Sample registration data as recently released by Registrar General of India, states that for every 1000 infants born 56 will loose their lives before their first birthday. As per the data Madhya Pradesh has infant mortality rate of 56 per 1000. Their has been drop of 3 points from last year, which shows some improvement, but still State has the highest infant mortality rates in India.
One of the challenge the latest IMR data shows is that the girl children continue to be more vulnerable in the state as well as across the country. The IMR for girls the state stands at 59 per 1,000 live births compared to 54 for the boys. Rural girls are much more susceptible with 62 out of 1,000 girls dying before age of one year compared to 61 boys. The average IMR for in the country is 44 compared to 41 for the boys.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
भेदभाव पर सवाल करती बालिकाएं
अक्सर रोजमर्रा के जीवन में हमसे एक महत्वपूर्ण घटना छिपी रह जाती है। वह घटना है - बालिकाओं के साथ भेदभाव। बड़े यह सोच रहे हैं कि अब जमाना बदल गया है और लैंगिक भेदभाव कम हो गया है, पर बालिकाओं को रोजाना दो-चार ऐसी घटनाओं से रूबरू होना पड़ता है, जिससे वह समझ जाती है कि लड़कों की तुलना में उनके साथ भेदभाव किया जा रहा है। अक्सर यह धारणा रहती है कि ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों की तुलना में शहरी क्षेत्र में लैंगिक भेदभाव कम होता है, पर जब हम बालिकाओं के अनुभव एवं उनके सवालों से रूबरू होते हैं, तो पता चलता है कि शहर हो या गांव, बालिकाओं के साथ भेदभाव अभी भी कम नहीं हो पाया है।
भोपाल की एक शाला में 10वीं में पढ़ने वाली तमन्ना को नृत्य का शौक है। पर वह इन दिनों एक सवाल से जूझ रही है। वह कहती है, ‘‘नृत्य करना मेरा सपना है, मैं नृत्य से प्यार करती हूं पर मेरे अभिभावक एवं भाई मेरे इस शौक को पसंद नहीं करते। वे कहते हैं कि 10वीं के बाद मैं नृत्य नहीं कर सकती। पर क्यों?’’ तमन्ना के इस सवाल का जवाब जब नहीं मिलता, तो उसे समझने में देर नहीं लगती कि लड़की होने की खामियाजा उसे भुगतना पड़ेगा।
8वीं में पढ़ने वाली एक अन्य लड़की वर्षा सवाल करती है, ‘‘लड़के एवं लड़की में भेदभाव क्यों किया जा रहा है?’’ वह कहती है, ‘‘जब मेरा भाई बाहर से घर आता है, तो मां मुझसे कहती है कि मैं उसे खाना एवं पानी दे दूं। पर जब यही स्थिति मेरे साथ होती है एवं मैं बाहर से घर आती हूं, तो मेरे भाई को क्यों नहीं कहा जाता कि वह मेरे लिए खाना एवं पानी लाकर दे?’’
वर्षा, तमन्ना एवं अन्य लड़कियों को घर, शाला एवं बाजार हर जगह किसी न किसी रूप में भेदभाव सहना पड़ रहा है। यह भले ही बड़े को दिखाई नहीं दे, पर जब वे अपनी बात रखती हैं एवं सवाल करती हैं तो यह स्पष्ट दिखाई देता है कि उनके साथ बाल उम्र में ही भेदभाव शुरू हो जा रहा है। एक अन्य बालिका सीमा इस भेदभाव को महसूस करती है। वह दो बहनें है। पर वह उस समय एक सवाल से जूझने लगती है, जब उसे पालक से सवाल किया जाता है कि उनके भाई क्यों नहीं है?
यह उन लड़कियों की आवाज है, जो बाल अधिकारों की पैरवी करने वाली एक स्वैच्छिक संस्था द्वारा स्थापित शाला मंच की सदस्य हैं। खुशी, दीप्ति, अंजना, नवीन एवं कई ऐसे बच्चे हैं, जो शाला मंच से ज्यादा उत्साहित हैं। वे कविता लिखकर, कहानी लिखकर, आलेख लिखकर अपने अनुभव, आसपास की घटनाओं एवं बाल अधिकारों से दूसरों को रूबरू कराते हैं। बच्चों हमें उन मुद्दों की ओर ध्यान आकर्षित कर पाते हैं, जिनकी ओर हम ध्यान नहीं दे पाते। बच्चों की अभिव्यक्ति को ज्यादा अवसर देने का यह बहुत ही बेहतर जरिया है। बच्चों के सर्वांगीण विकास को प्रभावित करने मुद्दे पर वे खुद अपने विचार प्रकट करते हैं एवं सवाल करते हैं।
बाल मजदूरी, शारीरिक दंड, साफ-सफाई जैसे मुद्दे पर भी शाला मंच से जुड़े बच्चे अपने विचार प्रकट कर रहे हैं। उनके सवालों का जवाब कुछ हो सकता है, तो वह है - लैंगिक भेदभाव खत्म करते हुए बाल अधिकारों का संरक्षण करना। बालिकाएं अपनी बात एवं अनुभवों को साझा करते हुए अपेक्षा कर रही हैं कि उनके साथ हो रहे भेदभाव को खत्म कर बाल अधिकारों को सुनिश्चित किया जाए।
- अनिल गुलाटी
Friday, August 30, 2013
उज़्मा दिलाती है नवजात को पहला हक
किसी बच्चे का जन्म लेना न केवल उसके मां-बाप के लिए बल्कि पूरे परिवार के लिए खुशियों की सौगात होता है। इस खुशी के मौके पर शिशु के पहले हक की ओर कई परिवारों का ध्यान नहीं जाता एवं कई उसके अधिकारों का हनन कर देते हैं। पर शिशु को पहला हक दिलाने के प्रति छिंदवाड़ा जिला अस्पताल में स्तनपान परामर्शदात्री सुश्री उज्मा पूरी तरह मुस्तैद रहती हैं। वह कहती हैं‚ “मैंने पिछले छह महीने में 100 से ज्यादा परिवारों को जन्म के तुरंत बाद नवजात शिशु को सालों से चली आ रही परंपरा के तहत शहद देने से रोका है। शिशु को मां का पहला दूध पिलवाने में मैं सफल रही हूं‚ जो कि उनका हक है।”
