RETHINKING DEVELOPMENT

1.    INTRODUCTION

It needs to be clear from the beginning that there are different ways of organising an economic system and countries should be able to do this in a way that suits them best - economically and socially. However, in the last 30 years, we have been told that there is only one way - the American-style free-market way (Chang : 2003). Alternatives do exist.

Neoliberalism has become the hegemonic form of governance in the international arena, even though there is increasing dissatisfaction due to its terrible economic performance, particularly in developing countries such as India under strong pressure by major institutions and rich countries that, through aids and loans, set difficult conditions and make them their puppets. Neoliberal globalisation is basically a system that ensures the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. They feel a great pressure to adopt a set of 'good policies' and institutions' to foster their economic development. ‘Good policies' are the ones prescribed by the ‘Washington Consensus’ and promoted by major international institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the US Treasury Department. They include liberalisation of international trade and investment, privatisation, deregulation and restrictive macroeconomic policy. These policies and institutions are currently being recommended to developing countries but are not the same as those adopted by the developed countries when they themselves were developing.

INDUSTRIAL, TRADE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICIES (ITT)

                          

In Kicking Away The Ladder, Chang uses history to assess the range of strategies deployed by NDCs when they were in catch-up position. As Chang (2002a) highlights most countries used industrial, trade and technology policies (ITT) in order to promote infant industries. Some countries, such as the US and UK kept on pursuing activist policies even after they had successfully achieved their desired position. Governments made wide use of tariff protection, duty drawbacks and subsidies in order to encourage exports, public investment programmes and industrial subsidies, especially in infrastructure but also in manufacturing. By giving financial support for education, training, research and development, governments were willing to develop domestic technological capabilities in order to gain competitive advantage (Chang 2002a: 18).

These were the policies used by NDCs. Today, they are paradoxically and simultaneously the very ones NDCs strongly disapprove, if not ban through multilateral and bilateral agreements.

What we are experiencing today was already happening at the time of unequal treaties when powerful Western countries, particularly Britain, forced poor countries such as India and Japan to accept conditions which could never have been advantageous to them (Chang 2002a). They were asked to open up their market and brutally cut back tariff barriers even though they were not at the same level of development. These requests could only have been fair and useful to foster progress if applied to countries at the same level of development. Thus, “levelling the playing field" should be a primary concern.

An example for the history will help us to understand the dynamic. When USA accorded over 40% average tariff protection to its industries in the late 19^th Century, its per capita income in purchasing power parity (PPP) was around three-quarters that of Britain. Compared with this, India set the trade-weighted average tariff rate at 71% just before the WTO agreement while its per capita income in PPP terms was only 1/15 that of the USA. However, following the WTO agreement, India had to cut back its trade-weighted average tariff to 32% (2002a: 27-28). Thus, depriving the country of its tariff autonomy has contributed to further impoverishment and was a considerable handicap (Chang 2002a:52-55) in addition to a reduction in tax collection.

The currently recommended package of 'good policies'  which include free trade and other laissez faire ITT policies, clashes with the historical experience since they were not used by the countries that are now recommending them when they were at the same level of development (Chang 2002a). The US and UK, the two nations which supposedly climbed the edge of the world economy through free-market and free-trade policies, are the countries that have mostly used subsidies and protection (Chang 2002a: 59). England went from being an exporter of raw wool to Low Countries to being the world leader in that sector and the hegemony power of the world becoming the promoter of so called "bad policies" that are claimed to be hindrances for development. Thus, it happened that when NDCs reached the technological frontier and joined the league, they used a set of policies in order to leave behind existing and potential competitors. Britain, due to the length for which it retained the position of ‘frontier economy’ is the most obvious example however, other countries deployed the very same strategy when they could. In fact, the same disappointment may be express today, when American trade negotiations glorify the virtues of free trade to the developing countries by forgetting history and how they became such a powerful country.

