Social Justice

UNICEF's Passport to Earning Initiative

Context: Department of School Education & Literacy organised an online program on 11th October 2023 to commemorate the milestone of one million certifications of its Passport to Earning (P2E) Program.

About UNICEF's Passport to Earning (P2E) Initiative 

  • Passport to Earning (P2E) is a digital platform that aims to provide young people between 15-24 years of age with free, certified, world class and job-relevant skills training and position them for employment opportunities.
  • This initiative has been launched under Generation Unlimited Partnership program of UNICEF.
  • P2E is built on the Microsoft Community Training platform and offers digitised content provided by a range of public and private sector partners. 
  • Platform will offer online and offline digitalised curricula and supplemental content curated at the national level.
  • In its initial three years, P2E initiative aims to skill 10 million young people and help 10,000 young people gain decent employment - targeting at least 50% young women in both cases.
  • Young people using the platform will be able to use the certifications gained to support future employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
  • P2E mission aims to maximize impact with young people, focusing on the most disadvantaged by:
    • Building government capacity to provide sustainable skilling and employment pathways in digital economy.
    • Enabling access to job-relevant skilling platform, state of art curriculum and certifications and ultimately jobs.

Passport to Earning (P2E) Initiative in India

  • In India, P2E initiative provides free access to certificate courses in digital productivity, financial literacy, employability skills and other in demand, job ready skills. P2E also offers provisions for online, hybrid and offline learning models.
  • P2E aims to deliver long-term sustainable skilling to 5 million youth in the age group of 14-29 in India by 2024 and then connect them to opportunities in job, self-employment, and entrepreneurship to be financially independent.
  • Passport to Earning initiative has skilled and certified more than one million young people in India in area of financial literacy and digital productivity.
  • 62% of all young learners who benefitted from P2E courses in India are adolescent girls and young women.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - Gramin

Context: According to surveys done in 2022, more than 80 per cent of Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin beneficiaries spent over Rs 1.50 lakh to construct houses under the scheme, higher than the allocated Rs 1.20 lakh for rural areas in plains and Rs 1.30 lakh in hills, 

About PMAY-G

  • Background: Indira Awaas yojana (IAY) has been restructured into PMAY-G.
  • Launched in: 2016.
  • Type of scheme: Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
  • Nodal ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
  • Budgetary allocation: 13,000-crore.
  • Objective: To ensure the provision of pucca housing for all individuals who are homeless or living in dilapidated houses in rural areas except Delhi and Chandigarh by 2024, instead of the previous goal of 2022.
  • Target: Construction of 2.95 crore houses by March 2024.
  • Funding pattern: Shared between Central and State Governments in the ratio 60:40 in plain areas and 90: 10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
  • Eligible Beneficiaries: All the houseless households living in zero, one, or two-room houses with kutcha walls and kutcha roofs. Criteria for Automatic/Compulsory Inclusion: 
    • Households without shelter
    • Destitute/ living on alms
    • Manual scavengers
    • Primitive Tribal Groups
    • Legally released bonded labourer.
  • Selection of Beneficiaries: Through a three stage validation - Socio Economic Caste Census 2011, Gram Sabha, and geo-tagging.
  • Benefits: Financial Assistance of ₹ 1,20,000 per unit for plain areas, and ₹ 1,30,000 per unit for hilly areas, difficult areas, and Integrated Action Plan districts.
    • Can avail of institutional finance (loan) of up to ₹ 70,000 at 3% lower interest rate.
    • The minimum size of the house shall be is 25 sq m including a dedicated area for hygienic cooking.
    • In convergence with Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G), get financial assistance of up to ₹ 12,000 for the construction of toilets.
    • In convergence with MGNREGA, the beneficiary is entitled to employment as unskilled labour at ₹ 90.95 per day for 95 days.
    • In convergence with Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, one LPG connection per house is provided.
    • Payments are made electronically directly to bank accounts or post office accounts that are linked to Aadhaar.
  • Exclusion: Candidates that have: 
  • motorised two wheeler, three-wheeler, four-wheeler and agriculture equipment or fishing boat, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) with a limit greater or equal to Rs.50,000, at least one member that is employed with the government or earning more than Rs. 10,000 per month, that pays Income Tax, professional tax or owns a refrigerator or landline phone connection.

Adult literacy

Context: In 2018, Karthyayani Amma, who became the oldest learner at the age of 96, passed away.

About adult literacy

  • It is a type of education system that educates mature students that have already taken part in the workforce.
  • The 2011 Census the adult literacy rate for women in rural areas at 50.6 per cent as compared to 76.9 per cent in urban areas, whereas for men, the same in rural areas is pegged at 74.1 per cent as compared to 88.3 per cent in urban areas.
  • To extend educational options to adults who have lost the opportunity for formal education and have crossed the age of traditional schooling. These individuals now feel a need for various types of learning, including literacy, basic education equivalency, skill development (vocational education), and continuing education.

Advantages to adult education

  • Gaining education after secondary school as a mature-aged student helps and allows adults to gain valuable skills to increase career prospects and expand their professional knowledge.
  • It helps individuals understand their fundamental rights and also take corrective measures against crimes like domestic violence and child marriage.
  • It can sharpen critical thinking, problem-solving abilities and decision making, in professional as well as personal life.
  • It helps people adapt to rapidly evolving technologies, which is crucial in the modern workplace.
  • Research suggests that continuing education can have positive effects on mental health, reducing the risk of cognitive decline.