मध्यप्रदेश के छिंदवाड़ा जिले के जिला अस्पताल के महिला वार्ड में अपने नवजात शिशु के साथ लेटी महिलाओं के बीच एक बेड से दूसरे बेड की तरफ जाते हुए जब सुश्री उज्मा यह कहती है‚ तो उनके चेहरे पर अपने काम की सफलता का आत्मविश्वास साफ झलकता है। वह अपनी चिर-परिचित मुस्कुराहट के साथ शिशु की मां एवं रिश्तेदारों को बधाई देती हैं‚ पर साथ ही यह सवाल भी करती हैं कि क्या नवजात को मां का दूध पिलाना शुरू कर दियाॽ इनमें से कुछ वे महिलाएं भी होती हैं‚ जो प्रसव पूर्व जांच के लिए अस्पताल में आने के समय सुश्री उज्मा से मिल चुकी होती हैं और स्तनपान एवं नवजात के लिए मां के पहले दूध में मौजूद कोलेस्ट्रम की महत्ता को जान चुकी होती हैं। इन सबके बावजूद हर बेड के पास जाकर वह कोलोस्ट्रम के जीवनरक्षक महत्ता के संदेश को बार-बार कहना नहीं भूलतीं और ‘शहद नहीं’‚ ‘घुट्टी नहीं’‚ ‘गाय का दूध नहीं’ जैसे छोटे-छोटे संदेश वह लगातार दोहराती रहती हैं।
वह मुस्कराते हुए नवजात की मां एवं रिश्तेदार से कहती हैं‚ यदि आपको कोई भी समस्या हो तो चिंता न करें‚ मैं पास में ही हूं। यदि किसी भी रिश्तेदार के चेहरे पर वह व्याकुलता देखती हैं तो अपने कदम को वहीं रोक लेती हैं एवं दोस्ताने माहौल में एक बार उनके साथ स्तनपान‚ उसके मिथक आदि पर विमर्श करती हैं। आगे बढ़ने से पहले वह उन्हें पूरी तरह संतुष्ट कर देती है। इसके साथ ही वह उनका नाम भी अपने नोटबुक में लिख लेती हैं ताकि बाद में भी उनकी सहायता की जा सके।
सुश्री उज़्मा अर्शी कुरैशी उन 50 स्तनपान परामर्शदात्रियों में से एक हैं‚ जिन्हें राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण स्वास्थ्य मिशन के तहत मध्यप्रदेश के लोक स्वास्थ्य एवं परिवार कल्याण विभाग ने जिला अस्पतालों में नियुक्त किया है। मध्यप्रदेश की राजधानी भोपाल से दक्षिण-पश्चिम में लगभग 250 किलोमीटर दूर छिंदवाड़ा जिला अस्पताल में सुश्री उज़्मा पदस्थ हैं। सुश्री उज़्मा वहीं पढ़ी-लिखी हैं एवं उन्होंने खाद्य एवं पोषण में स्नातकोत्तर करने के बाद कुछ समय तक विश्वविद्यालय में अपनी सेवाएं भी दी हैं। छह माह पूर्व ही उनकी नियुक्ति स्तनपान परामर्शदात्री के रूप में हुई है। उनके कई रिश्तेदार चिकित्सा के क्षेत्र में कार्य कर रहे हैं‚ इसलिए सुश्री उज़्मा इस नौकरी से गौरवान्वित महसूस करती हैं। इस नौकरी में नवजात के अधिकार एवं माताओं में छोटे बच्चों को अपना दूध पिलाने की प्रथा को बढ़ावा देना है‚ गर्भवती महिलाओं को स्तनपान के फायदे के बारे में बताना है एवं प्रसव के बाद शिशु को स्तनपान कराने में सहयोग की जरूरत वाली माताओं को सहयोग करना है।
सुश्री उज़्मा की नौकरी बहुत साधारण काम वाली दिखती है‚ पर वास्तव में यह बहुत ही चुनौतीपूर्ण कार्य है। सुश्री उज़्मा को न केवल बच्चे की माता‚ उसके पिता‚ दादी‚ नानी एवं अन्य रिश्तेदारों से बात करनी पड़ती है‚ बल्कि यह सुनिश्चित भी करना पड़ता है कि वे जन्म के एक घंटे के भीतर स्तनपान कराने से लेकर छह माह तक सिर्फ स्तनपान (पानी भी नहीं) कराने की महत्ता एवं इसे व्यवहार में लाने का सही संदेश ले रहे हैं। सुश्री उज़्मा कहती हैं‚ “यह कुछ मामलों में आसान होता है‚ पर कई बार स्तनपान को लेकर गर्भवती एवं उसके परिवार के कई सवाल होते हैं। स्तनपान की महत्ता से इनकार नहीं किया जा सकता पर स्तनपान‚ खासतौर से छह माह तक बच्चे को सिर्फ मां का दूध पिलाने पानी भी नहीं की बात स्वीकार कराना चुनौतीपूर्ण है।” वह लोगों की बात एवं सवाल साझा करते हुए बताती हैं कि माता एवं उनके रिश्तेदार कहते हैं‚‘‘गर्मी एवं बारिश के दिनों में बच्चों को पानी की जरूरत पड़ती है’‚ ‘यदि बच्चे को डायरिया हो जाए तो क्या करेंगे’‚ ‘यदि मां के दूध के साथ बच्चे को घुट्टी पिलाएंगे तो बच्चा मजबूत होगा’ आदि। वह बताती हैं कि ‘शहद चखना’ (जन्म के तुरंत बाद शिशु की जीभ के नीचे शहद रखने की प्रथा) की प्रथा को तोड़ने की जरूरत है।
सुश्री उज़्मा उत्सहित होकर कहती हैं‚ “मैं उन्हें न केवल मां के प्रथम दूध में मौजूद कोलोस्ट्रम एवं स्तनपान के बारे में बताती हूं‚ जो कि जीवनरक्षक है बल्कि यह भी बताती हूं कि यह संक्रमण से बचने के लिए बच्चे को ताकतवर बनाता है एवं मां के स्वास्थ्य के लिए भी बेहतर होता है। महिला के पति को समझाना अन्य की तुलना में कई गुणा ज्यादा महत्वपूर्ण होता है‚ क्योंकि मां के दूध के बदले वे ही बाहर से गाय का दूध लाते हैं। यदि वे एक बार समझ गए तो वे अपनी पत्नी को सहयोग कर सकते हैं‚ जिससे कि वह छह माह तक बच्चे को सिर्फ स्तनपान कराए और दूसरी कोई खाद्य तथा पेय सामग्री न दे। यह समय मुश्किल भरा होता है इसलिए यहां यह सलाह कारगर सिद्ध होती है‚ जिसमें शिशु की मां के साथ मौजूद रिश्तेदारों को बताती हूं कि गाय का दूध खरीदना पड़ता है, फिर उसे पैसे खर्च करके गर्म करना पड़ता है एवं वह शिशु के लिए फायदेमंद भी नहीं होता एवं बच्चा फिर बीमार पड़े तो उसमें भी खर्च करना पड़ता है तो क्यों नहीं मुफ्त में उपलब्ध मां का कीमती दूध बच्चे को पिलाते, जो कि उसके लिए जीवनरक्षक और पोषक है।” वह इस बात को भी साझा करती हैं कि सीजेरियन ऑपरेशन में मां को सहयोग की जरूरत होती है। ऐसे में वार्ड में ज्यादा समय देना पड़ता है एवं वार्ड की नर्स के सहयोग से उसकी सास या मां को उत्साहित करते हैं कि वे नई मां को शिशु को दूध पिलाने के लिए सहयोग करें।
