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Focus 1996 April - June |
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Volume X No. 2
April-June, 1996
PME T
GHAZIABAD HEALTH AND FAMILY
PROdECT LAUNCHED
A massive Reproductive Health and Family
Welfare Project, a joint venture of Population
Foundation of India (PFI) and Federation
people as it is need based and helps the clients
meet their own health and family planning goals."
The performance in this approach was "measured
of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on the quality of care, client satisfaction and
'(FICCI), was formally launched on April 12, 1996 coverage mea-sures and not meeting two-child family
by Mr J C Pant, Secretary, Union Ministry of target, as envisaged earlier," he added. To achieve
Health and Family Welfare. The project aims at this, he emphasized the need for decentralisation
providing 'the people of Ghaziabad district in U.P., of delivery services through active involvement of
intensive reproductive health care and family welfare opinion leaders, NGOs at the PHC level, private
services through integrated packages designed and practitioners, and anganwadi workers to people
developed by PFI. The significant aspect, of these living in rural areas.
packages is to establish a model of reproductive
health and family planning services that can be
replicated in other areas of the country. A brief
report of the inaugural ceremony:
Annquncing the government plan of social
mobilisation, Mr Pant said 11 crore primary school
children would get a health check-up with the
help of primary school teachers and paramedicals.
,
Speaking on the occasion, Mr J C Pant said "We are in a major process of literally, getting._-t.hce
the reproductive health model developed for whole population of the country involved in health
Ghaziabad wO,!ld be extended, eventually, to cover planning and health concern."
every district of the country.
Governments to
prepare
a
similar plan for
one district to
be" funded
under
sub-
project compo-
nent of the
reproductive
and child health
project.
He urged
the State
Dr K Srinivasan,
Executive
Director of PFI,
while intro-
ducing
the
project said it
envisaged imp-
lementation of
specific pack-
ages of repro-
ductive health
and
family
welfare services
including better
Referring
to the recent
policy' shift in
family planning
progra-mme, he
said
client-
oriented app-
roach
was
"useful
for
(From left to right) : Mr R S Lodha, Vice President, FICCI Socio-Economic Development (SED) Foundation;
Mr J N Guzder, President FICCI SED FoundaUon; Dr Sharat Ram, Chairman PFlj Mr J C Pant, Secretary
Family Welfare, Union Ministry of Health & F.w.; Mr Deepak Banker, President FICCI.
quality health
services to the
people of entire
Ghaziabad
District. The
region had been
chosen because
of its proximity
to.
Delhi,
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(From left to right) : Dr K Srinivasan, Executive Director PFI; Mr. P Murari, Adviser to FICC! President;
Mr Ashok Duggal, Special Secretary, Medical & Health, Govt. of UP.; Dr. Ram Babu, C.M.a. Ghaziabad
the programme he expected the
industries to extend full
cooperation to the respective State
Government in these twe dish-ids
and PFI. "As an ind ustrialist, I
feel that the Industry can playa
greater role in the movement for
population control," said Dr
Bharat Ram. He appealed to the
business community to invest 1%
of their project cost to basic
education and health care in the'
area of their operation. But he
said it was also necessary to
"highlight and focus on the need
for increasing worthwhile
programmes and making greater
efforts towards stabilisation of
popula tion."
backwardness, inadequate health
services and high concentration
of industries. He said the
components for various services
to be offered under the project
include training of about 2,000
opinion leaders, grass root
functionaries such as elected
Pradhans, women Panchayat
members, Dais, Community
Health Volunteers, nurses ana
midwives and implementation of
health programmes in a more
efficient manner during the next
three years making it possible to
achieve the national goal of
'Health for All by 2001', in the
region.
also be implemented shortly.
"Suchendeavours will highlight
the social consciousness of the
industrial sector in this country
and their commitments for the
welfare of the people at large,"
he underlined.
Dr Bharat Ram, Chairman
of the PFI and guest of honour
at the function, appreciated the
initiative being taken by the PFI
on . "the involvement of
industrialists in the improvement
of rural health and family welfare
programme in the districts of·
Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and
Kota in Rajasthan. To strengthen
FICCI President, Mr Deepak
Banker said that the social
responsibility of corporate sector
was· no more an obligation but
an economic commitment. "We
will do our best to fulfill our
commitment and will not be
found wanting in our efforts,"
he emphasized.
To tackle the most difficult
task of containiJ;lg population, Mr
Banker said it was a "delicate
human problem which requires,
not only a strong political will,
but also a well coordinated,
integrated reproductive health
programme at the grassroot level."
Mr Banker assured the PFI that
Dr Srinivasan emphasized the
need for additional inputs of
resources, viz., personnel, money
and management of services, "if
the conditions in the region are
to improve rapidly". He said
plans were to expedite the pace
of change in Ghaziabad through
involvement of industries, NGOs
and an agency like Population
Foundation of India. Based on
Ghaziabad model, a similar
strategy was being worked out
for Kota district in Rajasthan, to
undertake an intensive programme
for promoting reproductive health
and family planning services in
the area'. The Kota project will
Dr Amit Mitra (left), Director-General FICCI SED Foundation exchanging MoUs with Dr K Srinivasan,
Executive Director, Population Foundation of India.
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:.::::-:1 would mobilize support
from its members in Ghaziabad
ror their active participation in
the project.
Mr J N Guzder, President
FICCI Socio-Economic Develop-
MoU with FICCI
The PFI signed a .Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the FICCI .
Socia-Economic Development Foundation to initiate Intensive Reproductive Health
and 'Family Welfare Programme with the assistance of indl;'stries in the district
and the Government of Uttar Pradesh to achieve the goal of 'Health for all
by 2001' in Ghaziabad district.
. The objectives are to accelerate the pace of decline in infant mortality,
maternal mortality and fertility' levels in population, with improvements in ante~
natal, and post-natal services.
