Books, 2009.
4. Munshi, Shoma. Remote Control: Indian Television in the New Millennium. Penguin 2012.
5. Prasad, Kiran. Women, Globalization and Mass Media. New Delhi: The Women Press, 2006.
6. McQuail, Denis, Philip Schlesinger, and Ellen Wartella. The SAGE Handbook of Media Studies. Thousand
Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2004.
7. Storey, John. Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction. Pearson Education India, 2013.
8. Jones, Amelia. The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader. Routledge Publications, 2003.
9. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/homai-vyarawalla-first-lady-of-the-lens-89729-2012-01-15
10. https://www.firstpost.com/blogs/whatever-i-do-my-mother-did-first-barkha-dutt-268682.html
11. http://www.nwmindia.org/newsmaker/interview-with-ammu-joseph-on-winning-donna-allen-award-for-
feminist-advocacy
12. https://www.newslaundry.com/2018/05/04/women-media-gender-bias-power-indian-newsrooms-male-editors
13. https://www.livemint.com/Opinion/sD6mVqLAEa7cvfJtmdXXuO/She-is-offlineIndias-digital-gender-
divide.html
14. https://samsn.ifj.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Women-in-Media-in-South-Asia-report-final.pdf


SPECIAL ADDRESS
Ushering into an Era of Connectivity and Prosperity

Mohd. Ashraf Ghani*
F
irst I would like to thank PM Modi, my will be intensely examined and in the end instead
friend, the friend of Afghanistan, for his of spending 4 years, will come for two months to
steadfast attention to nurture this historic India and get joint certificates. This is the new
relationship. A billion ties will grow to billions India partnering with new Afghanistan and there
more of hope in common understanding. I would are no limits to understand it. Equally with regard
like to thank the Indian people. The welcome that to industry and commerce and all related aspects,
has been given to Afghans, the billion dollars that we would like India to consider Afghanistan as a
India committed to our country is an indication of platform for the global world. Like the air corridor,
the commitment of every Indian to the future of now to jump to territory, invest in Afghanistan to
Afghanistan. I would also like to thank Indian look towards Central Asia and beyond.
businesses. In Mumbai last week the economic I would like to thank Indian educational
corridor resulted in 120 million dollars in contract institutes. Approximately 15,000 Afghans are
and close to over 400 million dollars in MoUs. studying here, forming deep relationships and
Indian business is very welcome and on Digital friendships that are going to be enduring. Not only
India and Digital Afghanistan, I would like to are our graduates from Indian institutes of higher
thank Dr. Qayoumi, former President of San Jose learning now serving in Afghan cabinet, but they
State University and currently Minister of Finance are working across the board. A young Afghan
of Afghanistan for having created a very special who wrote an MA thesis with 93% originality on
relationship with Indian Institutes of Technology water resources is now Deputy Minister of water
and Indian Institute of Business. and energy in Afghanistan. And ambassador has
One result of what Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad just given me a list of 100 Afghans who have
spoke (offering National Knowledge Network topped in Indian Universities. As soon as I return
(NKN) programme, an initiative that will allow I am going to invite them collectively and appoint
educational institutes in the war-torn country to them to positions across the board.
connect using high-speed internet) is going to be I would also like to thank Indian democratic
at least 1,000 virtual labs for the remotest schools institutions. What India and Afghanistan share is
in Afghanistan. We have turned tech assistance a deep and abiding trust in democratic
by its head by agreeing to virtual courses where institutions and the will of the people. I am here
instead of hundreds, now tens of thousands of because I am the elected leader of Afghanistan
young Afghan men and women will take courses, speaking in the world’s largest democracy and
*This article is a summary of the speech delivered by Mr. Mohd. Ashraf Ghani, Hon’ble President of Afghanistan
at a civic reception hosted in his honour by India Foundation at New Delhi on 19th September 2018.

forging relations between these two democratic region that had both stability and prospects of
nations. Dictatorship has no place in the future of modernity. Unfortunately, the 20th century was
Afghanistan as hopefully will not have violence. extremely cruel to us. We intend to make the 21st
It’s a relationship that is a model of what we want century a century of success for us in the region.
to be in force in the region. Despite the fact that I am 69, I speak for the
Today there are two contending views on the generation that is below 35. And I am proud that
future of Afghanistan. What are these views? The we have the youngest cabinet in the region. I also
first is what our relationship with India illustrates, speak for the women of Afghanistan. We are
that Afghanistan serves as a platform for regional extraordinarily proud of our ministers and
and global cooperation.Toynbee coined a term for ambassadors. But particularly proud of our women
us, he called us a Roundabout, a place where ideas, social activists. Afghan women no longer need
people, goods flow, interact and inform each other. voices of others to represent them. They can speak
Throughout 2000 years, we were roundabout. The for themselves. And they speak clearly with
contrasting term he developed for our present was compassion and conviction. And I salute the
Cul-de-sac, where things get stuck, where walls Afghan women for their extraordinary courage and
are built and where exclusion is practiced. determination. The Afghan women cannot be put
Afghanistan firmly believes in becoming the in a cage again. No one can do that. They are very
roundabout. Because of the contending view there similar to their Indian sisters.
is a war waged against us, making Afghanistan a What’s the nature of the war that is being
stage for regional and global instability. practiced on us? It is an unrestricted war. What
Let us understand what is at stake. Afghanistan does it mean to be subjected to an unrestricted
by networks of violence, transnational terrorists war? For thousands of years of wars against
and criminal networks, the only thing that is conventions, this war is against beliefs, against
offered to us is blood, destruction and more the religious institutions, this war is against both
destruction. We need to understand what is at stake secular and religious spaces. It is a multi-
today in Afghanistan. What is at stake is the dimensional war. It’s not a war that is just fought
stability of the region in the world. To deliver and in the battlefield. It is a political fight, a war of
realise on the wishes and aspirations of our people, intelligence, a war of political destruction. Most
the government of national unity is working fundamentally, it is not just a war against the state
relentlessly to ensure that we become an Asian or the political system. It is now a war against our
roundabout and a platform for cooperation. Next society. In the past week, the 20th attack on West
year is going to be the 40th anniversary of the Kabul by terrorist group took place. Particularly
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and also the 100th on Afghan men and women who ethnically call
anniversary of our independence. When we gained themselves Hazaras, a lot of whom profess to be
our independence we were the only country in the Shia Muslims were subjected to these attacks. This