Reason for adult illiteracy

  • Limited access to education: Due lack of schools, lack of literacy programs, books, and educational materials or being forced to work at a young age, can lead to lifelong illiteracy. Almost 8% of India’s schools have only one teacher. Some of the most populous states also have the most one-teacher schools.  
  • Early school dropout: Due to family obligations, economic necessity, or personal challenges.
  • Learning disabilities: Some adults may have undiagnosed or untreated learning disabilities like dyslexia, dyscalculia etc. that hinder their ability to acquire literacy skills.
  • Cultural and social barriers: Societal norms, customs, and beliefs can discourage certain groups, particularly women, from receiving an education. Discrimination and gender inequality can contribute to high rates of illiteracy among adults.
  • Language barriers: Migrants move to a new place may face language barriers that make it difficult for them to learn the language and acquire literacy skills.

Government initiatives

  • National Literacy Mission (NLM): Launched in 1988 to impart functional literacy to non-literates in the age group of 15-35 years in a time bound manner. By the end of the 10th Plan period, it had made 127.45 million persons literate of which 60% were females 23% belonged to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 12% to Scheduled Tribes (STs).
  • Saakshar Bharat: Implemented during 2009-10 to 2017-18 to raise literacy rate to 80%, reduce gender gap to 10% and minimize regional and social disparities, with focus on Women, SCs, STs, Minorities and other disadvantaged groups. 
  • National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA): It is responsible to design, develop and implement Adult Education Programme in the country. It formulates and exercises policy and planning, developmental and promotional activities, operational functions, technology demonstration, leadership training, resource development, research & development, monitoring & evaluation in the country. 
  • Padhna Likhna Abhiyan (PLA) – A centrally sponsored scheme of Adult Education, was launched in 2020. To impart Functional Literacy to 57 lakh non-literates of 15 years and above age group.
  • New India Literacy Programme(NILP): To impart foundational literacy and numeracy for FYs 2022-27 is 5 crore learners at one crore per year and also to cover all the aspects of Adult Education to align with National Education Policy 2020 has been approved.
    • Critical life skills (including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare),
    • Vocational skills development (with a view towards obtaining local employment),
    • Basic education (including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency); and 
    • Continuing education (including engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, such as more advanced material on critical life skills).
  • National Digital Literacy Mission: To empower at least one person per household with crucial digital literacy skills.

To enhance adult education, it is crucial to establish accessible and flexible learning opportunities. This can be achieved through a combination of initiatives such as expanding online courses and resources, offering financial incentives or subsidies for adult learners, developing targeted outreach programs, and collaborating with employers to support skill development and lifelong learning.

Global Hunger Index 2023: India ranks 111 out of 125 countries

Context: India's ranking in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) has slipped from 107th place out of 121 countries in 2022 to 111th place out of 125 countries in 2023, according to the report jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe. This indicates a worsening situation with regards to hunger and underlines the ongoing challenges in addressing food security and malnutrition in the country.

More about Report: 

  • The GHI score is calculated on a 100-point scale reflecting the severity of hunger, where zero is the best score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. 
  • India’s ranking is based on a GHI score of 28.7 on a 100 point scale. This categorises India’s severity of hunger as “serious”. 
  • The country came after neighbouring countries Pakistan (102nd), Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th) and Sri Lanka (60th). However, India fared better than South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara, which recorded a score of 27 each.
  • While the rate of undernourishment in India stood at 16.6 percent and under-five mortality at 3.1 percent, the prevalence of anaemia in women aged between 15 and 24 years stood at 58.1 percent.
  • As per the index, India also has the highest child wasting rate in the world at 18.7 percent, reflecting acute undernutrition. 

Global Hunger Index:

Each country’s GHI score is calculated based on four indicators. 

Undernourishment – calculated by the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake. 

Child stunting - calculated by the share of children under age five who have low height for their age, reflecting chronic undernutrition. 

Child mortality - Calculated by the share of children who die before their fifth birthday, partly reflecting the fatal mix of inadequate nutrition and unhealthy environments.

Child wasting - Calculated by the share of children under age five who have low weight for their height, reflecting acute undernutrition.

What is Hunger?

  • Hunger is a condition in which a person cannot eat sufficient food to meet basic nutritional needs for a sustained period. Hunger can manifest itself in different ways – undernourishment, malnutrition and wasting.

Concerns/Effects

  • Human Well-being: Ensuring that people have access to sufficient and nutritious food is fundamental to their health and well-being. Hunger can lead to malnutrition, which in turn can cause a range of physical and mental health problems, particularly among children.
    • While mortality has declined by half and fertility by two-fifths, malnutrition has only come down by about one-fifth in the last 40 years. The inescapable conclusion is that further progress in human development in India will be difficult to achieve.
  • Economic Development: A well-nourished population is more productive. When people are not hungry and malnourished, they can work effectively, contribute to the workforce, and participate in economic activities, leading to overall economic growth.
    • Malnutrition costs India at least $10 billion annually in terms of lost productivity, illness, and death and is seriously retarding improvements in human development and further reduction of childhood mortality (World Bank).
    • This inter-generational cycle of undernutrition transmitted from mothers to children greatly impacts India’s present and future.
  • Educational Attainment: Malnourishment can also significantly lower cognitive development and learning achievement during the preschool and school years, and subsequently result in lower productivity.
    • Nutritional anaemia is implicated in low physical and mental performance.
    • Malnutrition not only blights the lives of individuals and families but also reduces the returns on investment in education and acts as a major barrier to social and economic progress.
    • Widespread child undernutrition greatly impedes India’s socio-economic development and potential to reduce poverty.
  • Reducing Inequality: Hunger often affects marginalized and vulnerable communities disproportionately. Addressing hunger is a step toward reducing socio-economic disparities and promoting social equity.
  • Food Security: It is important for a country's stability and security. Addressing hunger helps ensure social stability and reduces the potential for social unrest and conflict.
  • Global Commitments: India, like many nations, has made international commitments to eradicate hunger and improve nutrition under initiatives like Goal 2 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda seeks to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and double agricultural productivity between 2015-2020.
    • According to UNICEF, one in three malnourished children in the world is Indian. It is estimated that reducing malnutrition could add some 3% to India’s GDP.