The activities 'to be undertaken under the MoU are:
1. Broad two-day orientation camps for Panchayat Pradhans in the entire
District;
2. . Intensive two-day orientation camps for women Panchayat members in
the entire District;
3. Establishment of 'Zachha Bachha' homes partiCUlarly in remote villages
in the entire District;
4. Preparation of instructional/educational material;
5. Hands-on three-day training of Dais, Community Health Volunteers, Auxiliary
Nurse and Midwives in two blocks;'
6. Provision of mobile health teams' and clinics in two blocks;
7. Face-lift to Primary Health Centres/Community Health Centres in two blocks
and setting up/activating Reproductive Health ~entres, one In each block;
8, Total Quality Management Committee in ,two blocks; ,and
..
9. Core team to co-ordinate and monitor.the proposedjlctivities in the District. .,,;
The budget outlay under the MoU is Rs.68 lakhs, initially for a period ..
of 3 years, with FICCI contributing Rs.38 lakhs and PFI Rs.3b lakhs. FICCI
on its part would prOVide infrastructure to implement the· programme and the
PFI agreed to provide technical and professional advice, and also to make
arrangements for monitclrlng ~nd evaluation.. ' ....
> .....
'.
'
Regular guidance and advi~e'on implementatio~strategies of theprogra~me "
would be provided by a Project Implementation COllJmittee conSisting of
representatives of PFI, FICCI Foundation, local industries, State Government,
. experts and others sat up by FICCI Foungation.
,~,;~;
'.
..'
ment Foundation} while accepting
the important role of corporate
sector in development said FICCI
had already involved managers
of ind ustrial units and regional
chambers in its UP project, and
IIby collaborating with PFI, the
Foundation re-emphasized its
commitment to support Health
and Family Welfare related
Programmes. II He expressed his
Foundation's willingness to
participate in Governmental
programmes and expected such
support from the Government.
The Chief Medical Officer of
Ghaziabad, Dr Ram Babu offered
his full support and cooperation
to the project and said he would
try to bridge the gap between
provider and the users. Mr Ashok·
Duggal, Spedal Secretary} Medical
Health, U.P., said input and help
provided through this project
would spread the medical facilities
in RCH district in Ghaziabad
which, in turn, would have far-
reaching impact on other districts
in U.P.
A Memorand urn 'of
Understanding was signed by Dr
Amit Mitra, Director General,
FlCCI
Socio-Economic
Development Foundation and Dr
K Srinivasan, Executive Director,
PFI.
National Seminar on the Role ofNGOs
in Accelerating the Pace of Decline in Infant Mortality and Fertility
The Population Foundation of India IS organising a two-day National Seminar on the "Role of the Non-
Governmental Organisations in Accelerating the Pace of Decline in Infant Mortality and Fertility" on July 29 and
30, 1996 at India International Centre, New Delhi.
A number of national and international experts are expected to participate in the Seminar which will be inaugurated
by Dr Bharat Ram, Chairman of the PFI.
Spread over eight sessions, four on each day, the Seminar will discuss the experiences of the Government,
Non-Government and international organisations based on their programmes of infant mortality and fertility reduction.
In the final session, Dr K. Srinivasan, Executive Director, PFI, will present recommendations emerging from the
papers and deliberations of the Seminar.
. It may be recalled that in 1987 the PFI had commissioned a stUdy (partially funded by the IDRC, Canada)
In several States of the country to identify "The Proximate Determinants of Infant Mortality and Fertility". Based
on, the identified crucial issues, the Foundation commissioned three projects in the States of Madhya Pradesh,
?nssa and Uttar Pradesh for testing different strategies and approaches for •Accelerating the Pace of Decline
In Infant Mortality and Fertility". Two of. these projects, one in M.P. and the other in U,P., were also partially
fun?ed b~ the IDRC, Canada. The Seminar is intended to discuss salient findings of the implementation of these
projects In the broader national and interni:ltionl:ll per~pectiYe,
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OP ATION OT A KEY ISSUE
ELECT ON MA FESTOS
Population explosion was not a key issue in the election manifestos
of the major political parties except the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A bout 18 millions are being
,
added to already 940 million
people every year, abou t half
of the population is women, and
one-third of the country's population
is below the age of 14 years. There
.are,.enormous burdens of dependency
~-,o1ind unemployment in the population
that is increasing day by day. Are
political parties concerned about the
population explosion? Do they 'have
commitments to tackle the issues of
women and child health, their
education and development?
With a view to finding answers
to these pertinent questions, the
manifestos of major political parties
- The Indian National Congress (I),
The Bharatiya Janata Party (SJP), The
Janata Dal (JD), The Communist
Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M), and
The Communist Party of India (CPI),
have been analysed. Though
promising in plenty, these major
contestants in the Eleventh Lok Sabha
Elections did not consider population
growth as a major issue to be on
their election agenda. Further, their
election manifestos did not attach
due importance to the issue of
reproductive health of woman and
child care.
Only the SJP had come up with
clear cut agenda to formulate a
National Population Policy based on
the recommendations of National
Development
Council
and
Swaminathan Committee to stabilise
population growth by the first decade
of the new century. This is a welcome
commitment to check population
explosion.
The 40-page manifesto of
Congress (I) read like slogans of
achievements and claimed to provide
the country, stability and unity and
setting agenda for a new economic
order but had completely ignored
the population issue. Why Congress
'ft) 'kept silent on it and more so on
nmilv "lanning? Perha1Js to avoid
<i~(aion1sm of -certain ;ecticns thai
partly contributed to the debacle in be tried in a judicious manner in the
1977 elections.
growing context of reproductive
The SJP':; 80-page manifesto that rights.
looked like a book, had left no stone
Equally bulky and with
unturned to promise voters a promises abound, the JD manifesto
wholesome healthy social life. Not. revolved round the ideals of
shying away from population issue promotion of social justice, protection
like its opponents, the BJP did take of secular polity, and reservation of
a clear stand on population jobs for economically backward
stabilisation. It asserted, "we must sections. Although the JD did not
arrest the country's runaway commit itself to population
population growth. An increasing stabilisation per se it indirectly tried
population can only mean a to link population with environment
decreasing share of the fruits of by ensuring to people and cattle
development. "
adequate land, water, fuel, fodder,
Accusing Congress (I) for common space, forests, housing etc.
ignoring this crucial area of so that problems arising out of over
development planning for petty population could be resolved. It
political motives, the SJP promised argued that good management of
to put population related issues environment would stop migration
especially family planning, firmly and help people manage their life
back on the national agenda and better. But the JD's manifesto
launch a people's movement in overlooked the fact that rapi.d
support of family planning. Besides, population growth will go on
the SJP manifesto presented the depleting the ever shrinking
longest list of promises for women resources.
and health in general.