सुश्री उज़्मा इस नौकरी में आने के बाद पिछले छह महीने से गौरवान्वित महसूस करती है। वह न केवल हजारों परिवार तक स्तनपान के महत्वपूर्ण संदेश को पहुंचा चुकी हैं बल्कि कोलोस्ट्रम वाला गाढ़ा पीला मां का दूध एक घंटे के अंदर सैकड़ों शिशु को पिलाकर छह माह तक सिर्फ स्तनपान कराना सुनिश्चित करा चुकी हैं। सुश्री उज़्मा का सभी मांओं के लिए सशक्त संदेश है‚ “अगर आप अपने बच्चे को स्तनपान नहीं कराती हैं‚ तो आप मां होने का प्रथम कर्त्तव्य पूरा नहीं करती हैं।”
- अनिल गुलाटी
Saturday, August 24, 2013
खिलौने और बचपन
देखा तो याद आया बचपन! हाल ही में जगजीत सिंह की एक गज़ल कागज की कश्ती‚ बारीस का पानी के शब्द जहन में याद आ गये‚ जब कल लोकरंग में बचपन के खेल और खिलौने की प्रदर्शनी देखी। इस प्रदर्शनी में कागज‚ कपड़ा‚ लकड़ी को खिलौने के रूप में प्रदर्शित किया गया‚ ये सब जो कभी हम बचपन में खेला करते थे। आज इलेक्ट्रोनिक और प्लास्टिक युग में कहीं न कहीं ये खिलौने गुम से हो गये हैंॽ बचपन को याद दिलाती ये सुंदर तस्वीरें कही अनजानी सी हो गई हैं। खिलौने के बिना बचपन आधूरा है‚ खिलौने ना केवल बच्चों के लिए मनोरंजन का साधन है पर इनसे बच्चों को बहुत कुछ सीखने को मिलता है। आज यह खिलौने बदल गये हैं‚ खेलने के साधन में भी बदलाव आया है। रस्सी कूद‚ हमचो‚ दौड़ की जगह इलेक्ट्रोनिक खिलौने ने अपनी जगह बना ली है। आज शहरो में तो खेल के लिए स्थान भी बहुत कम रह गये हैं। खिलौने में झाँकता यह बचपन कहीं न कहीं बदल सा गया है‚ वो कागज की कश्ती‚ मिट्टी के खिलौने कही गुम से हो गये। वैसे तो हर बच्चों को खेलने का अधिकार है तथा हर देश को अपने देश के बच्चों के लिए इस अधिकार को दिलाने के लिए सम्पूर्ण कदम उठाना चाहिए। खेल और खिलौने न केवल मनोरंजन‚ शिक्षा का माध्यम है पर इनसे बच्चों को मानसिक ऊर्जा भी प्राप्त होती है। कही न कही लुप्त होते खेल और खिलौने की लगह आज टी़ वी‚ वीडियो‚ गेमस‚ मोबाईल आदि ने ले ली है। इस इलेक्ट्रोनिंक युग में बच्चों को इन नये तंत्रों से नई तकनीकी जानकारी तो मिलती है‚ बच्चे कुछ नया सीखते है‚ परन्तु कहीं एक कौने से दिल कहता है कि वो पुराने खिलौने व बचपन ज्यादा सुखमय था। आज भी यह एक तमन्ना दिल में है‚ मैं जब मिट्टी में मिल जाऊ‚ताकि खिलौना बन किसी एक छोटे से उदास चेहरे की मुस्कान बन पाऊ।
क्यों लड़कियों ने छोड़ी पढ़ाई
गुना ज़िला के बाचों की कुछ आवाज़ें.... ऊमरी। एक लड़की सोनम ने एक साल से स्कूल जाना छोड़ दिया। क्योंकि उसके पिता ने उसे स्कूल जाने से मना कर दिया। उसकी माँ की मृत्यु हो गई इसलिए उसके पापा ने कहा घर का काम करो। लेकिन उसे पढ़ना बहुत अच्छा लगता है। लेकिन उसके पापा ने मना कर दिया इसलिए वो पढ़ने नहीं जाती। ऐसी बहुत सी लड़कियाँ काम की वजह से स्कूल छोड़ देती हैं। कुछ लड़किया तो चौथी–पाँचवीं कक्षा से स्कूल छोड़ देती है। लड़कियों के पापा उन्हें कहते है कि तुम अब बड़ी हो गई हो इसलिये तुमको स्कूल नहीं जाना चाहिए। - संजू‚ 7वीं‚ शा॰मा॰वि॰‚ ऊमरी बमौरी बुजुर्ग। हमारे गांव के लोग लड़कियों की पढ़ाई छुड़वा देते हैं। उनसे खेतों और घरों में काम करवाते हैं। कई लोग लड़कियों की कम उम्र में शादी कर देते हैं। इसलिये भी उनका स्कूल छूट जाता है। हमारे गांव में एक लड़की है उसने कक्षा दूसरी तक पढ़ाई की फिर स्कूल आना छोड़ दिया। हमारे गांव में दो और लड़कियाँ है। उनके माता–पिता ने उनका स्कूल में नाम लिखवाया था। बड़ी बहिन ने कक्षा तीसरी तक पढ़ाई की। फिर उसकी माँ की मृत्यु हो गई। उसने स्कूल आना छोड़ दिया और वो घर में ही काम करने लगी। दो वर्ष बाद उसके पिता ने उसकी शादी कर दी और वो अपने ससुराल चली गई। एक और लड़की है जिसके माता–पिता नहीं है। वो खेतों में काम करती है और घर का खर्चा चलाती है। -पार्वती लोधा, शा॰ नवीन मा॰ विद्यालय‚ बमौरी बुजुर्ग
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Adolescent speak : Responsibility towards society - 'Active citizenship'
‘We need to say no to child marriage and no to violence against girls and women’, Kanchan Gaur, a class eight student of Government High school in Bhopal says while discussions on what does active citizenship means to her. She is part of school forum facilitated by Madhya Pradesh’s Child Rights Observatory.
