Women of the 21st Century

POLL KHOL SAWAAL A fun clip on election promises

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 05 Oct 2014 03:41:00 +0000

WOMEN ON TOP

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:29:00 +0000

Two women put together the pre-dominantly male dominated flick Teen Patti with panache

Life is a gamble! But when you have Lady Luck (or two ladies) on your set, you've nothing to lose. No wonder, Bollywood's biggest legend Amitabh Bachchan and Hollywood's tour de force Sir Ben Kingsley feel that they are on a winning streak with Serendipity Films' razor-sharp thriller
Teen Patti.
This film, releasing on February 26, is produced by the attractive, petite Ambika Hinduja and is directed by the affable, nononsense Leena Yadav, who earlier made Shabd with Sanjay Dutt and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film also has Madhavan, Raima Sen and is introducing stardaughter Shraddha Kapoor (daughter of screen baddie Shakti Kapoor). Leena and Ambika are forces to reckon with in their own way. Of course, neither gives too much importance to their gender; they're just competent people for whom this project perfectly fell in place. Says Leena, "I hate being asked 'How does it feel like to be a woman filmmaker?' How different can it be from being a male director? The film industry is an evolved place. In the last two decades the line between male/female filmmakers has blurred. Aparna Sen, Simi Garewal, Hema Malini, Kalpana Lajmi, Reema Kagti, Farah Khan, Nandita Das — the list of women who've ventured into filmmaking is growing. And the work of each of these women has its own identity.'' She feels that when an actor comes on board a project, he looks at the banner, the script and how competent the director is. "The sex of the director doesn't matter,'' says Leena. Ambika too is not in favour of the words 'Lady Boss'. "The environment on the sets of Teen Patti was thoroughly professional with the entire cast and crew completely surrendering to director Leena and the script. They also whole heartedly responded to whatever requests I put forward to them in my capacity as producer,'' she says. They are unanimous in their opinion that women, inherently, have the ability to view life and situations with more attention to detail. "Women have an edge in filmmaking,'' says Ambika. And that's perhaps one of the biggest advantages this human drama has. Teen Patti has not one but two sharp, sensitive minds working for it.

Amitabh Bachchan in Teen Patti, direcctor Leena Yadav and (left) producer Ambika Hinduja

Woman heads Guj bodybuilding board

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:25:00 +0000

Ahmedabad: Six-packs and bulging biceps is not the first thing that comes to mind when you meet Tulsi Sujan, decked up in dangling earrings and bright red lipstick. But then how often does a woman head a state body of a sport that is masculinity personified?

    Sujan, 54, not only heads the Gujarat State Bodybuilding Association, she is responsible for organising one of the richest bodybuilding competitions in the state.
    The Senior Mr Gujarat 2010 meet, was held at Sardar Patel Stadium in Navrangpura on Sunday. The total prize money was Rs 6 lakh with the winner getting Rs 75,000 apart from other prizes worth Rs 25,000.
    "Three years ago, I attended a bodybuilding competition in Ahmedabad in which some boys from my gym were participating and was shocked to know that the prize was just a certificate," says Sujan. She is also general secretary of the International Human Rights Association, Gujarat wing.
    A powerful woman who idolises Sonia Gandhi and drives a Merc, Sujan is a part of the family's shipping business. She had a penchant for sports from an early age and dabbled in many disciplines. But she was fascinated by heavyweights. She runs a gym and forces anybody she comes across to work out and get healthy.
    "One doesn't have to enter competitions but bodybuilding gives you a good physique and a great personality. I am more concerned about womenfolk who go through many upheavals in life and lose their health in the process. If women remain fit, the whole household remains healthy," she says.

FEMME EXTRAORDINAIRE:
Tulsi Sujan (left) heads the Gujarat State Bodybuilding Association. She is organising Senior Mr Gujarat 2010 (top), one of the richest competitions of its kind in the state

Gucci. Louis Vuitton. Hermes Watches

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Just in: the latest 2010 released luxury timepieces, from dozens of famous designer brands.............

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Find the perfect gift for a loved one, or reward yourself with a spectactular timepiece today.

.Exclusive: The Aga Khan, Women and Development: The Path of Education

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:41:00 +0000

"I believe the message of Islam is the dignity with which we must treat women in society...and I think it is correct that education dignifies women," His Highness Karim Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's Shia Ismaili Muslims, explained to a BBC reporter at the turn of the century. Like his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah, who was once President of the League of Nations, the Aga Khan has been an ardent supporter of educating women in the developing world for decades. Recently celebrating his 73rd birthday, the 49th hereditary Imam and direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad is still tireless in his effort, pragmatic in his approach, and strategic in his vision. As a religious leader, his moral obligation, rooted in the principles of Islam, holds him to both interpret the faith and improve the quality of life within the communities and societies in which his followers live. In his dual role, the Aga Khan is also founder and Chairman of one of the largest private development networks in the world, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), active in over 25 countries and employing over 70,000 people.