In a substantial article, Kasrils (2013), a South African politician, blames himself and the South African government for having opened up the doors to further deprivation when Neoliberal policies were "embraced" in South Africa. As he states:

[...] Extremely tight budgetary obligations were instituted that would tie the hands of any future governments; obligations to implement a free-trade policy and abolish all forms of tariff protection in keeping with Neoliberal free trade fundamentals were accepted [...].

He recognized the huge mistake South Africa and, more broadly Africa, made. However, who pays the price, as he said, are the poor people, those already deprived and India perfectly fits in this scenario.

Industrial upgrading is necessary for economic development and it will not happen purely through market forces but require government interventions. Indeed, Indian Government should provide direct and indirect subsidies to small entrepreneurs as well as to essential assets.

A striking examples has been provided by Japan. In fact, it protected its infant car industry (Toyota) with high tariffs for nearly four decades, providing lot of direct and indirect subsidies, and virtually ban foreign investment in the industry before it could competitive in the world market (Chang:113). Nevertheless, tariff protection was not, and is not, the only policy tool available for a state in order to develop new industries or upgrade old ones. This is the case with Germany and Japan. Indeed, policy mix is fundamental according to the objectives that a country wants to pursue and the conditions it is facing. There is no ‘one-size-fits all’ model for industrial development - only examples from which to learn. Surely, every country should be allowed to have its tariff autonomy and decide upon their policy (Chang 2002a: 64-66).

Concluding this section, As Chang pointed out ( 2002a : 126-127) the restrictions imposed by the WTO on the ability of developing country to pursue their own activist ITT policies is a “modern and multilayered version of the unequal treaties” that Britain and NDCs deployed towards semi-independent countries at that time. Today we are still denying those countries the ability to pursue the policies they want and we have gone a step further. As Monbiot points out (2008) Britain, like many other countries discovered the enthusiasm for free trade only after it had achieved economic dominance.

 DEVELOPMENT AS FREEDOM

The level playing field Chang advocates cannot happen unless people are allowed the freedom to ‘do and be’ says Amartya Sen. Acknowledging great disparities between and within countries and the lack of freedom people suffer, Sen proposes the main reason for economic development should be to help people break the chains that hold them back from living the life they value.

Sen’s major contribution lies in the “capabilities approach", the freedom to achieve various lifestyles. He feels economic development needs to be perceived as a process of expanding substantive freedoms and believes a successful society relies on freedoms from which its members can benefit (Sen 1999:75).

Developmental Economics is largely seen in terms of income maximisation. Thus, the main variables are GNP, unemployment rates, and income distribution, whereas Sen strongly criticizes the “utilitarian view” as it fails to recognize free agency - the ability to act on what one values

Reasons for feeling a lack of freedom to live life as one would choose are poverty, social deprivation, lack of public facilities, poor economic opportunities and the denial of political and civil liberties. These issues need to be eliminated through social economic development.

Socially based investments such as education and health care do not need to be postponed until a country has achieved relative richness. A poor economy may have less money to spend on health care and education but it needs less money to provide the same services which would cost much more in richer countries. This is a recipe for achieving a higher quality of life. Human development is not a luxury that only rich countries can afford to undertake. Education and health care greatly influence and foster economic growth since workers can work better and be more productive by using the skills they have acquired if they are healthy.

For those reasons, India’s needs of hygiene and education should be seriously taken into consideration. Indeed, the country currently has the largest population of illiterate adults in the world with 287 million (The Indu, 2016) and despite those poor performance the Government has been reducing the expenditure on education from the entire budget for the past three year by reaching the debatable point of 3.65% of the entire GDP. Even more questionable is the political choice imposed by the 14th Financial Commission to the Government of shrinking even further the funding for secondary and higher education. The scenario is quite dramatic as in higher education the enrolment ratio is below 24% for the 18-23 age group.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 launched the campaign to end open defecation by 2019 though subsidising toilet building. However, three main concerns can be addressed. Firstly, the poor quality of the toilet which is strictly connected with the small amounts of money allocated to promote better hygiene and trigger a behavioural change. Thirdly, the campaign has become only a matter of number and particularly reaching the target of 17 millions of toilets per year for five years.  Thus, the budget set, which accounts for £1.6m, brought ineffective and unsatisfactory results. Indeed, the implementation phase is pivotal in order to make a real difference at stopping the open defecation phenomenon . Especially, the Government should be willing to invest more so to make the campaign a political will. In fact, according to the World Bank estimates, the lack of sanitation facilities costs India over 6% of the GDP.

