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Focus 2000 April - June English |
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Focus
POPULATION ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT
Volume XIV NO.2
April-June 2000
The participants at the panel discussion. From left: UNFPA Representative, India, Dr Michael Vlassoff; Executive Director, PFI, Dr K Srinivasan; Member,
Planning Commission, Dr K Venkatasubramanian; Chairman, PFI, Dr Bharat Ram; Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Mr A R Nanda;
President, Centre for Policy Research, Dr V A Pai Panandiker and Member Secretary, National Commission on Population, Mrs Krishna Singh.
Panel Reviews National Population Policy
A panel discussion was organised
by PFI on May 11, 2000 to
mark the birth of billionth baby
in the country. The day was observed
throughout the country to publicise
the issue of population stabilisation,
reproductive and child health,
gender equity and sustainable
development.
The panel discussion held at the
National Institute of Health and
Family Welfare (NIHFW), discussed
the implications of the recently
announced National Population
Policy (NPP 2000) and population
problems at large.
Among the participants were the
Secretary, Ministry of Health and
Continued on page 8
()It ~
'PatJU
Aligarh Project is Inaugurated
Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana
PFI Participates in Social Development Fair
Master Trainers' Orientation for Training
Panchayat Members at Aligarh
Mr S P Godrej is No More
New Joinings
2
3
Population Foundation of India
5
has launched a website which
contains a brief outline of its
activities and major projects
6
undertaken. The site can be
12
visited at www.popfound.org
12
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The first meeting of the National Commission on
Population was held on July 22, 2000 under the
Chairmanship of Honourable Prime Minister of
India. As constituted in the Government order dated
May 11, 2000, the Commission has a strength of 117
members including the Chief Ministers of all States
and Union Territories. Though all the Chief Ministers of
States and Union Territories (32 in number) are
members of the Commission, only the Chief Ministers
from nine States - Delhi, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan,
Tripura and Uttar Pradesh attended the meeting and
the remaining were represented by their Health
Ministers and/or Secretaries.
The Honourable Prime Minister in his inaugural address
outlined the gravity of the population problem and the
limited success achieved by the national programme
of family planning implemented so far and hoped
that the Commission would guide and assist the Nation
in the achievement of the goals set in the National
Population Policy 2000. He proposed to set up an
Empowered Action Group attached to the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare with the responsibility for
preparing area specific programmes with special
emphasis on States that had been lagging behind in
containing population growth to manageable limits. He
also announced setting up of a National Population
Stabilization Fund for channelizing the contributions
from voluntary sources which are interested in this
cause. As a seed money, the Government sanctioned
Rs 100 crores to this Fund. Following the address of
the Honourable Prime Minister, the statements of the
Chief Ministers, Health Ministers, leaders of almost
all political parties highlighted the urgent need for
controlling the population growth as early as possible,
especially in those States where the fertility levels
and growth rates continue to remain high. There
appeared to be a strong political will and commitment
emerging from almost all the state governments and
political parties all over the country on the need to
reduce population growth as rapidly as possible.
From the nature of the presentations made at the first
meeting of the Commission and various documents
given to the members, there appears to be a wide-
spread national concern on the urgent need to contain
population growth as an important ingredient for
accelerating the social and economic development
and reducing the disparities emerging among the
states. It is time now for action stimulated by the
Population Commission, Planning Commission and
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Such a
coordinated effort from the Center is absolutely
essential if the tight demographic goals set by the
National Population Policy to reach the replacement
level of fertility by the year 2010 and population
stabilization (zero growth) by 2045 are to be realized.
Such a coordination should be worked out jointly by
the above agencies immediately since there appears
to be a strong overlap of functions and responsibilities
between the National Commission on Population,
Health, Nutrition and Family Welfare (HNFW) Division
of the Planning Commission and Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare. While the executive
responsibilities for providing all RCH services including
contraceptive services, information-education-
communication campaigns for small family norm,
arrangements for meeting the unmet needs of the
couples remain with the Department of Family Welfare,
the monitoring of their performance towards the goals
set in the National Population Policy seem to be vested
with the Population Commission, which is also another
wing of the government. The budget allocation for the
programmes is largely with the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.
