1. Step aside to make room for others READ MORE
2. Corruption reflects a crisis of ethics, values READ MORE
3. There is no answer to discontent READ MORE

1. Three challenges that need to be managed to make net-zero emissions a reality in India READ MORE
2. Hot century ahead: India can’t beat the heat even if global warming is capped at 2°C READ MORE

1. Gender justice idea runs into political reality READ MORE  
2. Rainbow of hope: The LGBTQIA+ community needs more than words to live with dignity READ MORE
3. Healthcare for transgenders: First, Ayushman insurance scheme in need of cure READ MORE

1. ‘Freebies’, a judicial lead and a multi-layered issue READ MORE
2. How we can democratise sports governance READ MORE
3. The issues with maximum data and minimum privacy READ MORE
4. Making Parliament function effectively READ MORE
5. Taming ED: The Supreme Court will not reconsider its judgment on the Prevention of Money Laundering Act READ MORE
6. It’s time to reset Centre-state relations. Onus rests on the central government READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1.  INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously-built aircraft carrier, to be commissioned on September 2 READ MORE
2. India, Bangladesh discuss Ganga, Teesta and Kushiyara in Joint River Commission meeting READ MORE
3. Suspense in Jharkhand as Chief Minister Hemant Soren may face disqualification READ MORE
4. Nepal stalls recruitment of Gorkhas in Indian Army under Agnipath scheme READ MORE
5. Government to launch E-Passport in next 6 months READ MORE
6. Bangladesh-born Fahmida Azim wins 2022 Pulitzer prize in Illustrated Reporting, Commentary category READ MORE
7. Explained: What is ‘Arth Ganga’, govt’s new model for the river’s sustainable development READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Gender justice idea runs into political reality READ MORE  

 GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. ‘Freebies’, a judicial lead and a multi-layered issue READ MORE
2. How we can democratise sports governance READ MORE
3. The issues with maximum data and minimum privacy READ MORE
4. Making Parliament function effectively READ MORE
5. Taming ED: The Supreme Court will not reconsider its judgment on the Prevention of Money Laundering Act READ MORE
6. It’s time to reset Centre-state relations. Onus rests on the central government READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Rainbow of hope: The LGBTQIA+ community needs more than words to live with dignity READ MORE
2. Healthcare for transgenders: First, Ayushman insurance scheme in need of cure READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. India as a foreign policy leader and balancer READ MORE
2. Taiwan a flashpoint in growing US-China rivalry READ MORE
3. DROP QUAD ANCHOR FOR INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Power shocks: Discoms need transparency READ MORE
2. What’s behind RBI paper on digital payments READ MORE
3. Short circuited by subsidies: The assumption that cross-subsidies and competition can co-exist is flawed READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Three challenges that need to be managed to make net-zero emissions a reality in India READ MORE
2. Hot century ahead: India can’t beat the heat even if global warming is capped at 2°C READ MORE

SECURITY

1. China is preparing for a full-spectrum AI war. India is still 15 years behind READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Step aside to make room for others READ MORE
2. Corruption reflects a crisis of ethics, values READ MORE
3. There is no answer to discontent READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) into teaching and learning can help in the realization of quality education, which is critical to fulfilling many of the sustainable development goals (SDGs)’. Analyse the statement in the light of NEP 2020.
2. ‘With geopolitical currents redefining geo-economics, India needs to be ready to emerge as the chief global diplomat’. Comment on the statement in the light of recent development in international diplomacy.
3. How far do you agree with this view that Universal Basic Insurance is a better proposition than Universal Basic Income and India should focus on Universal Basic Insurance? Justify your view.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Anyone in a free society where the laws are unjust has an obligation to break the law.
• While it is useful to start with the definition of ‘subsidies’, the issue of ‘tax preferences’ also merits attention.
• Correcting the rot in India’s sports governance requires work at the bottom of the pyramid.
• When the institutional checks and balances of sports governance are not working, not even the most brilliant eminent-athlete-administrator can be expected to turn the tide.
• India’s proximity to the West and its ties with other powers gives it a foreign policy advantage.
• National interest drives foreign policy, but more is at stake here: It is realpolitik plus. The policy is anchored in a nuanced balancing of interests and values. National security remains the key driver.
• Corruption in the police, politics and the property sector is all-pervasive, despite checks and balances such as digitization.
• Deterrent laws and executive action alone cannot bring down levels of dishonesty. The analogy is with conventional crime. Consensus among criminologists is that stiffer sentences are not accompanied by a dip in crime.
• The Quad should be propped up judiciously towards furthering India’s Indo-Pacific strategy. It can assume a key role in the Indo-Pacific strategy.
• Only transparent pricing and accounting will help the discoms recover their dues.