4. DANI RODRIK: CAUTION GLOBALIZATION DESERVES

As Dani Rodrik points out (1997), globalization can succeed and be sustained only if appropriate domestic policy measures are undertaken to soften the impact on groups that are affected and to equip all sectors of society to take advantage of the benefits of globalization rather than be undermined by it. Globalization’s advantages and disadvantages for important groups within the society as well as for the country as a whole need to be made clear. Basically, we have to consider globalization’s stakeholders before making any decision.

The most important challenge for the world economy is making globalization compatible with domestic, social and political stability by making sure that international integration does not contribute to domestic social disintegration. In fact, globalization increases the demand on the state to provide social insurance while reducing the ability of the state to perform that role effectively (Rodrik 1997:53).

Globalization that comes at the price of social disintegration will be a very hollow victory. If, global economic integration is not handled properly, the result will be bad economics and bad governance. Globalization has loosened the civic glue that holds societies together and has delivered a strong blow to social cohesion since fundamental beliefs regarding social organization come under attack. Moreover, social fragmentation is detrimental to economic performance (Rodrick 1997: 69-72).

Rodrik believes that the big challenge is to enable countries that are willing to enlarge in greater harmonization of domestic policies to do so, while allowing them to delink from international obligations in case those obligations come into conflict with domestic norms or institutions.

5. CONCLUSION

Neoliberal developmental policies have been poisoning the world with the establishment of its hegemony in most areas of our lives.

Such policies which were supposed to bring about development and growth, led to a miserable impoverishment of people's lives. It mostly happened because of its commitment and alignment with the interests of big businesses, transnational corporations and finance at the expense of people's real needs.

We could say that as Sen considers freedom both the means and end of development, neoliberalism does the same with global free markets. It only proposes and imposes one path that everyone has to follow, not caring that developing countries would be best served through different policies like limiting domestic vulnerability due to their fragile conditions and their inability to compete openly. No matter how developed a country is, they have no choice as M. Thatcher famously said. Neoliberal development theories are still alive and in the halls of economic and political power (Henry 2012). Manitob (2016) stresses that Neoliberalism is the root of all our problems. We can easily confirm those judgments by bringing out some current examples: the 2007/2008 financial crisis, the collapse of our education, the rise of Donald Trump in the US, and the results of so many recent environmental disasters in third world countries around the world. As Verhaeghe suggested, Neoliberalism has brought out the worst in us. As every economic change profoundly affects our values and personalities, Neoliberalism is certainly no exception.

Solidarity has become an expensive luxury; the main concern seems to be to extract as much as you can and win over as many people as possible. We pessimistically have to admit that the freedom we perceive is the greatest untruth of the our day and age. We’ve "Never been so free, never been so powerless" as Bauman dramatically says (Verhaeghe 2014). The most harmful impact of Neoliberalism is not the economic crisis but the political crisis. Since the realm of the state is reduced, our ability to change the course of action through political participation is shrinking as well. Neoliberal theory assumes that people can exercise their choice through spending; however some have more of the cake than other. Sen and Chang want to prove that new directions are possible and highly recommended if we want a shift to a better world, where development is meant as a process that goes beyond empty indexes with no trace of human beings but instead a fair and even course which in the last instance reallytells how happy we are and how well we live.