Accusing at length the Congress
Given the chance, the SJP (I) for its failure on all fronts and
government would firmly implement lambasting the BJP for its being
family planning. It promised to communal and anti-minority, both the
provide incentives to those who opt CPI (M) and the CPI in their
for the 'two-child' norm in the form manifestos promised to meet the most
of special facilities for health, urgent demands and aspirations of
education, nutrition, and employment common people - Dalit, children and
opportunities and ensured universal youth. Their major plank was social
access to family planning information, justice for all but failed to set agenda
methods and quality services. But for population stabilisation.
there may not be many takers of
On Sociar development front,
promises like enacting a law that however, things appeared bright as
will debar those with more than two all parties more or less agreed that
children from holding elected office people in urban and rural areas be
or introducing disincentives such as provided with drinking water,
limiting subsidised ration and sanitation, basic health facilities,
maternity benefits to two children. nu trition, disease preventing
Such measures are sure to annoy measures
and
employment
minorities and the poor. In a way opportunities.
_
the EJP's promises of incentives to
Probably in tune with tim~i-
acceptors and disincenti ies ta non- manifestos of all political parties were
acceptors have ...-ersuasiveelement in pro-women and gender sensitive. The
t.r.eir approach
to deal with promises to elevate women's status
population 1Jroblem bur both i. society, Nomen s empowerment,
i::cer:.rives anc c1S1nC2I:.':lves SflOUld. le~ai, soc:al and reproductIve righrs ..
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'/ioience and sexual abuse against
women etc. did bring women's
empowerment centre stage. The
Congress (I) in its manifesto claimed
to have launched many schemes and
programmes to benefit women. In
self-congratulatory tone it boasted,
"we have set up Rashtriya Mahila
Koshj we launched the Mahila
Samridhi Yojanaj it's our government
that established the National
Commission on Womenj we provided
reservation for women in panchayats
and nagarpalikas." The aJP on the
other hand focussed goals of
increasing state investment on
reproductive health care, nutrition
programmes and reducing infant
mortality. None of the other parties
in their manifestos did care to dwell
on such issues.
In a bid to be progressive the
aJP promised to introduce Uniform
Civil Code, a contentious issue which
had not figured in its 1991 manifesto
and, "guaranteeing women equal
guardianship rights" but cleverly
avoided guaranteeing equal property
rights perhaps not to annoy
undivided Hindu family. However,
Left allies were all for providing
equal tights in property and land for
women.
The CPI manifesto had attached
greater importance to gender equity
in matters of human: rights, wages
and remuneration. In fact both Left
Front and JO manifestos run along
rhetorics of equal economic
opportunities for both sexes.
The JO on its reservation plank
promised women one-third jobs and
joint ownership of land. It stressed
the need to sensitise the police force
to women and to mitigate the adverse
effects of structural adjustment
policies on women's issues.
Regarding the commitment to
health of children, the manifestos of
all political parties presented a dismal
picture. Although all of them, except
CPI (M), did promise to invest six
per cent of the GNP on education
with special focus on girl's education,
none had given children's health a
due consideration.
Among the national parties, only
the JO and the CPI devoted separate
paragraphs to children. While the
CPI had put forward its prescription
to help children by providing
nutrition to school going children,.
the JO addressed the children in a
general. Not lagging behind, the aJP
also showed some concern about the
health of children by promising more
funds to run health schemes for them.
The aJP further promised to provide
every panchayat with a free primary
health care centre with facilities for
mother~child care.
While the CPI (M), the CPI and
JO combine had pledged to
abolish child labour and child
abuse, the CPI promised to set up
a National Commission on it. The
Congress manifesto made only a one
line commitment "to take all
measures for substantial reduction of
child labour and total abolition of
child labour from hazardous
ind us tries. "
The manifestos remain merely
promises if not translated into reality
by the political parties, and a
commitment cutting across party lines
for leaders to take tough decisions
to convince people that small family
means a better tomorrow, is generally
lacking: It needs strong political will
to steer the task of health for all and
population stabilisation.
Empowering Women
POPULA nON STABILISATION
• Formulate a National Population Policy based on the reports
of the National Development Council and the Swaminathan
Committee.
• Enact a law to debar those with more than two children from
holdi.ng.elect~ office, with 1996 as the cut-off year.
• PrOVIdeIncentives to weaker sections who opt for the "two child"
norm; healt~,.edu~tion, nutrition and employment opportunities.
• Intrc~u.ce dlSI~Centlvesto discourage large families by limiting
subsldlsed ration and maternitybenefits to two children with 1996
as the cut-off year to all sections of society.
• Ensure universal access to family planning information and
quality facilities through NGOs.
• Introduce family planning methods and facilities that will allow
women greater freedom of choice without imperilling their health.
• Make Family Planning an integral part of development policies
to ensurewidest applicabilityof these incentives and disincentives.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• Provide incentive through a fixed deposit 01 21 years for those
.couples who have only a girl child or those who adopt a girl
child under a "Dattak Putri Yojana".
• Re-evaluatingeXisting programmes to tackle sexually transmitted
diseases with special focus en AIDS.
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WOMEN'S HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY
• All national policies to be sUbjected to gender analysis.
• Reserve 33% seats for women in all elected bodies, including
State Assemblies and Parliament.