50 WORD TALK

• The Biden administration is proactively working to alter the strategic environment around China to force a change in its policies. With the help of Quad, AUKUS, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and military exchanges with the ASEAN, it is trying to isolate China and push back its aggressive, expansionary activities. China’s hostile activities against Taiwan and other neighbours would draw these countries closer to the USA.
• The Nepal Army is mostly trained and equipped by India. The Indian Army helped it in containing Maoist insurgency. The bilateral group on security cooperation was set up in its aftermath. New Delhi must treat Kathmandu with respect and not repeat the old mistake of taking Nepal for granted. The most worrying consequence of the Agnipath scheme could be the weakening of the ‘diplomatic bridge’ between Nepal and India.
• The government must implement reforms to end unlawful surveillance by the intelligence services, recommended by a Supreme Court-appointed committee. Illegal use of interception technologies like Pegasus against political opponents has gone unchecked for decades. A Prime Minister who suffered the Emergency should understand why it’s a deep threat to democracy.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

THE INDIAN HISTORY

1. WHAT IS THE MANUSMRITI, THE ANCIENT SANSKRIT TEXT RECENTLY UNDER CONTROVERSY

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University criticised the Manusmriti, the ancient Sanskrit text, over its gender bias.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is Manusmriti?
• The Mānavadharmaśāstra, also known as Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu, is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Dharmaśāstra literary tradition of Hinduism.
• Composed sometime between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, the Manusmriti is written in sloka verses, containing two non-rhyming lines of 16 syllabus each.
• The text is attributed to the mythical figure of Manu, considered to be ancestor of the human race in Hinduism.
• There has been considerable debate between scholars on the authorship of the text.
• Many have argued that it was compiled by many Brahmin scholars over a period of time.
• The Manusmriti is encyclopedic in scope, covering subjects such as:
o the social obligations and duties of the various castes and of individuals in different stages of life,
o the suitable social and sexual relations of men and women of different castes,
o on taxes,
o the rules for kingship,
o on maintaining marital harmony and
o the procedures for settling everyday disputes.
• At its core, the Manusmriti discusses life in the world, how it is lived in reality, as well as how it ought to be.
• The text is about dharma, which means duty, religion, law and practice.
• It also discusses aspects of the Arthashashtra, such as issues relating to statecraft and legal procedures.
• The aim of the text is to present a blueprint for a properly ordered society under the sovereignty of the king and the guidance of Brahmins.
• It was meant to be read by the priestly caste and it would likely have been part of the curriculum for young Brahmin scholars at colleges, and would have been referenced by the scholarly debates and conversations on the Dharmasastras at that time.

It’s significance
• It was the first Sanskrit text to be translated into a European language, by the British philologist Sir William Jones in 1794.
• Subsequently, it was translated into French, German, Portuguese and Russian, before being included in Max Muller’s edited volume, Sacred Books of the East in 1886.
• For colonial officials in British India, the translation of the book served a practical purpose. In 1772, Governor-General Warren Hastings decided to implement laws of Hindus and Muslims that they believed to be continued, unchanged from remotest antiquity.
• For Hindus, the dharmasastras were to play a crucial role, as they were seen by the British as ‘laws,’ whether or not it was even used that way in India.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

2. INDIA, BANGLADESH DISCUSS RIVER WATER SHARING ISSUES

THE CONTEXT: Recently, India and Bangladesh discussed a wide range of issues related to the major common rivers such as the Ganga, Teesta and several smaller rivers during the 38th meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC).
THE EXPLANATION:
• “The JRC meeting, held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, discussed the whole gamut of the issues related to the common rivers between the two countries, especially the Ganga, Teesta, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, Dudkh kumar and Kushiyara”.
• The two sides also discussed exchange of flood-related data and information, river-bank protection works, common basin management, and also the River Interlinking Project of India.
• “Bangladesh side requested for conclusion of the long-pending Teesta Waters Sharing Treaty at an early date. The Indian side assured of their utmost efforts in concluding the agreement”.

