Monday, December 21, 2009

youth and social development

YOUTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO
DHANKUT OF DISTRICT BAHARAICH

Dr. Alok Chantia* & Dr. Preeti Misra**
*Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Sri J.N.P.G. College, (KKC) Lucknow; E-Mail alokchantia@rediffmail.com; alokchantia@gmail.com
**Lecturer, Dept of Human Rights, School for Legal Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow; E-Mail misra9us@gmail.com;misra9_us@yahoo.com

Keywords- Youth, Social Development, Dhankut

Abstract-
Any culture discusses marriage, family, economy which is nothing but the discussion of role of youth because all these phenomenon depend upon youth .So youth generates space for a group, culture , society, state or country. Social development wants a proper care and attention where we are discussing youth’s role.

Dhankut is an endogamous group of district Baharaich of UP. They are known for their queer characteristic of cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages. Dhankut are not listed in four caste stratification, nor their name is given in SC/ST/OBC no literature is available about them in any official or unofficial record expect in author’s research work. Dhankut with 50 000 population are scattered across the U.P. but in Baharaich 2687 are living I Dhankutty pura. They are fighting for their origin and identity since 1973 but in vain .
More then 60% of its population represent youth .Youth have no option except doing retail work because it is non-agrarian group, only 3 Dhankut are in government jobs and all are IV class employees. Dhankut youth is interested in taking education .Result shows a contrast feature though they are aware about health, still they are alcoholic due to frustration. Result also shows that youth is willing to share their energy for all types of development but due to non recognition of caste and absence of alternatives, social development is meaningless.

Present study is an explorative cum descriptive type of work, 300 respondents above 18 year of age and of both sex were interviewed randomly. Present study was carried out between 2005 to 2007.

Gender discrimination

Gender Discrimination, Women’s Health And Access To Health Services- A Critical Evaluation

Dr.Preeti Misra, Sr. Lecturer, Dept. of Human Rights, School For Legal Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow,226025, E-Mail : misra9_us@yahoo.com
Dr. Alok Chantia, Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Sri JNPG College, Lucknow, E-Mail: alokchantia@rediffmail.com

Women’s health and her access to health services play an important role in the development of a country. As mother, her health has intergenerational effects. Since she is the chief care provider, her poor health has an immediate adverse effect on her family. The Indian constitution grants women equal rights with men, but strong patriarchal traditions and centuries old customs shape women’s lives. Females receive less health care than males. Gender disparities in nutrition are evident from infancy to adulthood. Girls are breast-fed less frequently and for shorter durations in infancy; in childhood and adulthood, males are fed first and better. The medical expenditures for boys are 2.3 times higher than for girls.
Adult women consume fewer calories per day than men. Nutritional deprivation has two major consequences for women, they never reach their full growth potential and anaemia. Besides posing risks during pregnancy, anaemia increases women’s susceptibility to diseases such as tuberculosis and reduces the energy women have for daily activities such as household chores, child care, and professional works. Working conditions and environmental pollution further impairs women's health. India has exceptionally high rates of child malnutrition, because tradition in India requires that women eat last and least throughout their lives, even when pregnant and lactating. Malnourished women give birth to malnourished children, perpetuating the cycle.
More than 100,000 Indian women die each year from pregnancy-related causes. women in India receive no prenatal care during their pregnancies. India’s maternal mortality rates in rural areas are among the worlds highest. The serious risk faced by adolescents and adult women who die with pregnancy-related causes, emphasize lack of access to modern health facilities, lack of awareness and education about HIV/AIDS, and the prevalence of harmful practices such as child marriage. The U.N. Committee monitoring compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has also voiced concern about high maternal mortality rates, unsafe abortion, and inadequate obstetric and family planning services in India.
Traditionally, women bear primary responsibility for the well-being of their families. Yet they are systematically denied access to the resources they need to fulfill their responsibility like education, health care services, job training, and access and freedom to use family planning services. Women’s socialization to tolerate suffering is additional constraint in their getting adequate health care.
Though India has worked consistently to improve the status and well-being of women and has been successful in effecting changes in societal behaviour. But still a long, arduous and focused effort is required to reduce gender disparities with regard to health services.
The present paper is theoretical in nature. It makes an in depth analysis of the factors responsible for gender discrimination with regard to health services. It evaluates various policies and programmes of the government concerning women’s health. Lastly, it suggests various measures for improving access of women to health care services and for developing a public health system that is sensitive to the needs of women.

