By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research. Read more  from our September Newsletter, chronicling recent goings on at CSR over the past few months.

Reflecting on our work here at Centre for Social Research leads me to make connections between our own efforts in advocacy and awareness generation and Indian citizens’ recently renewed interest in understanding and pinning down social issues. These past weeks we have witnessed tremendous levels of activism and mobilisation. In cities across India, especially the younger generation has emerged onto the streets, affirming their right to live free from corruption. These recent developments have demonstrated just how deeply rooted our country’s democratic processes are, and how deeply ingrained in the minds of ordinary citizens democracy has become.

I find it heartening to see so many women, especially young women, come together and be part of this movement. The significance of the relationship between corruption and Violence Against Women cannot be overstated; it’s essential that we all begin to acknowledge the direct correlation between the two. Perhaps one of the most notable examples, dowry-related violence and the practice of giving dowry, sustains itself through corruption, bribery and extortion. When families are faced with the prospect of amassing huge dowries that they can’t possibly afford through their own means, people will often do whatever it takes to obtain funds. In the end, individuals in all sectors and at all levels collect bribes. Pre-natal sex selection is another phenomenon that feeds off dishonesty and exploitation. Despite strict laws preventing sex-selective abortions, millions of girl children are murdered before birth because of corruption. Corrupt medical doctors and nursing homes acquire large sums of money by facilitating sex determination and resulting sex-selective abortions. Institutions like CSR encounter corruption’s ties to Violence Against Women nearly every day. We must continue to work towards empowering women and lifting this burden from their shoulders.

Coming back to our own efforts here at Centre for Social Research, this recent period has also been exciting, largely due to the wealth of analytical and empirical information that we have generated on pivotal issues concerning women in India and the conditions in which they live. I’m also delighted that our ‘Women Managers in India’ study received such wide media coverage on a national level, sparking many discussions. As India continues to develop as an economy, women are being welcomed into the work force in ever increasing numbers. However, women still continue to battle at home for adequate family and social support beyond their own competence to grow and become leaders in the corporate sector.

CSR has also been focusing a great deal on expanding the breadth and format of our awareness generation and advocacy endeavours. I’m also absolutely convinced that once the leadership of the women’s rights movement is handed to the younger generation, we’ll see an increase in innovative methods of engaging with “generation next” in this continuing struggle for equality. Recently, our own team of young people has taken initiative to organise some notable events, such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes India, an effective as well as charming way of encouraging men to join our movement. Our new “I Stand for Safe Delhi” and “Campus to Community” programmes also represent a more participatory approach to awareness generation, where all can be a part. On a similar note, I’ve been delighted to receive such a warm response to our recently rejuvenated communications efforts, most significantly the CSR weblog, entitled Gender Matters. Even friends from United Nations bodies and Government ministries have taken a moment to congratulate us, and I assure you that CSR’s online communications will grow even greater and more effective in the future, reflecting all of our concerns in a “reach to each.”

Lastly, we welcomed several new faces to Centre for Social Research throughout this recent period, among them Ms. Anubhuti Vatsayan, Project Coordinator in the Gender Training Institute; Ms. Mohita Gupta, Project Coordinator in GTI; Ms. Somika Sinha, Research Division Associate; and Ms. Jessica Cohen, Marketing Manager. Yet at the same time, we also said goodbye to Ms. Yael Caplin, our Organisational Development Manager who recently relocated to her home country of Israel. We’re truly grateful for the compassion and expertise that Yael brought to our organisation, and we wish her and her family all the best.

Take a look at the September issue of the CSR Newsletter in full here.

Recommendations by Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research

Photo Credit: Pius Lee

Hands painted with delicate swirls of henna; a drop of red dye pressed onto her forehead beneath a colourful, sparkling veil; jewelled bracelets clinking as she lifts her arms to fix her delicate gold nose ring in place: the Indian bride is the personification of beauty and grace.

It is not difficult to imagine why the majority of Indian girls begin dreaming of their wedding day from a very early age. It’s one of the most important days in a woman’s life and a proud occasion for parents and extended family too. Sadly, however, not every wedding day or marriage is picture-perfect. Non-Resident Indian marriages (NRI marriages), for example, often result in pain, heartache, shame, and the manipulation of Indian culture and traditions. They are a curse for unsuspecting girls and an enigma for Indian society.

NRI marriages involve the union of a non-resident Indian man who was born outside of India, or has migrated to another country and a resident Indian woman. Parents, usually with their daughter’s best interests at heart, get excited by a marriage offer from a NRI – a man who is seen to be exotic, successful and wealthy (and who may even tell lies of the sort). Blinded by a seemingly lucrative offer, families overlook the potential dangers posed by this type of impulsive matchmaking.