is a war against our national unity and our religious are literally fighting for the next five generations.
freedom and religious accord. We will not tolerate Because of what is at stake, it needs to be
it, we will not allow it, we will contain it and we understood that our extraordinary resilience is not
will defeat it. Afghanistan’s national unity is weak. When Afghans as a nation make up their
enshrined in our constitution. minds they are headstrong and they can do the
We ask for an international commission of impossible. The enemies of peace ought to know
civil society, security sector experts from the world that this is not a nation which will surrender, accept
to investigate this crime that we consider a crime defeat or act with cowardliness.
against humanity. And I hope the world would The region is at a crossroad. South Asia is the
respond. We ask for a civil society commission least economically explored region of the world.
because the international bodies are bound by We need to overcome the past to create a different
other sets of rules. And the international civil future. This was not our past. South Asia for
society must be heard to know what is happening thousands of years was a region of connectivity.
and how to contain it. Now when you look from the plain side, or from
The question that is on everyone’s minds, the side of the ocean, you do not see how
given the news headlines is the state of Afghanistan and India have been joined. But there
Afghanistan’s risk of collapse. Categorically no. is a distinguished British surveyor who wrote a
Why? Because we have the forces, the resources, book called the Gates of India. And when you look
and the public will not allow a collapse. We are over land, you see why 3,000 to 5,000 years of
fighting for survival and we are fighting for the history join us together. This place that we call
future but we are not at the risk of collapse. And India and Afghanistan has been a place of network.
just let me give you one illustration of this. We A place where pilgrims, traders, Sufis, Jogis all
have a 40,000 strong commando and Special sorts of people, and of course some armies have
Forces. They can reach any place in Afghanistan moved forward and interacted. The rich fabric of
within 12 hours. State collapse is not an the past has been a fabric of networks and
alternative. The main reason that the war has activities. In the 16th century trade had nurtured.
become unrespected is that they have not been able The Bills of exchange from far parts of Bengal
to defeat Afghan security and defense forces. and higher above were accepted not only in Kabul
But the cost we are bearing is incredible. but also in Bukhara and in Baghdad. A lot of our
Civilian and security casualty and other casualties past is being renewed. A stable Afghanistan will
of the opponents. What is at stake for us? Centrally allow uplifting from poverty to prosperity, from
the lives of our future generations. We are not disconnectivity to connectivity, and shared
fighting just for the current generation. We are understanding. This is what Afghanistan and India
fighting for those 15,000 Afghans whose families are practicing. This is where our common vision
come from the remotest parts of Afghanistan. We unites us. God forbid if the networks of violence

take over it would be robbing the region from the women even took over 5 terrorists in engagement.
generation of connectivity and mutual prosperity The most important thing we learnt from the
and growth. ceasefire is that Afghan as a nation is willing to
Over 1,00,000 international troops have left forego the past in order to gain the future. Peace
our land. I had the honor of leading the security must be an Afghan-inclusive peace and not a
transition. Today Afghan has demonstrated that partial peace. Why is peace with Taliban
we can defend ourselves, we can die for our important? Because if we arrive at peace with
nations, and we are willing to fight for it. The fight Taliban we can concentrate on counter-terrorism
is no longer of that of the state, the war is no longer in earnest. No matter how long the conflict has
that of the international community. The Afghan gone on for and how much blood has been spilt,
people have now become the key stakeholders in Taliban are a part of Afghan society. So we need
this conflict. They are not fence sitting and they to devise a system to separate what is internal from
actively articulate. And because of this Afghan what is regional and global. The consequence of
peace is our most significant national priority and this will enable us to embark on the real task that
part of the consensus. Afghan society demands. It is the empowerment
A recent survey carried out by a very of the poor. 40% of Afghans live below poverty.
distinguished institute of civil society said that And the growth that Afghanistan witnesses today
93% of Afghans desire peace. Surveys are one is homegrown. Where India again becomes
thing and behaviors are another. Why do we important is in the growth of our economy. In that
believe that internal Afghan peace is possible? A regard what happened in Mumbai and what we
very simple controlled experiment - We declared have been offered today will enable us to truly
the ceasefire, we declared it because 2,907 clerics develop the underdeveloped resources of
of Afghanistan convened and issued a united Afghanistan. That is where every Afghan is a
Fatwa and asked me to declare a ceasefire. And stakeholder in the society and the economy. The
within four days I acted on their request which consequence will be that every Afghan will
was accepted by the Taliban. What did we learn? become a stakeholder in regional peace,
The week before 1,000 Afghans from both sides cooperation and global security and prosperity. I
had died in the country. Over 30,000 Taliban came thank the Indian people and the Indian government
to the cities. Were they greeted with hatred? Were for embracing Afghanistan in a mutual vision of
they lynched? Were they shot at? No. You saw the future where reinforcing actions will create a
scenes on global television of Afghans joining in virtuous circle against a vicious circle that for the
the celebration and accepting each other. Afghan past 40 years has prevailed. Jai India, Jai Afghanistan.


REPORT
FOCUS
Conference on Smart Border Management 2018

Ankit Gupta
F
or ages, larger stretch of Indian land was natures, formats and from various sources.
known to be safeguarded by natural barriers Artificial intelligence coupled with Big data
like sea & mountains, and threats from analysis act as the critical differentiator by
neighbouring countries were more conventional enabling border agencies to make every interaction
and therefore predictable. In last two decades, simple and smart. Machine learning techniques
geopolitical environment of the world has taken help border guarding forces and CAPFs to train
a major shift and emerging economies like India robots & unmanned systems for enhancing their
have started facing new set of challenges from capability of taking appropriate decisions in varied
across borders and near border areas within its situations for their deployment in the remotest
own territories which is often induced by external areas, difficult terrains, areas with harsh climatic
forces. Border guarding forces have been facing conditions and threat prone/ Naxalite-affected
increased pressure of safeguarding Indian land & parts of the country.
nullifying potential threats in addition to ensuring FICCI & India Foundation jointly organised
safe & smooth trade, movement of individuals, third edition of ‘Smart Border Management’ with
development of border areas, welfare of border an objective to explore possible ways to address
communities etc. contemporary border management issues with help
Meeting these diversified expectations of new age solutions. The two-day conference was
demands decision making based on massive organised on September 17-18, 2018 at FICCI,
amount of information coming in all possible New Delhi.

The programme was inaugurated by General FICCI has been advocating for the
V. K. Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, implementation of technology and solutions for
Govt. of India who underlined the need for user- Smart Border Management and it is noteworthy
oriented technological solutions for securing the that the Smart Border Management conference
country’s borders. Close interface of the coincided with the launch of two pilot projects in
manufacturers of border surveillance systems with Jammu by Mr. Rajnath Singh, Union Home
the users was critical to enable border security Minister, Govt. of India under the Comprehensive
forces to identify, delay and disrupt infiltration, Integrated Border Management Solution
he added. (CIBMS). Each project covers 5.5 kms-border
Gen. Singh said that in view of the uniqueness stretches. The two stretches along the international
of India’s borders in terms of the variety of terrain border in Jammu will have a first-of-a-kind, high-
and climatic differences, it was imperative to have tech surveillance system that will create an
in place systems that required minimal invisible electronic barrier on land, water, air and
maintenance and were easy to handle. In addition, even underground, helping the BSF to detect and
technology should have reliable and robust alarm foil infiltration bids in the most difficult of terrains.
systems to reduce the response time for counter- Necessity of appropriate technological solutions
measures, he emphasised. In this context, he and strategies were extensively discussed at FICCI
suggested that user core groups need to be platform at the previous editions of Border
constituted to interact with manufacturers of Management programmes.
border management technological systems to build Chief Guest for the Valedictory session
customised solutions. Mr. Ram Madhav, National General Secretary of