Raman a student of class seventh, and a part of the forum, is differently abled but is passionate about working for humanity and says we need to look beyond ourselves, share resources, be it small or big and contribute to society. He also wants to drive home the message of cleanliness and hygiene.
While Raj Lodhi a student of calls ninth, says that ‘today one can express his thoughts openly and do whatever one wants to do but need is to look into the issue what we are doing to our environment and impact of pollution’. He drew a sketch to explain his point of view on the impact of pollution’.
Similar discussion on active citizenship was held with group of young girls in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. Hardika and Chandini, adolescent girls who are part of this group said that ‘one must help other in need.’ ‘Any responsible and active citizen will always help people around him in whatever way possible. People should not be completely absorbed in their own lives rather they should realize they have duties towards everyone else around them. If we don’t help people around us some day when we need help no one will reach out for us.’
Pranjal, another adolescent girl shares that active citizenship means that one has responsibility towards family and society. Citizens need to be aware of their rights and duties. When they see something wrong they should raise a collective voice against it. If necessary they form groups and work collectively for a cause.
Children voices express concern over gender discrimination
I even dance in my dreams, I love dancing, it is my passion, but my parents and brother don't like my passion, they say I would not be able to dance after Class 10. But why? These is the question of Tammana, a girl presently in tenth grade in a Bhopal school.
Varhsa another girl studying in eighth grade questions "why there is difference between girl and boy child". She argues: "When my brother comes to house from outside my mom asks me to give him water and food. But will that be same when I come from outside? Will my brother be asked to help me with food and water?"
These are voices of girls who are part of school forums in Bhopal city. Naveen, Khushi, Deepti and Anjana are also members of school forums and by writing poems, stories have brought out the issue of child labour, impact of poverty on children, environment and also reflecting about new things they are learning in school.
It is not only gender discrimination children do raise voices on issues which they feel matter, like environment cleanliness, hygiene, punishment but gender issues do come in as strong voices and which show the silent existence of gender discrimination which exists.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Letter to CM, an opportunity for raising issues !
Dainik Jagran and Raj Express carry readers’ voices to the Chief Minister in their 'Letter to the Chief Minister' columns.
One of the roles of media is to provide an opportunity for voices of the communities to be heard, and giving vent to the opinions and views of people. Many possible options are available; letters to editor is one of them. One can use it to raise an issue which was in media or express your opinion on the story, or even to highlight issues which may have got missed in regular reporting.But when you feel strongly about an issue or have an unresolved problem, you may feel the need to draw the attention of the chief minister, who is supposed to be the highest in the rank of the elected representatives. This is possible in the state of Madhya Pradesh wherein two newspapers Dainik Jagran and Raj Express offer that opportunity for their readers.
For sometime now they have started an additional column in their edit page which is titled letter to The Chief Minister. They call it by different names: one calls it ‘Letter to Mr. Chief Minister’ and other one says 'Paati Mukhayamantri ke naam' . One uses a photograph of the Chief Minister at the head of the column while another uses his caricature. Both offer an opportunity for people voice to be heard. If one looks at kind of the letters which appear in print, they are diverse in nature. I am not sure how many are received by them and how many are published, and do they censor the content or not ? But if one analyzes them a few inferences can be drawn. The issues they raise are diverse, letters are normally written by individuals or sometimes by groups of individuals, and they come from various parts of the state, including interiors of the state. At present this is a feature which appears twice or even thrice in a week.
If one does a dip stick assessment of the content it reveals that issues of education, problems of state government employees, salaries, unavailability of water, electricity, roads, non accessibility of schemes initiated by the state, maternal deaths, the failure and weaknesses of the health system, and the issue of eve teasing appear more frequently. Perhaps these are issues which impact people directly. Regarding education, issues such as lack of building, teacher absenteeism, and vacant positions do come up quite often in these letters. One does not know many of them are being responded to.
There is some indicatio that people find this way as an easier way to reach eyes of the Chief Minster rather than approaching CM House directly. The Department of Public Relations which does media tracking for the state does track many of them and the same is evident from their website, wherein they scan and display the press cuttings tracked by them, indicating that at least some people get a bit of say in the system, with the help of media. May be this needs to increase.
blogathonindia, blogathonindia1
One of the roles of media is to provide an opportunity for voices of the communities to be heard, and giving vent to the opinions and views of people. Many possible options are available; letters to editor is one of them. One can use it to raise an issue which was in media or express your opinion on the story, or even to highlight issues which may have got missed in regular reporting.But when you feel strongly about an issue or have an unresolved problem, you may feel the need to draw the attention of the chief minister, who is supposed to be the highest in the rank of the elected representatives. This is possible in the state of Madhya Pradesh wherein two newspapers Dainik Jagran and Raj Express offer that opportunity for their readers.
For sometime now they have started an additional column in their edit page which is titled letter to The Chief Minister. They call it by different names: one calls it ‘Letter to Mr. Chief Minister’ and other one says 'Paati Mukhayamantri ke naam' . One uses a photograph of the Chief Minister at the head of the column while another uses his caricature. Both offer an opportunity for people voice to be heard. If one looks at kind of the letters which appear in print, they are diverse in nature. I am not sure how many are received by them and how many are published, and do they censor the content or not ? But if one analyzes them a few inferences can be drawn. The issues they raise are diverse, letters are normally written by individuals or sometimes by groups of individuals, and they come from various parts of the state, including interiors of the state. At present this is a feature which appears twice or even thrice in a week.
If one does a dip stick assessment of the content it reveals that issues of education, problems of state government employees, salaries, unavailability of water, electricity, roads, non accessibility of schemes initiated by the state, maternal deaths, the failure and weaknesses of the health system, and the issue of eve teasing appear more frequently. Perhaps these are issues which impact people directly. Regarding education, issues such as lack of building, teacher absenteeism, and vacant positions do come up quite often in these letters. One does not know many of them are being responded to.
There is some indicatio that people find this way as an easier way to reach eyes of the Chief Minster rather than approaching CM House directly. The Department of Public Relations which does media tracking for the state does track many of them and the same is evident from their website, wherein they scan and display the press cuttings tracked by them, indicating that at least some people get a bit of say in the system, with the help of media. May be this needs to increase.
blogathonindia, blogathonindia1
Friday, November 9, 2007
2007 MDGs report: Urgent need to strengthen implementation
A mid term 2007 MDGs report by civil society organizations in Madhya Pradesh,India bring the state into focus, as here the situation of children is grim as compared to other states of India. So, the State seeks urgent attention, if the goals are to be met by 2015.