Reasons behind India’s persistent problem of hunger:

Inappropriate child feeding practices:

The WHO and UNICEF recommend that breastfeeding should be initiated within the first hour of birth and infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. 

NFHS-5 says that only 42% of infants are breastfed within one hour of birth and only 64% of infants are exclusively breastfed for first 6 months. 

Low Female literacy:

Nutrition levels are majorly affected by the education level of women. It increases awareness about nutrient-rich diet, personal hygiene, good feeding practices etc. Educating women also help in containing the family size in poor, malnourished families. But female literacy in India is only 65% and the rate is much lower for the states like Bihar and Rajasthan that recorded high levels of malnutrition in children. 

Poor Sanitation: 

Repeated infection with diarrhoeal diseases due to poor sanitation contributes to chronic malnutrition by inhibiting intestinal absorption of nutrients and is strongly correlated with stunting. The proportion of people with access to improved sanitation facilities in India is only 49% as per NHFS-4.

Micro nutrient deficiency: 

According to studies, more than 80 per cent of the Indian population suffers from micronutrient deficiencies, contributing to compromised immunity. This is mainly due to lack of dietary diversification, changed dietary habits, food processing resulting in plant micronutrient loss, crop homogenisation. 

Food inflation: 

With rising food inflation families become less able to buy and eat nutritious food. According to a report of ADB, 1 per cent increase in food inflation leads to an increase of 0.3 per cent in both infant and child mortalities, and 0.5 per cent in undernourishment. 

Limitations of existing schemes:

  • The ICDS program, while successful in many ways, has not made a significant dent in child malnutrition. This is mostly due to the priority that the program has placed on food supplementation, targeting mostly children after the age of three when malnutrition has already set in.
  • Stringent conditions to avail the benefits of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana  has led to the exclusion of teenage mothers and poor women who birth more than one child, thereby abetting the intergenerational cycle of undernutrition. Exclusion errors, non-inclusion of  nutritious items such as pulses and edible oil in the PDS basket failed to improve the nutritional status of poor households.
  • Poverty: Poverty restricts food choices and has been the causative factor of hunger-related deaths.
  • Climate change impact: Erratic rainfall and increasing frequency of extreme events have impacted agricultural activities everywhere creating unfavourable conditions for food production.
    • Natural disasters: Natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and long periods of drought are on the increase with catastrophic consequences for the hungry poor in developing countries.
  • Gender inequality: In many parts women’s nutritional requirements are often unmet as they consume whatever is left after everyone else has eaten.
  • A person’s ‘nutritional quotient’ is also dependent on demographic factors like gender, caste, age, etc. For instance, the nutritional needs of girl children and the elderly are not adequately addressed in our society.
  • Corruption: Corruption in PDS is widely recognised. PDS a food distribution scheme is mired with inefficiencies and corrupt practices denying food to many.

Measures taken by the Government: 

  • POSHAN Abhiyaan is an overarching umbrella scheme to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers by holistically addressing the multiple determinants of malnutrition. It involves convergence of multiple programs and schemes: ICDS, PMMVY, NHM (with its sub components such as JSY, MCP card, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, RBSK, IDCF, HBNC, HBYC, Take Home Rations), Swachh Bharat Mission, National Drinking water Mission, NRLM etc.
  • Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) for providing one hot cooked meal in Government and Government – aided Schools.
  • Food fortification: 
    • Fortification of wheat is being implemented in 12 states on pilot basis.
    • Fortification of edible oil, too, was made compulsory across the country by FSSAI in 2018.
    • Fortification of milk was started in 2017 under which the National Dairy Development Board of India (NDDB) is pushing companies to add vitamin D.
    • States have been scaling up the use of double-fortified salt in an effort to combat iron and iodine deficiencies.
  • Price stabilisation fund to regulate the price volatility of important agri horticultural commodities like onion, potatoes and pulses.

Measures to be Taken

  • Systemic overhaul of the public administration and service delivery systems, as well as engagement from the community.
  • Need to invest in the infrastructure of ICDS and the Anganwadi centres as well as improve their coverage.
  • Need to better target nutritional programs and substantially increase their quality and impact. 
  • Inclusion of all vulnerable groups (children, adolescent girls, mothers, expectant women) under the safety cover of ICDS.
  • Fortification of essential food items with legal provisions (e.g., twin fortification of salt with both iodine and iron).
  • Popularize low-cost nutritious food.
  • Control of micro-nutrient deficiencies with a special focus on vulnerable groups. Some district-level interventions have aimed to address this issue. For instance, Angul district in Odisha, which has a large geographically isolated tribal population, has periodic grievance redressal camps set up in areas far from the Anganwadi centres to provide ICDS services.
  • Need to address gaps and inefficiencies in the present setup through public awareness, community engagement and empowerment, while such an intervention would assist the community in realising their rights and entitlements, and then act as a deterrent to inefficiencies and gaps, it would also help in developing community-based solutions to malnutrition, unburdening the stressed public healthcare and ICDS infrastructure.
  • Strengthen inter-departmental convergence and resource allocation based on real-time data. In this regard, the approach undertaken by Bangladesh has been successful and replicable in India.