Instead, Rodrik show us the deep interrelation between globalization and neoliberal economy. Indeed, He is not saying that globalization should be avoided but simply wisely managed so that the bottom of the society, the larger part of a country, is safeguarded and doesn’t end up paying the price and swallowing the “bitter pill” as well in order for countries to maintain their autonomy.
- Stefano 



REFERENCES

CHANG, Ha-Joon (2002a): Kicking Away the Ladder Development Strategy in Historical

Perspective. London:Wimbledon Publishing Company.

KASRILS, Ronnie (2013): “How the ANC's Faustian pact sold out South Africa's poorest”.The

Guardian, Opinion, [online] <http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jun/24/ancfaustian-

pact-mandela-fatal-error> [Data access: 4th July 2018].

MONBIOT , George (2008): “One thing is clear from the history of trade: protectionism makes you

rich”. The Guardian, Economics, [online]

<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/sep/09/eu.globaleconomy>[Data access: 4^th July 2018]

MONBIOT, George (2016a): “Neoliberalism –the ideology at the root of all our problems”.

TheGuardian,Economics,[online]<http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/15/neoliberalismideology-

problem-george-monbiot> [Data access: 4th July 2018].

MONBIOT,George (2016b): “Neoliberalism is creating loneliness. That’s what’s wrenching society apart”. The Guardian, Opinion [online] <https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/12/neoliberalism-creating-lonelinesswrenching-

society-apart > [Data access:4th July 2018].

NITYA, Jacob (2014): “Chain reaction: India needs hygiene education as well as new toilets” The Guardian Economics, [online]<https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/oct/08/india-narendra-modi-toilets-education-hygiene]>[Data access: 4th July 2018].

RODRIK, Dani (1997), Has globalization gone too far?, Institute for International Economics, Washington, DC.

SEN, Amartya (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

VERHAEGHE, Paul (2014): “ Neoliberalism has brought out the worst in us”. The Guardian,

Economics, [online]<http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/29/neoliberalismeconomic-system-ethics-personality-psychopathicsthic> [Data access: 4th July 2018].

SAPTARSHI, Dutta (2018): “Economic Survey 2018: Open Defecation In Rural Areas Down 45 Per Cent Since Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Launch”[online]< https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/economic-survey-2018-open-defecation-in-rural-areas-down-45-per-cent-since-swachh-bharat-abhiyan-launch-17061/

 > [Data access: 4th July 2018].

SUBODH, Varma (2017): “Share of spend in government expenditure, GDP on education falling for 3 years”[online]<https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/share-of-spend-in-government-expenditure-gdp-on-education-falling-for-3-years/articleshow/56991039.cms>[Data access: 4th July 2018].

THE INDU (2016): “India’s illiterate population largest in the world, says UNESCO. report”[online]<https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indias-illiterate-population-largest-in-the-world-says-unesco-report/article5631797.ece>[Data access: 4th July 2018]. 

Hopes for the Future at HEEALS, and How We Can Make a Difference in the Present

Here at HEEALS we like to keep supporters – family members, friends, and social media followers – in the loop about what’s going on. That’s why we keep a regular blog and social media presence. A lot of the time we tell you about what we are doing or have done, and that type of communication is important! In this blog post, however, we’d like to expand a bit and tell you about what we would like to do in the future. All of these plans were drafted by the director here at HEEALS: Gaurav Kashyap, so if you’re reading through and notice any that speak strongly to you which you would like to get involved in, shoot him an email at communications@heeals.org. Keep in mind that none of these projects are happening currently- they are things that HEEALS would like to implement, but as of right now the NGO does not have the funds or the manpower. We’re always looking for more volunteers or even interns if you’re able to commit to working full time for a few months! So keep reading, and see if one of these projects is something you would like to help us work towards.

Let’s start by introducing the first project: toilet installation. India is the open defecation capital of the world, and this leads to a ton of health risks. Not only are people exposed to more diseases, but a lack of toilet facilities in schools can lead students (especially girls) to drop out early. This project calls for 107 toilets to be installed in locations across all of India. While this is a big project, it’s nice because it can be taken one toilet at a time, so it’s not necessary to raise a huge lump sum to fund the entire project right from the get-go. This plan was what inspired our current project- ‘Water Filters for Haryana and U.P.!’