the Bharatiya Janata Party said that Industry must state and local government entities - a single layer
adopt ‘Ocean-centric’ approach, tap cross-border that can link a comprehensive set of data from
opportunities in less security-breach prone areas. multiple data sources into a single dashboard in
He urged the business community to leverage the real time. In other words, to successfully analyse
myriad cross-border opportunities that were vast amounts of granular data, this data
available in areas where security was not a major infrastructure must be able to: process large
issue. volumes of data quickly; handle the huge variety
In his valedictory address Mr. Madhav said of structured and unstructured data and manage
that the Indian Ocean region was a 2 billion-strong the velocity of data, which is increasing rapidly.
market and advised businesses to look at North- The report suggests possible applications for
East India not just as a gateway to trading with big data and predictive analysis in areas such as:
the country’s eastern neighbours but to make the a) Signal Intelligence, cyber intelligence and
region as a manufacturing hub for doing business intelligence from social media platforms
with the littoral states. He said that people living can be integrated with operational and
on the borders were important security agents and tactical platforms/sensors thus providing
called for their inclusion in any strategy to secure actionable intelligence to troops on ground
the country from infiltration. They have to be and value inputs to decision makers to
provided with electricity, roads, means of timely deploy resources and take corrective
communication and this aspect has to be integrated actions.
in overall border management, he added. b) Better management of land borders and
Inaugural ceremony of the programme also maritime security can be achieved by
witnessed release of FICCI-BDO Report on ‘Smart having terrain/traffic/asset analytical layer
Border Management’. A report on smart border on digital/raster maps. This can act as a
management prepared by FICCI-BDO was useful tool in formulating plans.
released during the inaugural session. The report c) Analytics can revolutionise the supply
noted that the vast amount of data collected by chain management system by creating
security forces could be made more insightful diagnostic tools for fleet / equipment
through the use of big-data analytics. This could management, ammunition management
be used for logistics, manpower, intelligence, and (manufacturing - storage - replenishment)
a host of other critical security concerns. Seamless and inventory management.
integration of strategic intelligence with d) Cognitive analytics with behaviour
operational and tactical Intelligence across prediction is an essential tool for the
defence services and other agencies is needed and decision makers in the defence forces.
this can be made feasible using Big Data analytics. The report provides use cases of big data and
Agencies need a data integration layer, that predictive analytics and the way forward for smart
can connect all the disparate databases residing border management covering areas of coastal
across the agency, department or other central, security management, land border security

management, enhancing communication and Major General Dhruv C. Katoch, Director,
surveillance systems for mobilising forces, India Foundation, underscored the importance of
customs administration and management. It taking on board the concerns of those living in
highlights the areas of intervention and key and around the borders and suggested that
challenges faced and possible solutions along with sarpanches of border villages should be co-opted
expected outcomes and potential benefits. as members of border management groups.
Cdr. Gautam Nanda, Associate Partner, BDO Mr. Sandip Somany, President-Elect, FICCI,
India, said that big data technology and services said that there was tremendous scope for big data
provided the decision-makers with powerful and predictive analytics for coastal security
information. The market for such technology and management. He suggested the need to explore
services was estimated to grow at a CAGR of 22% data-driven intelligent systems to harness R&D
from 2015 to 2020 and reach $58.9 billion in 2020. potential at public-funded R&D labs and transfer
Mr. Rahul Chaudhry, Chair, FICCI Homeland of technology with industry partners. Innovation
Security Committee, stressed the need for looking and technology infrastructure could be utilised to
at technology of today and the future needs in order enhance border management services such as
to meet the country’s requirements. Border predicting immigrants’ risk profiles through data
management, he said, was multi-dimensional and analysis for immigration fraud control, automation
highlighted the critical role of big data and and robotic cargo handling.
predictive analytics in tackling border infiltration. He stressed the need for enhancing

communication and surveillance systems at border Lt. Gen. Shokin Chauhan, AVSM, YSM, SM,
areas. Better technologies and means must be VSM, Chairman, Ceasefire Monitoring Group
employed to encrypt data during communication delivered a Special Address in the session.
from command centre to border posts and vice Sarpanches (majority of them were women) from
versa. Industry, he said, would be happy to partner key border areas like Falkawan, Mizoram (Indo-
with the government in exploring possible Myanmar & Indo-Bangladesh Border), Doklam,
solutions to address these challenges. Sikkim (Indo-China & Indo-Bhutan Border),
Six plenary sessions on different aspects of Bhachau, Gujarat (Indo-Pakistan Border), Khatan,
border management were organised during the Rajasthan (Indo-Pakistan Border), Manipur (Indo-
stretch of two days. In addition to the technical Myanmar Border), and Bhuj, Gujarat (Indo-
deliberations, a unique session, “Significance & Pakistan Border) participated in the session,
Aspirations of Public Participation in Border shared their perspectives and placed their concerns
Security” was organised to understand perspective on record.
of people living near border who could serve as a Another important session, “Interactive
force multiplier in border management. Session with Senior Officials of Border Defence
& Border Guarding Forces” was Chaired by Maj.
Session on “Significance & Gen. Dhruv C. Katoch, SM, VSM, Director, India
Aspirations of Public Participation in Foundation. Heads of border guarding forces, Lt.
Border Security” Gen. Shokin Chauhan, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM,
The session was Chaired by Ms. Lalitha Chairman, Ceasefire Monitoring Group; Lt. Gen.
Kumaramangalam, Director, India Foundation and Sukhdeep Sangwan, SM, Director General, Assam

Rifles; Mr. R.K. Pachnanda, IPS, Director Security”, Chaired by Lt. Gen. S. A. Hasnain,
General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police; and Dr. N. PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM & Bar, Former
C. Asthana, IPS, Additional Director General, General Officer Commanding 15 Corps.
Border Security Force had a discussion on Session, “Application of ‘Unmanned Systems’
diversified challenges faced by forces on for Border Security and Intelligence Gathering”
difference border areas and how India as one was aimed at understanding the problems posed
nation could manage to establish a sync among by various types of borders and to delineate
difference kind of technologies and equipment to realistic unmanned systems to tackle such specific
satisfy varied border requirements. problems; and was Chaired by Mr. M. V. K. V.
Threats and challenges pertaining to Indian
Prasad, Director, Aeronautical Development
coasts were discussed during session,
Establishment (ADE), DRDO, Ministry of
“Surveillance of Indian Coast – Way Ahead” which
Defence, Govt. of India.
was Chaired by Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha,
Session on “Big Data and Predictive Analytics
PVSM, AVSM, NM & Bar. Special Address was
for Smart Border Security” was Chaired by Lt.
delivered by Lt. Gen. A. K. Singh, PVSM, AVSM,
Gen. Davinder Kumar, PVSM, VSM Bar, ADC,
SM, VSM, Former C-in-C Southern Command and
Former Lt. Governor, Andaman & Nicobar Distinguished Fellow, Vivekananda International
Islands. Distinguished Panellists of the session Foundation & Former Signal Officer
include DIG, Kailash Negi, Principal Director Commanding-in-Chief, Indian Army. The session
(Ops.), Indian Coast Guard; Cmdre. Anil Jai Singh, was aimed at highlighting advancements in
Vice President, Indian Maritime Foundation and technology and solutions for predictive analytics
Cmde. Abhay Singh, Research Fellow, Military for strengthening border security and finding
Affairs Centre, Institute for Defence Studies and solutions for the challenges faced by the Border
Analyses (IDSA). Guarding Forces.
Three technology-focused sessions were SBM 2018 witnessed participation of over 400
organised at SBM 2018. Advancements in delegates including experts from Government,
technology and solutions for perimeter security Border Guarding Forces, Indian Defence Forces,
for land and coastal borders were discussed in State Police, Industry, Think Tanks as well as
session “Technologies & Solutions for Perimeter Border Communities.