Conclusion

For solving the malnutrition challenges in India requires the nutrition policy and program to have lasting and old challenges, as well as keep pace with new and emerging challenges.

Mission Poshan 2.0 (Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0) has been announced in the Budget 2021-2022 as an integrated nutrition support program is the right step in this direction.

Global Gender Gap Index

Context: The 17th edition of the Global Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum (published on June 20, 2023), based on data from 146 countries, has concluded that at the current rate of progress, it will take 131 years to close the global gender gap; it is 149 years in populous South Asian countries including India

What is Global Gender Gap Index

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  • It is an annual report highlights the current state and evolution of gender parity.
  • It was first introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006.
  • It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps.

Key findings of the Global Gender Index 2023 Report:

  • According to the WEF no country has yet achieved full gender parity. 
  • For the 14th year running, Iceland (91.2%) takes the top position. It also continues to be the only country to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap.
  • For the 146 countries, the Health and Survival gender gap has closed by 96%, the Educational Attainment gap by 95.2%, Economic Participation and Opportunity gap by 60.1%, and Political Empowerment gap by 22.1%.
  • The current rate of progress from 2006 to 2023 suggests that it will take considerable time to close the gender gaps. 
  • The Political Empowerment gender gap is projected to take 162 years to close, while the Economic Participation and Opportunity gender gap is estimated to require 169 years. 
  • On the other hand, the Educational Attainment gender gap is expected to be resolved within 16 years. However, the time needed to close the Health and Survival gender gap remains uncertain.
  • Achieving gender parity in the labour market continues to pose a significant challenge. Notably, women's participation in the global labour market has declined in recent years, and there are substantial disparities between men and women in various aspects of economic opportunity.
  • Despite women globally returning to the labour force at higher rates than men, resulting in a slight improvement in gender parity in labour force participation since the 2022, significant gaps persist in multiple dimensions (like leadership roles).

Status of South Asia & India in the Global Gender Index:

  • India was ranked 127 among 146 countries in gender parity, up eight places from last year’s place, in the Gender Gap Report, 2023 of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
  • India was ranked 135 in 2022 and has since improved by 1.4 percentage points, indicating a partial recovery towards its 2020 parity level. 
  • The report highlights that India has closed 64.3% of the overall gender gap. However, India has only reached 36.7% parity in economic participation and opportunity. 
  • India has achieved parity in enrolment across all levels of education.
  • In India, while there has been an improvement in parity in wages and income, the representation of women in senior positions and technical roles has slightly decreased since the last edition. 
  • India has a 25.3% parity in political empowerment, with women comprising 15.1% of MPs. 
  • Among 117 countries with available data since 2017, 18 countries, including Bolivia (50.4%), India (44.4%), and France (42.3%), have achieved women’s representation of over 40% in local governance. 
  • In India, a 1.9 percentage point improvement in the sex ratio at birth has contributed to increased parity after more than a decade. 
  • Compared to top-scoring countries with 94.4% gender parity at birth, India’s indicator stands at 92.7%.

Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) 

Context: The health ministry said Tele-MANAS Seva under National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), has counselled more than 3,50,000 people till date.

About Tele Manas Seva

  • Launched in: Budget 2022-23
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry for Health & Family Welfare.
  • Coordinating Centre: National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS).
  • Objective: To provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly catering to people in remote or under-served areas & to open at least one Tele-MANAS Cell in each State/UT.
  • Key features: A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) has been set up across the country allowing callers to select the language (till now 20 languages) of choice for availing services. 
    • Provides basic support and counselling through centralised Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) is being customised for use across all states and UTs.
    • Will be organised in two tier systems: 
      • Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists. 
      • Tier 2 will comprise specialists at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation.
  • Specialised care is being envisioned through the programme by linking Tele-MANAS with other services like National tele-consultation service, e-Sanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, mental health professionals, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centres and emergency psychiatric facilities.

National Mental Health Programme (NMHP)

  • Launched in: 1982
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry for Health & Family Welfare.
  • Aims: 
    • Prevention and treatment of mental and neurological disorders and their associated disabilities.
    • Use of mental health technology to improve general health services.
    • Application of mental health principles in total national development to improve quality of life.
  • Objectives
    • To ensure availability and accessibility of minimum mental health care for all in the forseeable future, particularly to the most vulnerable and underprivileged sections of population.
    • To encourage application of mental health knowledge in general health care and in social development.
    • To promote community participation in the mental health services development and to stimulate efforts towards self-help in the community.

Protocol for Identification and Management of Malnutrition in Children

Context: Recently, Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD), launched the first ever “Protocol for Identification and Management of Malnutrition in Children’’ by the government, which has been put into place by the WCD Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Ayush. 

Why it is important:

  • Mission Poshan 2.0 emphasizes the identification and treatment of malnourished children.
  • Previously, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) treatment was confined to healthcare facilities. Now, a national 'Protocol for Management of Malnourished Children' has been introduced, enabling identification and management of malnourished children at the Anganwadi level, covering referral decisions, nutritional care, and follow-up.