You may be wondering - what is so sinister about a NRI marriage proposal? Despite legal prohibition of dowry in 1961 in India, the custom still continues in many parts of the country – especially in poor, rural communities. An ill-intentioned NRI will go to great lengths in order to get his hands on dowry payment and then escape scot-free. As outlined in a report by the National Commission for Women on “Problems Relating to NRI Marriages”, women who are married off to these NRI men face a variety of grim consequences. Some women reach the country of their husband’s residence, only to be left standing at the airport when he doesn’t show. These women are abandoned in a foreign country with absolutely no support, sustenance, means of returning home, and often without even legal permission to stay on. Others find themselves victim to ex-parte divorce from a court abroad, without their consent. Some wives are brutally battered, abused, malnourished, confined, and forced to flee or forcibly sent back to India. There are also NRI marriage stories of children being abducted or forcibly taken away from their mothers.

So what can be done to address the situation?

The first step in tackling these issues is to spread awareness. The more people are aware of the pitfalls of NRI Marriages, the more cautious they will be when a stranger comes asking for a daughter’s hand in marriage. To target the largest possible audience, awareness of cultural, social & legal aspects of NRI marriages needs publicised via all media outlets. Awareness programmes should be run principally in rural areas, where the most vulnerable brides and their families live. NGOs and State Government agencies could launch an extensive campaign to educate unwary communities about the potential dangers of  NRI marriages.

It is pertinent that registration of marriages be made compulsory in India. In certain regions, marriages are registered without the presence of bride or bridegroom. This malpractice should entail cancellation of marriage certificates. Most importantly, strong and stringent checks on registration of all NRI marriages need carried out. As laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, men and women are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution and both parties must freely and fully consent to wedlock. Registration and surveillance of NRI marriages will protect women from the grave consequences of scam weddings and marriage proposals.

Centre for Social Research urges the Government of India to draft new legislation and/or suitably amend existing legislation for the protection of women against malicious Non-Resident Indian marriages. A special NRI matrimonial law that deals comprehensively with marriage, divorce, maintenance, child custody and related issues, for example, would arm distressed and abandoned brides with much needed remedial armour. Amending current laws and introducing new rules and regulations would help victims of NRI marriages reclaim their fundamental rights to property, equality in marriage, the protection of family, freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment, and above all, dignity.

Every young Indian girl dreams of a future in which she is content and in which she is loved. Predatory Non-Resident Indians must be stopped from turning those dreams into nightmares.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research

Incorporating a sexual education course in Indian schools has been an issue of debate for years. Those against a comprehensive sex education curriculum argue that information on sexual activity will encourage adolescents to engage in sexual promiscuity, ruining the Indian moral values they have been taught. What critics seemingly overlook is that India’s rich culture includes nearly 2.5 million HIV/AIDS infected people, not to mention high rates of teen marriage and therefore, teenage pregnancy.

A comprehensive course on sex education would create awareness about sexually transmitted diseases and contraception, which would increase safer sex practices, a statement that has been supported by research. MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child, an internationally recognised NGO based in New Delhi, conducted a four-year study that demonstrated the importance of proper sex education. Of the five hundred Haryana students who participated, merely five percent of rural girls and 10 percent of urban girls claimed to know about condoms. After the comprehensive classes, nearly 78 percent of the rural students and 33 percent of the urban stated that they would decline sex without a condom, a considerable increase.

However, when the National Education Ministry and National HIV/AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) introduced an education programme for 15 to 17 year adolescents that included a unit on contraception and STDs, the programme was swiftly banned by several states. Among the states that banned the programme were Maharashtra, Gujurat and Karnataka, which have the largest HIV/AIDS infected populations in India.

The term “sex education” is misleading, which is why everyone thinks the course is about teaching kids sexual activity. In reality, sexual education is actually about better understanding our bodies and ourselves. It’s purely scientific, and sex education should be taught to students as soon as they begin to undergo puberty. Not only do young people need to know the changes that are happening to their bodies, but also this information is especially critical for women who are married at a young age. In India, nearly half of all women between the 20 and 24 are married by the time they are 18. This common practice of teenage marriage increases the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS due to a lack of awareness.

Sex education should become compulsory in every school in India to avoid boys and girls engaging in sexual activity that leads to dangers like HIV, unwanted pregnancy and unhealthy lifestyles. Politicians and conservatives who claim that Indians do not engage in premarital sexual activity are simply behind the times. In a poll conducted by India Today, one in four women in India between the ages of 18 to 30 has had premarital sex, and one-third of the entire population infected with HIV/AIDS are in the 15-29 age group.