As at present, there appears to be an overlap and
conflict of interests in all the three structural agencies
involved in population stabilization. The coordination
of the three agencies should be a matter of immediate
concern before it is too late.
Aligarh Project is Inaugurated
The Aligarh project was
launched by the Executive
Director, Dr K Srinivasan at a
function held in the Conference Hall
of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
on April 13, 2000. The function was
presided over by the Pro Vice-
Chancellor of AMU, Prof HAS Jafri.
Mr Deo Dutta, District Magistrate of
Aligarh was the guest of honour.
The Aligarh project consists of two
parts, 'Innovative Programme on
Population Issues for Selected Slums
in Aligarh' which covers a population
of one lakh in five selected slums of
Aligarh. This part of the project is
to be implemented through Indian
Medical Association (IMA), Aligarh.
The project takes into account the
fact that the underprivileged sections
in urban slums often remain
unattended by health programmes,
specially pertaining to reproductive
and child health.
The second part of the project,
'Empowerment of Panchayati Raj
Institutions and Convergence Project
in Aligarh District' has been taken up
through Department of Sociology
and Social Work of Aligarh Muslim
University. This part of the project
has two parts. The first part pertains
to capacity building of Panchayat
members at all the three tiers of the
Aligarh district to effectively
discharge their responsibilities in
areas of population stabilisation and
social development. The second part
is aimed at mobilising a cadre of
Continued on page 4
The Executive Director, PFI, Dr K Srinivasan speaking at the launching of Aligarh
Others (from left) are: District Magistrate of Aligarh, Mr Deo Dutta and Pro Vice-Chancellor
Prof HAS Jafri.
Project.
of AMU,
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Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana
A meeting of national level co-
ordination committee for the
project, "Empowerment of Panchayati
Raj Institutions in Haryana" was held
at PFI office on May 8, 2000. The
meeting was attended by Ms Sudha
Pillai, Joi nt Secreta ry, Ministry of
Rural Development, Government of
India and Dr Richard H Young, Chief,
Child Rights and Community
Processes, UNICEF. PFI team,
including Mr 0 P Bhasin, Project Co-
ordinator, and the two Divisional Co-
ordinators for Haryana project, Mr B
D Kalia and Mr J D Wadhwa, was led
by the Executive Director, Dr K
Sri nivasan.
members was revised. Cluster
training was to be restricted to two
days instead of four days but would
be followed by more visits of local
resource persons to each panchayat
for nine days according to a pre-
arranged programme.
A smaller version of Haryana
Panchayati Raj module, consisting
of about 25 pages was to be
published and to be distributed
to 65,000 members of Panchayati
Raj Institutions
in Haryana.
A video film was to be made
which will be shown at cluster
level training.
The meeting reviewed the progress
of the Haryana project and approved
the Action Plan for June - October,
2000. It was decided to extend the
project upto December 2000. The
meeting recommended a workshop
for master trainers and members of
Implementing Agencies.
Dr Srinivasan is
President of IASP
Dr K Srinivasan, President of Indian
Association for the Study of
Population (IASP) for (1998-2000)
has been unanimously re-elected
President of IASP for another term
of two years (2000-2002).
A view of the Participatory Learning Approach (PLA) training for master trainers and Implementing
Agencies working for 'Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana' project.
PFI has made a video film, Apna Raj:
Panchayat Raj. The film aims to train
the newly elected members of
Panchayati Raj Institutions in
Haryana about their role and
responsibilities. Through the help
of an anchor person, the nine
modules are presented by subject
specialists in a lucid manner with
questions and answers at the end of
each module to bring into focus the
highlights of each module. The
subjects covered by the modules are:
73rd Constitutional Amendment and
Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, Social
and gender equity, Decentralised
planning, Education and literacy,
Health and illness, Reproductive and
child
health,
Population
stabilisation, Health and nutrition,
Water, sanitation and environment.
