Women's Score in Elections 2014

A breakdown of Indian Women's Score Card on Voter Turnouts and Women Candidates from General Election 2014, and the Top Highlights of Women's Roles in Indian Polity.

As we interpret the Indian map and women's representation on it for 2014, let's break it down and look at the top highlights.

65% Women Cast their Votes in 2014

The Powerof49 realised itself as they did not let their voice, their determination to change India - their votes go waste.

65% of Indian women casted their votes in General Elections 2014, from the registered voter base.

What are the top highlights from Women Voter Turnouts in General Elections 2014?

Highlights

Top 5 States/Union Territories with Highest Women Turnouts

• Nagaland - 87.49%
• Tripura - 84.37%
• Sikkim - 83.88%
• West Bengal - 82.06%
• Lakshwadeep - 88.42%

Lowest women voter turnouts 5 states

• Jammu and Kashmir - 48.29%
• Madhya Pradesh - 56.58%
• Uttar Pradesh - 57.41%
• Maharashtra - 58.57%
• Gujarat - 59.69%
• Bihar - 57.67%

States where women voters have outnumbered male voters

Women In Parliament - Still A Man's World?

The numbers this time for Women MPs contesting, or the ones who got elected are miserably low. Take a close look at the number of women that were elected. So many decades after India's Independence, the Indian Parliament continues to be largely male-dominated.

States with Highest Women MPs

Bengal - 14 women MPs from 42 seats

States with No Women MPs

Haryana - 0

Meghalaya - 0

Some States with few Women MPs (in comparison with total seats from their constituencies)

Not Quite The End

Now, that women have voted, let's not stay mute. To know the top 10 questions every Indian must ask the next government click here.

Source: ECI, ADR, India Spend.

Are big cities in India prepared for natural disasters?

After the earthquake that has shattered parts of India and Nepal, concerns on disaster and safety are echoing across the sub-continent.

How prepared is India if a disaster of the same magnitude were to strike us? Let's take a look at some of the major cities in India and their mechanisms in place to defend ourselves against natural calamities:

Bangalore

The garden city with a rapidly growing population of 10,839,725 is relatively less disaster prone. According to research it is in seismic zone 2 (least active) but is slowly moving into zone 3 (moderate activity) owing to 'land use pattern' and increase in population. Though, 80% of Karnataka is drought prone, Bangalore enjoys a good water supply because of the Cauvery River and the year round rainfall.

Apart from NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) there is KSDMA (Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority) and KSNDMC (Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre).

The KSDMA under the Chief Minister

Chennai

The Southernmost Metropolitan City with its population of 9,121,477 is in seismic zone 3 (moderate activity). The city has already witnessed a devastating Tsunami in 2006, post which the state set up the Tsunami Rehabilitation Programme. Chennai is also constantly threatened by Cyclones. What is the government doing to safeguard the coastal city?

It has the CDMM (Centre for Disaster Mitigation Management) managed by Anna University in collaboration with state government, apart from which there is a local branch of the NDMA. Though there is the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority, the plan which was formulated way back in 2003.

The CDMM researches on the various impending natural disasters whereas the NDMA helps the state in policy, planning and capacity building.

Delhi

The capital city with a population of 18,248,290 houses the headquarters of NDMA. Delhi being in seismic zone 4 (high activity) is one of India's most vulnerable cities when it comes to earthquakes. Being in such a volatile location, the city also has the DDMA (Delhi Disaster Management Authority) which makes sure the city has no imminent threat.

The responsibilities of the are DDMA are to

Hyderabad

Two years back, a newspaper article had criticised the city with its population of 11, 48,741 for lacking a CDMP (City Disaster Management Plan). While the city is in seismic zone 2(least activity) it is prone to floods and cyclones having recently seen a spate of the same.

Apart from the local chapter of NDMA, Hyderabad still lacks a proper city disaster plan.

Kolkata

The Eastern city lies in seismic zone 3 (moderate activity). With a population of 44, 86,679 the city houses the West Bengal Disaster Management Department. Though the city has no plan in place, WBMD has laid out plans for the entire state to prevent and provide relief against and during any natural disasters which compensate for it.

