Who do ICDS and PDS Exclude and What Can be Done to Change This?

This article looks at the specifics of who the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the Public Distribution System (PDS) exclude and what can be done to change this. It discusses three different types of exclusion: official exclusion, typically from committing too few resources; implementation flaws; and flawed policy. The article argues that persistence with a poverty cutoff simply perpetuates exclusion. However, the progressive impact of improved judiciability of exclusion due to implementation flaws while making a case for tightening the system cannot be overstated. The article suggests three ways forward: (1) make rights desirable to encourage people to make claims and make ICDS and PDS more universal; (2) ensure that potential innovations such as biometrics, coupons and cash transfers empower the poor, not just the bureaucrats; and (3) empower citizens to fix the ICDS and PDS which will in turn help fix the overall food system

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict

The Optional Protocol (OP) on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict was ratified by India on November 30, 2005, and is in effect since December 30, 2005. This is the first report by India on the status of implementation of the OP to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The nodal ministry, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), has prepared the report in consultation with other concerned ministries and agencies, following the general guidelines issued by the Committee on the CRC. URL:[http://wcd.nic.in/crc3n4/crc3n4_2r.pdf].child, children, armed conflict, women, child development, rights of child, India, women, academic institutions, State Governments, international agencies, Army, Air Force, Navy, enrolment, Fundamental Rights, citizens, legislative, administrative,

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

The Optional Protocol (OP) to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography was ratified by India on September 16, 2005. This is the initial report by India on the status of implementation of this OP under Article 12, paragraph 1, for consideration by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Committee. The report has been prepared by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), the Government of India (GoI), in consultation with concerned Ministries and agencies working for children in India following the general guidelines issued by the UNCRC Committee. URL:[http://wcd.nic.in/crc3n4/crc3n4_3r.pdf]india, government, child development, mid-day meal, rights of the child, women, children, zari factories, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Tripura, Assam, Rajasthan and Gujarat, police station

Draft of combined Fourth and Fifth Periodic Reports of India to CEDAW

This Report covers developments in implementation of the Convention in India from 2006 to 2011. The harmonised guidelines for preparation of Common Core Document and the reporting Guidelines of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 2006 have been followed broadly in the preparation of this Report. [Report Ministry of Women and Child Development].Discrimination, women, India, Demographic, economic, social and cultural characteristics, south asia, children, child, literacy, females, sex ratio, census, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), men, males, rural, urban areas

Child Protection A Handbook for Panchayat Members

This handbook on child protection will help Panchayat Raj members to understand the actions they can take to protect children resulting in better convergence of programmes and increased allocation of resources to address child protection issues. It also spells out practical ways in which the local elected members, can endeavour to alleviate the suffering of millions of children in our country who are subjected to violence and exploitation.boys, girls, health, childhood, prostitutes, HIV/AIDS, labour, sexual abuse, Panchayat, society, development, participation, environment, child protection, exploitation, women, Non-discrimination, political, social, cultural, economic rights, Panchayat Raj, children, elected members, violence,

Budget for Gender Equity

The budgetary policy of the Government has a major role to play in achieving objectives of gender equality and growth through content and direction of Fiscal and Monetary Policies, measures for resource mobilization and affirmative action for under-privileged sections. URL: [http://wcd.nic.in/].equality, under-privileged, budget, gender equity, government, monetary policies, resource mobilization, growth, fiscal,

Enhancing Women Empowerment through Information and Communication Technology: A Report

Information and Communication Technology (ICT’s) bring lot of opportunities to women in the work situations and small business. Teleporting, flexi time and work from home arrangements are some of the gender dimensions of ICT’s usages. Keeping these facts in mind, the proposed study identified the needs of infrastructure and policy intervention to make ICT sector to contribute towards enhancing empowerment of women in India. URL[http://wcd.nic.in/].gender dimensions, empowerment women, infrastructure, policy intervention, ICTs, information and communication technology, E-Governance, democracy, Global Information Infrastructure (GII), television broadcasting, women,

Gendering Human Development Indices: Recasting the Gender Development Index and Gender Empowerment Measure of India

Gender-related Development Index (GDI) and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) developed by UNDP need to be recast to realistically capture the gender gaps in development and empowerment in the Third World. These indices have been developed from a northern perspective, and do not incorporate the perspective of the south. How can we recast GDI and GEM to make them meaningful for India within the limitations of data availability? Can GDI and GEM become effective instruments for building gender equity?UNDP, gender, development index, empowerment, index, third world, south, data availability, equity, northern, India, Human Development Index (HDI), Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), economic resources, women, men, resources, child development,

Perception of Muslim Women of Their Rights and Status in the State of Andhra Pradesh

Mail questions addressed in this paper are: What is the cognitive perception of Muslim women on their own status in their community? How do the Muslim women perceive their status when compared to their neighbouring non Muslim women? Does Islam acts as an impediment against the empowerment of its women as perceived by the women? What is the opinion of Muslim men in empowering their women? Does economic and educational progress among the Muslim women leads to change in their perception about their status?Muslim, women, economic, educatinal progress, status, ANdhra Pradesh, rural, Muslim men, empowering, population,

Final Report on the Functioning of Anganwadi Centres in Assam and Meghalya

In the states of Assam and Meghalaya the ICDS project has been in operation since 1980. Assam and Meghalaya have a total of 26,000 AWCs of which 2,218 are located in seven districts of Meghalaya and the rest are in Assam. The Center for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES), conducted a pilot study to observe the over-all functioning and efficacy of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in three districts of Assam and two in Meghalaya. The pilot project made a detailed survey to see if there are gaps in implementation of the programme and how these gaps can be addressed. The interview method was used in order to elicit views from stakeholders who are mainly mothers, pregnant women and lactating mothers and children and the village development committees. Random sampling of the AWCs was also carried out to assess the capacity of the AWW and AWH to deliver the services that were expected of them. Their record keeping ability and also their experience in providing immunization services and health and nutrition education was minutely assessed. URL:[http://wcd.nic.in/].interviews, ICDS, anganwadi centres, AWCs, assam, meghalya, survey, pregnant women, stakeholders, mothers, lactating mothers, children, village, development, AWW, AWH, immunization services, health, nutrition, education