• Introduce a Uniform Civil Code that aims to give women property
rights; ensure women's right to adopt; guarantee women equal
guardianship rights; remove discriminatory clauses in divorce
laws; and put an end to polygamy.
• Ensure equal opportunities in employment and equal wages for
equal work for women.
• Promote a health care system to focus on the non-reproductive
health needs of women, especially in rural areas.
• Seek help of local bodies to set up latrines for women in rural
areas.
• Encourage credit system, cooperative societies and training
programme to benefit rural women entrepreneurs.
• Design a special education programme for illiterate women.
• Provide every panchayat with a free primary health care centre
with facilities for mother and child care.
• Encourage women to seek reproductive health services through
a special campaign.
• Promote the legal and economic rights of women equal to those
of men and not subject to the weakening clause of personal
laws.
• Provide state support for single and working mothers through
grants and subsidy and formulate a forward-looking housing
policy for women.
• Make women partners in the management of community assets
and property.
• Amend laws to provide swift justice to women in case of
molestaticn, rape and dowry.
• Enact a law to make registration of marriages with foreigners
mandatory.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND EDUCATION
• Spend six percent of tfle GNP on education.
• Universalise primary education.
• Offer incentives in the form of free text books, nutrition
programmes and stipends to check dropouts at primary school
level.
• Introduce self-employment oriented vocational training programmes
at high school level.
• Set up a special monitoring authority to scrutinise the quality
of education and remove gender disparity.
• Reduce infant mortality rate and under five mortality rate by
spending more on prenatal and post-natal health care programmes.
• Immunise every child against preventable killer diseases.
• Canalize a substantial portion of the health care allocation .on
preventive rather than curative aspects.
• Promote awareness on cleanliness and disease prevention.
• Ending the scourge of malnutrition.
POPULATION STABILISATION
• Extend the Mahila Samridhi Yojana to group savings on which
• NO EXPLICIT
COMMITMENT
rural women to get 25% interest for their self-reliance activities.
STABILISATION.
(implemented).
• Provision of Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, a network of credit services
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
for women working in the informal sector and to support 'self-
• Secure a disease - free atmosphere through involvement of
employment ventures. (implemented).
Panchayats, Nagarpalikas and NGOs.
• Drinking water for all habitations.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND EDUCA nON
• Extend Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to all 4997 • Spend six percent of the GDP on education
C.D. Blocks in the country and provide nutritional support to • Ensure the universal access to elementary education by the year
all the eligible pre-school children and expectant and nursing
2001 with particular emphasis on the girl child.
mothers.
• Overhaul primary education in 42 of the educationally backward
• Provide houses for house less poor.
districts with a focus on the education of girls, SC and ST,
• Ensure jobs for jobless; near full employment by 2002 AD.
and disabled children.
.
• Provide cheaper rice and wheat for the poor.
• Complete implementation of Operation Black Board all over the "'-
• Launch a national sanitation programme to intensify public health.
country by. the end of IX Plan.
• Broad gauge railway all over the country; rail or road linkage
to all villages.
• Impart a strong vocational bias to secondary education.
• Improved health and education facilities to all children.
-r
• A commission to promote the social well-being of women and • Strengthen nutritional support through mid-day meal to all
check atrocities and violence against them.
primary school children.
• Intensify immunisation activities. ,
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY
• Implement innovative school health programme to provide health
• Provide 30% reservation
~. ~agarpaiikas.
for women in, Pan~hayats and
.
,
education and health services to all school children through
primary school teachers and primary health-care providers.
• :~Empowerment of women through reservation in State Legislatures
and Parliament.
• Abolition of child labour from hazardous Industries.
• Provision of Rs 3001- to a poor pregnant woman above the age
of 19 years through A National Maternity Benefits Scheme.
(implemented).
POPULATION ST ABILISATION
• NO SPECIFIC
STABILISATION.
COMMITMENT
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• Provide "Right to Work" as a fundamental
of India.
• Implement Employmeni Guaraniee Schemes
right of the citizen
all over the country.
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• Promote social justice through policy of total employment and
literacy, land reform and removal of economic disparities.
• Invest on human development to reduce infant mortality and
malnutrition and strive for universal immunisation.
• launch mass campaigns to prevent AIDS.
• Control the drug prices.
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY
• Reserve 30% of seats for women in Union and State legislatures.
• Reserve one-third of all jobs for women of socially and educationally
backward classes.
• Provide the women rights in ancestral, matrimonial and community
property.
• Secure shelter to women through proper legislation and
implementation.
.
• Ensure allotment of houses, flats or 'pattas' of land in the joint
ownership of husband and wife.
• Recruit extensively women In judiciary and police force to safeguard
women against atrocities and discrimination.
• Introduce self-employment schemes, training, need-based
programmes in the areas of nutrition, drinking water, fuel and
fodder.
• Constitute the state level commissions on women to solve their
problems.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND EDUCATION
Invest 6% of the GNP on education out of which spend 50%
of funds on elementary education particularly girl's education.
• Achieve the goal of universal elementary education through mid-
day meal incentives.
• Introduce neighbourhood school concept to eliminate 'elitist'
aberrations in education.
• Implement the Acharya Ramaurty Committee Report (1990) on
National Policy on Education.
• Recognise and restore the human rights of children by ratifying,
implementing and monitoring the convention on the Rights of
the Child.
• Meet the development needs of children by implementing time-
bound programme to provide nutrition, health and education in
relation to mother-child life cycle.
• Break the nexus between female illiteracy, ill-health and early
marriage.
POPULATION STABILISATION
• NO COMMITMENT TO POPULATION STABILISATION
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
• Increase allocation for basic health and sanitation.
• Ensure provision of Drinking Water to all villages.
• Control preventable diseases.
• Stop privatisation of health facilities.
• Guarantee right to work as a fundamental right.
• Implement housing schemes as basic rights for urban and rural
poor.
• Release accumulated food stock to start food-for-work programme
to generate employment.
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY
• Reserve one-third of the seats for women in legislatures and
parliament
• Protect the rights of women by implementing their legal and
democratic rights guaranteed in the constitution and taking
stringent measures against atrocities and crime against women.