More About Protocol for Identification and Management of Malnutrition in Children

  • It provides detailed 10-step guidelines for identification and management of malnourished children at the Anganwadi level.
  • The guidelines include growth monitoring, appetite testing, nutritional management of malnourished children and follow up care of children who manage to achieve requisite growth parameters after intervention.
  • It also includes unique initiatives like the “Buddy mother” concept which was first used in the state of Assam. Under this scheme, the mother of a healthy baby guides the mother of a malnourished child at an Angandwadi centre every week.
  • According to the protocol, SAM (Severe Acute Malnourished) children with medical complications, presence of bilateral pitting oedema and/or failed appetite test will be enrolled in the NRCs.

Bilateral pitting edema refers to swelling in both legs, or occasionally in both arms, that is characterised by an indentation, or “pit”, that remains when pressure is applied to the swollen area.

  • Every SAM child who passes the appetite test and all severely underweight (SUW) children shall be screened by the medical officer of primary health centres within three-five days of the test to identify any health issues, hidden infection or danger signs.
  • Children with any medical complication should be referred to the nearest health facility for medical management and further treatment of sickness.

Kudumbashree Mission

Context: More than 2,000 schools in Kerala will extend their weekend hours to accommodate the 46 lakh women enrolled in the state's prominent poverty alleviation initiative, ‘Kudumbashree’. 

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More about the news: 

  • Kerala Local Self Government Department on October 1st announced the launch of the "back to school" program. 
  • The "back to school" initiative aims to equip women with the knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm needed for the mission's future endeavours, particularly in areas such as financial transactions and entrepreneurship.
  • The program will be facilitated by 15,000 trained resource persons and will cover five key topics: "organizational strength – lessons from experience, vibrancy of NHG, community-life security, livelihood ideas, and the digital age."

About Kudumbashree Mission:

  • Kudumbashree, established in 1997, is a poverty eradication and women empowerment initiative executed by the State Poverty Eradication Mission (SPEM) of the Government of Kerala.
  • Kudumbashree consists of two key entities: the Kudumbashree Community Network and the Kudumbashree Mission.
  • Its creation was in response to the decentralization of authority to Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Kerala and the People's Plan Campaign, which aimed to formulate the Ninth Plan of local governments from the grassroots through PRIs.
  • In 2011, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, designated Kudumbashree as the State Rural Livelihoods Mission (SRLM) within the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
  • Kudumbashree operates as a network of community-based organizations (CBOs) for women, officially registered as Community Development Societies (CDS). 
  • A common bylaw defines the framework for this network and features of the CDS Byelaw include:
    • Membership as a matter of right
    • Special provisions for the representation of vulnerable communities such as SC, ST, and disabled individuals
    • Independence from and complementarity to local government roles clarified
    • Formation of CDS Action Plans (Micro-Level Demand Plans)
    • Incorporation of an accountability framework
    • Assurance of an independent election process

Mental Health & Its Impact on Informal Work Force and Elderly

Context: The theme of World Mental Health Day (October 10) this year is ‘mental health as a universal human right’. Informal worker and elderly are segments often overlooked when it concerns mental health is the informal worker and elderly.

Mental Health & Work Force

India has a vast informal workforce, which comprises a significant portion of the country's labor force. This informal sector includes workers in agriculture, construction, domestic work, street vending, and various small-scale enterprises. 

While these workers play a crucial role in the Indian economy, they often face unique challenges related to mental health.

  • Lack of Job Security: Informal workers often face a lack of job security, resulting in ongoing stress and anxiety regarding their income and livelihood. This instability in employment can significantly impact their mental well-being.
  • Low Wages and Poor Working Conditions: Informal workers often receive low wages and have to endure harsh working conditions. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness and frustration, contributing to mental health issues.
  • Lack of Social Safety Nets: The informal sector is often excluded from formal social safety nets, such as health insurance and retirement benefits. This lack of access to healthcare and financial security can result in increased stress and anxiety.
  • Long Working Hours: Many informal workers work long hours, sometimes even seven days a week, to make ends meet. This leaves little time for rest and relaxation, which is crucial for mental well-being.
  • Stigma Surrounding Mental Health: In India, there is still a significant stigma associated with mental health issues. Informal workers burdened with several deprivations often become more hesitant to seek help due to the fear of discrimination or societal judgment.
  • Lack of Awareness and accessibility: Many informal workers may not be aware of mental health services or may not have access to them. Further, shortages in terms of availability of specialists makes the accessibility even more strenuous. 

According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), There are only 0.3 psychiatrists, 0.07 psychologists and 0.07 social workers per 100,000 people in India.

All of which further undermine mental health and limit access to mental health care.

Correlation between Informal Work Force and Mental Health

The deteriorated mental health of the informal workforce in India can have significant long-term implications for the country's demographic dividend, which refers to the economic advantage that arises when the working-age population exceeds the dependent population (children and elderly). 

Here's how the poor mental health of the informal workforce can impact the demographic dividend in the long run:

  • Reduced Productivity and Economic Growth: Poor mental health can lead to decreased productivity among informal workers. This, in turn, can slow down economic growth as these workers are a substantial part of the labor force.
  • Increased Healthcare Burden: Mental health issues can result in physical health problems if left unaddressed. The healthcare burden on the country may increase as mental health-related illnesses add to the demand for medical services.
  • Higher Dependency Ratio: Workers with deteriorated mental health may become less productive or unable to work altogether, contributing to a higher dependency ratio. A higher ratio of dependents to workers can strain social welfare systems and reduce the savings rate.
  • Educational Impact: Informal workers with mental health issues may struggle to provide adequate support for their children's education and well-being. This can affect the quality of education and future employability of the next generation. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) has consistently highlighted issues related to the quality of education in India, with a significant portion of children lacking foundational skills.
  • Inter-generational Impact: Poor mental health can be transmitted across generations. Children growing up in households with parents suffering from mental health issues may themselves face challenges in education and employment, further straining the demographic dividend. The National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) indicates that the prevalence of mental health issues among parents can influence child development outcomes.
  • Reduced Entrepreneurship:  Many informal workers are also entrepreneurs running small businesses. Mental health issues can hinder their ability to innovate and grow their enterprises, impacting entrepreneurship and economic dynamism.
  • Social Cohesion and Crime: Poor mental health can contribute to social issues and crime rates. Social cohesion may deteriorate, affecting the overall stability of the country.
  • According to the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), unemployment and poor-quality employment have consistently been detrimental to mental health.