On to the next project: Pads4Girls. Have you ever watched the movie PadMan? It came out in February 2018 and is based off of the true story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who, after watching his wife struggle and use unsanitary materials because store-bought sanitary pads were too expensive, designed and built a low-cost pad making machine. The project Pads4Girls involves purchasing one of these pad machines, opening a factory and employing local women to make the pads. This can allow women without a job to grab hold of their own livelihood while at the same time making pads available in the market at a lower retail price. The pads would be sold at different prices depending on the financial ability of the buyer- anyone who is very destitute would be sold pads for next-to-nothing, while people who could afford it a bit more would be able to purchase at a price still below but closer to regular retail cost.

The last project that HEEALS aims to one day put in place needs to be a bit of a secret. This is because, just like the others, it is a brainchild of Gaurav. It is also, however, different from the others in the sense that no project of this sort has ever been done before. It is a project focused on education about sanitary hygiene that will travel all over India and will be funded by corporate sponsors. Not only will sponsors be getting to help with a great cause, but there is also a huge marketing and advertizing potential for them. If you are a business owner and are interested in learning more about what this opportunity to help the community and your business might look like in a few years, send Gaurav an email for more information on this exciting and innovative project!

Not only did we want to tell you today about the projects that HEEALS hopes to one day work on, we also wanted to take some time to expand on the values HEEALS holds. Our name is an acronym, and the letters stand for Health, Education, Environment, And Livelihood Society. As a society (or organization), HEEALS has done many workshops about health and education, and our water filters project which is ongoing right now also has a focus on this direction. The Pads4Girls project which will hopefully be undertaken once HEEALS gets a bit bigger is an example of how this NGO values supporting peoples’ livelihood. But what about the ‘E’ for Environment? While HEEALS doesn’t currently have any ongoing projects about environment, keeping our earth healthy is certainly something that we value strongly. On June 5, 2018 (International Environment Day), the HEEALS team planted ten saplings and put out two blog posts about keeping our earth clean- one about plastic pollution and another about open defecation in India. If you haven’t read them yet, we certainly encourage you to do so! HEEALS also has a catalogue you can browse through which is full of handmade and eco-friendly products. Any funds from items purchased from this catalogue go towards workshops in schools about healthy living. We are also a partner with BlueHorse Group, an organization which sells biodegradable products worldwide.

Are you looking for ways that you can do your part in keeping our environment clean? Is keeping good karma important to you? Are you just trying your best to leave a good mark on this world? If any of this rings true with you, this is a list you might be interested in. We’ve put together a few ways that you can do your part- without needing to dedicate hours every day. Using eco-friendly or biodegradable products in place of plastic (for more information on plastic pollution, follow this link) goes a long way- you’re not just making a better choice in the product you’re using, but you’re also setting a great example for everyone around you. Another amazing option is buying clothes second hand. By reusing clothes and buying second-hand or getting hand-me-downs from friends and family, you’re keeping these fabrics out of the landfill for even longer. If you outgrow a shirt and have no place to donate it, consider making it into a rag, rather than buying new cloth from a store! When one person makes choices like these, the impact (while very good) is minimal. But as more and more people start seeing the value in fixing rather than tossing and begin reusing in as many innovative ways as possible, the impact begins to grow even more.

If you live in the west, it’s possible that this next part applies less to you (but you should still read it). If you live in India, you probably pass second hand clothing shops on the side of the street all the time! These men carry their livelihood on a cart or in the trunk of their car, and then lay out these clothes every morning. Next time you need to purchase a new shirt, consider sifting through their pile to find one you like, rather than heading straight to the mall. Not only are you increasing the life cycle of these clothes before they go to the landfill, but you’re also helping a family to make sure that there’s food on the table every night. The man standing outside selling clothes off of the roof of his old beaten up car for twelve hours a day definitely appreciates the few rupees he makes off of every sale much more than the CEO of any name-brand store ever will. If we want to see a change in the world, if we want to see an end to child labour and help more individuals work their way out of poverty, it can’t be just talk. It needs to be personal choices and individual actions.