With an introduction by Executive
Continued on page 11
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Aligarh Project is Inaugurated
Refresher Training
community based distributors in one
selected block of Aligarh district
(Lodha) for population stabilisation
keeping in mind the possibility of
replicability in other blocks of the
district. The State Innovations in
Family Planning Service Project
Agency (SIFPSA) has provided funds
for both the parts of the project.
Dr Shadbano Ahmad, Chairman,
Department of Sociology and Social
which was being taken up as a
challenge by IMA.
Dr Srinivasan explained how the two
projects were conceived and how IMA
and AMU were chosen as
implementing agencies. He spoke of
the need to implement such projects
in selected districts of Uttar Pradesh
where intensive efforts can produce
results which are close to national
goals. He expressed confidence that
for NGO Personnel
A total of 17 training
programmes for middle
level managers and supervisors
from NGOs working in slum
areas of Delhi have been
completed till June 2000.
These were attended by 308
middle and grassroots level
personnel from NGOs. The
programme continues to attract
participation
from NGO
personnel.
Work, AMU in her welcome address, these replicable and sustainable
spoke about the rich heritage of AMU
and welcomed the interest shown by
PFI and SIFPSA in the Department
of Sociology and Social Work for
implementing the Panchayati Raj
project. She promised that she and
her staff members would work hard
models can be taken up in other
areas as well. He invited the co-
operation from all government
sectors which was essential for the
success of such projects.
Mr Deo Dutta expressed his pleasure
PFI is now planning to start a
refresher training for those
who have attended the above
training programmes. This
training willbe for three days and
is expected to start from
September 2000.
to make the project a success.
that Aligarh has been chosen by PFI
Dr Srinivasan handed over a cheque and SIFPSA for implementation of operation of his office for the
of Rs 8 lakhs as an initial instalment
the projects.
He expressed his success of the project.
for project activities to Dr Shadbano confidence
that the two
Ahmad.
implementing agencies, IMA and The Pro Vice-Chancellor of AMU, Prof
AMU would be able to do a good job. HAS Jafri in his presidential address
Dr (Mrs) Vijay Gupta, founder
He assured full support and co- spoke about the role of such projects
member, IMA, Aligarh spoke
in imparting knowledge,
about the grim conditions of
health facilities for slum
dwellers. She gave a brief
outline of the project
'Innovative Programme for
Selected Slums of Aligarh' and
stressed the need for such
projects for slum people to
Besides supplementing
government efforts for slum
people, the Aligarh Project aims
at capacity building of Panchayat
members at all the three tiers
of the district to effectively
discharge their responsibilities in
awareness and ultimately
bringing out behavioural
changes at the grass roots
level. He expressed his hope
that benefits will percolate to
the people at the bottom rung
of the society.
supplement
government
areas of population stabilisation
Dr Sneh Lata Jain, President,
efforts. She assured IMA's
dedication to the project
and social development.
IMA, Aligarh proposed the
vote of thanks .•
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The Secretary, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ms Asha Das, accompanied by Secretary and Treasurer, PFI, Mr H P Nagpal at the PFI
stall at Social Development Fair. At left is a view of the PFI stall.
PFI Participates in Social Development Fair
PFI participated in Social
Development Fair 2000
held at Pragati Maidan in
Slum Dwellers and Empowerment
of Panchayati Raj Institutions in
Aligarh District."