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Gender discrimination

Gender Discrimination, Women’s Health And Access To Health Services- A Critical Evaluation

Dr.Preeti Misra, Sr. Lecturer, Dept. of Human Rights, School For Legal Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow,226025, E-Mail : misra9_us@yahoo.com
Dr. Alok Chantia, Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Sri JNPG College, Lucknow, E-Mail: alokchantia@rediffmail.com

Women’s health and her access to health services play an important role in the development of a country. As mother, her health has intergenerational effects. Since she is the chief care provider, her poor health has an immediate adverse effect on her family. The Indian constitution grants women equal rights with men, but strong patriarchal traditions and centuries old customs shape women’s lives. Females receive less health care than males. Gender disparities in nutrition are evident from infancy to adulthood. Girls are breast-fed less frequently and for shorter durations in infancy; in childhood and adulthood, males are fed first and better. The medical expenditures for boys are 2.3 times higher than for girls.
Adult women consume fewer calories per day than men. Nutritional deprivation has two major consequences for women, they never reach their full growth potential and anaemia. Besides posing risks during pregnancy, anaemia increases women’s susceptibility to diseases such as tuberculosis and reduces the energy women have for daily activities such as household chores, child care, and professional works. Working conditions and environmental pollution further impairs women's health. India has exceptionally high rates of child malnutrition, because tradition in India requires that women eat last and least throughout their lives, even when pregnant and lactating. Malnourished women give birth to malnourished children, perpetuating the cycle.
More than 100,000 Indian women die each year from pregnancy-related causes. women in India receive no prenatal care during their pregnancies. India’s maternal mortality rates in rural areas are among the worlds highest. The serious risk faced by adolescents and adult women who die with pregnancy-related causes, emphasize lack of access to modern health facilities, lack of awareness and education about HIV/AIDS, and the prevalence of harmful practices such as child marriage. The U.N. Committee monitoring compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has also voiced concern about high maternal mortality rates, unsafe abortion, and inadequate obstetric and family planning services in India.
Traditionally, women bear primary responsibility for the well-being of their families. Yet they are systematically denied access to the resources they need to fulfill their responsibility like education, health care services, job training, and access and freedom to use family planning services. Women’s socialization to tolerate suffering is additional constraint in their getting adequate health care.
Though India has worked consistently to improve the status and well-being of women and has been successful in effecting changes in societal behaviour. But still a long, arduous and focused effort is required to reduce gender disparities with regard to health services.
The present paper is theoretical in nature. It makes an in depth analysis of the factors responsible for gender discrimination with regard to health services. It evaluates various policies and programmes of the government concerning women’s health. Lastly, it suggests various measures for improving access of women to health care services and for developing a public health system that is sensitive to the needs of women.

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TRIBAL WOMAN AND HEALTH

Status of Marginalised Tribal Women And Health - A Survey of Dhankut Women of District Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh

By

-Dr.Alok Chantia-Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Sri Jai Narain Post Graduate College, Lucknow
-Dr.Preeti Misra- Lecturer, Dept of Human Rights, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow

Abstract: Health is defined as social, physical and mental well being of a person. Health is also one of the indicators of national development .Besides medicine culture is also responsible for the well being and health of an individual. Culture basically develops and maintains its structure by women. Woman is the axis of any society, but society does not provide adequate health care for women. Present study has been done on an endogamous group Dhankut, which resides in district Bahraich of U.P. Dhankut women are mostly illiterates and suffer from albinism, sterility, STD and STI besides poor nutrition. Maximum Dhankut women are suffering from multiple health problems. Though the District hospital is very near to their living place, they prefer to go to local quacks for the treatment. The present paper examines why Dhankut women are sufferers of many health problems? Whether their culture is responsible for their poor health and why they are not availing medical facilities of district hospital?

Keywords: Health, Culture, Nutrition, STD, Quacks, Medical facilities

witch craft

Killing of Women As Witches- Emerging Paradigm in Violence Against Women Calls For Central Legislation
By
Dr. Preeti Misra* & Dr. Alok Chantia**

* Sr.Lecturer, Dept. of Human Rights, School for Legal Studies, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow; Formerly Lecturer in Dept.of Law, Sri J.N.P.G.College, Lucknow, E-Mail misra9us@gmail.com
**Lecturer, Dept. of Anthropology, Sri Jai Narain Post Graduate College, Lucknow, E-Mail alokchantia@rediffmail.com