            So, bearing that in mind, HEEALS is calling you. We’re asking you personally, to make a commitment. If you’re reading this blog, we’re sure that you hold the same values as we do- the right to health, education, and livelihood, and the necessity of a clean earth. We’re asking you to consider what you can do today, this week, or this month, to make an impact. Don’t just read this blog, think about it for a few minutes and move on with your life. Actually begin making these changes! Choose reusable bags over plastic. Make your own coffee and skip the disposable cup. Ask for your drink without a plastic straw. Shop second hand! We’d love to hear about you doing these things. Send HEEALS a photo* of yourself doing any of them, or making another eco-friendly choice for a chance to be featured on the HEEALS social media sites! If you’re looking to volunteer, give us a call or send us an email! We’d be more than happy to have your help, or if you live too far away to work with HEEALS we can give you advice about other NGO’s or organizations which hold similar values as we do. If you’re looking to support HEEALS financially, send us a message and tell us whether you’d like to support workshops and the work HEEALS does in general, or if you’d like to commit to one of the projects that we’re hoping to initiate in the future.

            The point of this blog was twofold: to help you get to know HEEALS and our hopes and plans for the future a bit better, and also to encourage you to make those choices, changes, sacrifices even, that will help keep our planet cleaner and greener. We love to hear from you, so don’t forget to tell us about what YOU are doing for a chance to make an appearance on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Ciao for now!

~ Rachel

*Please send the photos to us by email at communications@heeals.org or send us a private message on Facebook!

4th International Yoga Day -2018

Happy Yoga Day !

Yoga is not only a form of exercise to improve out physical health but it is also becomes a genuine spiritual practice. Making us mentally & physically awake.Yoga helps us to understand one’s self, once we understand that, we are close to  God & super natural powers.

Yoga is a dynamic participation in one’s life. It motivate & inform us to bring harmonious relationship between all other living beings and bring more closer to one’s self and super natural power.

Quote “Yoga not only bring healthy body & mind but also bring wisdom” –Gaurav Kashyap .

Happy Eid Mubarak !

Eid Mubarak !To Everyone ! May Allah's blessings light up the path and lead to happiness, peace & success .

Anemia in India

Anemia has been plaguing the Indian population at incredibly high rates for decades, and while the government has been trying to implement programs to lower the rate of this deficiency among Indian people, there have been ongoing calls for a more effective effort to be made. According to the World Health Organization, 63.7% of Indian women and 22.3% of Indian men were anemic in 1958. In 2016 these numbers had dropped to 53.1% for women and had risen to 22.7% for men. So while it could be argued that the public health effort has been helpful at least for women, it is also very plausible that there are outside factors affecting these numbers, especially because we see a slight increase in men suffering from anemia. In fact, while government programs do provide iron supplement pills for children and pregnant women (low iron is one of the main causes of anemia) very few people are actually receiving these supplements, and of the people who do receive them, even fewer are taking them regularly due to lack of understanding about what they are.¹ 

So, the question remains now... how can you tell if you are anemic? And if you are, how can you treat it? How much cause for concern is there really? First of all, let’s talk about what anemia actually is. There are different levels of anemia deficiency, so someone could have mild anemia and never even realize it. In more severe cases, anemia can seriously interfere with one’s day-to-day activities and even be life threatening. When someone is anemic, it means that they carry smaller amounts of something called haemoglobin in their blood. Haemoglobin helps carry oxygen through your veins to reach your organs and the rest of your body.²