New Delhi from May 15 to 21,
2000. Fourth in the series, the
Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Congress
Social Development Fair is
President visited the PFI stall on
organised every year by
May 16, 2000: Looking at the
India Trade Promotion
Panchayati Raj panel, she
Organisation (ITPO) to highlight
remarked that the late Prime
the efforts of government,
Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi had
. multilateral agencies, NGOs
and others in the areas of
social development
and
Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi signing the visitors'
book at the PFI stall. At left is Reception Officer, PFI,
Mrs Manju Sharma.
taken lot of interest in Panchayati
Raj institutions in India. She also
signed the visitors' book where
community welfare.
she wrote: 'Excellent work:
Among the items of display at the
The fair was inaugurated by the PFI stall was the population clock The PFI stall attracted a large number
Secretary, Union Ministry of Social which had a special significance this of visitors including academicians,
Justice and Empowerment, Ms Asha year as the country has achieved the students, NGO representatives,
Das on May 15, 2000. She visited the one billion mark. The two new government officials and others
PFI stall where she was received by panels, specially made for the Social interested in social work. The
the Secretary & Treasurer, Mr H P Development Fair this year, were on visitors' book was signed by a large
Nagpal who briefed her about the "Training NSS Volunteers in number of visitors who expressed a
display and activities of the Population Issues" and "Awareness keen desire to know more about the
Foundation.
of Reproductive Health Issues to Foundation's work .•
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Master Trainers' Orientation for Training Panchayat
Members at Aligarh
A six-day training programme
for master trainers for
'Empowerment
of
Panchayati Raj Institutions in
Aligarh District' was inaugurated by
the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh
Muslim University, Mr M Hamid
Ansari at Aligarh on June 26, 2000.
The training is a part of a project
undertaken by PFI in collaboration
with Sociology and Social Work
Department of Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh.
The project aims to develop the
capacity of Panchayat members,
particularly the women members, to
become aware of their role and
The Chairman of Sociology and Social Work Department, AMU and Project Co-ordinator,
Prof Shadbano Ahmad speaking at the inauguration of training programme for master trainers for
'Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Aligarh district' at Aligarh. Others (from left) are
Vice-Chancellor of AMU, Mr M Hamid Ansari and Senior Consultant, PFI, Dr Amita Bardhan.
responsibility in fulfilling the basic
development needs of the people, organisers to develop a generation a brief account of the project and
ensure social justice and promote of field workers who could create its objectives which aimed at
reproductive and child health and awareness about the population enabling the members of
population stabilisation.
The problem at the grassroots level.
Panchayati Raj Institutions to
members will be trained on various
understand their duties and
issues related to gender equity, Earlier, Dr Amita Bardhan, Senior responsibilities so that they can play
education, reproductive and child Consultant, PFI, explained in detail an effective role in the overall
health, family planning, population, the activities of PFI. She also gave development of rural areas.
nutrition, control of
communicable diseases
10 master trainers and
and resource planning.
Speaking on the occasion,
Mr Ansari said, "The future
of India will be bleak unless
the country's population
problem is resolved." He
The members of Panchayati Raj
Institutions will be trained on
various issues related to gender
equity, education, reproductive
and child health, family planning,
population, nutrition, control of
two Project and Assistant
Project officers attended
the training. The master
trainers will later impart
training to newly elected
representatives
of Zila
Panchayats and local resource
said that very little
communicable diseases and
persons. The local resource
attention was being paid to
resource planning.
persons will in turn train the
the problem. He urged the
Panchayat members.
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On completion of the training, the
master trainers will train Zila
Parishad and Panchayat Samiti
members in 11 blocks. After this,
cluster training will begin for
Panchayat members.
It is hoped that through this
programme, 7300 Panchayat
members
and Government
functionaries from the Aligarh
district will be trained and at least
85 percent of all infants and 60
percent of all children below 5 years
will be immunised.
It may be mentioned that the new
national population policy has
proposed that Panchayats and
Panchayat Samitis may be rewarded
for exemplary performance in
universalising the small family norm
and achieving reduction in infant
mortality and promoting literacy.
The training was participatory in
nature and was adequately
supported by lectures and group
discussions.
food hygiene, personal hygiene and
village sanitation).