REPORT
FOCUS
Indian Ocean Conference 2018

Deeksha Goel
PRE-CONFERENCE SYMPOSIUM - I
T
he third edition of the Indian Ocean
Conference was hosted by India The first pre-conference symposium on
Foundation in association with the Security Architecture was chaired by Mr. Brahma
Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, the S. Chellaney, Author, India. The speakers were Prof
Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Wang Dong from Peking University, China; Dr
Singapore and the Bangladesh Institute of Tan See Seng, Deputy Director, Institute of
International and Strategic Studies on August 27- Defence and Strategic Studies, S. Rajaratnam
28, 2018 in Hanoi. The theme for the Conference School of International Studies, Singapore; Amb
was “Building Regional Architectures” and Munshi Faiz Ahmed, Chairman, Bangladesh
discussions focused on the region’s security Institute of International and Strategic Studies; Dr
architecture, governance architecture and on Seyed Hossein Rezvani, Former Ambassador and
maintaining peace and tranquility in the Indo- fellow researcher at IPIS, Ministry of Foreign
Pacific. The Conference was attended by over 300 Affairs, Iran and Dr. Le Dinh Tinh, Deputy
delegates from 44 countries of the region and was Director General, Bien Dong Maritime Institute,
addressed by 41 speakers from 25 countries. The Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.
The first day of the Conference started with While providing different perspectives on the
two parallel pre-conference symposia on subject matter, the panelists shared the common
discussing the fundamentals of the Security and view of international law and exclusiveness being
Governance Architecture of the region along with the basis of a stable regional security architecture,
the way forward. in which ASEAN plays a central role.

Prof Wang Dong asserted that there is an He said that to build regional collective thinking
absence of a region-wide security architecture and in dealing with those issues, there must be greater
ASEAN-based architecture is one of the most and more constructive engagements based on
mature and successful effort at the sub-regional mutual interest and respect. He highlighted the role
level. However, it has not been able to mitigate of the Indian Ocean Conference as the first
power rivalry in the region. He proposed that a generation momentum of regional discussion.
comprehensive and sustainable security Dr Le Dinh Tinh opined that the Indo-Asia-
architecture must (i) be inclusive; (ii) hold the Pacific can build a lasting security architecture
principle of mutual respect; (iii) be equal for all that benefits all existing ASEAN-led institutions.
and not dominated by one hegemony; and (iv) He underlined that ASEAN is doing good at
accommodate different cultures. providing platforms/good offices for confidence
Dr Tan, in his address, mentioned that the building measures (CBMs), preventive diplomacy,
regional architecture needs change, as there is problem-solving, and conflict management among
unambiguity within the same. He also explained others. He also underlined the common grounds
that the regional architecture has a divided that ASEAN and other big powers and middle
ideology. On the one hand, there are people who powers share including enhancing regional peace,
believe that European Union is the “Golden stability and prosperity, maintaining the rule-based
Standard” for regional architecture with specific order, and upholding the principle of peaceful
focus on “Institutional Singularity” while on the dispute settlement.
other hand there are people who focus on the
uniqueness of Asia in specific and its PRE-CONFERENCE SYMPOSIUM - II
institutionalised experience, keeping in mind the The second symposia on Governance
importance of institutional balancing. Dr Tan Architecture was chaired by Mr. Baijayant ‘Jay’
highlighted the idea of improvement in Security Panda, Former Member of Parliament, India. The
Architecture keeping in mind “Efficiency” and speakers were Ambassador Nguyen Duy Hung,
“Effectiveness” as well. Former Director of ASEAN Department, MOFA,
As a measure to address the security threats, Vietnam; Dr Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Chairman
Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmed suggested that and Chief Executive, Institute of Strategic &
regionally, countries must focus on coexistence International Studies, Malaysia; Mr Prasenjit
and cooperation, information sharing, Basu, Author, India; Mr. Gareth Bayley, Director,
harmonisation of laws and regulations, joint South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate, Foreign
patrolling in certain areas, and sharing technology Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom and Ms
and capacity building. Nisha Biswal, President, US-India Business
Dr Seyed Hossein Rezvani stressed on the Council and Former Assistant Secretary of State
traditional and non-traditional security threats for South and Central Asian Affairs, USA.
facing the region including terrorism, extremism, Discussions in this session were focused on
transnational crime, climate change, pollution, etc. the significant amount of challenges being faced

by the region and also the numerous opportunities and non-traditional security issues, terrorism, arm
that lie ahead. There was also agreement amongst race and (iii) is the centre of strategic rivalry.
the speakers on the difficulty in building a Speaking of ASEAN, he complimented the way
common governance architecture for the Indo- in which ASEAN has strengthened the regional
Pacific but if done, the scale of opportunities and order.
advantages for sustainable development, stability In his remarks, Dr Isa, said that globalisation
and prosperity in the region would be enormous. poses a lot of challenges and opportunities to the
Chairing the session, Mr Panda set the tone world in general and the region in particular.
of the session by calling the Indo-Pacific as one Therefore, the region is now in need of a solid
of the most diverse regions of the world. While structure to define the rules and commitments, and
there are many differences, the regional countries involve all concerned stakeholders. Dr Isa
also have converging interests. These interests, complimented EU for setting an example of an
along with a new governance architecture can help advanced governance architecture. Besides, he
the countries in enhancing intra-regional accepted ASEAN is also as a successful structure
engagements on a people-to-people basis and which has played an important role in promoting
bridge the cultural gap that exists. This in turn regional stability and has achieved notable
will also bring in more prosperity in the region at milestones. He also delved on the challenges being
large. faced by ASEAN, such as commitment amongst
Ambassador Nguyen Duy Hung asserted that the members and partners; the willingness to
Indo-Pacific, as one of the most important and contribute to the region from state members,
dynamic regions, is now: (i) heavily affected by building and maintaining confidence among state
the global changes; (ii) facing multiple challenges members, the willingness to engage from other
and complexities coming from many sources: big stake holders and strong commitment to build a
power competitions, hot spots (SCS), traditional unique community.