• Increase employment opportunities for women and ensure no
discrimination in the pay, recruitment and promotion.
• Provide equal right in property and land for women - joint 'pallas'
for ownership, joint matrimonial property rights and compulsory
registration of marriage.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND EDUCATION
• Increase allocation on education and mass literacy to the tune
of 10 per cent of the national budget and 30 per cent of the
state budgets.
• Guarantee through law free and compulsory education for all
children upto the age of 14 years.
• Abolish child labour.
• Provide adequate child-care facilities at work place.
POPULATION ST ABILISATION
• NO COMMITMENT TO POPULATION
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
STABILISATION.
• Provide social security and labour welfare measures - medical
facilities, pensions and other benefits to cover rural and urban
workers in all sectors.
• Oppose privatisation and commercialisation of education.
• launch a time-bound National Literacy Campaign for achieving
total literacy.
• Set up Govemment and ESI hospitals and dispensaries with
essential equipments and drugs, medical and paramedical staff.
• Introduce reasonable wages and allowances for Anganwadi and
Village health visitors.
• launch campaign against liquor menace and drug abuse, HIVI
AIDS 'and all communicable diseases.
• Ensure people economic access to balanced diet and safe
drinking water.
• Provide special grant for old age homes and medical care for
the aged.
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY
• Consider equality between women and men as matter of human
rights.
• Reserve one-third seats for women in State Assemblies and
Parliament.
• Provide maternity and child care centre in every village and urban
ward to be run by panchayats and municipalities.
• Ensure women's access to credit, diversified vocational training
and other facilities.
• Provide equal le!fal and social rights fqr women of all communities.
• Enforce equal remuneration for women and men.
• Set up hostels· for women and creches for their children.
• Introduce registration of land and houses in the name of both
husband and wife.
CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND EDUCATION
• Allocate six percent GNP for education.
• Free and compUlsory education for all citizens upto the age
of 14.
• Create network of schools easily accessible to children.
• Implement 'Food for Education Scheme' of 1 kg of foodgr,:;in
for every child every day of schooling.
• Enforce severe punishment for child abuse especially sexual
exploitation of girl child.
• Eliminate child labour and bonded labour and constitute a
National Commission on it.
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E
LV PLA
1FT TO
G PROGRA
From April 1 this year, India's
family planning programme is
no longer target-oriented. The
Union Health and Family Welfare
Ministry has asked all States to stop
focussing on contraceptive targets
and instead concentrate on
improving reproductive and child
health (RCH) care facilities.
The new approach will focus
on programmes providing better
nutrition for pregnant women and
improved facilities for child birth.
Better child-survival rates, it is
opined, would lead to couples opting
for fewer children.
While still encouraging smaller
families, the main stress is to help
the clients meet their own health
and family planning goals.
Performance is to be measured
on the basis of quality of care, client
satisfaction and coverage measures.
According to experts in a
country of India's size and diversity,
there are considerable variations in
the socio-economic, demographic and
health parameters. Any programme
designed for the country as a whole
may not be equally successful in all
states and communities. Hence the
deSign ar,d implementation of health
and family welfare programmes need
to fully take into account the special
requirements of population sub-
groups.
As per the new dispensation,
the primary health centres would
first formulate the annual plans,
which would be aggregated into
district plans and these, in turn,
would be consolidated into State-
level plans.
Before effectir.g the change-
over, a pilot programme was
undertaken by the Union
Government where in 18 districts
from major States and the Union
Territory of Chandigarh were
declared free of family planning
targets last year. The results of this
trial-run were found to be
encouraging.
In recasting its family welfare
goals, India is only following the
changes in the reorientation of family
planning programmes sweeping
developing countries. FollOWingthe
Cairo International Conference on
Population and Development in
September, 1994, the importance of
adopting a reproductive health
approach to population programmes
has gained importance.
According to Mr J.e. Pant,
Secretary, Department of Family
Welfare in the Union Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare, the
emphasis now was on ensuring the
best possible facilities for maternal
and child care by spreading the Cairo
agenda to every district. (The
problems of monitoring and
evaluation of programmes based on
coverage and quality of services are
of crucial significance in the absence
of any targets of family planning
acceptance. )
Interestingly, the Indian Council
of Medical Research (ICMR), through
its Human Reproductive Research
Centres situated in various medical
colleges is conducting studies at
block level for evaluating and
improving the acceSSibility and
quality of reproductive he~lth
services.
Largest Increase Ever
in World Population
Overpopulation: a Survival
Threat to Third World
In the year 1995, the world's population registered the
largest increase ever - 100 million - to reach the 5.75 billion
mark.
Mr. Werner Fornos of the Population Institute, a
Washington-based population research organisation, says,
"90 per cent_of the growth is in poor countries, already
torn by civil strife and social unrest, and where too many
people live in brutal poverty".
According to the Institute's 1995 world population
overview, effective birth control policies and practices could
stabilise world population by 2015, at about 8 billion. But
unless family planning is actively promoted, he said, there
could be an increase to as much as 14 billion people.
But the report is not all gloomy. Mr Fornos found about
"30 good news countries," where the number of children
being born to the average woman has been declining.
"We've seen dramatic changes in Kenya and Zimbabwe.
But the biggest decline has been in China, the world's most
populous country. In 1965, the average Chinese woman
could expect to give birth to 6.5 live children in her lifetime.
The figure now is 1.4,· Mr Fornos underlines.
Addressing recently the 29th session· of the U.N.
Commission on Population and Development at New York,
Dr. RafiqZakaria,a well-knownauthor and former Maharashtra
Health Minister, said that the growing population was
threatening.the very survival of developing countries and as
such, they needed greater assistance in coping with this
problem of gigantic dimensions.
Mr. J.C. P8J1t,Secretary Family Welfare in the Union
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, told the same forum
that the popUlationcontrol programmes in India had achieved
a reasonably good progress.