A training module in English,
prepared by PFI, covering the
subject: Reproductive and Child
Health, was given to the participants
to be read thoroughly so that the
training could be more meaningful.
The Vice-Chancellor of AMU, Mr M Hamid Ansari
speaking at the inaugural function.
nutrition; Health and diseases; IEC
and communication skills; Planned
parenthood; Child care; Gender
Issues;
RTI/STD/HIV/AIDS,
Environment and health; PLA
techniques;
Mock exercises;
Formation of Action Plan;
Decentralised planning; Role of PRIs
in rural development; Devolution of
powers to PRIs; Education and
literacy; and Seven components of
rural sanitation (safe drinking water,
disposal of waste water, disposal of
garbage and cattle dung, disposal of
human excreta, home sanitation and
The valedictory session was chaired
by Prof. (Mrs) Shakti Rais. She
appreciated PFI's efforts and urged
the participants to pay special
attention to empowering women
leaders at the grassroots level.
Prof. Shadbano Ahmad, Chairman of
Sociology and Social Work
Department and Project Co-
ordinator, explained the project
activities.
Mr Ishwar Singh,
Programme Officer, Aligarh project
explained the progress of Master
Trainers' training. Prof S P Gupta,
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences,
AMU, Aligarh, proposed the vote
of thanks. +
The following specific topics were
covered during the six-day training:
Salient features of 73rd Amendment
and important sections of U.P.
Panchayati Raj Act; Duties and
res po nsi bilities of Panchayati Raj
Institutions (PRIs); Reproductive
and child health : approach and
components;
Population and
development issues and concerns;
Adolescent
health
and
reproductive system; Child survival
and safe motherhood; Health and
Millennium Conference Papers to be Published
The papers presented at the Millennium Conference on Population,
Development and Environment Nexus, organised by PFI in
collaboration with Indian Association forthe Study of Population and UNFPA
at New Delhi from February 14 to 16, 2000, highlighted the relationship
between changes in population size, distribution and selected
development variables, including ecological variables with a goal to achieve
sustainable development.
The papers have now been compiled and revised and will be published as
a book by Tata McGraw-Hili Publishing Company Limited. The book is
expected to be released in November 2000.
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Panel Reviews National Population Policy
primary and basic health care. It was
necessary that management of public
health care system undergoes serious
Family Welfare, Mr A R Nanda; of the girls in age 6-14 were scrutiny at this stage. The medical
Member, Planning Commission, Dr K attending schools and in certain doctors and specialists have to work
Venkatasubramanian;
UNFPA areas the figure was as low as one where they have been posted. Gram
Representative, India, Dr Michael percent. He stressed the need to Panchayats and Zilla Parishads
Vlassoff; President, Centre for Policy educate girls. He suggested a should be made aware of this
Research, Dr V A Pai Panandiker; separate ministry for population situation and they can ask for strict
Member Secretary of the newly which should be headed by the action for non-compliance at the
created National Com mission on prime minister. He suggested that State/Centre
level.
Private
Population, Mrs Krishna Singh and the teachers should be roped in for practitioners should be encouraged
Executive Director, PFI, Dr K the implementation of the policy to work in places, where these
Srinivasan. The Chairman of PFI, Dr and the research on the subject positions were not filled by the
Bharat Ram moderated the should be encouraged.
government medical doctors. Non-
discussion.
Governmental organisations
Dr Bharat Ram said that while
the billionth child, a girl child,
has been received with a lot
"School education for all children
upto age 14 should be made free
and compulsory, and serious
may also be entrusted with the
responsibility of running the
Primary Health Centres, in an
effective manner in a few
of publicity and fanfare at the
efforts should be made to
places.