JULY 7 WAS the mid point for evaluating the progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set by all the countries of world. These MDGs range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015.
National Social Watch Coalition in India, a network of civil society partners came out with a national report on India’s progress on MDGs. Civil society groups in the State of Madhya Pradesh came out with implementation audit report on seven out of eight MDGs on July 9, 2007.
The civil society groups contributing to this report used available data sources to evaluate the State’s progress and presented some case studies to show the implementation status on the ground. The report suggests an urgent need to strengthen implementation and increase the focus on the monitoring of the situation on ground, which is a challenge. The report brought out analysis of various indicators on the progress of MDGs, which are at different levels of human development.
The report stated that the situation of children in Madhya Pradesh is a cause for concern as compare to other states of India. It was hard one and brought attention on the need of effective implementation and increased monitoring of the goals set by the world’s countries to achieve by 2015 in the area of human development. The report brought Madhya Pradesh into spotlight; where there is an urgent need to increase focus on the progress of these goals, if India wishes to achieve them. But augmented focus does not mean pressure on the system only, in fact there is an urgent need to increase resources, strengthen capacity and increase real engagement of communities. Especially the poor class and the section, which does not participate in decision-making process for human development in the State, should be included and this is something very important.
Civil society partners coming out with this report was an indicator of increased mobilization and concern among them. The increased involvement of civil society in monitoring the progress on the issues, which impact human development, is in line with ’Universal Declaration of Human rights’. This right calls on each individual to strive for securing human rights and these goals are barometers of progress towards fulfillment of these rights. Civil society has a role of duty bearers and needs to ensure that all the promises made by the countries at start of this millennium are met. There is a need to keep a constant vigil on the progress towards achieving the goals and the indicators set up for achievement of these millennium development goals.
It is not for first time when civil society in Madhya Pradesh has shown the increased concern. if one looks back, for last few years the networks of non governmental organizations, media advocacy groups and social activists have been using various forums and multiplicity of methods including media to bring issues of survival and development to forefront. Be it malnutrition among children, poverty, maternal mortality, and female foeticide, impact of displacement or challenges faced in guaranteeing education for all, civil society has always strongly advocated these issues with evidences.
It is a welcome sign as we work in the age of ’accountability’, which demands for the process where ‘systems’ are answerable to its constituencies. This also signifies growing influence and participation of civil society regarding human rights.
Madhya Pradesh State has seen increased civil society participation in State’s effort but still the major input by the NGOs is at the level of delivery or supporting delivery systems of the State. There still exists a glass ceiling when it comes to making decisions, which impact them and the people, which civil society represents. This is important both for civil society and State, as no mobilization of public opinion is perhaps as powerful as that of involvement of people including excluded and poor section.
By Anil Gulati
JULY 7 WAS the mid point for evaluating the progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), set by all the countries of world. These MDGs range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015.
National Social Watch Coalition in India, a network of civil society partners came out with a national report on India’s progress on MDGs. Civil society groups in the State of Madhya Pradesh came out with implementation audit report on seven out of eight MDGs on July 9, 2007.
The civil society groups contributing to this report used available data sources to evaluate the State’s progress and presented some case studies to show the implementation status on the ground. The report suggests an urgent need to strengthen implementation and increase the focus on the monitoring of the situation on ground, which is a challenge. The report brought out analysis of various indicators on the progress of MDGs, which are at different levels of human development.
The report stated that the situation of children in Madhya Pradesh is a cause for concern as compare to other states of India. It was hard one and brought attention on the need of effective implementation and increased monitoring of the goals set by the world’s countries to achieve by 2015 in the area of human development. The report brought Madhya Pradesh into spotlight; where there is an urgent need to increase focus on the progress of these goals, if India wishes to achieve them. But augmented focus does not mean pressure on the system only, in fact there is an urgent need to increase resources, strengthen capacity and increase real engagement of communities. Especially the poor class and the section, which does not participate in decision-making process for human development in the State, should be included and this is something very important.
Civil society partners coming out with this report was an indicator of increased mobilization and concern among them. The increased involvement of civil society in monitoring the progress on the issues, which impact human development, is in line with ’Universal Declaration of Human rights’. This right calls on each individual to strive for securing human rights and these goals are barometers of progress towards fulfillment of these rights. Civil society has a role of duty bearers and needs to ensure that all the promises made by the countries at start of this millennium are met. There is a need to keep a constant vigil on the progress towards achieving the goals and the indicators set up for achievement of these millennium development goals.
It is not for first time when civil society in Madhya Pradesh has shown the increased concern. if one looks back, for last few years the networks of non governmental organizations, media advocacy groups and social activists have been using various forums and multiplicity of methods including media to bring issues of survival and development to forefront. Be it malnutrition among children, poverty, maternal mortality, and female foeticide, impact of displacement or challenges faced in guaranteeing education for all, civil society has always strongly advocated these issues with evidences.
It is a welcome sign as we work in the age of ’accountability’, which demands for the process where ‘systems’ are answerable to its constituencies. This also signifies growing influence and participation of civil society regarding human rights.
Madhya Pradesh State has seen increased civil society participation in State’s effort but still the major input by the NGOs is at the level of delivery or supporting delivery systems of the State. There still exists a glass ceiling when it comes to making decisions, which impact them and the people, which civil society represents. This is important both for civil society and State, as no mobilization of public opinion is perhaps as powerful as that of involvement of people including excluded and poor section.
By Anil Gulati
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Media and maternal mortality in M P
Increased coverage meant increased visibility for the issue and more public statements on maternal and infant deaths.
The media can be useful in raising the visibility of an issue, helpful in influencing the climate of public opinion; offer a chance to respond to official definitions, and influence media's own attitudes towards an issue. That function of media is perceptible in the state of Madhya Pradesh in last one and half year in raising concern on the issue of maternal mortality. This trend in the print media has brought the issue of maternal deaths not only on forefront of media but onto the political framework in the central Indian state.
Generating and sustaining media interest in an issue like maternal mortality was not an easy one. It was efforts of media advocacy groups such as Vikas Samvad in engaging print media professionals, media dialogues by various civil society organizations such as Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch, Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association and various social activists which provided the much needed evidence to raise the issue. An effort which was duly complemented by many newspapers in the state.
Earlier for the media and for many of us the maternal mortality ratio was just a figure (498 per 100,000 live births). According to official definition the maternal mortality ratio (MMR in short) is calculated as number of maternal deaths per one lakh live births, which is not newsy, for media. But the moment civil society groups and activists worked out a figure based on the government’s Family Health Survey and put out a statement that 13,000 women die per year in the state during and after delivery (approximately 35 women per day) - that made the statement which clicked with media. This then led to a number of stories - first on the numbers of course with official and political quotes (which did not deny the fact). Then the numbers were clubbed with case studies, issues like gaps in delivery system, lack of health facilities and accountablility in the state started featuring. It was not just the news, this provided the peg for features, op-eds and Navabharat ( a leading Hindi newspaper in MP) wrote an edit on the issue.