Some common symptoms of anemia are fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and numbness in extremities. If you are concerned that you may have anemia, reach out to your doctor. They can ask you to get a blood test which will reveal your red blood count cell and tell you your haemoglobin levels- this will be under the blood test section called CBC (Complete Blood Count). Since one of the main causes of anemia is low iron levels, a good way to avoid this deficiency is through a healthy diet including lots of leafy dark green vegetables like spinach, soybeans and peanuts, and if you’re non-veg red lean meats and organ meats. Citrus fruits and other foods with lots of Vitamin C are also great for keeping anemia at bay. If you are already eating lots of these foods on a regular basis and are concerned you may be anemic, reach out to your doctor. While iron deficiency is the most common cause, anemia can also be genetic or may be caused by parasites. ³

Remember, in most cases, anemia is mild. If are anemic and your symptoms are mild, likely all you will need to do is adjust your diet or add a supplement. Whether or not you have anemia, it is important to be aware of the symptoms so that if you or a loved one begin to experience them you will know what to do for relief. If you have a teenage daughter or know a woman who is pregnant, be sure that you speak to them about anemia. These groups are at high risk: menstruating girls because of the blood loss and pregnant women because they need to support a whole extra little person with nutrient-rich blood.

HEEALS is trying to raise awareness about anemia because it is such a big issue in India. If you would like to volunteer with HEEALS or learn more about what we do, reach out to us at : communications@heeals.org and don’t forget to check out our social media!


-Rachel 
wash & intern coordinator 

^source

^{Picture : HEEALS} 

¹ http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-story/making-india-anaemia-free-can-india-achieve-what-it-has-failed-to-for-70-years-39256

² https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-anemia.aspx

³ https://food.ndtv.com/health/anemia-in-indian-women-causes-symptoms-and-steps-for-prevention-1410155

Child bride in India !

I grew up in a country where some children dream of their wedding day; The dress, the location, and the dancing all seem like components of a magical day that signifies spending the rest of your life with the person of your dreams. I also grew up in a country where some children do not; Instead, they dream careers, or adventures, or education, or family. The nuances of what marriage means is less important as the main difference here: In much of the Western world, we have a choice of who we marry, and when we marry. Yet, for over a quarter of children living in India, this is not the case.

As HEEALS is an organization that seeks to empower local Indian communities in the sector of health, education, environment and livelihood, we thought it would be appropriate to focus a blog post on a prominent issue that has an effect on almost all of these areas: Child Marriage. This post will focus on defining child marriage, exploring its justifications and impacts, analyzing what the government has/is doing to stop it, where the government is lacking, and finally, where third-party organizations have a potential to bridge this gap.

Child marriage is defined as a marriage to which either of the contracting party is a child; For girls, a child is considered one below the age of 18, and for boys, a child is considered one below the age of 21.

Child marriage is something that is ingrained in societies worldwide, and the justifications for this inhumane practice can range. For some, the reasoning for child marriage could be cultural, in that it is justified by traditional patriarchal attitudes that see the female child as a burden to be married off as soon as possible. For others, the decision could be economical; Some parents see child marriage as a route to secure the female child’s economic future. In addition, from an economic perspective, many still participate in the act of giving and receiving dowries, despite the illegality as of 1961. In this sense, a dowry is less expensive relative to the youthful age of a female bride, encouraging early marriage. Finally, another common belief suggest that child marriage is a protection for girls against unwanted male attention and promiscuity, though in reality, child marriage opens the door to cycles of sexual, mental and emotional abuse. From this perspective, child marriage is seen as a way to ensure chastity and virginity of the bride.