Safdarjung hospital. the
reduce dropouts at primary and
arrival of the billionth Indian
secondary levels to below 20'0
He also suggested that
was a symbolic event and we
all should ponder over the
for boys and girls."
school education for all
children upto age 14 should
gravity of the population
be made free and compulsory,
situation in the country. This was Mr A R Nanda highlighted the main and serious efforts should be made
an occasion as much for reflection features of the Population Policy to reduce dropouts at primary and
on our population problem as it which he said required extremely secondary levels to below 20% for
was for celebration of the billionth cautious and down to earth approach boys and girls. Mr Nanda mentioned
citizen.
to make the policy a success. He that to achieve this goal, we have to
emphasised the need to seriously think in terms of de-bureaucratising
Calling it a red-letter day for the scrutinise the entire primary health public sector system.
country as the population crossed care management system.
one billion mark, Dr K
Dr Michael Vlassoff appreciated the
Venkatasubramanian said illiteracy He said 14 Socio-Demographic goals new population policy and hoped
and non-exposure of masses to the have been formulated which were to that it would lead the country to
media have been the main factors be achieved by 2010. However, he stabilise its population as per the set
contributing to the population emphasised on two important goals. goals. He said the strategies should
explosion in the country. These were: to address the unmet be made in such a manner that a
Highlighting the role of literacy, he needs for basic reproductive and comprehensive
range
of
said that even after 53 years of child health services, supplies and reproductive health services were
independence not even 50 percent strengthen the infrastructure for accessible, affordable, acceptable and
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convenient for all users. The
insistence in the Population Policy
on client satisfaction held a key to
the future success of government
programmes, he said.
Dr Vlassoff said both the National
Population Policy and the ICPD
Programme of Action reinforce the
need to improve overall quality of life
by providing quality health services,
generating income, and ensuring girls'
education
and
women's
empowerment, among other things.
He said the Government's resolve to
empower women was well reflected
in the population policy. It was development. A country like India stabilisation. For Indian democracy
empowerment of women that would has perhaps no choice but to be to work well, we must have higher
raise the status of the girl child, and democratic, as non-democratic
levels of development and reduce
bring the balance, currently tilted system may possibly threaten our poverty. For achieving the Total
towards the male child, to a state of unity and integrity. He said that Fertility Rate of 2.1 by 2010, he said
equilibrium. It would also end the democracy and demography were the that India should not look at China,
quest for a male child and reduce two parameters within which India Singapore or European countries,
fertility. An empowered woman has to work for the next 50 years in but learn from the four States of the
would also have the freedom to a balanced and co-ordinated manner. Union, i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Goa,
decide how many children she
Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Total Fertility
should have, and when. These views Dr Panandiker said the quality of life Rate in Goa is now close to 1 and
in the National Population Policy was the key to national commitment Infant Mortality was lower than that
were consistent with and strengthen to democracy and population
of Washington DC. This can only be
the international consensus on
achieved through education
the issue.
and empowerment of women.
Dr V A Pai Panandiker spoke
about the inter-relationship
between
democracy,
development and demography.
He said that even after 53
years of independence
population growth remained
"Both the National Population Policy
and the International Conference
on Population and Development
(ICPD) Programme of Action
reinforce the need to improve
overall quality of life by providing
quality health services, generating
The most important lesson to
be learnt from our successful
experiences was to make
population policy integral
part of the overall
development strategy of the
nation.
the most serious problem in the income, and ensuring girls' education He underlined the need to
country endangering our
and women's empowerment."
decentralise
power to
democracy and retarding
Panchayats and Nagar Palikas
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as these were close to grass-
change in the mind-set of
roots. They can therefore,
"Money alone cannot achieve the
the leaders on the
better respond to the need
ambitious goals set for the country
significance of democratic
of people at the grass-roots
in the National Population Policy
decentralisation, provision
level, both in development
and
demographic
stabilisation.