The Lokniti group within the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, which interviewed 9,316 youth aged between, 15 to 34 years across 18 States in India, has shown that they are highly susceptible to negative emotions. Youth unemployment is one of the highest in India which, along with stigma around unemployment, significantly impacts their mental health.

In 2021, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported that 26% of the people who died by suicide were daily wage earners.

With this phase of demographic dividend, where half of India’s population is of working age and projected to remain so for two decades, it is pertinent to think about the quality of employment and long term social security for them.

Mental Health & Elderly:

The Census of India 2011 shows that 33 million elderly people are working postretirement in informal work.

A study, by the ILO on elderly employment in India, shows high poverty among them, in terms of economic dependency and access to financial assets.

Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and it becomes even more significant as people age. The elderly population faces unique challenges related to mental health, and addressing these issues is essential to ensuring their quality of life. Here are some key considerations and factors related to mental health in the elderly:

  • Prevalence of Mental Health Issues: Elderly individuals are prone to mental health conditions. Depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders like dementia are common among the elderly population.
  • Cognitive Decline: Cognitive decline is a common part of the aging process. Conditions like Alzheimer's disease can significantly impact an individual's mental health and well-being.
  • Isolation and Loneliness: Many elderly individuals experience social isolation and loneliness, especially if they live alone or have limited social interactions. These feelings can contribute to depression and anxiety.
  • Physical Health Impact: Physical health issues such as chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and mobility limitations can exacerbate mental health problems in the elderly. Pain and discomfort can lead to depression and a reduced quality of life.
  • Bereavement and Loss: The loss of loved ones and friends is a significant life event for the elderly. Grief and bereavement can trigger or worsen mental health conditions.
  • Stigma and Cultural Factors: There can be a stigma associated with mental health issues, particularly in older generations. Some elderly individuals may be reluctant to seek help due to the fear of being labeled as "mentally ill."
  • Access to Healthcare: Access to mental healthcare services can be limited for the elderly, especially in rural areas. Many elderly individuals may not receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
  • Medications and Polypharmacy: Elderly individuals often take multiple medications for various health conditions. Polypharmacy can lead to interactions and side effects that affect mental health.
  • Financial Stress: Financial concerns, such as inadequate retirement savings or rising healthcare costs, can lead to anxiety and depression among the elderly.
  • Caregiver Stress: Caregivers, often family members, may experience mental health challenges themselves while caring for elderly relatives, adding to the overall burden.

The absence of proper financial and healthcare security among the working elderly can severely impact their physical and mental health, aggravating their vulnerability.

What should be done:

  • Employment guarantee programmes can indeed improve mental health outcomes. Thus, social security can be: 
    • Promotional -  aiming to augment income
    • Preventive - aiming to forestall economic distress
    • Protective - aiming to ensure relief from external shocks.
  • Increase in budgetary allocation and Diversification - As India’s budgetary allocation for mental health (currently under  1% of the total health budget) has overfocused on the digital mental health programme. 
  • As the World Mental Health Report 2022 observed, addressing mental health should involve strengthening community based care, and people centred, recovery oriented and human rights oriented care. 

There is an urgent need for proactive policies to improve mental health recognition and action. This is critical in upholding the basic human right to good health, including,  mental health, and in advancing to the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), especially SDG 3 on ‘good health and wellbeing’ and SDG 8 on ‘decent work for all/economic growth’. 

UMMEED: Comprehensive School Plan for Suicide Prevention

Context: The Ministry of Education released draft guidelines known as UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop), for schools to prevent suicide among students.

Reason for increasing cases of suicides among students

  • Suicide is a complex interplay of personal and social factors, which is rarely caused by a single circumstance or event. It has an impact on the family, school and community at large.
  • Students go through many transitions during their school life which can cause extreme stress, for example, transition from home to school, from one school to another, school to college, losing a parent/sibling/friend/near and dear one, etc.
  • Also experience changes as they progress through the developmental stages, leading to concerns such as those related to physical changes and appearance, peer pressure, career decisions, academic pressure, and pressuring students into preparing for competitive examinations.
  • Negative school environment like negative relationships with peers/teachers, discrimination, bullying, harassment, humiliation, isolation, etc.
  • Absence of school-family connects, parental neglect/ abuse, lack of acceptance/recognition by family members, family history of suicide, Criticism/ bullying by family members .