He said that India's fertility rate had declined from an
average of 5.2 births per woman to 3.5 births per woman
in recent decades, and the infant mortality and death rates
had also fallen.
India, he said, had been working to address maternal
and child health problems ior many years.
A campaign, launched in 1995, to vaccinate all children
against polio had reached tens of millions of girls and boys
and would be expanded to address other health concerns
and reach all children in primary schools.
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JJCDntraceptive 1.S the Best Development"
I Dr Karan Singh, who as leader of the Indian
delegation at the first World Population Conference held
Mrs Margaret Catley Carlson, Population Council
President, in her inaugural address, said the quality of
in Bucharest (Rumania) in 1974 gave the famous slogan care, choice and delivery of service in rural areas was .<
I"Development is the best Contraceptive", has now, after
23 years, come out with its new version.
Dr Singh presently Chirman of the UNESCO
International Commissi9n on Education, speaking at the
as important as the service itself. The Council had
closely collaborated with the Governments to develop
priorities for their family planning and reproductive
health programmes.
inaugural function of the Population Council's South
Earlier, addressing a meeting on "Population
and East Asia regional office at New Delhi, expressed' Problems - Indian Scenario", organised by the women's
dismay that development all over the world and wing of Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai on
especially in India, was being hampered because of the March 12, 1996, Ms Carlson who is also a former
ever-expanding numbers with no commensurate President of the Canadian International Development
breakthrough in contraceptive technology, declaring Agency, said it was a myth that use of contraceptives
"Contraceptive is the best development".
was the answer for reduction in population. "Out of
"A revolutionary change in consciousness has taken the 750 million fertile women, half of them are not using
place with people limiting themselves to two children. contraceptives and about 120 million are spacing children
However, I am unhappy over the fact there has not without contraceptives", because there is lack of
been a single technological breakthrough. Whatever knowledge, fear of side-effects and spousal disapproval,
happened to the research on the anti-fertility vaccine?" she added.
he wondered.
Birth Control discussed at Priests' Conference
K
Talk of condom and sex at the Catholic Bishops
Conference of India (CBCI) meeting held at
Thiruvananthapuram on February 18, 1996 created a
commotion among the priests.
State Revenue Board chief D. Babu Paul, who was
invited to address the meeting, discussed safe sex
"because he thought it fit to touch a practical issue
that concerns millions." Himself a Christian, he said
he disagreed with the Catholic Church view opposing
contraceptives.
.
Mr Paul told the bishops that it was impractical
and, in a way cruel, to tell married couples not to use
the proven contraceptives to avoid unwanted births. The
Church suggestion that only "safe period" should be
utilised had no meaning for millions of poor Indians.
Mr Paul said he fully agreed with the view that
abortion or foeticide was murder. Rather, the preventive
methods should be allowed, he said. Or, one should
accept
Mahatma
Gandhi's
view
that sex not for procreation was a sin.
While many bishops felt uneasy, the Archbishop
of Bombay, Cardinal Pinento, rose to congratulate Mr
Paul for being forthright in his views. "The fact that
Christians have the lowest birth rate in the country goes
to prove that the laity have accepted small family norm
whatever the Church may say,'! he said.
.
A MALE PILL
o THE HORIZON
According to research scientists birth control pills
for men are definitely on the horizon.
. Projec~sat North CarolinaState University, Research
Triangle Institute, Duke University and other locations are .
unlocking, one by one, the mysteries of the mal~
reproductive system. "I think it's time for men to be
in control of their own destiny and it gives the woman
a chanc~. to get a break from the responsibility: says
Dr.. PatriCia Fail, head biologist on a male contraceptive
project at the Research Triangle Institute. Unlike birth
co, trol pills for women, drugs being investigated at
Research Triangle Institute and North Carolina State do
not rely on hormones to control fertility. That will spare
"'1enmany of t.,e side ffects associated with birth control
~rTWomen and ensure that the contracaptives do not
eo, 1I0IClO or sexual f~nction.
DIPLOMA COURSE IN
iFAMIL Y LIFE EDUCATION
Parivar Seva Sanstha, a well-known NGO., has
instituted' a one-year diploma course in Family Life
Education through Distance Learning.
Starting in July 1996, the course in English or Hindi
medium is meant for key and middle level functionaries
of governmental and non-governmental organisations,
counsellors, trainers, teachers, volunteers, freelancers,
medical and para-medical personnel. The fee for full term
is Rs 2000 and graduation in any discipline is the
minimum qualification for enrolment.
Further information can be had from Course
Cccrdir.ator, Distance Le;:rning Programme, Pari'lar Seva
Sanstha, J-125, Saket, New Delhi 110017. (Phone :
6965710; Fax: 6£67473).
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A successful innovative initiative
at reforestation ~round the pilgrimage
site of the holy shrine of Badrinath in
the high Himalayas has become a
shining example of how science and
religion can be harmoniously
harnessed to serve the cause of
environment and preservation of
~piritual values.
In 1993, Prof A N Purohit, a
plant physiologist, visited Badrinath,
the major Hindu pilgrimage shrine in
the Himalayas, and noticed how the
surrounding slopes had been stripped
bare of forest. Over 3,50,000pilgrims
a year come to Badrinath from all
over India, arriving on roads built in
the early 1960s. Their influx has
had both good and bad impacts.
Purohit decided to see if the head
priest! of the temple would use his
religious authority to encourage
pilgrims to plant trees for restoration
of the site.
Generally excited by the idea,
the .head priest said he would set a
date for the joint undertaking. On the
appointed day, Purohit returned with
20,000 seedlings from the G B Pant
Institute of Environment and
Development of which he is a Director,
and placed them in rows outside the
temple. When the pilgrims made
offerings, the head priest stood near
the gate of the temple and gave an
inspiring talk highlighting religious
beliefs about he spiritual importance
or trees in the sacred Himalayas.
He concluded by encouraging
the pilgrims to take the seedlings and
plant them on the slopes as an act of
religious devotion. There was a great
rush and all the 20,000seedlings were
planted. Everyone benefited : the
pilgrims received blessings, the head
priest's reputation soared, and
reforestation had begun...