Mrs Krishna
Singh
emphasised the need for
inter-sectoral linkages for
achieving results which have
2000, they call for a change in the
mind-set of the leaders on the
significance of democratic
decentralisation, provision of good
quality reporductive health and
contraceptive services to the poor
and down trodden and empowerment
of
good
quality
reproductive health and
contraceptive services to the
poor and down trodden and
empowerment of women in
all dimensions of social and
economic development.
not been possible in the
of women in all dimensions of social
Dr Srinivasan said that
past. She said awareness
and economic development."
problems could arise
among women should be
between the States and the
created to have a small
Centre
in
the
family stressing upon the importance not be allowed to fail on such implementation
of the policy.
of quality of life and the future of grounds, he said.
Quoting the example of TFR, if India
children. All the issues can be taken
has to achieve the replacement level
care of by an integrated and holistic Highlighting the new institutional of fertility 2.1 by the year 2010, what
view. All sectors, organised,
structures envisaged in the National should be the replacement level of
unorganise~, formal, informal and Population Policy 2000, such as fertility for Uttar Pradesh and in each
private sector must try to come Technology Mission to guide and of the other four backward states?
forward and extend support to oversee the performance in the poor Can they achieve these goals ? The
achieve the goals for sustainable performing States like Bihar, Madhya national goal cannot be achieved
development, she said.
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh without aggressive programmes in
and Orissa, Dr Srinivasan said, the these five states.
Dr KSrinivasan said that the country problem in these five States was not
would be better off in sincerely only with the population
Dr Srinivasan said many states have
implementing
the National stabilisation
programmes and also framed their own population
Population Policy without splitting reproductive and child health issues, policies.
Andhra Pradesh,
hairs on the nitty gritty on but also in the fact that the States Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
controversial
elements
like were backward in gender have already formulated policies
incentives to Panchayats for empowerment, overall economic while Maharashtra and Uttar
achieving reproductive goals or growth, education etc. The strong Pradesh were in the process of
incentives to parents on the care and political will and efficient finalising their population policies. In
nurture of girl child. He said that bureaucratic support that were case, the State policy has elements
failure of many developmental
provided in those States where contradictory to the Central policy,
programmes in India in the past have population stabilisation programmes then what will happen ?
not been due to lack of well have succeeded, are absent in these
articulated policies but due to poor five States. He said that money alone Dr (Col.) M C Kapilashrami,
implementation of such policies. cannot achieve the ambitious goals Director, NIHFW proposed the vote
National Population Policy should set for the country, they call for a of thanks. +
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2 Pages 11-20 |
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2.1 Page 11 |
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Empowerment of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Haryana
Director, Dr KSrinivasan, the film has
interviews with Mrs Sudha Pillai,
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural
Development, Government of India,
Dr Richard H Young, Chief, Child
Rights and Community Processes,
UNICEF and Mrs Kailasho Devi, MP
from Haryana.
In order to introduce the
participatory approach in the
training of members of Panchayati
Raj Institutions in Haryana, a three-
day training programme on
Participatory Learning Approach
(PLA) was organised by PFI for
master trainers of Haryana project
and members of the Implementing
Agencies from June 19 to 21, 2000
at PFI office. A total of 26
participants attended the training.
Besides master trainers and
members of Implementing Agencies,
programme staff of PFI participated
in the training. Though the training
was something new to most of the
participants,
they were quite
enthusiastic and looked forward to
using the PLA technique in their
field area.
The training was conducted by Mr J P
Bernard and Ms. Roopa Bernard,
Consultants from UNICEF. Mr Bernard
explained a number of PLAtechniques
in the class room followed by actual
practice for which the class was
divided into small groups, each group
having been given a separate exercise.