Mr Prasenjit Basuwas was of the view that importance of the region whose waters carry 9.8
the most challenging factor in building a regional billion tons of goods; 80% sea born trade, and
architecture is the ability of the region to deal with 90,000 vessels. Therefore, it is necessary to create
China. He posited that China’s policy, like the a mechanism to ensure security and investment in
nine-dash line, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), maritime capacity building. She reaffirmed that
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) etc, in the absence of an institutionalised mechanism
are more of challenges than opportunities to the for the regional economy and the US’s withdrawal
region and the way China’s economy is run and from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a multi-
governed pose great threat to the region. stakeholder architecture is needed for robust
Against the backdrop of growing global trade, regional governance. Ms Biswal also posed the
Mr Gareth Bayley reiterated UK’s commitment question of what future of governance architecture
towards maritime security, including maintaining will look like and how regional countries can
the ships operating at sea. Mr. Bayley also support trade and trade arrangements that create
proposed a range of principles for regional win-win solutions in the context of economic ties.
architecture, including responsible global actor;
global public goods flow; transparency; the Hague SPECIAL SESSION
legal process; respect for United Nations The special session on maintaining trade and
Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as tranquility in Indo-Pacific was chaired by Mr
the fundamental principle for activities at sea and Ashok Kantha, Director, Institute of Chinese
Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) as Studies, India. The speakers were Ms Kay Thi
a symbol of open and non-exclusive access. Soe, Director General, Strategic Studies and
Ms Nisha Biswal re-emphasised the Training Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Myanmar; Mr Em Sovannara, Director, milieu. In order to address various regional/
Department of Political & Security Relations, international challenges, all states should engage
International Relations Institute, Royal Academy in negotiations and reach out to share the
of Cambodia; Mr Ali Hussain Didi, Former High advantages with equity and strive to work towards
Commissioner, Maldives; Mr Abdullah Salem common interest by using existing international
Hammad Al Harthy, Chief of Economic and mechanisms.
Dialogue Groups Department, Ministry of Foreign Mr Ali Hussain Didi warned of the growing
Affairs, Oman and Professor Pham Quang Minh, trend of populism and protectionism in global and
Rector, University of Social Sciences and regional politics. Admitting that politics and trade
Humanities, National University of Vietnam. are progressing at a much different level, in which
The speakers of the session stressed on the the latter is progressing much faster, he said that
importance of the Indo-Pacific region to the world governments and legislative systems should be re-
economy, highlighting that this region contributes calibrated in a suitable way to bring together not
to upto 68% of the world trade. There was also only the governments but also the people of the
consensus on the need to maintain stability and region.
security, investing in infrastructure, strategy for Mr Abdullah Salem Hammad Al Harthy
sustainable economic development and bolstering reiterated the guiding principles of Oman’s foreign
regional cooperation. policy, namely preserving peace, coexistence, non-
Ms Kay Thi Soe spoke on the importance of interference, and peaceful settlement of disputes.
the Indian Ocean in general and the significance He stated that for collective interests of the region,
of the maritime trade route to Myanmar in those countries with higher level of development
particular. In order to utilise the advantages that should be active in helping other countries in
the Indian Ocean brings to Myanmar and develop specific programs such as mitigating impacts of
a sustainable economy for the country, Myanmar natural disasters and creating tax-free zones to
has invested in infrastructure for marine enhance economic cooperation.
development as well as worked out a strategy for Professor Pham Quang Minh, Rector, National
blue economy. She expressed her belief in stability University of Vietnam did an in-depth analysis of
and security leading to development, if countries Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy of the US
in the region enhanced their engagements in and the role of India, stating that the work-in-
security dialogues, became more active in trade progress strategy is a huge opportunity on the one
and security cooperation and developed policies side, but also a major challenge on the other side.
inclusive of the sensitivities of all the stakeholders He embraced the idea that in terms of strategy,
of the region. maritime freedom is considered as central to
Mr Em Sovannara argued that to maintain regional security. Recognising that India has a vital
trade and tranquility in Indo-Pacific, it is necessary position in the regional strategy of the Indo-Pacific
to maintain global stability, security, environment he opined that India should also increase its
and capacity building within the global cultural engagement with the South East Asian nations.

INAUGURAL SESSION Government of India’s commitment to the vision
The Inaugural session of the Conference was of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the
addressed by H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Region).
Minister of Sri Lanka; H.E. Pham Binh Minh, In his address, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign highlighted the importance of maritime advantages
Affairs of Vietnam; H.E. Upendra Yadav, Deputy which can never be surpassed and also the
Prime Minister and Minister for Health and challenges posed by the arena. He spoke of inter-
Population of Nepal; H.E. Sushma Swaraj, dependence as the key to maintaining peace and
External Affairs Minister of India and H.E. Dr prosperity in the region, with no country trying to
Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs dominate the other. He also spoke on the
of Singapore. Ms Preeti Saran, Secretary (East), significance of free trade and the need to use
Ministry of External Affairs, India delivered the available opportunity to facilitate trade.
Welcome Remarks of the 2-day Conference. The Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, Shri
Addressing the Conference, External Affairs Upendra Yadav spoke of the complexities of the
Minister of India Smt Sushma Swaraj, stated that Indian Ocean Region with its challenges of illegal
nurturing peace and stability in this region is of activities, pollution in the ocean and natural
prime importance and highlighted the role of disasters. He reiterated Nepal’s commitment to
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for that build its capacity to be able to combat these
purpose. She spoke of the challenges being faced challenges and cooperate with other countries and
by the region and the need to build regional stake holders to prioritise sustainable
partnerships to tackle the same. She also spoke of development. He spoke of the role of common
the centrality of ASEAN’s role in the region’s goals of promoting peace, trade and open
maritime architectural development and architecture in the progress of the region.

In his remarks, H.E. Pham Binh Minh praised fragility that the world is experiencing, the trade
the age old civilisational connect of the Indo- tensions amongst economic giants that are posing
Pacific which is being strengthened by greater significant threats to global trade, the growing
interactions. He spoke of the invigorated military built up across the globe which is now
enthusiasm amongst the stake holders of the region spilling in the ocean space, the geopolitical rise
who are now emerging and showing interest in of Asia (both political and economic) and lastly,
the Indo-Pacific region. He termed the envisioning the rise of multi-layered regionalism.
of a viable regional architecture as one of the Calling the times to be transformational, he
challenges being faced by the leadership of the called upon all the stake holders to make the most
region and reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment of of the unique opportunity to create a fair, equitable,
taking initiatives for working towards realising the and prosperous world that leave no one behind.
dream of a regional architecture and maintaining
peace in the region. DAY 2: MINISTERS’ PANEL - I
Delivering the Inaugural Address of the 3rd The second day of the Conference began with
edition of the Indian Ocean Conference, Shri Ranil a panel of Ministers from Sri Lanka, Mauritius,
Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Bangladesh and UAE discussing the idea of
highlighted the fact that for many decades, there Building Regional Architectures for the Indian
has been resistance to any single power Ocean Region.
dominating the region. The region has historically Taking the stage, H.E Sagala Ratnayaka,
been a melting point of civilisations, cultures and Minister of Youth Affairs, Project Management
religions, successfully keeping its multipolar and Southern Development of Sri Lanka claimed
character intact. Talking of the region’s that Indian Ocean has strategically been the most
significance to the 21st century, he called Indian important sea lane since the end of the Cold War.
Ocean, the Ocean of Future. The multifaceted opportunities require multi-
Enlisting five global trends that will define layered regional architecture and challenges like
the new world order, the Prime Minister spoke of tackling maritime crimes and climate change