Abstract
Today Witchcraft (Dayan Pratha) is an emerging paradigm of violence against women, it is an antithesis of empowerment of women. The belief in witchcraft and its practice seem to have been widespread in the world over. In India in the Vedic Age, witches were recognized and called as yogins. In present Indian society the phenomenon of witchcraft is not only prevalent in tribal and rural societies but is also spreading in modern urban societies. Superstition and faith in witchcraft play a major role in carrying out violence against women. The UN has also released figures of the victims of witchcraft and black magic around the world. The UNO has named India along with countries in Africa, Asia and South America as a high-incidence zone for witchcraft related killings.
In India, the highest incidence of witchcraft-related crimes occur in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. But only a few Indian states have outlawed witch-hunting. As the fear of witchcraft and its existence is culturally rooted, sometimes even the lower rung of the police and others fail to take note of the violence. At times the criminals escape punishment for their misdeeds. Only 2 percent of people charged with witch-hunting are convicted in court. People go scot-free because witnesses are hard to come by.
The present paper highlights historical and present day phenomenon of witchcraft in tribal, rural and urban societies of India. It makes an in depth analysis of etiology of witchcraft and propagates for a strong central legislation to punish the wrongdoers who in the name of superstition perpetuate all kinds of violence against women. The paper also emphasizes upon the role of society, media, police and judiciary in educating the masses and in combating violence against women in the name of witchcraft.

sociology of Law

Sociology of Law: A Study on Dhankut of District Bahraich (U.P)

Dr. Alok Chantia
Dr. Preeti Misra
Dr. Rohit Mishra
Indian Association of Social Scientists, Lucknow.
12/119 Indira Nagar Lucknow-16 (U.P.)
alokchantia@rediffmail.com

Law is nothing but some rules which regulate one’s behavior. In this regard law is a prescriptive pattern of behaviour. Law may be defined as inner and outer or visible and invisible rules. When an individual absents himself form different behavior it shows his inner control which is governed by some rules. Apart from this, some rules are made by society, community or group to regulate its functions. Pluralism is not only a source to understand law in democracy. It is very important to sketch the profile of Law, and constitution to put a pseudo picture of smoothness of life of an individual. Law has an economic aspect too and even after knowing all the laws and its proceedings an individual is not capable to knock the doors of court because of lack of money. So it is very important to know the role of money in accessing law for the redress of grievances. It is also important to analyse the existence of local political organization for maintaining law and order in a community while many democratic legal institutions are present.
In this regard Dhankut represents its best image to understand the meaning and significance of law. Dhankut is an endogamous group of district Bahraich of U.P residing near indo-Nepal border.They represent 2087 population (2001 census). They are neither listed in four folded Hindu caste system nor under the category of SC/ST/OBC. No. literature in available about them so for . Cross cousin and parallel cousin marriages are their queer characteristics. Due to poverty they are victim of circumstances and they cannot afford to go to Law courts for the resolution of their disputes. Present study shows the role of law and legal institutions amongst Dhankut .
It is a participant observation based study. It is an exploratory cum descriptive type of work. Since due to illiteracy they are not in a position to tell everything, 300 respondents above 18 years of age, both male and female were chosen also for interview by random sampling. This study was carried out between 15 April and 11 June 2007
Result shows that 80% respondents are aware about Court, law etc. 86% say that Law can help them in accessing better social life, 91% say that poverty is main hindrance to reach to law courts. 87% say that origin, identity, caste and economy are decisive factors for attaining justice through courts. 82% say that respect for law makes a better nation and an individual.
Present study reveals that if a group in suffering from identity crisis and poverty it leads to human right violation even though it is well conversant about law and legal institutions.

Sociology Of Human Rights: A Study On Dhankut Of District Bahraich Of U.P.(India)

Sociology Of Human Rights: A Study On Dhankut Of District Bahraich Of U.P.(India) Dr.Alok Chantia (Lecturer)*, Dr.Preeti Misra (Lecturer)***Prisident&**Vice President, Indian Association Of Social Scientists, 12/119, Indira Nagar Lucknow, U.P.(India)Key words- Human rights, culture, DhankutAbstract- Culture was formed by man to generate his right against uncertain nature but after its inception, man became parasite on it and he/she found helplessness for his/her survival away from culture.so dependency on culture made an environment to anlyse culture in terms of right. every culture has its limits and carrying capacity,so expansion of population created more serious problem regarding rights which is a politico-legal approach of human rights. Every micro and macro culture bear some political organization which is nothing but human right protection device. so human right is not a new area. It understood more seriously after the second world war. How does human right act within a group? what does a group want in human rights? what are the parameters og human rights? all these have been analysed in a micro group Dhankut of District Bahraich of U.P. of India. It is almost an illeterate endogamous group of 2687 people who are living in Dhankuttypura. In caste specific India they are not listed under any defined four caste.This group is famous for cross-cousin and parallel cousin marriage while such marriage are illegal among general groups. They are also not listed as sceduled caste/scheduled tribe/other backward class according to Indian Constitutional safegaurds.After living in the middle of the city they font visit civil court and district hospital due their megre earning and poverty.Sociologically,an attempt has been made to sketch typology of huamn rights in the light of socio-cultural life of Dhankut.it is an emperical study which will be a boon to understand Human rights sociologically.