About Teesta river:
• Teesta river is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as Jamuna in Bangladesh), flowing through India and Bangladesh.
• It originates in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
• The Teesta Barrage dam helps to provide irrigation for the plains between the upper Padma and the Jamuna.

Efforts to resolve the dispute:
• Negotiations on how to share the water have been going on since 1983.
• A 2011 interim deal – that was supposed to last 15 years – gave India 42.5 percent of the Teesta’s waters and gave Bangladesh 37.5 percent. Bengal opposed this deal so it was shelved and remains unsigned.
• Bangladesh sought a fair and equitable distribution of Teesta waters from India, on the lines of the Ganga Water Treaty 1996.
• The treaty is an agreement to share surface waters at the Farakka Barrage near their mutual border.
• In 2015, the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Dhaka generated expectations to take forward the issue but it still remains unresolved.
• However, In India, individual states have significant influence over transboundary agreements, impeding the policymaking process.
• West Bengalis one of the key stakeholders of the Teesta agreement and is yet to endorse the deal.
Importance of Teesta River:

For Bangladesh:
• Its flood plain covers about 14% of the total cropped area of Bangladesh and provides direct livelihood opportunities to approximately 73% of its population.
For West Bengal:
• Teesta is the lifeline of North Bengal and almost half a dozen of districts of West Bengal are dependent on the waters of Teesta.

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

3. GOVERNMENT NOTIFIES BATTERY WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES, 2022

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 to ensure environmentally sound management of waste batteries.
THE EXPLANATION:
• New rules will replace Batteries (Management and Handling) Rules, 2001.
• The rules cover all types of batteries, viz. Electric Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries.
• The rules function based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) where the producers (including importers) of batteries are responsible for collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries and use of recovered materials from wastes into new batteries.
• EPR mandates that all waste batteries to be collected and sent for recycling/refurbishment, and its prohibits disposal in landfills and incineration. To meet the EPR obligations, producers may engage themselves or authorise any other entity for collection, recycling or refurbishment of waste batteries.
• The rules will enable setting up a mechanism and centralized online portal for exchange of EPR certificates between producers and recyclers/refurbishers to fulfil the obligations of producers.
• The rules promote setting up of new industries and entrepreneurship in collection and recycling/refurbishment of waste batteries.
• Mandating the minimum percentage of recovery of materials from waste batteries under the rules will bring new technologies and investment in recycling and refurbishment industry and create new business opportunities.
• Prescribing the use of certain amount of recycled materials in making of new batteries will reduce the dependency on new raw materials and save natural resources.
• Online registration & reporting, auditing, and committee for monitoring the implementation of rules and to take measures required for removal of difficulties are salient features of rules for ensuring effective implementation and compliance.
• On the principle of Polluter Pays Principle, environmental compensation will be imposed for non-fulfilment of Extended Producer Responsibility targets, responsibilities and obligations set out in the rules. The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilised in collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries.

VALUE ADDITION:
IMPORTANCE OF BATTERY RECYCLING:
Batteries are one of many products that should never reach the landfill. Even the most seemingly harmless household battery contains hazardous chemicals which, if allowed to enter the environment, can threaten both animal and human health, and the physical environment.
Benefits of Battery Recycling
• The main benefit of not sending batteries to the bin is that the chemicals they contain will not enter the environment. Another is that well over 55% of a battery can be reused, as its steel, zinc, brass and other materials can be extracted at the recycling facility.
• Recycling batteries also avoids a host of potential environmental problems and hazards, including the pollution of waterways, the leaching of heavy metals from landfills, and exposing the environment to strong acids and lead. The acids in batteries can burn skin and cause significant damage to eye tissue.
• Batteries sent to the landfill can also combust due to high waste temperatures, which can release toxins into the air and be very dangerous for landfill employees.