In an interview with Dr. Tom Kessinger, head of the Aga Khan Foundation and Deputy Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, he asserts that "mothers are the primary nurturers of the family, and our experience and data shows that the more education women have the more successfully they play that role." Furthermore, he notes, "the daughter of a literate mother is more likely to finish school than the daughter of an illiterate mother." Education, therefore, has been a strong pillar of the Aga Khan's development efforts around the world. By targeting critical professions that tend to be highly populated amongst women such as nursing, midwifery, and pre-collegiate education, AKDN's strategic investment in the education of women also results in the delivery of essential public goods.

In Pakistan, the Aga Khan University's School of Nursing (AKU-SON), one of the many schools of AKU, has redefined the occupation's entry-level qualification. Building on the British-style diploma, AKU-SON has professionalized the field of nursing by offering undergraduate and graduate training. Moreover, establishing a leading institute of academic excellence nearly 30 years ago has raised the status of the profession in both remuneration and respect, and as a result, steadily increased the status of women. Calculated, long-term investments that tackle multiple issues at once through, for example, the path of education, distinguish AKDN from many other development agencies.

Another example of matching the key needs of women to the most urgent needs of a population focuses on AKDN's strategic involvement in the Badakshan province of northeast Afghanistan. Attempting to address one of the worst rates of maternal mortality in the world, AKDN has developed an initiative for young women--recruited by their villages--to attend midwifery training for 18 months. These and countless other ambitions realized by His Highness are progressively uplifting the status of women and providing them with access to social, economic and political opportunities otherwise unavailable in developing societies.

 "The AKDN has integrated initiatives in each of these professions [nursing, midwifery, and pre-collegiate education], and with clear direction by His Highness, the focus is to not only build competence in these fields through teaching, but to also build confidence within the trainees. While competence is important, it is confidence that allows one to undertake a larger leadership role in these settings," continued Dr. Kessinger.

In a fundamental shift of consciousness within the international development framework, women and girls are finally viewed as propellers of progress, rather than as impediments to growth. And while firmly placed on today's global agenda of development, and fully integrated into world fora such as the Clinton Global Initiative and the World Economic Forum, the value of investing in the education of women and girls is far from a novel consideration: in 1945, the Aga Khan's grandfather stated that "Personally, if I had two children, and one was a boy and the other was a girl, and if I could afford to only educate one, I would have no hesitation in giving the higher education to the girl." As women place a much stronger emphasis on educating their children--boys and girls--than men do, and invest their income accordingly, it is no longer a secret that to educate a woman is to educate a nation.

Today, the AKDN continues to reflect this measured approach in all its development efforts around the world, and recognizes women and girls' education as a vital component to building respectful, equal and stable societies. As development agencies integrate their efforts to reduce the massive inequalities plaguing women and girls worldwide -- an undeniable moral disaster of our time -- we must never forget the value of human dignity, and the power of education to dignify.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rahim-kanani/exclusive-the-aga-khan-wo_b_394200.html

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Divorced Muslim women entitled to maintenance: SC

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:50:00 +0000

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has held that a divorced Muslim woman who has not remarried is entitled to maintenance from her ex-husband even after the iddat (three months) period.

An SC bench rejected husband Imran Khan's contention who cited the Muslim women (protection of rights on divorce) Act, 1986 and claimed that his divorced wife Shabana Bano was not entitled to any maintenance allowance after the 'iddat' period as held in the Shah Bano case. The SC held that under Section 7 of the Family Courts Act, 1984 even a Muslim woman can claim maintenance from her husband as long as she is not remarried. AGENCIES

IS IT TIME FOR MEN TO ADD THE SURNAME TAG?

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:48:00 +0000

More and more women are retaining their maiden surnames post marriage. Smita Roy explores this trend and asks whether roles can be reversed