The role of the WBDMD include-

Mumbai

The island city with its 12,772,094 population sees its share of flooding due to poor infrastructure and heavy rainfall every year. Falling in seismic zone 3 (moderate activity) the city is at high risk owing to the haphazard city plan. Though the city has a disaster wing under the Municipal Corporation of greater Mumbai the city's haphazard planning proves to be a major threat during any disaster.

The Greater Mumbai Disaster Management Action Plan formulated in 2007 lays out-

Power Of 49 Manifesto

Before the elections started in 2014, Jaago Re launched a crowd-sourced 10-point manifesto about serious issues affecting women in India. We presented it to leading political parties and asked them to pay attention to our concerns.

Are they being followed through with sincerity by our leaders? Is India catching up with any of the points listed in the manifesto? See the manifesto for yourself here

Sources

NDMA

Indiaonlinepages

KSDMA

CDMM

DDMA

WBMD

GMDMA

Remembering four powerful sibling stories on Raksha Bandhan

Sister donates 65% of her liver to save brother

In late 2013, Nisha Bhaisade from Mumbai didn’t think twice before donating 65% of her liver to her brother Nilesh Bhaisade. The surgery took place on the day of Raksha Bandhan.

Excessive alcohol had damaged her brother’s liver. According to the doctors, Nilesh’s degraded liver was removed and a part of his sister’s liver was transplanted in his body. Liver has a tendency to grow wholly in a span of three weeks in both the donor and recipient’s body.

The surgery was just in time; for her brother had barely three weeks to live. Unable to find an immediate relative of the same blood group, Nisha herself turned up to make a donation for her brother. “I am extremely lucky to have a loving sister who saved my life while putting her’s in danger,” Nilesh reportedly stated.

Source – DNA

Playing with their lives to save their brother

In a village in Bihar in mid-2012, three teenaged sisters lost their lives while fighting to save their three-year-old brother and another toddler from drowning. The girls were washing their clothes on the river bank when they saw their brother Shivam and another child Vikas struggling in deep water. The girls plunged in to rescue the young boys. The three of them reached the toddler boys who clung on their sisters tightly, preventing them to swim freely.

The two boys reached to safety. The villagers also heard their cries and pulled them to the shore. However, the three girls could not be saved and they lost their lives in the bargain.

Source – TOI

Brother's stem cell transplant gave new life to sister

India’s first successful stem cell transplant that gave a new life to a young girl. One and a half year old boy Pugazhendi’s umbilical cord blood stem cell cured his sister Thamira of a fatal blood disorder she had for seven years.

The disorder can destroy blood cells and cause severe anemia that occurs within months following birth.

Today, their parents are heaving a sigh of relief since their daughter’s misery has ended.

My brother's cord blood saved me or I knew I wouldn't have been alive for long. I love my brother," says Thamira.

Source –Two Circles

Fighting the fury of nature to save her younger brother

In the monstrous floods of Uttarakhand in 2013, eight-year-old Mahika Gupta saved her younger brother’s life. After spending three days without food, water and clothes at Uttarakhand, they reached Delhi safely.

She was awarded the National Bravery Award 2013 by the Prime Minister in January 2014 on Republic Day.

This is her story in her words:  “In this summer vacation I went to Kedarnath Temple on June 16th with my family.  We were praying in the temple and suddenly there was a great thundering sound.  Everyone was frightened. Before we could understand anything, muddy water with huge stones entered the temple with great pressure all around us.  The pressure was so high that we got separated from each other.  I found myself alone in the water.  Suddenly, I heard someone crying and it sounded like my brother’s voice. Quickly looking towards the sound I saw his legs were pressed down under a big stone.  The horrible darkness of the muddy water made me helpless.  The water began to enter my nose, my ears and my mouth.  I did not know what to do and I could not swim.  But to save my brother’s life I began to move my hands towards him.  Luckily my hand touched a little finger.  I pushed myself with my whole strength and succeeded in finding him.  I held his hand tightly and closed his nose with the other hand.  Water flowed around but I did not lose my grip.  We were both lost in the water.  After some time I was able to see a little light.  I waved my hand for help.  Like an angel a person appeared and took us to a safe place”.

Source

नदी की महिलाएं

क्‍या एक अकेली औरत बहाव बदल सकती है... पूरी तरह से?

