Editorial 1: Take Action
Context:
- Recently, India's eminent wrestlers have been protesting against alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by a politician and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for not having an Internal Complaints Committee on Sexual Harassment as per law.
Status of women in sports:
- Over the past decade though, women’s wrestling in India has come to the fore with Phogat sisters, Sakshi Malik, Alka Tomar, Divya Kakran, etc. Khelo India 2020 saw an increase of 160% in women’s participation compared to 2018.
Issues and Challenges:
- Non-implementation of Law: Mary Com Committee found the absence of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in 16 out of 30 sports federations (including WFI) against the mandate of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
- Ethics of Coaches: According to Right to Information data, between 2010 to 2020, Sports Authority of India got 45 complaints of sexual harassment of which 29 were against coaches.
- Issue of Impunity: Last year, a junior athletics coach accused the Haryana Sports Minister of sexual harassment. He was removed from sports ministry but continues to be a minister.
Steps Taken:
- Sports Authority of India (SAI) guidelines mandate that women coach have to mandatorily accompany the contingent with female athletes during domestic or international travel.
- SHe-Box: Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) has been launched to provide single window system to facilitate the registration of complaint related to sexual harassment. It has been an initiative of Ministry of Women & Child Development.
- National Sports Development Code, 2011 also mandates National Federations to ensure welfare and protection of sportspersons.
- The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all States to ensure strict implementation of the sexual harassment at workplace law by coaching centres and educational institutes.
- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Union Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India on the reported inappropriate behaviour of a coaches.
Key Definitions, Bodies and Laws
- Sexual Harassment: It is “where any form of unwanted verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occurs, with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment”.
- Internal Complaints Committee: As per Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (POSH) Act 2013, the committee needs to have a minimum of four members, at least half of whom are women, of whom one shall be an external member, preferably from an NGO or an association that works for women’s empowerment or a person familiar with issues related to sexual harassment, like a lawyer.
- Wrestling Federation of India: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is the governing body of wrestling in India. It is affiliated to United World Wrestling. Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
- Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013: It is a legislative act in India that seeks to provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment . This statute superseded the Vishaka Guidelines 1997 for Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) introduced by the Supreme Court (SC) of India.
- Main Features of the 2013 Act
- "Workplace" includes organisations, department, office, branch unit etc. in the public and private sector, organized and unorganized, hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions, sports institutes, stadiums, sports complex and any place visited by the employee during the course of employment including the transportation. Even non-traditional workplaces which involve tele-commuting will get covered under this law.
- Every employer must constitute an Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees. The District Officer is required to constitute a Local Complaints Committee at each district, and if required at the block level.
- The committee must complete the inquiry within 90 days. On completion of the inquiry, the report will be sent to the employer or the District Officer, as the case may be, they are mandated to take action on the report within 60 days.
- The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil court for gathering evidence.
- The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliation before initiating an inquiry, if requested by the complainant.
- The inquiry process must be confidential else a penalty of Rs 5000 on breach.
- Employers must conduct education and sensitisation programmes and develop policies against sexual harassment, among other obligations.
Conclusion:
Women’s sports achievements have been extraordinary looking at the prevailing patriarchal system in Indian society. They need the protection and empowerment not only through law but also through strong political will. Then only they will be able to realize their true potential and India will achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 of Gender Equality.
Editorial 2: Big City Dreams
Context:
- Recently, Maharashtra has launched Aspirational Cities Programme (ACP) modelled on the Aspirational District Programme of the NITI Aayog.
Key Definitions
Urban area or Census Town: A habitation is declared urban (excluding a municipality, corporation, cantonment board and a notified town area committee) if it has
- a minimum population of 5,000;
- at least 75 per cent of the male working population in non-agricultural pursuits;
- population density is at least 400 people per sq km
Metropolitan City: As per census are those Indian cities having a population of more than 4 million.
Metropolitan Area: As per 74th Amendment 1992, is an area specified by the Governor by public notification to be a Metropolitan area having
- a population of 10 Lakh or 1 Million or more,
- comprised in one or more districts and
- consisting of two or more Municipalities or Panchayats or other contiguous areas,
Urban Agglomeration: As per Census, is a continuous urban spread constituting a town and its adjoining outgrowths (OGs) or two or more physically contiguous towns together with or without outgrowths of such towns.