Remember the first time Shilpa Shetty introduced herself to Shiney Ahuja as 'Mrs... Ranjeet Kapoor' in Life in a Metro, and Shiney very slyly asked her that there must also be a name between 'Mrs' and 'Ranjeet Kapoor!' Most women would say today — what's wrong in what he asked? Just because a person is married, does it mean that her persona be lost? Women often tend to get into relationships and lose themselves. Does that mean that a relationship is an abyss that sucks your identity? The dictionary defines a relationship as 'a state of connectedness between people'. But does this 'connectedness' mean that you forget your individual self ? Maybe sometimes, the fear of this change, creates commitment phobia. Actress Perizaad Zorabian who had once claimed that she was commitment phobic, now says that she was "drugged on love" when she tied the knot. But, she says it's important to maintain a person's individual identity. "I'm Perizaad Zorabian Irani and Zorabian will always be a part of my identity. I'm not going to part with it no matter how much I love my husband! I think it's okay to retain both. As time passes, with my babies and responsibilities, there are times I do feel that I'm forgetting Perizaad. But then I keep reminding myself and make sure that I don't lose my identity somewhere along the way. This unfortunately happens with a lot of women. When you give up the 'I' in a relationship, all you become is a frustrated old nag. And that is definitely one avoidable thing!" But the question remains. Why is she Perizaad Zorabian-Irani? Why is her husband not Boman Irani-Zorabian?
    There are several women like Perizaad who opt to retain their individual identity along with being a part of someone else's life. But how many men we know are ready to do the same? Society may have improved with people in relationships recognising each other as individuals rather than being each other's 'property'. But the name tag still exists!
    Relationship expert Dr Minnu Bhonsle says, "The name-changing tradition has been here for ages. Mostly it is for documentation purposes whether in banks, insurance or passports. Also, for the cohesiveness of the family, in the eyes of the children as well as the society, this is done. But if the woman insists on retaining her maiden name there might be some deep-rooted fears in her, which the couple need to sit together and discuss before entering matrimony. Women may have seen their mothers being submissive. While some accept that it's awoman 's duty to be so, some want to rebel. Hence today we have more and more women using both their maiden as well as marital surnames. If thewoman is in the limelight then retaining her maiden name might be a professional need."
    But then, can't the man do the same? According to Dr Bhonsle, a couple has to decide on everything when they tie the knot — the girl shouldn't be compelled to change her surname. "The name is just where it all starts, then moves on to graver problems and ultimately might lead to an unsuccessful marriage. Again there are some men who are submissive. However one cannot change the psyche of generations in one go."
    But there are also men like actor Karan Oberoi who agree that this namegame is actually an unfair one. "You fall in love with a person because of the way they are. So why would you expect to bring a change in this person and still be in love? Isn't it wrong and hypocritical to ask your spouse to change — be it simply their last name or their habits or lifestyles, and yet in the end, not change yourself!" he says.

NAME GAME: Arbaaz and Malaika Arora Khan, Ayesha Takia Azmi with hubby Farhan and Boman and Perizaad Zorabian Irani

NOT FOR ME: Maria Goretti and Arshad Warsi, Shamita Bhangargi and Ashish Choudhary and Goldie Behl and Sonali Bendre

US woman’s Mumbai miracle

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:46:00 +0000

Loses Uterus To Cervical Cancer, But Becomes Mother Through Surrogacy

When 38-year-old US resident Joy held her baby Samuel for the first time in Lilavati Hospital on November 24, a mixture of emotions flooded her heart. She felt immensely proud of the small being in her arms born from a part of her own body, at the same time gratitude welled up in her eyes for Rekha, the surrogate mother who gave birth to Samuel.

    Joy underwent in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but it was still a miracle of sorts that she got a baby of her own, especially since she suffered from cervical cancer at the age of 21 and had to undergo hysterectomy then. But when she and her husband Kelly were told it was possible for them to have a child of their own, they started looking for IVF facilities across the world and zeroed in on Mumbai.
    "We came last December. We were not sure as the chances are less in IVF. Even so, we contacted Surrogacy India. Last December the embryo could not successfully make the surrogate mother pregnant. Then, we came back in March. My egg and my husband's sperm was taken and the embryo formed was planted in the surrogate. It was then that Rekha successfully concieved,'' said Joy.
    But doctors say Joy and Kelly are one lucky couple. "Since Joy's ovaries were shifted higher up in her abdominal cavity during the treatment of her cervical cancer, we could not take her eggs through the trans-vaginal technique. We had to retrieve the egg laproscopically from her abdomen,'' said Dr Hrishikesh Pai, infertility specialist attatched to Lilawati Hospital.
    But another reason doctors consider Joy and Kelly to be lucky is because when Joy underwent IVF, only one egg could be retrieved. "Normally, we target 10-15 eggs and two to three embryos are planted in the uterus of the surrogate mother. But Joy formed only one egg and that too we had to retrieve laproscopically from her abdomen. It was quite complicated. Only one embryo was formed and chances of the surrogate mother becoming pregnant with that embryo were quite slim. But everything turned out to be fine,'' said IVF specialist Dr Nandita Palshetkar, who along with Dr Pai performed the operation.
    The entire procedure cost them $23,000, but the couple are over the moon. "We are going back to Minnesota on Friday. Never in our wildest dreams did we think everything would go this smoothly,'' said Kelly, holding his blue-eyed son in his arms. "We have got quite attached to the doctors and the surrogate mother of our baby. It feels bad to leave this new family behind,'' added Joy.