जब उत्तराखंड में कोसी नदी के पानी का स्तर कम होना शुरू हुआ, तो नदी पर निर्भर ग्रामीणों ने इसका सीधा खामियाजा भुगता। समस्‍या घातक हो गई होती यदि एक महिला – बसंती ने अथक प्रयास न किया होता।

बसंती ने 2003 में पढ़ा था कि कैसे कोसी क्षेत्र में वनों की कटाई इसे 2010 तक सूखी नदी बना सकता है। उसने और अधिक शोध किया और पाया कि जंगल की आग और पेड़ों की कटाई नदी के पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र के संतुलन प्रभावित कर रहे थे। इस चेतावनीपरक खोज ने ही उसे कार्रवाई करने के लिए प्रेरित किया था। उसने लकड़ी काटने के लिए जंगल में नीचे जाने वाली ग्रामीण महिलाओं से मिलना शुरू किया, उन्हें अंधाधुंध लकड़ी कटाई के बारे में लेख दिखाए और बात करने की कोशिश की।

आखिरकार, नदी के संरक्षण के लिए वह वन संरक्षण के महत्व के बारे में महिलाओं को शिक्षित करने में सफल रही। उसने उनसे छोटे समूह बनाने और और जंगल की निगरानी करने का अनुरोध किया। वह महिलाओं को यह समझाने में भी सफल रही कि हरे पेड़ों विशेषकर ओक की लकड़ी को काटने से बचें। उसने और महिलाओं के समूहों ने प्रारंभिक चरणों में अन्य ग्रामीणों का कुछ विरोध भी झेला, आखिरकार, प्रक्रिया इस हद तक सुव्यवस्थित हुई कि वन अधिकारियों ने भी उनका साथ देने का फैसला लिया क्‍योंकि दोनों पक्ष एक ही मकसद के लिए लड़ रहे थे।

बसंती के मार्गदर्शन में, ग्रामीण जंगल को आग से बचाने और हरे पेड़ काटना छोड़कर जंगल की रक्षा करने में सहायता करने में जुट रहे थे। उसके प्रयासों के परिणामस्वरूप, वन में गुणकारी देवदार के पेड़ उगने शुरू हो गए और ऐसे नए सोते फूटने शुरू हो गए, जो पानी के एक स्‍थायी स्रोत का काम करते हैं।

एक महिला ने अन्‍य महिलाओं को जोड़ने और नदी को बचाने के लिए मना लिया। एक महिला ने जिम्मेदारी ली, और कुछ ही समय में, अन्य महिलाएं उसके नक्‍शेकदम पर चलने लग गई थीं। यह प्रेरक कहानी केवल यह सिद्ध करती है कि संख्या में अपार शक्ति है, कि एक साथ मिलकर महिलाएं पहाड़ों को हिला सकती हैं या इस मामले में, बहाव बदल सकती हैं!

यदि एक महिला नदी के बहाव को फिर से शुरू कर सकती है, तो इस देश को बदलने के लिए महिलाओं को क्या रोक रहा है जो मतदान समूह का 49% हिस्‍सा हैं। # 49 की शक्ति

What Latha Didnt Know

On Sunday, she decided to buy herself a sari from her savings. It was on Monday that the petrol price went up; she had no choice but to dilute her funds even further as she drove her children to school. The younger one, pinned for an ice cream, it off course had to be from the fancy store. Wednesday was declared bandh by the local politicians. All her chores came to a screeching halt. The banks, shops and even the buses and autos were stuck. She bought more petrol.

She woke up on Thursday morning to the ringing of her cellphone; apparently Shanti Bai would not be coming to work today. She swept, she scrubbed, she washed, she cooked, and the day was surprisingly short. The next day the newspaper unleashed a surprising horror, ONIONS it screamed! After a good 2 hours of toiling, she realized that her stock of precious onions were over. She made a 20 Min trip to the nearest general store, stood in line for another five and got home to a very hungry household. They had to settle for 2 weak looking onions.

Saturday seemed promising. She armed herself with her purse and set out to pay her long due bills. On the way back, she wondered if just how many people treated the visibly oversized clerk to “Chai & Nashta “. On Sunday, as she made her way to the modest shop to buy a modest sari, she knew her purse was lighter.