This raised concern was quite evident by the increase in number of public statements by political leaders, civil society groups and activists on the issue of maternal and infant deaths in public and media. It was unprecedented that an issue like this could make headlines or on to main page, which reflected an achievement on the part of media advocacy & civil society groups and activists working on the issue. This effort brought the agenda of maternal mortality and safe motherhood high on to the political normative framework in the state.
During this process an interesting angle which came up for the first time in the state was whether a serious issue like this matters to our legislators or not ? The Hindustan Times and The Hindu initiated the debate based on evidence i.e. a report by a civil society group which had analyzed that no questions had been raised in state assembly on the issue of maternal and infant deaths in the state. This trigger led too many articles by newspapers like The Pioneer, Rajya Ki nai Dunia, Danik Jagran, Nai Dunia, Deshbandhu (state newspapers) and op-eds by Danik Bhaskar, till the time issue finally made it to the state assembly.
This inference of increased visibility and its impact was echoed by a recent study undertaken by Centre for Research and Education, (CREED) an organisation based in Hyderabad and Bhopal to determine coverage given to maternal mortality and related issues by the newspapers published from the state of Madhya Pradesh. The report had analyzed the media coverage for the year 2005 and points out that there has been significant increase in reporting in the print media in the year 2005 especially if one compares it with the year 2004. They had tracked 723 stories on the issue and had analyzed 234 stories to evaluate its content. If one looks at the space which has been generated on the issue it was roughly equivalent to 61,161 square centimetres. If one compares the same to 2004, though no study was done just on the visibility factor there was a significant increase.
Looking at the press coverage for earlier years, the issue of maternal mortality was only visible around safe-motherhood day i.e. April 11, or else whenever the maternal death was reported it was visible in small columns on inner pages of the newsprint. The situation has changed now, significant benefits have accrued due to sustained and concerted media efforts by media advocacy and civil society networks which drew adequate response from the print media. This piece and even the reports by CREED mainly analyses media discourse in print and that too of the newspapers published from the state capital Bhopal and some from Gwalior and Indore. This does not account for district level issues which are being raised in the state, which, means the ripple effect would have trickled down and if one accounts for the same, may be it would show a much larger picture. This is not an end of the process but a beginning which has helped to raise the visibility of the issue of high maternal deaths in the state, and which needs to be carried forward.
(The views expressed in this piece are personal)
The media can be useful in raising the visibility of an issue, helpful in influencing the climate of public opinion; offer a chance to respond to official definitions, and influence media's own attitudes towards an issue. That function of media is perceptible in the state of Madhya Pradesh in last one and half year in raising concern on the issue of maternal mortality. This trend in the print media has brought the issue of maternal deaths not only on forefront of media but onto the political framework in the central Indian state.
Generating and sustaining media interest in an issue like maternal mortality was not an easy one. It was efforts of media advocacy groups such as Vikas Samvad in engaging print media professionals, media dialogues by various civil society organizations such as Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch, Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association and various social activists which provided the much needed evidence to raise the issue. An effort which was duly complemented by many newspapers in the state.
Earlier for the media and for many of us the maternal mortality ratio was just a figure (498 per 100,000 live births). According to official definition the maternal mortality ratio (MMR in short) is calculated as number of maternal deaths per one lakh live births, which is not newsy, for media. But the moment civil society groups and activists worked out a figure based on the government’s Family Health Survey and put out a statement that 13,000 women die per year in the state during and after delivery (approximately 35 women per day) - that made the statement which clicked with media. This then led to a number of stories - first on the numbers of course with official and political quotes (which did not deny the fact). Then the numbers were clubbed with case studies, issues like gaps in delivery system, lack of health facilities and accountablility in the state started featuring. It was not just the news, this provided the peg for features, op-eds and Navabharat ( a leading Hindi newspaper in MP) wrote an edit on the issue.
This raised concern was quite evident by the increase in number of public statements by political leaders, civil society groups and activists on the issue of maternal and infant deaths in public and media. It was unprecedented that an issue like this could make headlines or on to main page, which reflected an achievement on the part of media advocacy & civil society groups and activists working on the issue. This effort brought the agenda of maternal mortality and safe motherhood high on to the political normative framework in the state.
During this process an interesting angle which came up for the first time in the state was whether a serious issue like this matters to our legislators or not ? The Hindustan Times and The Hindu initiated the debate based on evidence i.e. a report by a civil society group which had analyzed that no questions had been raised in state assembly on the issue of maternal and infant deaths in the state. This trigger led too many articles by newspapers like The Pioneer, Rajya Ki nai Dunia, Danik Jagran, Nai Dunia, Deshbandhu (state newspapers) and op-eds by Danik Bhaskar, till the time issue finally made it to the state assembly.
This inference of increased visibility and its impact was echoed by a recent study undertaken by Centre for Research and Education, (CREED) an organisation based in Hyderabad and Bhopal to determine coverage given to maternal mortality and related issues by the newspapers published from the state of Madhya Pradesh. The report had analyzed the media coverage for the year 2005 and points out that there has been significant increase in reporting in the print media in the year 2005 especially if one compares it with the year 2004. They had tracked 723 stories on the issue and had analyzed 234 stories to evaluate its content. If one looks at the space which has been generated on the issue it was roughly equivalent to 61,161 square centimetres. If one compares the same to 2004, though no study was done just on the visibility factor there was a significant increase.
Looking at the press coverage for earlier years, the issue of maternal mortality was only visible around safe-motherhood day i.e. April 11, or else whenever the maternal death was reported it was visible in small columns on inner pages of the newsprint. The situation has changed now, significant benefits have accrued due to sustained and concerted media efforts by media advocacy and civil society networks which drew adequate response from the print media. This piece and even the reports by CREED mainly analyses media discourse in print and that too of the newspapers published from the state capital Bhopal and some from Gwalior and Indore. This does not account for district level issues which are being raised in the state, which, means the ripple effect would have trickled down and if one accounts for the same, may be it would show a much larger picture. This is not an end of the process but a beginning which has helped to raise the visibility of the issue of high maternal deaths in the state, and which needs to be carried forward.
(The views expressed in this piece are personal)
Maternal Mortality - Civil Societies Call for Action
Munna was nine months pregnant. She did experience pains few days back, when her husband and mother-in-law rushed her to the nearest primary health centre in Kushwai of the District Shahdol in the State of Madhya Pradesh in India. They had to make her travel by bus from their village, and then in pain Munna had to walk, which she could barely to reach the health centre.