JOY'S BUNDLE OF JOY
What is Cervical Cancer
Cervical cancer is an abnormal growth of cancer cells in the opening of the uterus connected to the upper vagina, known as the neck of the uterus
The Problem
Joy was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1992 at the age of 21, so her uterus had to be removed, but ovaries were pushed up into her abdominal cavityProcedure The Couple Underwent
    In December 2008, Joy and Kelly came to Mumbai, chose a surrogate mother, signed the papers and four eggs were taken from her and planted in the uterus of Rekha. But the procedure was not successful
    This March, the couple returned and repeated the procedure. This time, only one egg was formed, resulting in one embryo. This embryo was successfully planted and fertilised in Rekha's womb
    The couple returned to India on November 23 for the delivery. The baby was born on November 24 Surrogacy Guidelines Any information about clients and donors must be kept confidential, except with the person's (to whom the information is related) consent
All relavant information must be given to the patient before the treatment is started
No treatment should be given without the written consent of the couple to all the possible stages of the treatment People seeking registered treatment must be given counselling
No more than three embryos must be placed in a woman in any one cycle
Highest possible standards in the storage and handling of gamates and embryos in respect to their security, recording and identification, should be followed
(Guidelines Of The Indian Council Of Medical Research)

What Is In Vitro Fertilisation
In vitro fertilization is when the eggs from a woman and a sperm of a man are taken and infused together. An embryo thus formed, is planted in the uterus of the surrogate mother. The woman may or may not become pregnant with the embryo. Generally, 10-15 eggs of a woman are retrieved and 2-3 embryos are planted in the uterus of the surrogate mother

Baby Samuel

The Many Voices of Feminism

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Scholars discuss the most important challenges facing women in the 21st century

n the post-feminist era of the 21st century, are the aims and goals of feminism still relevant? Will feminism survive the rush to globalization? What universal lessons can we learn from the unique ways women around the world have advanced their concerns?

These are a few questions students and faculty of the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies at The University of Texas at Austin have confronted this year in a series of events focused on the issue of global feminism.

The highlight of the year was the residency of Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer, human rights activist and the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Ebadi visited campus in April 2009 to speak about democracy in Iran. Several months later, she was speaking out against her government’s crackdown of those who protested the results of the presidential elections.

To honor her visit, and to spotlight the diverse issues facing women around the world, we invited eight faculty members from the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies to answer the following question: What is the most important challenge facing women in the 21st century?

Each of our respondents cross international borders in their exploration of the struggles and achievements of women, examining issues such as gender equity in the workplace, women and political participation, and access to education and health care.

Mounira Maya Charrad

Associate Professor, Department of Soci ology, Department of Middle Eastern Studies

In the Middle East, women confront issues of legal rights and cultural discourse in a way that has become the stuff of high drama on the world stage. In Islamic countries, women’s rights as defined in family law are the crux of the matter. At stake is the set of legal rights and responsibilities men and women have in the family and, by extension, the society at large.

The central questions concern choice of marriage partner, age at marriage, rights and obligations of each spouse, polygamy, conditions for divorce, custody of children and inheritance for men and women. At issue is whether conservative interpretations of Islamic family law prevail, or whether legal reforms alter the balance of power the law gives to men and women in their roles—not only as spouses but also as members of larger kinship units and of communities.

The countries of the Middle East exhibit considerable diversity in regard to women’s rights. Some countries such as Tunisia, Turkey and Morocco have gone a long way in expanding women’s rights. In several countries, however, the law still deprives women of personal autonomy.

Women of the Middle East also face challenges that emerge from an acute tension between the local and the global. In the West, discourses on the Middle East are replete with images of victimized women hidden behind veils. In the Middle East, debates on women’s rights overflow with criticism of feminists importing Western ideas deemed inappropriate to the culture of the region.

Finding themselves at the center of this tension, women’s rights activists are framing their demands by reclaiming Islam and offering new readings of the Islamic tradition. They are also developing strategies that allow them to make connections to transnational networks concerned with gender equity, while retaining their cultural authenticity. How to navigate between the different discourses is likely to remain a daunting task for the foreseeable future.

Terri Givens

Associate Professor, Department
of Government

The most important challenge facing women in the 21st century is gaining access to leadership. Society needs more of the qualities women can bring to leadership positions. These are described in a 2005 study by Caliper, a workforce development company:

• Women leaders are more persuasive than their male counterparts.
• Women leaders learn from adversity and carry on with an “I’ll show you” attitude.
• Women leaders demonstrate an inclusive, team-building leadership style of problem-solving and decision-making.
• Women leaders are more likely to ignore rules and take risks.

In the United States, women leaders from my generation face the challenge of breaking through the barriers created by those of the older generation reluctant to release the reins of power to a new generation. Women need to take advantage of those who are willing to mentor the younger generation.

Talk about the “glass ceiling” is still relevant, but we need to move beyond the notion of a “ceiling” and think more carefully about how we develop women leaders, beginning with elementary school, and even into academia, where women are in the minority in the full professor ranks (as revealed in the university’s recent Gender Equity Report), and find limited options when it comes to running departments or colleges.