4. WHAT IS ‘ARTH GANGA’, GOVT’S NEW MODEL FOR THE RIVER’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, spoke about the Arth Ganga model during his virtual keynote address to the Stockholm World Water Week 2022.
THE EXPLANATION:
• It was first introduced during the first National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019, where it was urged to have a shift from Namami Gange, the Union Government’s flagship project to clean the Ganga, to the model of Arth Ganga.
• Arth Ganga focuses on the sustainable development of the Ganga and its surrounding areas, by focusing on economic activities related to the river.
• At its core, the Arth Ganga model seeks to use economics to bridge people with the river.
• It strives to contribute at least 3% of the GDP from the Ganga Basin itself.
• The Arth Ganga project’s interventions are in accordance with India’s commitments towards the UN sustainable development goals.

SIGNIFICANCE:
• Under Arth Ganga, the government is working on six verticals.
• The first is Zero Budget Natural Farming, which involves chemical-free farming on 10 km on either side of the river, and the promotion of cow dung as fertiliser through the GOBARdhan scheme.
• The Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater is the second, which seeks to reuse treated water for irrigation, industries and revenue generation for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
• Arth Ganga will also involve Livelihood Generation Opportunities, by creating haats where people can sell local products, medicinal plants and ayurveda.
• The fourth is to increase public participation by increasing synergies between the stakeholders involved with the river.
• The model also wants to promote the cultural heritage and tourism of Ganga and its surroundings, through boat tourism, adventure sports and by conducting yoga activities.
• Lastly, the model seeks to promote institutional building by empowering local administration for improved water governance.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
Since 1991, the Stockholm International Water Institute has been organising the World Water Week every year to address global water concerns.

VALUE ADDITION:
The GOBAR-Dhan scheme
• Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation has launched the GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) – DHAN scheme.
• The scheme is being implemented as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
• The scheme aims to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.
• The scheme also aims at creating new rural livelihood opportunities and enhancing income for farmers and other rural people.
• The GOBAR-DHAN scheme, with its focus on keeping villages clean, increasing the income of rural households, and generation of energy from cattle waste, is an important element of this ODF-plus strategy.

THE GOVERNMENT SCHEMES AND INTERVENTIONS

5. EXPLAINED: THE ONE NATION ONE FERTILISER SCHEME, THE GOVT’S LOGIC, AND SOME IMMEDIATE RISKS

THE CONTEXT: Recently, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers announced that it has been decided to implement One Nation One Fertilizer by introducing a Single Brand for Fertilizers and Logo under the fertilizer subsidy scheme named “Pradhan mantri Bhartiya Janurvarak Pariyojna” (PMBJP).
THE EXPLANATION:
What is the government’s argument for introducing this scheme?
• The government’s logic for introducing a single ‘Bharat’ brand for all subsidised fertilisers being marketed by companies are:
• The maximum retail price of urea is currently fixed by the government, which compensates companies for the higher cost of manufacturing or imports incurred by them.
o The MRPs of non-urea fertilisers are, on paper, decontrolled.
o But companies cannot avail of subsidy if they sell at MRPs higher than that informally indicated by the government.
o Simply put, there are some 26 fertilisers (inclusive of urea), on which government bears subsidy and also effectively decides the MRPs;
• Apart from subsidizing and deciding at what price companies can sell, the government also decides where they can sell.
o This is done through the Fertilizer (Movement) Control Order, 1973.
o Under this, the department of fertilizers draws an agreed monthly supply plan on all subsidized fertilizers in consultation with manufacturers and importers.
o The department also regularly monitors movement to ensure fertilizer availability as per requirement, including remote areas.
• When the government is spending vast sums of money on fertilizer subsidy (the bill is likely to cross Rs 200,000 crore in 2022-23), plus deciding where and at what price companies can sell, it would obviously want to take credit and send that message to farmers.

