Pune NGOs protest ban on sex education in schools

Coming down heavily on the Maharashtra government and the education department over the recently imposed ban on sex education in schools, members of the civil society and NGOs have asked the government to clarify its position. After Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra has become the third state that is planning to ban sex education. Around 40 delegates from more than two dozen NGOs in the field of child and women's rights gathered in Pune city on April 11 to formulate a joint action plan. They adopted a three-poit programme as the civil society's response to the governmen's ban on sex education in schools. Termining the government's decision as another example of tolerance of child sexual abuse in the guise of "protection of Indian cultrure and ethos" , Meena Seshu of Sangram NGO said issues related to education should not be politicised. "It is not a question of subscribing to right wing or left wing ideology. The matter is inculcating positive attitude about human sexuality by empowering the children to have an idea of what is the common phenomenon in the world".

Writes Meena Seshu, "We have enough evidence to show that young married girls are totally unprepared for sex when they get married leading to a lot of issues from Rape to the inability to cope with sex within marriage. From our experience in Sangli with rural girls and boys we can say with some authority that the young are really unprepared clumsy!! We need to teach them that sex is enjoyable, safe and not dirty. They have a right to information and to enjoy a satisfactory and healthy sexual life.

The meeting resolved to write a letter to the state primary and secondary education minister demanding clarification of the government's position. The participants also volunteered to be part of the effort in case the education department feels the need for modification of the curriculum.

In a shocking revelation a government commissioned survey had earlier found that more than 53% of children in India are subjected to sexual abuse, but most don't report the anssault to anyone. In 50% of child abuse cases, the abusers were known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most children did not report the matter to anyone.

Nandita Patel .of Indian Express writes: If the maharashta government had any concrete plans to address the rampant male bias across the nation they would see the importance of sexual education in high school and its role in reversing the long term prejudices against women in Indian society. That the Maharashtra government cannot see the link between the CBSE's Adolescent Life Skills Programme and the rights of women in society, only betrays the patriarchy inherent in their own world view. That the Maharashtra government thinks educating school children about sex is a Western influence that will corrupt "pure" Indian minds demonstrates its own adverse snobbery and stupidity. Aren't AIDs and other STDs , teenage pregnancies and sincgle motherhood, dysfunctional families, sexual abuse and paedophilia, child prostitution - to name a few - as much Indian issues as they are Western ones?

Citizens join hands to make Pune pollution-free

On Sunday, the S M Joshi Bridge witnessed the gathering of a group of citizens from doctors, cost acdcountants and industrialists to teachers and students. And what bound the motley group was the passion to put a bar on the alarming levels of pollution in the city. In a unique concept to tackle the issue, around 60 people from across the city came together to celebrate Sunday as a Green Day by voluntarily abstaining from using their private vehicles. The initiatives will henceforth see the first Sunday of each month being devoted to the activity of curbing carbon levels in the city.

Said Dilip Sarda, president , Pune Cycle Patisthan, who was part of the rally, "Right from students to senior citizesn, people from all age groups and walks of life participated in the rally ".

Participants have already made plans to involved their kith and kin in the project. Said Sanjeev Gawade, a fitness expert, "Many of us were riding on the city streets for the first time. And its not just about riding cycles, but we are also encouraging people to use public transport. The basic idea is to discourage the use of private vehicles". "A calendar has been designed that contains details about the route the rally will be following each month" said Sarda.

No Iraqi bombed this vehicle - Pune cyclist @ orkut" was a banner carried by a student showing the picture of a cycle.

Courtesy Pune Newsline, April 2, 2007

Bhagat Singh’s birth centenary celebrations in Pune

23rd March 2007 was the 100th birth anniversary of Shahid Bhagat Singh, the young Indian revolutionary. He was hanged by the British Government at the tender age of 23 on the 23rd March 1931. Bhagat Singh still lives in the hearts of many Indians. He will always be remembered for his open defiance of British imperialism. He was also an intellectual, a poet and a writer; his writings still inspire young Indians. Over five Hindi movies are made on his life.
Many programmes were held in Pune city to remember the young martyr. In many Government offices in the city, portraits of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru (who hailed from Pune) were decorated with flowers. At Dr.Ambedkar Cultural Bhavan, near Sassoon Hospital, a cultural programme was held.
The Bhagat Singh Brigade organized by left groups took out a march from Shramik Hall to the Pune Collectorate. It consisted of over 200 youth demanding more jobs from the government and criticizing the government’s jobless growth policies. Delia Maria, Sheela and Maria aunty joined the march. The marchers shouted Inquilab Zindabad, Long live freedom! Bhagat Singh Amar Rahe!

Villagers do Shramdhan for Carter Lonavala and other housing projects

After former US president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter’s visit to Patan village in November 2006, an ambitious housing project bearing his name now provides life shelter for 100 needy families of 26 villages around Lonavla in Pune district.

The Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) 2006, undertaken by an international NGO Habitat for Humanity (HFH), has signed an official partnership agreement with Social Action for Manpower Creation (SAMPARC), based in Maval taluka, to build 100 houses for needy families in and around the villages.

The Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP) is on a seven-acre site near Patan Village. The 100 families were selected from among the members of Abhinav Co-operative Credit Society (ACCS), a part of SAMPARC. Each family was given possession of a house (360 sq ft) under this project. The houses built in partnership with families in need, cost Rs 2.25 lakh each, of which Rs 75,000 is borne by the respective families. One-third of the amount had to be paid before taking possession and the remaining amount will be recovered in interest-free instalments in the next eight years.

The villager beneficiaries did shramdhan for their houses construction. They were also assisted by an estimated 2,000 volunteers of different organisations like SAMPARC and corporate ventures like Citigroup, Dow Chemicals, Whirlpool Corporation, HDFC Ltd, Aditya Birla Group and Nivara Sahya also assisted the project. The moneyn however, will be utilised in the next phase of JCWP in other villages. ACCS will also take the initiative to form women self-help groups, who will come to reside here soon. Dow Chemical International has decided to invest Rs 2.2 crore over two years in JCWP. Similarly, other corporate giants, involved in the project, will also be financially support the cause. The list includes Citigroup, Whirlpool, HDFC Ltd and many others who also supported for the same project in other countries.

Courtesy Maharashtra Herald

Sardar Patel National Award for Dr. Ravindra Kumar

It is a matter of great pleasure that Universally Renowned Gandhian Scholar, Peace Worker, Founder of W.P. M.T. and the Former Vice-Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut (India) Dr. Ravindra Kumar has been selected for the "FIRST SARDAR PATEL NATIONAL AWARD" by the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Foundation, for his outstanding national and human services.

Earlier Dr. Kumar was conferred the PADMA SHRI by H. E. the President of India.

Dr. Kumar is acquainted with FOGM since 2000. He has contributed his articles to this website from time to time. In February 2006 he visited the Gandhi National Memorial Pune and delivered a talk at the National Conference on Women and Peace.

Mrinal Khurana
For World Peace Movement Trust