However, it’s important to note that women from my generation were some of the first to benefit from Title IX legislation that gave girls equal access to sports, particularly organized teams. There is a direct correlation between women’s involvement in these types of activities, and their confidence in working with men and taking on powerful leadership positions. We grew up during a time when women (and minorities) gained greater access to higher education. Although women and minorities are beginning to make headway in boardrooms, legislatures and even university hierarchies, there is a long way to go.

Women need to continue to make strides in balancing between their roles as caregivers and professionals. Studies show men are taking on more “second shift” duties but women still shoulder most of the family and household responsibilities. It is vital to our democracy that women’s voices carry equal weight in all aspects of society.

Susan Sage Heinzelman

Associate Professor, Department of English; Director, Center for Women’s and Gender Studies

All women live their lives under the threat of violence. Even those of us who appear to be the most privileged in terms of economic and social status can never be entirely free of the risk of sexual or physical assault, or other more subtle forms of harassment. For so many women and girls, that threat has been actualized in domestic abuse, rape, slave trafficking, forced prostitution, female genital mutilation and the many other ways in which women are reminded every day they are second-class citizens.

In Uganda, their faces are scarred by acid attacks because they are too “independent.” In Afghanistan, their schools are destroyed by religious fanatics because they wish to think for themselves. In Southeast Asia, their vaginas are sewn up repeatedly so they can be “sold” as virgins because they have been denied the right to own their own bodies.

International law proclaims the right of the individual to be safe from unprovoked violence and, yet, only occasionally, is there any outrage at the violence women and girls suffer every day and everywhere simply because they are female. Their lives are limited, their prospects dimmed and, as great as the loss is to those who are scarred for life, it is not confined to the victims. The loss to society of the potential for a productive and fulfilling life is immeasurable.

Women alone cannot solve this epidemic of violence against them. We must motivate the international community to take up the issue and recognize that gender-related violence is as serious a threat to the well-being of the world as the AIDS crisis or ethnic genocides. The international community must develop strategies to address violence against women through a combination of legal reforms and economic incentives.

Legal reform and laws that protect women and girls can do only so much, however, unless the state is willing to enforce these laws, especially in those areas of women’s and girls’ lives conventionally regarded as “private.” Moreover, the international community must make it economically disadvantageous to tolerate or promote violence against women and girls and make those who receive aid embrace the benefits in health care, economic empowerment and educational opportunities for women and girls in their society.

All of these strategies imply a level of interference in the affairs of others—whether those affairs are perceived as public or private, affairs of the state or family affairs. There seems no alternative, however, unless we are willing to concede that what goes on behind closed doors (or state borders) is none of our business.

Juliet Hooker

Assistant Professor, Department
of Government

As someone who was drawn to feminist theory by black, Latina and Third World feminism, my first answer to the question is there is no one most important challenge facing women in the 21st century, as these will be different depending on where you live in the world.

What this means is feminism’s central challenge is to recognize the variety of ways in which women (and men) experience sexism and gender oppression, and to find a way to link struggles for gender equity around the world. Otherwise, the risk is feminist movements across the globe will view one another with suspicion and distrust, and see their various struggles as incompatible.

Consider the controversies over women and veiling in the Middle East and in countries with immigrant Muslim populations. They could appear to be completely disconnected and directly opposed to women’s rights to sexual freedom and reproductive rights central to Western feminism.
Yet feminist arguments for veiling (or wearing hijab) that claim these prevent sexual harassment and harmful obsession with women’s appearance are connected to the concerns of feminists in the United States who are concerned about the exploitation of women as sexual objects.

One of the central tenets of feminism is that women should not only be free from the threat of sexual assault, rape and sexual harassment, but should also be able to freely express themselves as sexual beings. The key challenge for global feminism today is to recognize the links between such seemingly disparate elements of a global effort to make gender equity a reality.

Robert Jensen

Associate Professor, School of Journalism

Given the disastrous consequences of the human assault on the ecosystem that makes our lives possible, the most important 21st century challenge for women is the same as for men: Can we change the way we organize ourselves socially, politically and economically in time to reverse this ecological collapse? Can we learn to live in sustainable balance with the non-human world so that we might make it to the end of the 21st century with our humanity intact?

In facing these social, political and economic challenges, I believe women have a crucial contribution to make through feminism. My own intellectual and political development is rooted in the feminism I learned from women, both in the classroom and community. Much of my work has addressed men’s use and abuse of women and their sexuality in the sexual-exploitation industries: prostitution, stripping and pornography.

But from those women I also learned feminism was not merely a concern for “women’s issues” but also a way of understanding power and critiquing the domination/subordination dynamic that is central to so much of modern life. The roots of that dynamic are in patriarchy, the system of male dominance that arose only a few thousand years ago but has been so destructive to people and the Earth. Patriarchy is incompatible with justice and sustainability.