three villages in Gurgaon district:
Ranyaki, Sewaka and Chundika. Each
group was given a different set of
exercises. After developing rapport
with the villagers, with the help of
local NGOworking in the villages, the
participants carried out the tasks
assigned to them in terms of village
mapping, problem identification
through Venn diagramjchapati
diagram, seasonality and trend
analysis, time line and matrix scoring
and so on. The trainers acted as
facilitators while actual tasks were
carried out by the villagers who
were quite enthusiastic in working for
their village .•
"Beijing+5" Reaffirms 1995 Commitments
The twenty-third special
session of the "General
Assembly Women 2000:
Gender Equality, Development, and
Peace for the Twenty-first Century"
concluded on June 10, with
governments reaffirming their
commitment to the goals and
objectives contained in the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action
adopted at the Fou rth World
Conference on Women in 1995.
decided that the reduction of
maternal morbidity and mortality
was a priority and that women
should have ready access to
essential obstetric, postpartum and
maternal care. Priority attention
should be given to prevention,
detection
and treatment
of
reproductive
diseases
and
sexually transmitted diseases,
including HIVjAIDS, as well as
prevention
of unwanted
pregnancies and the health impact
of unsafe abortion. Every attempt
should be made to eliminate the
need for abortion.
Dr Nafis Sadik, Executive Director of
the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), has said that the
International
Conference on
Population and Development (ICPD)
Programme of Action and the Beijing
Platform are firmly rooted in
universally accepted values and
ethical principles.
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2.2 Page 12 |
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Mr S P Godrej IS No More
Mr Sohrab Piroshja Godrej,
Senior Vice-Chairman of
PFI has passed away. Mr
Godrej, who was 88, was taken ill
when he was proceeding to attend
an international conference in
Paris and died in London on
May 20, 2000.
Mr Godrej has been a member of
the Governing Board of PFI since
April 1971. He was also Senior
Vice-Chairman of PFI.
The executive committee of PFI at a meeting on June
22, 2000 passed a resolution expressing its profound
sense of shock on the sad demise of Mr S P Godrej and
praised his 'key role in extending the Foundation's scope
of work and vision from family planning to sustainable
population strategies.' The Foundation will sorely miss
his association as a member of the Governing Board,
said the resolution.
The Chairman and members of the executive committee
conveyed their deepest condolence to Mr Jamshyd Godrej
and Adi Godrej and other family members.
former Foreign Secretary, Justice
Leila Seth and Mr Arun Bharat
Ram, President CII.
A message from the President,
Mr K R Narayanan was read out
on the occasion. Mr Narayanan
described Mr Godrej as an
"exceptional human being who
brought several issues in public
attention including environmental
protection and ecological
conservation". "The question of
India's population increase and the
challenge of sustainable development engaged his
attention no less", the President added.
A leading industrialist and Chairman of the Godrej group
of companies, Mr Godrej was the past-presidents of
several chambers of commerce and industry, including
the Indian Chapters of the International Chamber of
Commerce and the European Union Chamber of
Commerce. A great lover of nature, he was, till recently,
President of the World-wide Fund for Nature in India, of
which he was a founder-trustee. He was also vice-
president of the Bombay Natural History Society.
A memorial meeting was held at the Delhi Parsi Anjuman
to condole the passing away of Mr Godrej. Among others
who paid homage were Dr Karan Singh, Lt. Gen. A M
Setha, President, Delhi Parsi Anjuman, Mr K Raghunath,
Mr Godrej had a wide range of interests, which
included scientific management, environment, population
control and development, education, social welfare,
international affairs, archaeology and heritage conservation.
New Joinings
M r Ishwar Singh joined PFI on April
. 14, 2000 as Programme Officer for
Aligarh project at Aligarh. He was earlier
working as Principal, State Community
Development Training Centre at
Nilokheri in Haryana.
Officer at Aligarh. After completing her
M.B.B.S. from Mahatma Gandhi Institute
of Medical Sciences, Wardha, she joined
PFI in March 2000 under the Rural
Placement Scheme of her college.
She will handle the clinical aspects of slum project at
Aligarh and contribute inputs for the convergence part
of the project at Lodha block in Aligarh district. •
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Editorial Direction & Guidance: Dr K Srinivasan
Editor: Ajay Sunder
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