Certain NGOs and non-profits understand the reality that more and more Indian youth are engaging in sexual activity, and that more often than not, they have a lack of knowledge about the potential consequences. Organisations such as Delhi-based Talking about Reproductive and Sexual Health Issues (TARSHI) has been running a helpline for years regarding information on sex education and has responded to nearly 60,000 calls. Another organisation, The Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA), has been working with adolescents to teach them about bodily and sexual development through the use of sophisticated programs. While these initiatives are benefiting thousands of young people, the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic and other factors regarding sexual activity suggest that a comprehensive sexual education programme should be implemented in all schools.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research

The brutal murder of two women in the presence of an entire village in Bhiwani, Haryana state, where two men beat two women to death for having an alleged affair, is just one of the nearly 1,000 so-called “honour” killings reported annually across India. According to local news reports, the men beat the first woman for nearly an hour in public until she died, before moving on to the other woman. Not a single person intervened, nor did anyone inform the police who arrived two hours after the incident ended. Even a day after the incident, when news reporters attempted to find eyewitnesses to recount the event, only a few young men in the entire community stepped forward to say anything.

Women’s groups across the country have demanded an explanation from Haryana’s Chief Minister for why illegal systems of justice (khap panchayats, similar to a village council) continue to pass judgments and declare punishments to supposed transgressors of local social norms. These barbaric acts, “honour” killings, are not only illegal but also demonstrate the complete collapse of law and order. In this most recent case, the district magistrate, panchayat leader and Chief Minister must be held accountable for allowing such crimes in their territories. Also, the villagers who mutely acted as spectators and refused to intervene must also be charged in a criminal court.

Only yesterday, India’s Supreme Court announced their judgment banning khap panchayats. The Supreme Court also instructed the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure the implementation of this law and enforce stringent punishment to perpetrators of so-called “honour” killings. This order is expected to bring relief to thousands of women who live under constant fear.

Women’s groups had been emphasising over the years that khap panchayats and illegal systems of justice must be banned, and the perpetrators of so called “honour” killings must be punished. It is about eliminating the constant fear of being judged and then punished at any moment by such illegal and biased “courts” even when we are living in a democracy with a fully functional judiciary.

We are relieved to see that the Supreme Court has finally, at long last, taken action, and I hope that this judgment will protect our sisters and daughters living in traditional rural settings. Now it is the duty of the state, the police and the society to protect their women from the inhuman verdicts of these illegal courts.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research

Dhaula Kuan, a neighbourhood in South West Delhi, is well known for a few things: containing the south campus of the University of Delhi, being situated at the crossroads of five major thoroughfares, and hosting two major housing developments filled with young, working women. A quick Google search reveals much more: media reports of rape, kidnap, murder and molestation. The most recent case to be added to this abysmal pattern is the murder of Delhi University student Radhika Tanwar.

The socio-economic structure, the way the population is laid out, the lighting and the infrastructure are all contributors to the emergence of crime in these areas. However, inadequate and unresponsive policing remain significant contributors to the prevalence of Violence Against Women in the neighbourhood. November 2010 brought to light the inefficiency of Dhaula Kuan’s police force when a female BPO (business process outsourcing) employee was gang raped in her housing complex. Last year, the Hindustan Times uncovered nearly 20 rape cases in Dhaula Kuan that were either withdrawn or never reported.

What’s happening now is that the police lack firmness in controlling the crime rate, so there is a trust deficit forming. There remains a need for proper police training and especially for more women in the police force; additional female police officers may ease some women’s concerns about approaching the police. To date, the number of women in the police across Delhi remains pathetically low. As most of us are now aware, Radhika Tanwar was stalked for two years without informing the police. Young girls and women of all ages feel that their freedom will be curtailed if they confide in their parents or other family members, but parents should immediately call the police and take action rather than blaming their daughter and inhibiting her freedoms.

Not informing the authorities wasn’t the only problem in this case. The lack of witnesses that have come forth regarding the murder that took place in broad daylight on a crowded footbridge further demonstrates Delhi’s slow response to crimes against women. When Delhi as a city lacks a culture of respect for women, people don’t come forward to help when someone is in distress. Also, India lacks a witness protection program; rather, witnesses are harassed by the police and often even blamed for the crime.

The tragedy of Radhika Tanwar’s murder reminds us once again that the Delhi government must stop blaming the police and begin actively collaborating with and making positive changes in the police force.

Leading politicians, activists and academics met yesterday at a CSR-organised event entitled, “Women’s Reservation Bill: The Road Ahead,” to demand the passage of the 33% Women’s Reservation Bill and call for greater gender equality throughout India. With approximately 200 people in attendance at the Constitution Club in New Delhi, we also passed a resolution calling for the Lok Shabha to pass the Bill, which mandates that 33 percent of seats are reserved for female politicians in national and state assemblies, without delay.

At the same time, we celebrated the release of CSR Director Dr. Ranjana Kumari’s newest book, “Reign She Will,” which chronicles developments within the women’s movement since Indian independence, while also laying out key reasons why the immediate passage of the Reservation Bill is so crucial.  “While the Bill still waits,” Dr. Kumari remarked, “women will not.”