The challenge for feminism is to articulate an alternative to the illegitimate hierarchies that structure our lives: men over women, white over non-white, rich over poor, First World over Third. That isn’t “women’s work” but “feminism’s work,” which we all should undertake, in conjunction with the many other intellectual and political movements concerned with real justice. If we can change the way we treat each other, those new non-hierarchical social arrangements may help us solve the fundamental problem of the destruction inherent in human domination over the non-human world.

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Bridging the GENDER GAP

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:28:00 +0000

Engaging women equally with men in all walks of life is necessary for a rapid and sustainable economic recovery from the financial slowdown and for prosperity. But India lags behind in empowering girls, finds Sudeshna Sen

o
VER the past few months, the City of London, often called the global financial capital of the world, has come under attack from yet another unexpected quarter – never mindbankers bonuses and bank bailouts, the City has been hauled up by the UK's Equality and man Rights Commission for paying its women almost 80% less than it pays its men, even at the starting level. It led to a parliamentary committee enquiry, loads of tabloid press, and some serious soul-searching in a country where workplace and anti-discrimination rules are set in stone. It also gave rise to a new kind of viewpoint – academics like Charles Goodheart, professor Emeritus of Banking and Economics at LSE, told the government that more women at the top levels in decision-making would have helped to stop sending the world into a financial crisis. The theory gaining credence in the highest levels these days, never mind touchy-feely issues like how women and men react differently to risk – is that sheer lack of diversity and multiple views in board-rooms across the world, generated a 'groupthink.' Too much yang, not enough yin and the view from the top was very male, homogenous, and in this case, disastrously incorrect. It is, naturally, a hotly contested and debated theory. Women's issues always give rise to acrimonious debate. That's where the World Economic Forum's gender gap report, now in its fourth edition comes in. "We rank countries with a simple index measuring the existing gender gap, based on hard data from organisations like ILO and UN, without any cultural parameters," says Saadia Zahidi, associate director, constituents at WEF, and one of the architects of the gender gap reports. The reports make for somewhat gloomy reading. Ms Zahidi's estimates are, that to achieve gender parity across the world, it will take to the year 4000. And India's relative performance makes for even gloomier reading. In the 2009 report, among 134 countries, India ranks 114, a notch above North Korea and a notch below Jordan. Ranked on parameters economic empowerment, education attainment, health and survival and political empowerment, India trails every BRIC country and lags in the bottom of the league tables with neighbours like Pakistan. The only parameter India does well on, is political empowerment, thanks to its long history of women at the top of the political spectrum. Before you shake your head and turn the page, there's hope. There isn't that much correlation between the size and resources of an economy and its existing gender gap. Besides the Nordic countries clustered at the top of the table, South Africa makes the top 10, Phillipines, Lesotho, and even Latvia perform better than UK, France, and Spain, while the US scrapes in at number 31. The 2009 Gender Gap Report concludes that engaging women equally with men in all aspects of life is imperative for economically competitive and prosperous societies, and in particular, for a rapid and sustainable economic recovery from the financial crisis, integrating women and girls is imperative. It is, perhaps, no coincidence that Nordic countries routinely top global league tables on happiness, wellbeing, and non-GDP focused league tables.Says Maria Eitel, President of the Nike Foundation, which runs programmes for girls around the world." "Investing in adolescent girls not only has the power to break intergeneration poverty, but it also builds opportunity and prosperity for all. Adolescent girls
    are India's greatest untapped
    resource for future prosperity and growth." While India
    may still be a long way from the
    kind of corporate debate about
    equal pay and working conditions that's raging in the City of London, women's welfare has increasingly moved out of the 'poverty and welfare,' category into mainstream economic concerns, just like infrastructure and so on. The fact that the growing power of women, in the workplace, as consumers, and as almost half of India's human capital resources is not something that India Inc can ignore. Adds Zahidi, "In four years, the India score has been showing improvement." From the health and survival parameter, to the economic empowerment and education parameter. Says Shumeet Banerjee, CEO of Booz and Company, "One of the biggest concerns in India is about skills. And yes, while the private sector has a role, but it also requires attention to basic social indicators – welfare of women, primary education." That, by itself, is a long way, baby.
    We're no longer talking only about life expectancy, healthcare, or child mortality rates, the Indian woman is emerging as an economic force to reckon with. Chanda Kochhar, ICICI, believes that Indian girls just need to be given a level playing field, a mindset of equal opportunities, starting from the family, in education, and by corporates in the workplace to rise above the past. The success of the microfinance revolution, driven mostly by rural women, consistently awes global financial bigwigs and economists.
    Recently, Ian Mulder, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, after his visit to a microfinance programme in India, said that the micro finance model "deserves replication not only in India, but in the UK as well." Zahidi admits that it's still very hard to directly and quantitatively prove that reducing the gender gap delivers directly to say, company bottomlines. But, as she points out, the biggest opportunities for closing gender gaps happen during times of flux, and global upheaval. "The world wars pushed huge numbers of women into industry and the workplace in the west, for instance. In times of turmoil, there's also opportunity." Go grab it, girls.
    with inputs from World Economic Forum
    Social issues have never taken up so much corporate and CEO attention since the world wars. Income inequalities, public health, labour unrest, climate change, poverty, ethics, values, the role of business … all that kind of thing.
    Suddenly, corporate social responsibility has come to acquire a brand new meaning. It's not about the Gates Foundation any more, it's about bankers bonuses. It's about climate change, green technology, social justice. Developmental and behavioural economics is edging out the discredited mathematical and pure market economics.
    This post-modern, socially sensitive world order is something that global business is going to have to learn to live with, for a long while to come. We're all in it together, is no longer an ideology, but a brutal market truth. If the global recession proved that global finance is intricately interlinked, swine flu proved that pandemics don't, despite masks and quarantines, respect borders either.
    Manmohan Singh and Madame Gandhi can take a few bows — their 'inclusive growth' mantra has now gone completely global – it's not just good politics, it's the key to global economic survival. Here's just a sample of the 'new' economic insights that are cropping up all over the place. The emerging market consumer, in China, India, Russia, with her high savings rates and increasing purchasing power will come to the rescue of global consumer companies even as their core consumers struggle with huge debts. And this has to be balanced without wiping out the world's environment. Sustainable consumption is the buzzword.
    The prosperity and growth of even marginal and poor nations isn't just a matter for charity or social justice, it's an imperative if wealthy nations want to maintain their own populations in comfort.
    In India, what we call youth power, and the rest of the world calls a demographic dividend is the buzzword. But there's a caveat to demographic dividends —- young people need food, education, training, housing, jobs, skills. They have aspirations, needs, demands. And when there are so many of them around, you can't just let them hang around the edges of economic activity getting bored and restive. Over the next two days, some seriously important international and domestic business bigwigs are going into a huddle in Delhi at the World Economic Forum India Summit. And guess what? Almost half the time, they're going to be discussing those old, boring, social sector things like women, children, affordable housing, public health and so on. To mix a few metaphors, you can take society out of mathematical business models, but you can't take business out of society. We look at some of the social issues in the spotlight, women, and health.