State of Urbanization in India:
Urban population (% of total population) in India was reported at 35.39 % in 2021, according to the World Bank.
According to Mckinsey Global Institute study in 2010, Indian cities having only 3% of the land could generate
- 70 percent of net new jobs
- Around 70 percent of Indian GDP
- Near fourfold increase in per capita incomes
- Urban population will soar from 340 million in 2008 to 590 million in 2030, half the time taken before 2008.
- India needs to invest $1.2 trillion just in capital expenditure in its cities over the next 20 years, nearly eight times of today’s expenditure.
The World Urbanization Prospects, 2018 report of UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) notes that India, China and Nigeria will account for 35% of the projected global urban population growth and by 2050, India will have added 416 million urban dwellers.
- According to Census 2011, India’s had an urbanisation level of 31.1%. Over 75% of the urban population of the country is in 10 States: Maharashtra (highest 13.5%), Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Kerala.
Issues and Challenges
- Over Crowding: According to United Nations, the urban population of the world has grown from 751 million in 1950 to 4.2 billion in 2018. In India, many metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore are suffering due to uncontrolled rural to urban migration. Further, there has been an increasing concentration in million plus cities instead of expansion in smaller cities indicating top-heavy and skewed urbanization.
- Growth of slums: According to the World Bank, the population living in slums in India was reported at 35.2 % of the total urban population in 2018. The slums are characterized by substandard housing, overcrowding, lack of civic services etc. Diseases, environmental pollution, crime, social tensions etc. often prevail. Dharavi in Mumbai is considered the largest slum in Asia. The main reason for slum proliferation is uncontrolled, unplanned and non-inclusive pattern of urbanization.
- Rapid Migration: People move from rural to urban areas in search of better employment opportunities and civic facilities of health, education and sanitation.
- Critical infrastructure shortages and major service deficiencies: poor education, lack of health facilities, erratic power and water supply, poor solid waste management system, poor sewerage system, lack of housing, inadequate transport systems etc causing high out of pocket expenditure and rise in urban poverty. In India, more than half of the urban households occupy a single room, with an average occupancy per room of 4.4 persons.
- Deteriorating environment: According to World Health Organization, 14 Indian cities are among Top 20 worldwide with worst air quality. Noise pollution and water and land pollution are rampant as visible in polluted Yamuna in Delhi and waste mountains of Bhalaswa, Ghazipur and Okhla in Delhi.
- Problem of Law and Order: Communal, Caste, regional and ethnic tensions are often seen like Nido Tania case, Delhi Riots, etc. apart from the crimes against women and elderly in urban areas like Nirbhaya case.
Way Forward:
- Development of infrastructural facilities in rural and semi urban areas: Focus on idea of PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Area) given by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, now taken up under Shyama Prasad Mookherji RURBAN Mission.
- Proper implementation of major urban policies like One Nation One Ration Card scheme, AMRUT, Housing for All by 2022, Smarts City Mission, National Urban Livelihood Mission and Master Plans for Mega Cities like Delhi Master Plan 2031
- Environmental Sustainability: Cleaning up of rivers and ponds, Integration of green spaces, prevent encroachment of wetlands, proper waste management through ‘reduce, reuse, recycle strategy’ apart from the use of modern technology.
- Ensuring better urban infrastructural facilities- education, health, water, sewage, power, proper transport planning and investment in public transport sector and pedestrian pavements.
- Ensuring Good urban Governance: Decentralization and devolution of funds, functions and functionaries to the local governments, modern framework for spatial planning of cities and standardized designs for public utilities for Inclusive urbanization taking care of the needs of the urban poor and other vulnerable groups for ease of living.
Conclusion
- Urban areas are the growth engines for the country and need to be healthy and sustainable. Focus should be on developing better facilities in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and connectivity to bigger cities for better ecosystem and prevent excessive migration. Bringing employment opportunities and civic facilities to rural areas will be essential to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 11 for India.