But unfortunately the Kushwai health centre, where they had come with lot of hopes, did not had a medical doctor for last one and half years. One male health worker mans the centre. Though, he puts in his best but that may not be enough for women like Munna and others who need medical support.
Inspite of reaching the primary health centre, she did not get any help. She has to travel another eight kilometers to Burhar, the place where there is a community health centre. The centre is fortunately newly built and has facilities for delivery. Munna did develop some complications during the delivery but fortunately survived to see her new born.
She was lucky but thousands of women which die in the state are not. App 10,000 women die every year in Madhya Pradesh during pregnancy or within 42 days after pregnancy. Majority of these could be prevented. Medically these deaths may be due to hemorrhage, infection, eclampsia or unsafe abortion or any of three delays. But fact is there exists a yawning gap in our health system which stands in between life and death of women in the state. This gap has linkage to availability and access to health services, infrastructure, awareness among communities of not only the services but even recognizing danger signs, issue of how where they can access the services etc. Studies also tells us that for every maternal death in India, 20 more women suffer from the impaired health.
But if the situation at ground is like this, and has been there. What is the state’s response to an issue like this? Does it impact the political leaders, their discourse? Does issue of women dying in the state is debated in discussions where funds are allocated or decisions are made? Does state’s machinery care for it? Does civil society raise its concern?
The year 2004
To answer some of these questions a dip stick assessment was done in year 2004 at various levels within civil society, debates in the state assembly, media analysis. Outcomes were revealing. First of all the issue concerned only few in health department. There were only handful of civil society partners, and their major role was to support service delivery system. As such there was no push or urgency to bring change. Interestingly, the issue had never being debated on the floor of the state assembly, a place where elected representatives ‘of the people, for the people and by the people’ decide. It did not impact them, many of them were not even aware of the fact that state has this high number of maternal deaths? An issue like this was never raised by the political leaders in the debates which happen there – an issue of total neglect at the highest political body. Media covered ‘event news’ around the safe motherhood day, probably they never got the right information too.
Present
That was a starting point, but nevertheless situation has changed today. Today state recognizes it as a major issue when it comes to women and children. State calls for an action. It is on high priority list of the political head of the state, state party is being questioned on the number of deaths, gaps on the infrastructure and many related points. Today more than 150 civil society organizations are raising concern on the issue and demanding urgency and urgency of action in the state.
How it happened and what does it impact and what strengths does it generate? Movements don't just happen; the energy that underlies them must be marshaled, channeled, and focused. The principal means by which this is achieved in our society, and within our political tradition, is through advocacy networks and coalitions.
Networks like Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch and Collective for advocacy, resource and training, Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Mahila Chetna Manch, and many others have not only contributed to help bring the issue at an individual level but as a part of informal collation added to that force which helped bringing the agenda on political normative framework. Some of the strengths which this informal network helped bring were the numbers of civil society partners raising concern on the issue spread across different regions of the state. From a handful few now it is more than 150 civil society partners in the state working in all divisions to bring the issue to forefront. The turn around is also in their way of working from being a service delivery partners or a social mobilization partners in supportive and submissive role in a new avatar of advocacy partner. In this new role civil society speaks on the issue of right to health, its violation, demands state’s accountability to provide for safe motherhood. In this new business influencing people who make decisions which impact human lives is the key.
The primary target of the civil society was to bring the issues which impact lives of women at the villages, blocks and districts to the agenda of the people who make or influence decisions, i.e. state assembly debates, political leaders, members of legislative assembly, ministers, media, rights commission etc. They had been to some part successful. Expression of this concern was undertaken by directly meeting and sensitizing political leaders. The evidences highlighting gap were shared with political leaders, urging them to rise above politics and give a strong call for action. These non governmental organizations wrote memorandums, shared information and collected evidences for the same purpose. Media engagement also supported by providing an enabling environment for change. Strong evidences i.e. case of maternal deaths which can be presented, health system gaps were highlighted which added pressure on the state and the leaders to react. Resultant of this solid gains achieved. Today questions on maternal mortality are being raised in the state assembly, the highest policy making body of the state. It is not just few many voices are being publicly heard on the issue. There is a increased concern within media.
From nowhere it came to a point where state publicly acknowledge the problem, and its commitment to act. Many new polices and schemes have been announced and that too in the rapid succession. This amount of concern and even expressed publicly by leaders had never been seen earlier in the state on the issue of maternal mortality. But that is not enough today empowered civil society and media is always looking with eagle’s eye on the new measures of the state and vocally points out the gaps This is a positive sign, where people are voicing their opinion. But it is not easy as said. Political leaders have started picking up real cases of deaths, gaps in infrastructure in the state, violation of rights, gaps in policies and seeking answers to what is being done by the state to response to the situation.
Advocacy experts tell us that ‘people centered advocacy’ is the best, i.e. position when people who suffer can speak for themselves. A step has been taken in the same direction by the engaged networks. Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch in their work with communities helped to bring the issue to debate in various gram sabhas which were held by panchayats in Gwalior – Chambal division. Similarly women who had participated in various women conventions hosted by Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha came forward and wrote about the problems women face in rural areas when it comes to issue of safe motherhood and why do women die in their villages while giving birth. As per sources of Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha more than 200 women have written to the Chief Minister. On a simple fifty paise post card, they wrote by themselves and it was send to the Chief Minister. It looks simple but powerful, if it gets to his eyes. Recently a large number of women from villages across Madhya Pradesh have joined a signature (or thumb-impression) campaign to press for their right to health and to call upon the Government to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. As a part of a special drive to raise concern on this crucial issue, more than 20,000 women from different villages of the State are now in the process of signing (or placing their thumb impression) on a various banners demanding the right to health and calling upon the State to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha are the civil society partners who are collecting these signatures/thumb impressions of women. They say that they do so after they are adequately sensitizing them on the issue of maternal mortality. Then if they feel that some concrete action is needed to improve the situation, they come and sign. Plan is to present the banners with their signatures to policy makers.
One might say that this is good effort, which indeed it is to bring the agenda of maternal mortality on to the political and action framework but it is still a long way to go. This is true. But if one looks back one and half years where there was hardly any concern, hardly anyone called for action, except few that too ‘within the box’. The focus was limited. From nowhere it has come somewhere, which is an important achievement by any means. Need of the day is to provide possible answers to the state, which is willing to listen. Answers which can help deliver results, within the context of the field realties and socio – cultural aspects – a new call to many !