Dr. Anand Kumar, a senior sociology professor at JNU, spoke on the increasing gap between rich and poor in India, and the high levels of corruption in the Lok Shabha. The only way to save the country from this corruption, he argued, is through democratic participation of the people at the grass roots—and that means more female politicians ensuring a fair representation of India’s women in politics.

Dr. Prabha Thakur, President of the All India Mahila Congress and Member of Parliament representing Rajasthan in the Rajya Sabha, described women as the backbone of society who we must respect and give their due.

Dr. Kiran Bedi, India’s first and highest ranking female Indian Police Service officer (retired in 2007), argued that since the Bill has not been passed, it’s apparent that political parties are not truly willing to support and implement the Bill despite what they say in front of the media. She also argued that those few women already inside Parliament walls are reluctant to support the Bill, fearing that more women in politics will mean less power for existing female politicians.

Dr. D. Raja, National Secretary of the Communist Party of India, proclaimed, “Unless India acknowledges the importance of gender equality and achieve it we are not a full civilization.”

On a different note, Ms. Chandresh Kumari MP, Indian National Congress Party and President, Parliamentary Committee of Empowerment and Advancement of Women, said that the passing of the Bill is tokenism, and that real mark of success is in the implementation.

View more photos of the speakers and participants at Centre for Social Research’s Flickr account.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research.

In the latest publicized surrogacy battle in India, Norwegian woman Karen Ann Volden has been fighting legal battles with Norway and India since 2009 to allow her to return to Norway with the twins she had delivered through a surrogate mother. Volden’s twins were born in January of 2010 but were denied citizenship or adoption rights in Oslo, and were refused the right to be made Indian nationals by Delhi.

Surrogate mothers are hired to bear a child that they hand over to their commissioner after its birth. India has become one of the most popular destinations for surrogacy due to the cheap price, and mainly because there are no laws or governing body that overseas the process. Commercializing a mother’s womb needs to be looked at carefully, because it isn’t just a financial transaction. Having a woman play the role of a surrogate mother involves social and economic aspects. We must enact laws that give protection and rights to all parties involved in surrogacy—and that includes the doctor performing the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) process and delivery, the commissioners and the surrogate mother.

Most couples and individuals opt for a surrogate mother in India because surrogacy is illegal in their own country of origin. In a study conducted by Centre for Social Research, the most prevalent surrogacy areas in India are in Anand, Surat and Jamnagar of Gujarat state, with surrogate mothers travelling from as far as Jharkhand state. The more alarming results showed that the majority of surrogate mothers are displeased with the way clinics treat them. The women are often coerced into repeated inseminations if the first one failed, not allowed to meet their families and paid only after relinquishing the baby to the clinic.

Sadly, in a society where married women are totally dependent on their husbands, a surrogate mother can face many levels of violence, including social ostracizing, which is why this topic has been kept under the table by surrogate mothers. At the same time, surrogate motherhood isn’t always a noble idea for parents who are unable to conceive children. The reasons behind their efforts should be investigated as well because it has many ramifications if not checked.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research

A daughter is said to be the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future. Commemorating National Girl Child Day, we all at Centre for Social Research would like to highlight how girl children in India remain less celebrated every other day of the year.

The practice of sex-selective abortion in India has buckled the natural sex ratio in favour of males. Today, India has one of the most skewed sex ratios in the world, with less than 925 women for every 1,000 men. According to federal government statistics, more than 10 million girls have been “missing” in India over the past two decades because of pre-natal sex-selection (previously called sex selective abortions or female foeticide). Even India’s capital has not been spared: Delhi ranks third in the country after Punjab and Haryana in terms of sex selective abortions, where rich urban families are sometimes far more intolerant of girl child than their rural counterparts. The problem is not just about preference, but also the aid families are given by modern medical technology and the greed of the medical fraternity.

Even after 60 years of independence of the country, it is disheartening to see that the women of our country are still struggling to live an independent carefree life. Detained by the primitive mindset of societal norms, women of our country are still striving to breathe freely.

In order reduce the problem of pre-natal sex selection, CSR launched the Meri Shakti Meri Beti project in 2009. Looking at the success of the project the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (GOI), has assigned CSR to replicate the project in the Ambala and Kurukshetra districts of Haryana with 20 more villages and 10 blocks. We’ve adopted a participatory approach that includes state level, district level and block level functionaries, MLAs/MPs, Panchayat heads, community and religious leaders, college associations and NGOs

Celebrating ‘National Girl Child Day’ alone cannot pay homage to the life of a girl. It is the duty of each individual in society to emphasize the importance of the girl child and stop discriminating between a girl and boy. A daughter is an infinite gift who will one day play the role of a wife and give life to another soul in the society.