towards the empowerment of women in rural Maharashtra

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:08:00 +0000

NINE GUIDING LIGHTS

On Wednesday, UNICEF appreciated the efforts of nine go-getters who, defying the system, have come up with outstanding contributions towards the empowerment of women in rural Maharashtra

GEETA DESAI

On Wednesday, in recognition of their efforts to spread awareness about education and health, hygiene and even the importance of small savings amongst women in rural Maharashtra, UNICEF felicitated nine go-getters in Mumbai. The girls – Manjula Madavi, Pragati Walvi, Sunita Pavra, Baby Saroja Mithkari, Swati Kharat, Runda Dhurve, Megha Sharma, Punyarath Aulre and Rasika Hazare – all hail from different parts of rural Maharashtra. But these 'Navjyoti', as aptly named by UNICEF, have a common thread: they have learnt the lessons of women empowerment, not in classrooms, but by virtue of sheer experience. And they braved all odds to not only become self-reliant, but are now helping other women of their hamlets to stand on their own feet.
    Along the way, they faced stiff opposition, from villagers as well as their households. Only one of them made it to college; the rest couldn't due to money restraints. Besides, their families were against their education, and did not understand the work they wanted to do for other women in the village.
    But consistent efforts resulted in realisation of their dreams – the dream to work for the betterment of women around them, those who actually believed that it was their fate to be born and die in a world of darkness.
    Profiled here are five of the remarkable achievers. UNICEF AWARDS FOR 'NAVJYOTIS'
In acknowledgement of their outstanding contribution towards rural women, UNICEF felicitated all the nine girls on Wednesday. At the function at Doordarshan Centre, Worli, they were presented letters of appreciation, mementoes and cash awards. The other four girls are:
1 SAROJA MITHKARI, of Kajle Chincholi, Latur, who is studying in Std XI and works for the empowerment of women in her village.
2 SWATI KHARAT. Forced to give up education after SSC when her father died in an accident, she works as a social worker with an NGO at Kurla, creating awareness among pregnant women about AIDS.
3 PUNYARATH AULRE of Dighi Village, Nanded, who creates awareness about health, education and livelihood in her village
4 MEGHA SHARMA. A Std XI student in Mumbai, she works in the city's slums to spread awareness about health and hygiene.
5 SUNITA PAVRA
Sunita's stepmother did not want her to study as it would mean a loss of wages and affect housework. "I use to complete my chores and then go to school. But my parents said I would have to earn my fees if I wanted to study. I did that up to Std VIII. Then my brothers had to stop studying as my stepmother would not finance their education. So I left school, worked for two years, paid for their education, and then decided to complete SSC myself. I also won a Rs 1,000 scholarship," said Sunita.
    "I was associated with an NGO who trained me to educate and motivate others. I also spread awareness among adolescents, educating them about health, and encourage them to save for their future. My father now realises the need for education but doesn't have money for my studies," said Sunita. 6 RUNDA DHURVE
Hailing from Movada village, Yavatmal, which has a population of 368 tribals, Runda wants every girl in her village to become a graduate. "Our villagers are all field labourers, they walk 2 km for daily-wage jobs. I studied up to Std XII, but want every girl in my community, including me, to get a degree. Till that day arrives, I will strive endlessly," said Runda.
7 MANJULA MADAVI
This brave lass who hails from the naxal infested area of Ambezari, Chandrapur, narrated her tale with a smile on her lips but tears in her eyes. She grew up watching villagers join naxals, leaving their families to their own fate.
    "I wanted to be a prop for my community women and so took an interest in training given by NGOs. I joined school again without my father's knowledge. Once he saw me stepping out of school and thrashed me. Finally, he threw me out, and my uncle sheltered me. But I was determined to study, and my mother paid my fees from her meagre wages," said Manjula, a Std XII student.