Warning Signs of Students at Risk

  • Feelings: Hopelessness, guilt, shame, self-hatred, exhaustion persistent sadness among students.
  • Behaviours: Withdrawal from Social Interactions, friends, classmates, and family, lack of concentration such as being absent-minded, forgetful, and/or restlessness in class, sudden, mood changes, change in appetite/sleeping patterns.
  • Actions: Lack of Participation, losing interest in previously enjoyed school activities, being careless about safety, use of substances (smoking, alcohol, etc.), decline in overall quality of academic and other school work and becoming detached.
Comprehensive School Plan for Suicide Prevention

About UMMEED

  • To serve as directions to schools for enhancing sensitivity, and understanding, and providing support in case of reported self-harm.
  • Guidelines have been issued under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which aims for holistic education, encompassing cognitive and emotional development.
  • Taking proactive steps to identify students exhibiting warning signs and thereby at risk for self-harm, creating a dedicated team in school, promoting a supportive school environment, and building the capacity of the stakeholders

Plan of action for schools

  1. Setting up of School Wellness Team (SWT): This may be formed under the leadership of the School Principal, where each member of SWT is oriented in handling crises.
    • When a student displaying warning signs has been identified by any stakeholder, they need to be reported to the SWT, which takes immediate action.
School Wellness Team
  • It plays an important role in the implementation of school activities directed towards creating awareness about mental well-being, leading to suicide prevention.
  • It is important for the school to review the effectiveness of SWT and its functioning on an annual basis.
  1. Promoting a positive school environment: To be prepared to respond to a crisis, it is also important to promote and strengthen the protective factors and reduce the risk factors. 
    • It plays a pivotal role in supporting student well-being and reducing the risk of suicide. Raising awareness about mental health is an integral part of it. 
    • It promotes open dialogue, which can reduce the stigma associated with seeking help and encourage students to reach out for support without fear of judgment or isolation. 

Actions for promoting a positive school environment:

  • Encouraging peer support: Through group activities, clubs, events, etc.
  • Organising activities regularly for relaxing/reducing stress: Like yoga, meditation, art, music, etc.
  • Providing channels for expression: Such as access to a trained counsellor, help boxes, or suggestions boxes to express concerns and seek help.
  • Compiling resources to seek support: Helpline numbers, phone numbers and email IDs of Counsellors and SWT members, brochures and pamphlets on causes, risk factors, protective factors, warning signs, etc.
  • Integrating Mental Well-being in School Functioning: Including aspects of mental well-being in daily interactions, open discussions, assembly time, different programmes, subject-teaching, etc.) 
  • Creating a Safe Environment in School and Beyond: In school: Locking empty classrooms, lighting up dark corridors, cleaning gardens and areas with excess growth of grass and places beyond school: vigilance at railway tracks, river banks, bridges, cliffs, medical shops, etc.
  • Encouraging School-Community Partnerships: Among all stakeholders: school administrators, teachers, counsellors, students, medical staff, supporting staff, parents, and community.
  • Building Awareness about Mental Well-being among all Stakeholders: Through Role plays, Storytelling, Nukkad natak, Rallies, Posters, Exhibitions, Annual Day themes, etc.)
  1. Building capacity for different stakeholders to prevent suicides and respond to crises in schools, it is crucial to empower all stakeholders, including teachers, staff, students, and families.
  2. Responding immediately and supporting students at risk: Immediate action is required in both situations of at-risk behaviours, i.e., when the student is displaying warning signs and attempting self-harm through maintaining records of at-risk behaviours of a student and follow-up on the student and SWT members need to connect with parents after the incident to follow up on the student.
    • They divided warning signs into three categories– feelings, behaviour and actions.
    • Students who exhibit feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness, guilt and shame, or have a lack of concentration, withdrawal from social interactions and sudden mood swings are at risk. 
    • They also place students with reckless behaviour, talking about self-harm or ending life and becoming detached, among others, as those displaying warning signs.
  1. Appraisal of actions taken by the school: Schools should conduct regular assessments to reflect on their suicide prevention efforts. SWT and other stakeholders should meet periodically to discuss their experiences in implementing guidelines and analyse feedback for areas needing improvement. 

WHO approves use of malaria vaccine with adjuvant tech

Context: The World Health Organisation (WHO) approved the R21/Matrix­M malaria vaccine, which has been jointly developed by the University of Oxford (Jenner Institute) and the Serum Institute of India. 

Technology Used :

  • The Vaccine was developed using Novavax’s adjuvant technology.
  • Adjuvant technology
    • An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines that helps create a stronger immune response in people receiving the vaccine. In other words, adjuvants help vaccines work better. 
    • Adjuvants help the immune system better recognize what’s in a vaccine and remember it longer, increasing the amount of time that a vaccine may offer protection.
    • Adjuvanted vaccines can cause more local reactions (such as redness, swelling, and pain at the injection site) and more systemic reactions (such as fever, chills and body aches) than non-adjuvanted vaccines.
  • Novavax’s adjuvant technology
    • Matrix-M adjuvant comes from saponins, naturally occurring compounds in the bark of the Quillaja saponaria (Soapbark) tree, commonly found in Chile.
image 3

Recommending Authority

  • Recommended after detailed scientific review by the WHO’s independent advisory body, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), and the Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG)
  • Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) - The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization was established by the Director-General of the World Health Organization in 1999 to provide guidance on the work of WHO. SAGE is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization. 
  • SAGE is comprised of 15 members, who serve in their personal capacity and represent a broad range of disciplines encompassing many aspects of immunization and vaccines.
  • Members are recruited and selected as acknowledged experts from around the world in the fields of epidemiology, public health, vaccinology, paediatrics, internal medicine, infectious diseases, immunology, drug regulation, programme management, immunization delivery, health-care administration, health economics, and vaccine safety.
  • UNICEF, the Secretariat of the GAVI Alliance, and WHO Regional Offices participate as observers in SAGE meetings and deliberations. 
  • WHO also invites other observers to SAGE meetings, including representatives from WHO regional technical advisory groups, non-governmental organizations, international professional organizations, technical agencies, donor organizations and associations of manufacturers of vaccines and immunization technologies. 
  • Additional experts may be invited, as appropriate, to further contribute to specific agenda items.
  • The Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG) – Formerly called Malaria Policy Advisory Committee, It was established in 2011 to provide independent advice to WHO to enhance the control and elimination of malaria. 
  • It is an independent advisory group bringing together the world’s foremost experts on malaria, the MPAG provides strategic advice and technical input to WHO, and extends to all aspects of malaria control and elimination, as part of a transparent, responsive and credible process.