Regardless of the various justifications for child marriage, the impacts of this practice are detrimental all the same. Physically, child marriage is cited as a prime cause for high maternal and infant mortality, as well as inter-generational cycles of malnutrition. Child marriage exposes young girls to early motherhood, reproductive tract infections, STIs, HIV/AIDs and other health complications. It provides the legal sanction for engaging in sexual activity and procreation, amounting to sanction for sexual abuse and rape. In extreme cases, female foeticide results in the buy-in of young brides, particularly in states with a skewed sex ratio; some girls are victims of “fake marriages”, after which they are trafficked for either sexual exploitation or for labour. From a psychological perspective, child marriage leads to a sudden decline in social networks for young girls, with such social isolation posing challenges to promote their own health, development and well-being. On top of this, it imposes social and decision making roles for children who are not mentally or emotionally prepared, preventing them from obtaining education in the meantime. As a whole, the practice of child marriage is a blatant violation of rights to care and protection, basic rights to good health, nutrition, education, freedom from violence, abuse and exploitation.

The first measure taken by the Indian government in preventing child marriage was the “Child Marriage Restraint Act” (CMRA), or the “Sharda Act” of 1929. This act prohibited marriage involving girls below the age of 15 years old, and boys below 18. Amendments to the CMRA in 1978 sought to make the act more effective, as well as to raise the minimum marriageable age by three years (18 for girls, 21 for boys). The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) was established in 2006 to overcome constraints in the former legislation in effectively dealing with the problem of child marriage, and still exists as the primary legislation dealing with child marriage today. The PCMA applies to all citizens of India regardless of religion, with exceptions for the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.

Under the PCMA, child marriage is an offence punishable with imprisonment of up to 2 years, or a fine of $100,000 (1 Lakh), or both. Those who can be punished under this law include: whoever performs, conducts or directs child marriage, a male adult above 18 marrying a child, or anyone having charge of the child at the time. Child marriages are voidable and can be annulled when sought within a period of 2 years after the child becomes a majority, or, if a minor, when filed through a guardian. The PCMA also specifies that the adult husband (or guardian of husband if a minor) must pay marriage to the minor girl until her remarriage. The legislation designates the role of Child Marriage Prevention Officers (CMPOs), empowered to provide all possible aid to children affected by child marriages.

In addition to the PCMA (2006), other laws that may provide protection to a  child bride include the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (2000), The Domestic Violence Act (2005) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (2012).

Despite the PCMA having been implemented to overcome constraints in the former CMRA, government intervention is still lacking due to a limited detailed knowledge of how to apply the laws, as well as little trust in institutions in general. Although the PCMA has outlined the prohibition of child marriage on a legal level, it has done little to enforce said policies in many (primarily rural) communities across India. Even in communities where there is knowledge of the PCMA, individuals feel that traditions and norms supersede laws and institutions. In these cases, officials and CMPOs have limited capacity to go against the community that they, themselves, are a  part of.

Yet just as there is a lack in government ability to transform policy into action, so is there a potential for NGOs to fill this gap with information. By increasing awareness in communities through gender sensitization programs, community-based workshops and educational programmes, NGOs have the potential to finish the job that the government began in creating the PCMA, by encouraging communities to act on implementing it. In addition, NGOs can serve to check loopholes in the provisions of the PCMA, correcting shortcomings in order to strengthen the law. Finally, NGOs can intervene through reporting witnessed cases of potential child marriage scenarios in communities where members feel obligated to stay silent, acting as an impartial third party without any reservations to reporting these cases to CMPOs.

As an organization, HEEALS works in the implementation of capacity-building workshops in schools and rural communities in states across India, educating populations about the truth about child marriage and empowering communities to report these cases as they arise. In addition, we work in creating content that gives a firsthand perspective of the child marriage situation in rural India.

I encourage whoever reading this, from wherever you are reading this, to research how this practice informs your home, your  country, and finally, your globe. Noting that the only difference between me and a child bride in India is privilege and opportunity is a harrowing yet crucial realization.

-Jayde! 

Sources:

Child Marriage Handbook

http://childlineindia.org.in/pdf/Child-Marriage-handbook.pdf

UNICEF- Child Marriage

http://unicef.in/Whatwedo/30/Child-Marriage

CRS India Case Studies

http://www.csrindia.org/child-marriage-in-india

Poster : HEEALS