Thinking of the future, Puro~t
put up a sign asking the pilgrims for
donations to care for the seedlings. In
no time they had contributed a
generous amount. Badrinath,like other
pilgrimage sites in India, has a long
line of beggars. Purohit felt that if the
beggars were offered in cash what
they made from begging - plus food
- many of them might choose to care
for trees instead of begging. To his
surprise, all the beggars took him up
on his offer : They were as eager to
get spiritual blessings as physical
nourishment.
-
In June 1995,Dr P P Dhyani, a
scientist of the Institute and the head
priest, did another planting to expand
the reforested area and included
species that preserve the biodiversity
of the region.
- Femina, May 8, 1996
"POPULATION' POLICY
AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH"
As part of its Silver Jubilee.Celebrations, the Population Foundation
'ofIndia organised a National Seminar on "Policy Directions and Strategy
of Action in Population and Reproductive Health," at New Delhi in the
second fortnight of December, 1995. Eminent scientists, scholars,
academicians and programme administrators in India presented their
well-researched papers at this Seminar.
Dr K Srinivasan, Executive Director of the PH, edited these papers
- 16 in number - and put them in book form under the title "Population
Policy and Reproductive Health", for wider dissemination in India and
abroad.
Hindustan Publishing Corporation (India), 4805/24, Bharat Ram
Road, Darya Ganj, New Delhi, has now published this very presentable
book of over 400 pages carrying 93 tables and 20 illustrations in
hardbound edition. Priced at Rs 450 (38 US dollars), the book may be
found useful as reference material by persons and institutions concerned
with demographic and reproductive health issues.
AIDS Care at Home :
WHO Releases a Useful
Guide Book
South-East Asia regional office of
the WHO at Delhi has recently released
a very useful and 'practical guide book
titled "Handbook on AIDS Home Care"
with a view to enabling health care
workers to help individuals, families and
communities to manage AIDS related
problems and build confidence in their
abirrtyto providesafe and compassionate
AIDS care at home.
According to Mr Jai Narain, Chief
of their AIDS Cell, who has compiled
the handbook, "though till date only
20,000' HIV positive cases have been
reported in India but it is estimated
there are 1.7 million who are HIV
infected and so once these start
becoming full blown cases it will be
difficult for the hospitals to handle such
large numbers. Also, since AIDS victims
come up with a series of related
diseases which take months to be
treated, so home treatment becomes·
. an abs.olute must for most of them.·
Copies of this free handbook can
be had from the WHO office for South-
East Asia, WHO House, I.P. Estate,
New Delhi 110002.
PFI·FICCI
COLLABORATIVE
VENTURE.
Population Foundation of India
Has Iqrged a very rewarding .linkage
with ¥ICCI in so far as con~ucting of
orientation seminars for leaders of
industry and training programmes for
19bour welfare officers and workers
mo~tors. is concerned.
. In three districts of U.P. - Agra,
Kanpur and, Meerut • FICCI in
collaboration with State Innovations in
FamilyPlanningServiCesProject Agency
(SIFPSA). is inplemeriting an'lntegralad
'Family Welfare Projecf for providing
reproouctive health care' facilities to'
industrial workers.' In its 'coIlaborative
role in this project, PFI has, since 1995,
been conducting orientation arid training
workshops '. an important in~ for the '.
success of, the programme, These
aclivities have since been completed at
Kanpur and Agra with four. training
programmes at each station benefiting
'.. about 300 persons,
.
.
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IIAVCHETNA-INTEGRATED
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
Dr N K Bachan, Harriet Benson Memorial Hosptial,
Laiitpur, U.P.
2. PROMOTION OF F.W. PLANNING THROUGH
PRACTITIONERS OF INDIAN SYSTEM OF MEDICINE
IN RURAL AREAS OF RAJASTHAN.
Dr Mohan Advani, Population Research Centre,
Mohanlal SUkhadia University, Udaipur.
PROMOTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN THE
ORGANISED SECTOR: PROPOSAL FOR INDUSTRIAL
WORKERS AT KOTA.
Mr U C Jain, Rajasthan Chamber of Commerce
& Industry and Kota Divisional Employers
Association.
COMMUNITY-BASED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
NETWORK, ASSURING QUALITY SERVICES IN
DISTT. FARIDABAD, HARYANA.
Mr Lajpat Rai, ESCORTS Ltd.JPFI.
PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR
AMONG THE YOUTH IN BANGALORE.
Mrs. Sudha Tewari, Parivar Seva Sanstha,
Bangalore.
STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS FOR ACCELERATING
THE PACE OF DECLINE IN INFANT MORTALITY
AND FERTILITY.
Dr Mawizuala, Landour Community Hospital,
Mussorrie (U.P.)
7. STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS FOR ACCLERATING
THE PACE OF DECLINE IN INFANT MORTALITY
AND FERTILITY.
Mr Rajkamal David Lall, Grameen Navjagruti
Yojana, Damoh, M.P.
8. INTENSIFYING FAMILY PLANNING ACTIVITIES BY
MEANS OF INTEGRATED FAMILY PLANNING,
HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
Mr K K Verma, Parivar Seva Sanstha Tonk.
FERTILITY REDUCTION PROJECT IN A LOW-INCOME
RESETTLEMENT COLONY IN DELHI (DAKSHINPURI
SLUM).
Dr Anjana Das, SPARSH, New Delhi.
10. CREATING CONDITIONS FOR FASTER FERTILITY
REDUCTION IN BHARATPUR DISTRICT OF
RAJASTHAN THROUGH INTEGRATED HEALTH &
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES.
Ms Kiron Wadhera, The Asian Centre for
Organisation Research & Development (ACORD),
Delhi.
.
11. STRENGTHENING VOLUNTARY WORK IN MADHYA
PRADESH.
Dr Ravi Gulhati and Dr Kaval Gulhati, Centre for
Policy Research. New Delhi.
12. PROMOTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH IN THE
ORGANISED SECTOR: PROPOSAL FOR INDUSTRIAL
WORKERS IN THREE CONTIGUOUS DISTRICTS OF
UTTAR PRADESH, I.E., GHAZIABAD, MEERUT ,AND
MUZAFFARNAGAR.
Dr B. Sarkar, PHD Family Welfare Foundation!
PFI.
13. PROMOTING FERTILITY REDUCTION AMONG
WOMEN IN THE INNER-CITY OF HYDERABAD.
Ms Sajida Taj, Taj Mahila Welfare Society,
Hyderabad.
14. PROMOTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH : AN
EXTENSION PROGRAMME AMONG INDUSTRIAL
COLONIES OF JK PAPER MILLS, JAYKAYPUR,
RAYAGADA, ORISSA.
•
Mr V 0 Bajaj, JK Welfare Centre, Rayagada,
Orissa.
15. INTENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE PROGRAMME FOR GHAZIABAD DISTRICT
IN U.P.
Socio-Economic Foundation of Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
The Governing Board of Population Foundation of India has approved for funding the following projects of one
to three years' duration during 1996:
* * HEALTH DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION - SLUM
PILOT PROJECT ON EMPOW-ERMENT OF RURAL
DWELLERS.
WOMEN WITH FOCUS ON FAMILY WELFARE.
Society for Human and Environmental Development
(SHED), Bombay.
* PEASANT WOMEN FERTILITY AND CONTRACEPTIVE
BEHAVIOUR - A STUDY ~ THE SCHEDULED
CASTES.
Dept. of Population Studies Sri Venkateswara
University, Triupati (A.P.). '
* RURAL FAMILY WELFARE PROJECT.
ADITHI, Patna, Bihar.
* COMMUNITY RESOURCE MOBILIZATION
IMPROVING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.
FOR
Mahatma Gandhi In~titute of Medical Sciences
Wardha, Maharashtra.
'
Daud Nagar Organisation for Rural Development,
* Aurangabad District, Bihar.
MICRO COMPUTER BASED REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
PROJECT.
Liberal Association for Movement of People (LAMP),
Calcutta, West Bengal.
* SUKHI PARIVAR.
* Parivar Mangal Trust, Pune, Maharashtra.
PROMOTION OF RURAL POPULATION CONTROL.
South Eastern Rural Development Organisation,
Wangjing, Manipur.
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The following PFI-sponsored projects were
*,ompleted by 1995 end;
STRATEGIC INTERVEt'JTIONS TO ACCELERATE
PACE OF DECLINE IN Ii\\l""FAl'\\JTMORTALITY AND
FERTILITY.
Jagruti, Khondomal District (formerly Phulbani),
* Orissa.
DEVELOPING A MODEL FOR INTEGRATING
HEALTH, FAMILY PLANNING AND NUTRITION
AWARENESS WITH RURAL DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITIES OF VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS
IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF BIHAR AND
ANDHRA PRADESH.
Vidya Sagar Vikas Ashram, Dumka University,
Bihar and Sri Vidyaranya Academy for
Foundation of Rural Development, Hyderabad
* (A.P.)
ERGOBROMOCRYPTIN
AS A MALE
CONTRACEPTIVE- STUDIESIN MONKEYS AND
HUMANS.
* Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
FIVE VIDEO FILMS - (Ante-natal Care and Maternal
Health; Infant health and Mortality; Age at marriage;
Spacing Children and Methods of Family Planning).
Rajsomi Films Ltd.
* Dr. K Srinivas~n, Executive
Director, Population Foundation of
India visited Washington, USA to
participate in a conference on
Population Environment and
Development (PED) organised by·
Tata Energy Research Institute
(TERI), 13-14 March, 1996. He
presented a paper on "Population
Development and Environmental
Condition at Village Level during
1981-1991:An Empirical Study using
Census Data in Kota District of
Rajasthan State in India", at the
*conference.
Awarded, Mr Sanjay Kumar, the
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) on his
thesis "The Aged in India :
Comparative Study of Socio-
Economic Conditions in Kerala and
Uttar Pradesh", by the International
Institute of Population Sciences,
Bombay. He worked under the
*guidance of Dr K Srinivasan.
Mr S. Rajaram has also been
awarded Ph.D this year on his thesis
"An Analysis of Reproductive
Patterns in India with special
reference to Goa", from the same
Institute at Bombay. He worked
under the guidance of Dr A Pandey.
Mr K S Natarajan joined the Foundation as Joint Director (Monitoring &
. Evaluation) in February 1996. Before joining the Foundation, he was the Dy.
Registrar General, India. An eminent demographer, he has specialised in population
projections, indirect estimation of fertility and child mortality and Census evaluation
survey. He had earned the' distinction of becoming a member of the successive
expert committees on population projections appointed by the Planning Commission
since 1977. He was an U.N. Consultant on Post Enumeration Survey of Nepal
Census. Currently the Vice-President of the India Association for the Study of(
Population, he was also, on the editorial board of the journal "Demography India."
Mrs Uma Yadav, a communication consultant before joining the Foundation as a
Programme Officer (lEe) has had a long distinguished career in media profession, serving
many national and international institutions in the field of ·print and electronic journalism
and communication. She has extensively travelled both in India and abroad in various
capacities for training and collaborative work on communication and development.
Dr. S. Rajaram as a Research Associate, handles monitoring
and evaluation of projects at the Foundation. He has recently earned his Ph.D
in Population Studies from International Institute of Population Sciences, Bombay,
where he had also worked as a research officer.
Published by the POPULATION FOUNDATION OF INDIA, 8-28, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi-110016. Tel.: 6867080, 6867081
Designed and Printed by Reproductions India, 198/19, Sapna Apartments, Ramesh Market, East of ISaHashN, ew Delhl-05. Phone: 6233269
Editorial Direction & Guidance: Dr. K. Srinivasan
Editor: Uma Yadav
'Editorial Consultant: J.L, Saaz