Other Participants

  • The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP),
  • The Welcome Trust 
  • The European Investment Bank (EIB). 

India Ageing Report 2023

Context: The United Nations Population Fund, India, has released the “2023 India Ageing Report,” which projects a significant increase in the elderly population in India. 

The report used data from the 2011 Census, the 2017-18 Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India (LASI) conducted by the Health Ministry, population projections of the Government of India and the World Population Projection 2022 report.

Key findings and implications of the report

  • Estimated a decadal growth rate of 41% for the elderly population in India and by 2050, the elderly population will make up over 20% of India's total population.
  • By 2046, it is expected that the elderly population will surpass the population of children aged up to 15.
  • More than 40% of India's elderly population is in the poorest wealth quintile, and around 18.7% of them live without any income such levels of poverty may affect their quality of life and healthcare utilisation.
  • Women, on average, had higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and at 80, when compared to men with variations across States and Union Territories.
  • In Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, women aged 60 can expect to live more than 20 additional years.
  • Since 1991, the elderly sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) has been rising consistently, except in Union Territories and western India.
  • Poverty is gendered in old age, with older women more likely to be widowed, living alone, and dependent on family support.
  • There was a significant inter-state variation in absolute levels and growth of the elderly population as well, reflecting the different stages and pace of demographic transition across States.
  • Most States in the southern region and select northern States such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab reported a higher share of the elderly population than the national average in 2021, a gap that is expected to widen by 2036.
  • The report also notes that increasing life expectancy and declining fertility rates are contributing to a global trend of ageing populations.
  • This trend is not unique to India but is observed worldwide, which will have implications for countries across the globe.

Challenges faced by the elderly population

  • Ruralisation of Elderly Population: According to the Census of India 2011, on average, 71 per cent of older persons live in rural areas, with significant interregional variation, ranging from 62–63 per cent in the west and south to 78–80 per cent in the east, north and north-east.
  • Feminisation of Elderly Population: Women living longer than men resulting in higher levels of widowhood and associated socio-cultural and economic deprivations and dependencies.
  • Economic challenges: More than 40% of India's elderly population is in the poorest wealth quintile, and around 18.7% live without income, making it hard for them to have a good life and get the healthcare they need.
    • Income insecurity is one of the major causes of vulnerability especially in old age. 47% share of elderly women who never worked in the past. Around 33 per cent of the older females have never worked and do not have any income 
  • Disease prevalence: Over 30 per cent of the elderly women and 28 per cent of the men suffered from one chronic morbid condition and nearly one-fourth (across both sexes) suffered from more than two morbid conditions. With the increasing age, the share in such conditions gradually increased in the cohort.
  • Depression: Mental illness arising from senility, showing poor mental ability because of old age and neurosis. 
    • Depression was observed to increase with age in approximately 8% of older individuals, and it was more prevalent among elderly women than men.
  • Less awareness and hindrance in receiving social security schemes: Only 29 % of the elderly benefit from various social security schemes. 
    • Only 24% of widowed women in BPL households receive benefits from the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS).
    • Around 7 % of elderly women do not have proper documents to avail the benefits of IGNWPS.
    • Around 47% of elderly widows believe that they are not eligible to get benefits under IGNWPS.

Recommendations 

  • Recommendation given by Mohini Giri committee: Women and men age differently. Both have their concerns. Elderly women and their problems need special attention like 
    • Advancements in medical technology medicine and in technology for assistive living (and technology), 
    • Mainstream senior citizens, especially older women, bring their concerns into the national development debate with a priority to implement mechanisms already set by governments and supported by civil society and senior citizens associations.
    • Promote the concept of "Ageing in Place" or ageing in own home, housing, income security and homecare services, old age pension and access to healthcare insurance schemes and other programmes and services to facilitate and sustain dignity in old age.
  • Government must work on increasing awareness about schemes for older persons, bring all Old Age Homes under regulatory purview and focus on facilitating in-situ ageing to the extent possible.
  • Government to encourage the creation and running of elderly self-help groups, and stressed the importance of having elderly people live in multigenerational households. 
  • Government should encourage in situ (at home) ageing as much as possible by creating short-term care facilities like creches or day-care facilities, citing better care when elderly people live with their respective families.
  • The enhancement of geriatric care to cater to the unique healthcare needs of seniors.
  • A multitude of government schemes and policies addressing the health, financial empowerment, and capacity building needs of the elderly population.
  • Community-based organizations actively engaged in digital empowerment through computer and internet usage sessions.
  • Ministerial committees dedicated to shaping policies for elderly welfare.
  • Corporate efforts for joyful aging, social assistance, old age homes, and elder abuse awareness campaigns.

Addressing these challenges often requires a combination of family support, community resources, healthcare services, and public policy initiatives to ensure that the elderly population can age with dignity and quality of life.

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