What can be the drawbacks of the scheme?
• It will disincentivize fertilizer companies from undertaking marketing and brand promotion activities.
• They will now be reduced to contract manufacturers and importers for the government.
• Any company’s strength ultimately is its brands and farmer trust built over decades.
• Currently, in case of any bag or batch of fertilizers not meeting the required standards, the blame is put on the company.
• But now, that may be passed on fully to the government.
• Politically, the scheme might well boomerang rather than benefit the ruling party.

THE PRELIMS PERSPECTIVE

6. THE NOMINATION OF GARBA DANCE TO UNESCO HERITAGE LIST

THE CONTEXT: After Durga Puja was included in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage last year, India has now named Garba for the year 2022. If approved, it will become the first intangible cultural heritage of Gujarat to be listed by UNESCO.
THE EXPLANATION:
What is Garba?
• Garba is a form of dance, as well as a religious and social event. It originated in the villages of Gujarat, where it was performed in communal gathering places in the center of the village which was attended by the entire community. In Gujarat, it is celebrated with nine nights of dance as a form of worship and worship. Garba is also performed during social events like weddings and parties.

About the list of intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO
• UNESCO’s prestigious list is made up of intangible heritage elements that help to showcase the diversity of cultural heritage and raise awareness of its importance.
• It was established in 2008 after the Convention for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003 came into force.
• It compiles two lists viz. Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Protection.

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from India
Since 2008, 14 intangible cultural heritages from India have been listed by UNESCO. It includes-
• Sanskrit Theater of Kudiyattam, Kerala
• Mudiyet, a ritual theater and dance drama from Kerala
• Tradition of Vedic Mantras;
• ‘Ram Leela’ (traditional performance of Ramayana)
• ‘Ramman’ (a religious festival and ritual theater of Garhwal, Uttarakhand)
• Kalbelia Folk Songs and Dances of Rajasthan
• Chhau Dance (Classical dance of West Bengal and Odisha)
• Buddhist chanting of Ladakh
• Sankirtana (a ritual singing, drumming and dance of Manipur)
• Traditional brass and copper craft of pottery amidst the laughs of Jandiala Guru, Punjab
• Yoga
• Nowruz
• Kumbh Mela
• Durga Puja (represents the collective worship of the Hindu goddess Durga)

THE DATA POINT

[WpProQuiz 318]

THE CONTEXT: The COVID-19 pandemic has harmed health, social and economic well-being worldwide, with women at the very core of it. The poorest and the most marginalized, including women and girls, face more risks without the means to absorb the economic shocks and mitigate the health crisis. The following article intends to highlight the plight this pandemic has infused on women.

PLIGHTS OF THE PANDEMIC: ANALYSIS

Women tend to be the backbone of society during crises, even as they are also more likely to face the disproportionate impacts of such events. The Covid-19 pandemic is no different. It has severely exacerbated existing gendered barriers, widened India’s gender gap in the workforce, and affected (overwhelmingly female) caregivers and frontline workers.

ASPECT

KEY FINDING

IMPACT/AFTERMATH

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Women were more affected than men by employment issues. Women made up just 24% of those working before the pandemic, yet accounted for 28% of all those who lost their jobs.

• Compounded economic impacts are felt especially by women and girls who are generally earning less, saving less, and holding insecure jobs or living close to poverty.
• From past experience and emerging data, it is possible to project that the impacts of the COVID-19 global recession will result in a prolonged dip in women’s incomes and labor force participation, with compounded impacts for women already living in poverty.

HEALTH AND SANITATION

About 16% of women (an estimated 17 million if extrapolated) had to stop using menstrual pads, and more than one in three married women were unable to access contraceptives.

• Health pandemics can make it more difficult for women and girls to receive treatment and health services.
• Globally, women make up 70 percent of the health workforce and are more likely to be front-line health workers, especially nurses, midwives and community health workers.

• The provision of sexual and reproductive health services, including maternal health care and gender-based violence related services, is central to the health, rights and well-being of women and girls.

CARE WORK

Indian women already do almost three times more unpaid work than Indian men, and the survey showed a 47% increase in unpaid labour for women and a 41% increase in unpaid care work for women.

• Before COVID-19 became a universal pandemic, women were doing three times as much unpaid care and domestic work as men. This unseen economy has real impacts on the formal economy and women’s lives.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

There has been a rise in instances of violence, sexual, physical and mental against women.  The National Commission for Women (NCW) has recorded a more than twofold rise in gender-based violence.