require cooperation from all states of the region. further on Bangladesh’s agenda of development,
Talking about Sri Lanka’s efforts towards H.E. Kamal spoke of the need to discover ways to
enhancing its geopolitical location, he spoke of develop a regional architecture which will be
the efforts being made by the Government of Sri inclusive of dialogues and partnerships between
Lanka in cooperating with other countries by way all the countries. He also spoke of evolving the
of implementing economic reforms and promoting prospects of global trade keeping in mind the
industries. He posited that a safe, productive and objectives of free trade and navigation.
resilient Indian Ocean is central to define the H.E Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi,
future of the world. Minister of the Climate Change and Environment
H.E Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister of of UAE, in his address stated that the Indian Ocean
Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and is of unparalleled importance and has a critical
International Trade of Mauritius highlighted the role to play in the years to come as the provider of
need for open regionalism, win-win situations and not just food and trading goods, but also of
the core objective of peace, prosperity and security knowledge sharing and cultural development.
in the Indian Ocean. He addressed the imperatives Terming the Indian Ocean to be the provider of
of the changing global geo-political, geo-strategic Global Economic Growth, he called upon all the
and geo-economic landscapes and enhanced countries of the region to work hand in hand for
regional initiatives. shared prosperity in the region. He specifically
H.E. AHM Mustafa Kamal, Minister for mentioned that there has and shall be a
Planning of Bangladesh focused his address on considerable increase in Asia’s Exports from 17%
the development of the region at large. He spoke to 28% in 2030. He also spoke of issues like
of greater and deeper cooperation between the climate change and the importance of marine
countries of the region and other stake holders to resources and the sustainable management of the
ensure upliftment of the masses. Elaborating same for environment and economical purposes.

MINISTERS’ PANEL - II H.E. Kazuyuki Nakane, State Minister for
The second panel of the day had Foreign Affairs of Japan spoke of the importance
representatives from USA, South Africa, Japan, of a rule-based and inclusive Indo-Pacific region
South Korea, and Papua New Guinea. The in bringing prosperity to all countries. He
panelists spoke of peace, stability and prosperity reiterated Japan’s commitment of opposition to
in the region and the need to join forces for domain all such activities that affect the status quo of the
security to counter maritime threats, mitigate the region and called upon the countries to resolve
effects of disasters and enhance trade based their disputes by peaceful means. He asserted that
cooperation based on academic and technical data Japan will help other countries to improve their
for regional cooperation. laws and maritime enforcement capacity,
H.E. Alice Wells, Principal Deputy Assistant contributing to sustaining and strengthening free and
Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian open order based on the rule of law in order to fulfil
Affairs, US Department of State, USA spoke of enormous infrastructure needs in the region and
the necessity to build an architecture backed by strengthen connectivity between countries.
strong actions and not just dialogues. She made a H.E. Cho Byung Jae, Chancellor, Korea
mention of expansion of economical engagement National Diplomatic Academy of South Korea
as per infrastructure needs and the need to improve expressed South Korea’s openness towards
inter connectivity for betterment of the region. various initiatives and readiness to join forces to
Also, there should be a broad and deep cooperation enhance strategic and physical connectivity for the
for geopolitical, transnational and environmental region’s peace and stability. He enlisted certain
threats. She laid great emphasis on the importance principles to enhance the existing regional
and necessity for free and open air and sea lanes architecture and asked for it to be more open,
of communication, while remaining within the reasonable and transparent. He spoke of peaceful
ambit of a rules based international order, which dispute resolution, for mutually beneficial
would give prosperity to the region as a whole. cooperation and for the need to build new
H.E. Luwellyn Landers, Deputy Minister of architectures based on already existing
International Relations of South Africa stressed institutions.
that the region needs an effective security H.E. William Samb, Minister Assisting the
architecture in order to tackle new security Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea started his
challenges. He referred to IORA as an active and speech by talking of globalisation and the growing
effective institution for its member states to inter-dependence amongst the countries. He then
cooperate for the region’s prosperity and spoke of peace, stability and prosperity in IOR by
development. In its chairmanship, South Africa necessitating the importance of architecture for
will pay attention to maritime security — the achieving the common object of security and
determining factor of the sustainable development maintaining peace. The minister also said that
— and promote cooperation with other countries there needs to be a discussion in order to find
from both inside and outside of the region. reasonable safeguards for our nation and people.

The current need of a mechanism and apparatus and other marine resources. He also highlighted
in place for improvement of the region as a whole the role of smaller countries in the establishment
is important. and operation process of multilateral mechanisms
of international law.
OFFICIALS’ PANEL - I H.E. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa,
The third session of the day was addressed by stressed that the challenges to the Indo-Pacific
Lordship Kriangsak Kittichaisaree, Judge, ITLOS; region in general, and the Arabian Gulf region in
H.E. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, particular, include the rise of terrorists and militias,
Undersecretary for International Affairs, Ministry spread of violence, foreign powers interference
of Foreign Affairs; Chairman of DERASAT, in internal affairs as well as other economic and
Bahrain; H.E. U Myint Thu, Permanent Secretary, social problems. He posited that cooperative
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar; H.E. Yi relations are the basis for addressing those
Xianliang, Director General, Department of challenges and we should use international forums
Boundary and Ocean Affairs, Ministry of Foreign as a starting point for widening and deepening our
Affairs, China; and H.E. Ms Pornpimol relations.
Kanchanalak, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign H.E. U Myint Thu, emphasised that Indian
Affairs, Thailand. Ocean is vital for regional peace and stability, and
Lordship Kittichaisaree reasserted the Indian Ocean Rim states should foster constructive
relevance of UNCLOS and its mechanisms to dialogues and strengthen mutual trust. He opined
settle disputes and manage peace in the Indo- that despite many initiatives available in the region
Pacific region. He illustrated this point by like BRI, IPS or SAGAR, ASEAN must maintain
providing typical cases in maritime border its proactive role in shaping geopolitical landscape
delimitation and even disputes regarding fishery in the region. He also underlined the role of

Myanmar as the strategic bridge linking South crimes. There are three choke points through
Asia and South East Asia. which commercial ships must transit in the Indian
H.E. Yi Xianliang, spoke of the far-reaching Ocean region: Ban-el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz
and beneficial impacts of China’s BRI to countries and the Malacca Straits, which are all susceptible
in the region after five years of implementation. to maritime crimes such as piracy; weapons and
Regarding the basis for the India Ocean region’s drug trafficking which fuel terrorism and
architecture, he termed political trust and humanitarian crises like mass migration and
inclusiveness to be the two most important elements. people smuggling. He affirmed that “problems on
H.E. Ms Pornpimol Kanchanalak, was of the sea must be resolved by people on land,”
view that connectivity is the most important specifically calling for the cooperation of like-
feature today. She proposed the initiative of minded states in building a sustainable regional
highways connecting countries in the region: architecture in order to provide security and
starting from India, going through Myanmar and stability in the maritime environment.
then Thailand, Cambodia and ending in Vietnam. Mr Boupha stated Laos’ opinions on regional
She also stressed on the role of private sector in and global security, and economic and cultural
infrastructure projects. She emphasised, “Peace challenges. He welcomed the importance of trade,
and prosperity go hand in hand. Peace without commerce and governance to the Indian Ocean
prosperity is not sustainable. War and conflict is archipelago and stressed on the role being played
a zero sum game in which there are no winners, by the waters of the ocean in the facilitation of
just losers.” trade transportation and growing cooperation
between the countries. He called for solutions to
OFFICIALS’ PANEL - II address issues such as piracy and terrorism. He
The last session of the day was addressed by also stated that he regarded the Belt and Road
Commodore Steve Dainton, Deputy Commander, Initiative of China and other such initiatives of
Combined Maritime Forces, United Kingdom; Mr other countries as an important factor in enhancing
Phongsavath Boupha, Former Minister, cooperation.
President’s Office, Laos; Shri Narendra Kumar Mr Kumar stated that the two most important
Verma, Managing Director and CEO, ONGC components to a robust regional architecture
Videsh, India; and H.E. Ashraf Haidari, Director contain two aspects: regional connectivity and
General of Policy and Strategy, Ministry of energy security. By increasing the regional
Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan. connectivity, the region takes major “qualitative
Commodore Dainton, spoke of the shift towards a greater economy and cultural
vulnerabilities of the Indian Ocean Region in terms integration”. The Indian government has taken
of hindrance to international trade. He stressed some important projects regarding their intention
on the importance of the construction of a to unlock the full potential of the region such as
sustainable regional architecture to ensure the free the trilateral highways between India-Myanmar-
flow of commerce not to be impeded by maritime Thailand, and most recently, India has extended