December 24 2006
Anil Gulati
But unfortunately the Kushwai health centre, where they had come with lot of hopes, did not had a medical doctor for last one and half years. One male health worker mans the centre. Though, he puts in his best but that may not be enough for women like Munna and others who need medical support.
Inspite of reaching the primary health centre, she did not get any help. She has to travel another eight kilometers to Burhar, the place where there is a community health centre. The centre is fortunately newly built and has facilities for delivery. Munna did develop some complications during the delivery but fortunately survived to see her new born.
She was lucky but thousands of women which die in the state are not. App 10,000 women die every year in Madhya Pradesh during pregnancy or within 42 days after pregnancy. Majority of these could be prevented. Medically these deaths may be due to hemorrhage, infection, eclampsia or unsafe abortion or any of three delays. But fact is there exists a yawning gap in our health system which stands in between life and death of women in the state. This gap has linkage to availability and access to health services, infrastructure, awareness among communities of not only the services but even recognizing danger signs, issue of how where they can access the services etc. Studies also tells us that for every maternal death in India, 20 more women suffer from the impaired health.
But if the situation at ground is like this, and has been there. What is the state’s response to an issue like this? Does it impact the political leaders, their discourse? Does issue of women dying in the state is debated in discussions where funds are allocated or decisions are made? Does state’s machinery care for it? Does civil society raise its concern?
The year 2004
To answer some of these questions a dip stick assessment was done in year 2004 at various levels within civil society, debates in the state assembly, media analysis. Outcomes were revealing. First of all the issue concerned only few in health department. There were only handful of civil society partners, and their major role was to support service delivery system. As such there was no push or urgency to bring change. Interestingly, the issue had never being debated on the floor of the state assembly, a place where elected representatives ‘of the people, for the people and by the people’ decide. It did not impact them, many of them were not even aware of the fact that state has this high number of maternal deaths? An issue like this was never raised by the political leaders in the debates which happen there – an issue of total neglect at the highest political body. Media covered ‘event news’ around the safe motherhood day, probably they never got the right information too.
Present
That was a starting point, but nevertheless situation has changed today. Today state recognizes it as a major issue when it comes to women and children. State calls for an action. It is on high priority list of the political head of the state, state party is being questioned on the number of deaths, gaps on the infrastructure and many related points. Today more than 150 civil society organizations are raising concern on the issue and demanding urgency and urgency of action in the state.
How it happened and what does it impact and what strengths does it generate? Movements don't just happen; the energy that underlies them must be marshaled, channeled, and focused. The principal means by which this is achieved in our society, and within our political tradition, is through advocacy networks and coalitions.
Networks like Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch and Collective for advocacy, resource and training, Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha, Mahila Chetna Manch, and many others have not only contributed to help bring the issue at an individual level but as a part of informal collation added to that force which helped bringing the agenda on political normative framework. Some of the strengths which this informal network helped bring were the numbers of civil society partners raising concern on the issue spread across different regions of the state. From a handful few now it is more than 150 civil society partners in the state working in all divisions to bring the issue to forefront. The turn around is also in their way of working from being a service delivery partners or a social mobilization partners in supportive and submissive role in a new avatar of advocacy partner. In this new role civil society speaks on the issue of right to health, its violation, demands state’s accountability to provide for safe motherhood. In this new business influencing people who make decisions which impact human lives is the key.
The primary target of the civil society was to bring the issues which impact lives of women at the villages, blocks and districts to the agenda of the people who make or influence decisions, i.e. state assembly debates, political leaders, members of legislative assembly, ministers, media, rights commission etc. They had been to some part successful. Expression of this concern was undertaken by directly meeting and sensitizing political leaders. The evidences highlighting gap were shared with political leaders, urging them to rise above politics and give a strong call for action. These non governmental organizations wrote memorandums, shared information and collected evidences for the same purpose. Media engagement also supported by providing an enabling environment for change. Strong evidences i.e. case of maternal deaths which can be presented, health system gaps were highlighted which added pressure on the state and the leaders to react. Resultant of this solid gains achieved. Today questions on maternal mortality are being raised in the state assembly, the highest policy making body of the state. It is not just few many voices are being publicly heard on the issue. There is a increased concern within media.
From nowhere it came to a point where state publicly acknowledge the problem, and its commitment to act. Many new polices and schemes have been announced and that too in the rapid succession. This amount of concern and even expressed publicly by leaders had never been seen earlier in the state on the issue of maternal mortality. But that is not enough today empowered civil society and media is always looking with eagle’s eye on the new measures of the state and vocally points out the gaps This is a positive sign, where people are voicing their opinion. But it is not easy as said. Political leaders have started picking up real cases of deaths, gaps in infrastructure in the state, violation of rights, gaps in policies and seeking answers to what is being done by the state to response to the situation.
Advocacy experts tell us that ‘people centered advocacy’ is the best, i.e. position when people who suffer can speak for themselves. A step has been taken in the same direction by the engaged networks. Madhya Pradesh Jan Adhikar Manch in their work with communities helped to bring the issue to debate in various gram sabhas which were held by panchayats in Gwalior – Chambal division. Similarly women who had participated in various women conventions hosted by Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha came forward and wrote about the problems women face in rural areas when it comes to issue of safe motherhood and why do women die in their villages while giving birth. As per sources of Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha more than 200 women have written to the Chief Minister. On a simple fifty paise post card, they wrote by themselves and it was send to the Chief Minister. It looks simple but powerful, if it gets to his eyes. Recently a large number of women from villages across Madhya Pradesh have joined a signature (or thumb-impression) campaign to press for their right to health and to call upon the Government to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. As a part of a special drive to raise concern on this crucial issue, more than 20,000 women from different villages of the State are now in the process of signing (or placing their thumb impression) on a various banners demanding the right to health and calling upon the State to ensure that the dream of safe motherhood becomes a reality. Madhya Pradesh Voluntary Health Association, Madhya Pradesh Samaj Sewa Sanstha are the civil society partners who are collecting these signatures/thumb impressions of women. They say that they do so after they are adequately sensitizing them on the issue of maternal mortality. Then if they feel that some concrete action is needed to improve the situation, they come and sign. Plan is to present the banners with their signatures to policy makers.
One might say that this is good effort, which indeed it is to bring the agenda of maternal mortality on to the political and action framework but it is still a long way to go. This is true. But if one looks back one and half years where there was hardly any concern, hardly anyone called for action, except few that too ‘within the box’. The focus was limited. From nowhere it has come somewhere, which is an important achievement by any means. Need of the day is to provide possible answers to the state, which is willing to listen. Answers which can help deliver results, within the context of the field realties and socio – cultural aspects – a new call to many !
December 24 2006
Anil Gulati
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