• Women from historically marginalised groups (Muslims, migrants, single/separated/divorced), were more affected than the average woman. Conditions on the ground are likely to worsen for those women (such as Dalit women and transgender individuals) who bear the brunt of social discrimination.

• Judicial, police and health services that are the first responders for women were overwhelmed, had shifted priorities, or are otherwise unable to help. Civil society groups were affected by lockdown or reallocation of resources.
• Cases under the Right to live with dignity (Article 21) rose to 77% from 35%. Such cases could pertain to discrimination on the basis of gender, class, or caste or all three of them combined.

SHRINKING OF SOCIAL CIRCLE

Isolation and containment of women during lockdown.

• The avenues for liberty of freedom and expression four woman especially coming from the tier two and the tier three cities in India was limited before the pandemic.
• This aspect got further attenuated due to the COVID induced lockdowns which inflicted several mental and psychological issues on the life of women in India.
• This could be due to the increased workload in the houses unlimited opportunities for employment outside then home premises.

CURBING THE PLIGHTS OF THE PANDEMIC: WAY FORWARD

ECONOMIC

• Removal of barriers that prevent full involvement of women in economic activities, equal pay and equal opportunities, social protection schemes that factor in existing biases, financing for women entrepreneurs and mechanisms to promote women’s self-employment.
• Enlist Women on MGNREGA job cards to increase the total number of person-days to meet women’s demand for job opportunities.
• Strengthen the resilience of SHGs by focusing on their economic recovery and market linkages via the existing Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana: National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

o   SHGs could also provide technical and managerial training to help women develop the skills needed to run small businesses digitally.

HEALTH

• Special attention needs to be given to the health, psychosocial needs and work environment of frontline female health workers, including midwives, nurses, community health workers, as well as facility support staff.
• Particular attention needs to be paid to health care services for older women, and gender-based violence survivors, as well as antenatal, postnatal care and delivery services, including emergency obstetric and newborn care.
• The government needs to implement easy access to products like sanitary pads and contraceptives, especially in such testing times.
• The government can build upon and accelerate its existing efforts through Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers, Mission Parivar Vikas, and other schemes to strategically focus on contraceptive usage.

RECOGNISING THE UNPAID LABOUR

• Women’s unpaid care work has long been recognized as a driver of inequality. It has a direct link to wage inequality, lower income, poorer education outcomes, and physical and mental health stressors.
• Support measures in response to COVID-19 need to go beyond workers who hold formal sector jobs and include informal, part-time and seasonal workers, most of whom are women.
• This is particularly necessary for female dominated spheres such as the hospitality, food and tourism sectors, now at a standstill due to confinement measures by governments.

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

• It is important for national responses to include specific communications to the public that justice and the rule of law are not suspended during periods of confinement or lockdown. Gender- based violence prevention strategies need to be integrated into operational plans of the justice and security sectors for the crisis, and statutes of limitations on offenses, particularly sexual violence offenses, should be suspended.
• A joint programme of the National Commission for Women (NCW), Delhi Police and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, (TISS) Mumbai.
• The NCW is implementing the project with Delhi Police and TISS and is committed to working on the issue of violence against women.
• In Spain, an instant messaging service with a geolocation function offers an online chat room that provides immediate psychological support to survivors of violence

OVERCOMING THE PLIGHTS OF THE PANDEMIC: THE CONCLUSION

A pandemic amplifies and heightens all existing inequalities. These inequalities in turn shape who is affected, the severity of that impact, and our efforts at recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic impacts have created a global crisis unparalleled to any such instance in the past. policymakers and stakeholders must include women and girls at the centre of recovery processes and listen to their needs, challenges and solutions. Empowering women and girls has proven to increase the health and well-being of the entire family and community.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

• “Women tend to be the backbone of society during crises, even as they are also more likely to face the disproportionate impacts of such events.” Examine the statement in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• “The pandemic undermined women and girls’ fundamental rights which could possibly have generational impacts.” In the light of this statement, discuss the multidimensional impacts of the covid-19 pandemic on women.