its proposal to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. In Taliban, turning it into a centre of demand for
addition, he spoke of the importance of enhancing drugs, accounting for 90% of regional and global
the air connectivity, by determining the special demand. In order for coastal and non-coastal states
economic zones and energy manufacturing hubs. alike to lower their vulnerability towards
H.E Ashraf Haidari stressed on the importance terrorism, there must be cooperation in the use of
of cooperation and partnership between littoral and Afghan-led processes. He mentioned the Kabul
landlocked countries in addressing their shared Process for peace and security in which
problems in the maritime security realm and the Afghanistan engaged in direct talks with the
role of Afghanistan in combatting terrorism in the Taliban with the objective to counter extremists
region. Maritime security and events in landlocked and terrorists in Pakistan. He stated: “A stable
countries are interconnected. He stated that the Afghanistan at the heart of a rising Asia is in the
landlocked state of Afghanistan has been a victim region’s best interests to ensure stability and
of state-sponsored terrorism inflicted by the prosperity”.


BOOK REVIEW
Close Encounters of Another Kind:

Women and Development Economics
Author: Devaki Jain

Publisher: SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd., 2018, pp. 432
Price: Rs.876/-
Book Review by: B. Shruti Rao*
To me, this domestic slavery of women is a remnant of our barbarism. It is high time that
womankind was freed from this incubus. Woman has rightly been called the mother of the race.
We owe it to her and to ourselves to undo the great wrong that we have done to her.
- Mahatma Gandhi
I
t is now globally recognized that the GDP As per the Census 2011, contributions of
numbers that define national economic nearly 70 crore Indians, majorly women — who
progress, measure only monetary transactions, perform household duties are not recorded in the
unfairly excluding all essential unpaid household national income as they are technically a ‘ghost’
work and family care, which have always fallen workforce who find no place in the data. Over the
disproportionately on female shoulders. In light years, data gaps of such whopping scale have led
of this, the recent announcement that the National not only to poor designing of employment and
Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in India would be welfare programs but also have resulted in a
conducting a year-long household survey starting neglect of the understanding of the intrinsic value
from early next year using the “time-use method”, of such work in comparison to their market value.
comes as a correction long overdue. Professor Devaki Jain’s latest book, Close Encounters
Devaki Jain, the first economist to use time-use of Another Kind, has no such narrowness in its
study in India more than three decades ago might approach and appositely underscores the vitality
well say it is about time. Through her pioneering of feminist economics. The book is a collection of
work over the decades, she has eloquently veered her essays and speeches on gender dimensions of
out of a parochial approach of understanding poverty, and political and social power. It
economic development by successfully putting a examines the ideas, facts and questions on
gender lens on public policy issues in India and deprivation, development and gender norms raised
the Global South. in major global development documents like the
*B. Shruti Rao is a Research Fellow at India Foundation.

Human Development Reports, World Bank Report expected to cook, sew, clean, and knit alongside
on ‘Gender and Poverty in India’ among others. women.
Through her writings Professor Jain seeks to The book serves as a great start to understand
answer the central question of feminist economics, the foundations of gender prejudice in terms of
calling to attention the social constructions of measuring production work in an economy. In the
traditional economics, questioning the extent to year 1982, to bring to fore this lopsidedness in
which it is positive and objective, and shows how figures of work participation rate in the national
its models and methods are biased by an exclusive statistics, her organisation the Institute of Social
attention to masculine-associated work, Studies Trust (ISST) conducted a time use survey
assumptions and methods. in India, a first in a developing country. The study
Perhaps the most original view from the book provided crucial insights, especially because it not
is her Gandhian emphasis on evolving solutions only measured activities considered ‘economically
for the Global South based on localised valuable’ but also other auxiliary activities
implementation of ideas, and generating performed by women to support a household or a
opportunities for women empowerment trade. When ‘time’ became the evaluator, women
organically. Refreshingly, Professor Jain comes always came on top of men in terms of work as
clean on the environmental issues; as opposed to they spent more hours working. In cases across
the neglect of environmental concerns that the length and breadth of our country, women and
economists are usually blamed of, she gives ample girl children were found to be working for almost
attention to ecological and social costs of modern 18 hours out of 24 hours in poverty households.
development. The Gandhian in her is apparent The difference in time use survey and earlier
when she passionately makes a case for statistics and surveys lies in the method of
introducing a philosophical backdrop to the soliciting information as well as in the coding. The
content of education and labor. She insists on problem was in women’s self-perception of their
educating the younger generations about the daily labor. When enquired about the work done
mistakes of older generations, and bats for an by women in the informal sector, both men and
education that does not alienate children from their women would reply saying the women in the house
environment, their creative intelligence or their ‘did nothing’. This idea of discrediting non-wage
past. Professor Jain highlights Gandhi’s efforts to earning labor (picking firewood from the forest,
‘masculinise’ housework by elaborating his radical fetching water) and considering only wage-earning
ideas on the issue. In her book, she points an labor as legitimate work, stemmed from the
instance when Gandhi had even suggested that dominant economic values ingrained in our
women should resist the male order by refusing society.
to marry, to have sex, by refusing jewelry and even Questioning these economic values, Professor
refusing to cook. She brings attention to the Jain has called for an overhaul of existing body
practices of Gandhi’s ashrams where men were of literature, which classifies the main areas of