As her long and unpredictable week came to end, she leaned back on her dilapidated cane chair and thought to herself, ‘if only there were a way out of the chaotic mess!’

What Latha didn’t know is that hers was but one woman’s thought that echoed in the world’s biggest democracy that we Indians take great pride in. What Latha didn’t do is find these women. What Latha didn’t understand is the power of their collective strength. The Power Of 49

Why Stay Silent

When a woman is ‘eve-teased’, more often than not, she ignores the incident so as not to ‘further encourage’ such behaviour. It’s as though the incident was somehow triggered by her, and she is solely responsible for the offender’s reaction.

On the other hand, few women, like Anita Bairwa Sarpanch, Shivdaspura, Jaipur district, will in no way tolerate such indecent behaviour and will go ahead and confront the offenders, demanding a justification for thinking that it is perfectly ‘okay’ to treat a woman as they deem fit.

So, what did Anita do? She decided to do something about the rampant eve-teasing in her neighbourhood that made it increasingly difficult and unsafe for women to move around. She entered politics and address the issue, once and for all.

In addition, she approached JDA, under whose jurisdiction her neighbourhood falls, to find out means to solve the problem of water scarcity. She \ invited sarpanches from other villages to get together with her and have pipelines running through the villages, so that everyone has access to water.

Here is a woman who gives us ample reasons to be inspired and refrain from remaining silent about problems we face. If only do we address it religiously, will the government give such problems the due it deserves. If a woman in a remote district can get together with like-minded people to figure out solutions to civic issues and women safety problems, women, in an urban set-up can surely be more aggressive about voicing out their concerns.

So, make an impact with your vote. Convince other women that they can make an impact too.
Go out and vote together.
Go out, and use the #PowerOf49.

Leading Change From The Self

At 29, most women are either married, or peaking at the zenith of their career. On the other hand, Shama Khan is 29 and the Pradhan of Chohtan Panchayat Samiti in Barmer.

Married at the age of 19, and becoming a mother of a 3-year old didn’t stop her from entering grassroot politics as a member of the Chotan Panchayat Samiti. She was elected Pradhan in 2010.

It is interesting to note that she wasn’t initially interested in politics at all. However, she noticed that the male dominated society dissuades women from coming forth and voicing their concerns. To change this, she decided to become part of the system that she is attempting to change.

One of the first problems she immediately set to address was the lack of encouragement for people to send their children to school, especially their daughters. She was very aggressive about this to the extent that within 2 years, the number of girls attending school went up from 550 to 6550.

She also encouraged women representatives to attend panchayat meetings instead of sending their husbands. She is known to be the lady who pretty much transformed the way the Chota Panchayat Samat functions, churning positive story after another.

To quote her, “I have powers and I can deliver.”

She is an inspiring example for all women – being involved is the only way to tackle a problem, not necessarily by being the one who solves it but by using the right to vote as a means to be heard.

A Sangham For A Voice

The need for a significant change in the status of women in our country has been debated extensively in the past. Many of us have contributed to these very discussions by proposing several ideas to trigger this. A considerable number of us have actively protested the many injustices towards us. It is quite safe to say that we haven’t held ourselves back when it comes to voicing our opinions about how women are discriminated against or exploited. Voicing our opinions is of utmost importance…yes…but is that enough?

The Deccan Development Society introduced the concept of Sanghams (voluntary village level associations of the poor). ‘Sangham’ simply mean ‘collective’ and it is this very collective effort that has helped these women improve their standards of living ever so significantly. The DDS works with about 5000 women in 75 villages in Medak District of Andra Pradesh and the feats these women have achieved in the past years is nothing less that miraculous.

One of the most inspiring initiatives however is the Sangham Radio.

Sangham , the first ever women’s radio station in India that broadcasts ‘her’ perspectives in ‘her’ voice. Every initiative by the Sangham is designed, planned and implemented by these collectives of women and is a direct translation of the power in a group of women.

The 45 year old Radio Jockey or the illiterate women who operates high end cameras to produce videos, are but a few examples of the 5000 women that have done this and much more in the past 25 years.

Sangham radio is the voice of these women who have been excluded in the past. By owning and controlling this station, they are able to speak about their issues and communicate with other members of their communities. They also use this medium to bring to light their issues and welcome a much needed positive attention towards their cause.