production and trade undertaken by the majority Professor Jain is critical of some aspects of the
of India as informal. According to her, these movement; the subject received attention on the
activities must be correctly classified as central international stage after the creation of the
activities rather than marginalised activities, from International Association for Feminist Economics
the employment and production viewpoint. which was dominated by gender issues specifically
Among other themes, her book emphasises on of the advanced Global North, reflecting ignorance
upturning the societal power pyramid by inducting on the state of women in the Global South.
women into designing area development plans, However, after the financial crisis of 2008, the
fiscal policies, and their participation in global markets witnessed economies from Asia
macroeconomic decision making. For this Devaki and Africa emerging far more successful in
Jain points at various government initiatives such surviving the recession and found them soon
as the Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill, and NGOs catching up with the advanced economies. To
(SEWA in Gujarat) which opportunely maintain and stabilise this growth trajectory, she
incorporated non monetised statistics of labor urges policy makers of these countries to reach
participation to streamline the productive work out to their women, and make them a companion
done by women into the so-called ‘formal sector’. in the journey of development.
While she lauds the scientific rigor in the The exigency to focus on assimilating women
presentation of facts in various global reports on into the mainstream economy becomes even more
gender issues in India (for instance the World Bank acute in India as according to an International
report on Gender and Poverty, 1991) she offers Monetary Fund survey, India’s GDP can grow by
constructive ideas to support such studies. Her 27% if women’s participation in the economy is
ideas are rooted in practicality, traditional raised to the same level as that of men. Feminists
knowledge and lived experiences, and contrary to and public policy enthusiasts alike, will find an
most academicians they do not seem to be aping enriching roadmap towards this goal in the works
western academic theories. Her book is replete of Professor Jain. Richly detailed, and abounding
with edifying instances from her extensive study in ideas on inclusive, redistributive, and
of women groups in India and her experiences at environmentally sustainable development, Close
various networks and forums in countries spread Encounters of another Kind, therefore, makes for
across Asia and Africa. a great start for those striving to understand
Although a proponent of feminist economics, feminist economics in today’s age.


BOOK REVIEW
Gilgit – Baltistan
And Its Saga of Unending Human Rights Violations
Author: Alok Bansal

Publisher: Pentagon Press, 2018, pp. 258
Price: Rs.795/-
Book Review by: Aayushi Ketkar*
G
ilgit-Baltistan and its Saga of Unending Surrounded by Xinjiang province of China,
Human Rights Violations is a book on a Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan, Chitral &
region that the Parliament of India calls Kohistan Districts of Pakistan and stone’s throw
as an ‘inalienable part of India’ but which has been from Central Asia, Gilgit-Baltistan has attracted
under the occupation of Pakistan for the last 70 the attention and interest of great powers for its
years.This exotic ‘crown of India’ has been out of geo-strategic location, which is of critical
national consciousness since Independence so importance in controlling the world (Heartland
much so that the present generation, ‘Gen Y’ as it theory). Gilgit-Baltistan has been an integral part
likes to be called, is completely oblivious of its of the ancient Silk Route and the modern re-
existence and importance. creation of the same by China, through its
The author, Capt Alok Bansal, a former ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Thus
defence personnel with a distinguished career, has this 73,000 sq. km region is important for more
dedicated more than a decade in studying this reasons than one, making it the cynosure of all
region minutely, and understanding all its and sundry, except its lawful owner, India, until
intricacies and finer nuances, in order to press recently. It was PM Modi’s mention of this region
upon the national security establishment and the from the rampart of the Red Fort, in his
academia, in bringing back the focus on this Independence Day speech of 2015 that triggered
strategically important region, which is home to a sense of curiosity in the people and policy
some of the largest peaks, glaciers and fresh water makers of India. That curiosity can be quenched
reservoirs in the world apart from a vast bounty to a large extent by this book as it touches upon
of mineral resources comprising of precious stones all important aspects of this region in good
like emerald, ruby, topaz, heavy metal like gold, measure ranging from its pre-Islamic history,
copper, mica, lead, iron, and uranium reserves too. culture and tradition to the current spate of
*Aayushi Ketkar is a faculty of International Relations at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida.

externally-imposed demographic changes, violent archaic Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR),
ethnic strifes and the blatant violations of human originally promulgated by the British but
rights of its people. insidiously continued by Pakistani authorities to
The book demolishes all myths and fake this day, aggravates the situation by prescribing
narratives created by vested interests like Gilgit- collective punishment to the residents of Gilgit-
Baltistan not being a part of J&K till the arrival Baltistan, giving no scope for dissent of any kind.
of the British. The author with the help of Even voicing genuine grievances is treated as a
empirical data, legal documents and ‘crime’ incurring heavy penalty, deterring people
archaeological evidence, proves conclusively that from doing so and forcing them to lead wretched
Gilgit-Baltistan had strong historical, trade and lives. As if this was not enough, Gilgit-Baltistan
genetic links with rest of India in general and has been burning in an unending cycle of sectarian
Jammu and Kashmir in particular, since times violence ever since President Zia-ul-Haq
immemorial. Balti, the primary language of introduced Sunni Deobandi Islam in the region,
Baltistan, is spoken in Ladakh even today. Capt which has historically been a Shia stronghold.
Bansal’s in-depth research proves beyond doubt As rightly stated in the introduction of this
that not only Ladakh but J&K and the rest of India book the ignorance of national security issues is a
were engaged constructively with this region ‘curse that nations and its people will pay for
through the ages, making it seamlessly and heavily’ resonates long past the physical
naturally an ‘integral part of India’ till the arrival usurpation of this strategically and resource-rich
of the British on the scene. British scared by the region. The burden of not paying heed to the loss
growing Russian presence in Central Asia and of this region during the Nehruvian era and failing
under the ‘Great Game’, amputed part of this to take all necessary actions in reclaiming it back,
region artificially with the clear intent of is haunting us today as China in the guise of
maintaining suzerainty over this strategically developing its so-called ‘friend and ally’, Pakistan,
important region, to halt the Eastward march is investing heavily in this region through its multi-
of Czarist Russia first and the Communist Red billion dollar project, China-Pakistan Economic
Army later. Corridor (CPEC).
A major portion of this book is dedicated to This book undoubtedly unveils the veil of
mirroring the hapless state of the indigenous ignorance about this region and brings it back to
people residing in this region, who have been the centre stage of national security discourse,
reduced to a minority in seven decades of which was long due and desperately needed. For
inhumane Pakistani rule. The blatant human rights doing this successfully, the author, should be
violations done through instruments like the commended.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editor’s Note .................................................................................................................................... 2

FOCUS: Women in India

Women in Indian Media ........................................................................................... Srishti Singh 49

Alok Bansal's "Gilgit - Baltistan

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {1}

Not for the Faint-hearted:

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {3}

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {5}

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {7}

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {9}

Breaking the Mould: Women in a Patriarchal Society

{10} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {11}

{12} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {13}

{14} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {15}

Impact of Insurgency on Women:

Introduction children. Therefore, this article makes a modest

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {17}

{18} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {19}

{20} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {21}

{22} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

Socio-ethics of Surrogacy in India and Reproductive Justice

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {23}

{24} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {25}

{26} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {27}

{28} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {29}

{30} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {31}

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,

Abstract many of its populace suffer from the historical and

{32} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

aggrieved woman if she so wishes to to address complaints in the event an

{34} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {35}

{36} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {37}

{38} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

Women as Leaders: The Story of a Successful Sanitation Drive

This intervention was conceived, anchored and

A resident of Jhalana Kunda poses in front of his completed

Community Management Committees (CMC)

{40} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {41}

{42} India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018

Design of the Single Window

The Single Window has been designed to enable

India Foundation Journal, November-December 2018 {43}

• 6800 households linked to Sanitation services directly

• 30 timely desludging of septic tanks and single pit done