They extensively focus on Food Sovereignty, Seed Sovereignty, Autonomous Health, Autonomous Market, and Autonomous Media. They also use the medium to retrieve their culture, language and local traditions.

Sangham Radio is the most promising example of what the collective effort of women can do for themselves and their society. It is time we wake up to what these women woke up to.

It is time to wake up to The Power Of 49

Sources:
http://thealternative.in/inclusivity/deccan-development-society-new-face-of-womens-empowerment/
http://www.ddsindia.com/www/dds_news/SanghamRadio.htm
http://edaa.in/sanghamradio/

Harnessing The Power Of Many

To be in the Forbes’ list of 100 most powerful women in the world, among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential or to reach a net worth of US$900 million is no mean feat. Ask Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman & Managing Director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore.

Not unlike many other business success stories today, Shaw started Biocon in the garage of her rented house in Bangalore with a seed capital of Rs. 10,000. Being a youngster in her twenties, and a woman at that, credibility was a constant challenge. Her business model too was untested and posed further problems of funding with no bank wanting to lend to her, and no one willing to join her start-up. With single-minded determination she overcame these challenges only to be confronted with the technological challenges associated with trying to build a biotech business in a country facing infrastructural woes.

Biocon’s success trajectory speaks for Shaw’s determination and never-say-die attitude. Within a year of its inception, Biocon became the first Indian company to manufacture and export enzymes to USA and Europe. It became the first Indian biotech company to receive US funding for proprietary technologies. Biocon’s IPO was oversubscribed 32 times and it closed with a market value of $1.11 billion on day one making Biocon the second Indian company to cross the $1-billion mark on the first day of listing. It ranks as the 7th largest biotech employer in the world.

Today, thanks to Shaw’s leadership, Biocon is building cutting-edge capabilities, global credibility and global scale in its manufacturing and marketing activities. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s one-liner that explains her success is straightforward yet striking –"I managed to do things with a lot of common sense, a lot of determination, and a lot of foolish courage."

From mobilising and inspiring her people to keep the faith in her, in themselves and in the potential of what they had set out to do to building a company that is on the cutting edge of science, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is one woman who has empowered many and in turn, enriched lives. She is the one who realised and harnessed the power of many.

At the 2014 General elections, the power of many will be put through its test again. The women of India must step out there and vote. Vote for a better tomorrow, by taking the chance to tell the country that together, women can, and shall, make a difference.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling through the Power of 49

Glass Ceiling: A term that creates a rather peculiar mental image of what it could possibly be. A ceiling made of glass, and hence invisible – so why have it at all? But then again, it probably serves the purpose of any other solid ceiling, albeit in a subtle way.

A glass ceiling can be described as an unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of corporate ladders, regardless of their qualifications or capabilities. The term was originally coined keeping women in mind; it was observed that a large number of women in the corporate sector seemed to have reached the top of middle management but there seemed to be no room for them in executive positions. Some kind of attitudinal or organisational bias was responsible for this phenomenon. Pay scales were also found to be starkly differentiated for men and women working at similar positions and with the same qualifications and experience.

The phenomenon can be extrapolated into non-corporate work sectors, and even society as a whole. In our country, the glass ceiling stares women in the face in nearly every walk of life. In nearly every household, women do the cooking, but the number of women chefs in the country can be counted on one’s fingers, clearly because of a mental block against women making a profession of their skills. Women entrepreneurs find it difficult to get bank loans, people to work with them, and support from their families. Several such instances can be cited.

In the light of this, self-sufficiency could provide a pertinent solution. Several institutions that are run exclusively by women exist in the country today. And in setups which are by the women, for the woman and of the women, there is practically no chance of any gender bias!

Of course, this is not as simple as it sounds. Isolation from those whose attitudes need to be changed, is not a long-term fix. However, this approach highlights yet again, what the power of numbers can do. Several examples of such institutions exist - Right from Lijjat Papad to small NGOs and the Missionaries of Charity, there are enough and more groups of women who got together to make a difference to countless lives, while ensuring dignity of labour, respect and self-sufficiency for themselves.

Jaago Re calls out to the women of India to vote. Vote, because there are several of you out there, and together, you can make that difference.