    In 2007, Manjula tried to stop a minor girl getting married. This enraged her community and her father was asked to get her married. But Manjula who worked with an NGO, was aware of her rights and told her father that, she was 18 and he could not raise his hand on her and she would not marry. "I was scared, but confident. I did not relent and finally my father gave in. He does not like what I do, but at least he doesn't bother now," she said.
8 RASIKA HAZARE
This 23-year-old feels that women in rural Maharashtra are deprived and abused. Even if education is free, they don't have money to commute to school, buy books, etc. They hardly earn a few tenners a day, and even that is snatched away by male family members for alcohol.
    Rasika was backed by her mother when villagers objected to her education and working with an NGO. Her brothers got hold of four acres of land which is now their property, but she and her mother fend for themselves.
    Rasika is a daily wage labourer but does not skip her routine of spreading awareness among pregnant mothers and adolescent girls. "When a girl attains adolescence, she is confused. She doesn't know how to react with men. She needs to be taught how to maintain a distance," she said.
9 PRAGATI WALVI
When her father abandoned them, Pragati was just three, and they had to live with her uncle in Badvinevadvi village, Nandurbar.
    Pragati's mother wanted her to be educated, but villagers were so orthodox that they initially did not allow her to attend school. They tried to stop her by scaring her and even trying to molest her. She was also accused of being an 'outgoing' girl and village boys called her names. This frustrated Pragati and she attempted suicide. But having survived, she decided to fight back and began attending college.
    A UNICEF worker then helped her, including her in promoting education and awareness. "Now I not only study, but also teach others the importance of education," said Pragati.

Disabled At 2, Pooja Does Everything With Her Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:23:00 +0000

Differently-abled Guj girl amazes with feat

Surat: Where there is a will, there is a way; most of us heard of it, but a few live it. Pooja Gupta, 12, lost her hands to polio when she was just 2. However, a decade later, she stands tall on her feet, which are, in fact, also her hands.

    From making rangoli to mehendi, painting to doing household chores, this enthusiastic kid insists on doing everything on her own using her feet. She has won many awards for her creative skills in rangoli, mehendi and painting. "I love doing things on my own. I eat with my feet and do my dishes too. However, what I really enjoy is making rangoli, mehendi and painting. I love colours and they make me happy,'' beams Pooja.
    Born in the slums of Pandesara, the catastrophe struck her family when Pooja was diagnosed with the disease. Her mother became mentally unstable soon after and her father shifted to Varanasi, deserting little Pooja. Learning about Pooja's ailment, Kanubhai Tailor, president and founder of the Disabled Welfare Trust of India, took her under his wings and slowly started to train her.
    Physically challenged himself, Tailor nurtured Pooja's talents. "She is a special child and is blessed with immense concentration and determination. Having won many competitions, she has brought a lot of pride to the school,'' Tailor said.
    With Diwali just a day away, Pooja is brimming with energy and spends most of her time in making rangolis. "I love doing flowerrangolis. Not only are they colorful, they are also fragrant and seem very welcoming.'' Her smile fades the moment you ask her what she is doing this Diwali. "All my friends are going home to their parents. I have nowhere to go. I'm planning to learn a few new things during the holidays and spend time with Tailor sir's family.''

PERFORMING FEATS: Physically-challenged Pooja Gupta makes rangoli using her feet in Surat

7 steps to Wealth

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Step 1: You Must Decide Exactly What You Want
If you understand how the mind works you will understand that this is the most powerful process you can undertake. We teach our clients this process regularly and you will be amazed with what starts to turn up when they experience the speed at which their life and results change!

Step 2: Learn About The Different Strategies To Make Money
What if you don't know what to do?
Well, I didn't know about property 12 years ago; but have built up a portfolio of over £1m within a couple of years. I found out what successful people were doing and copy it! Its called modelling.
A word of warning: DO NOT allow other people to invest your money for you unless you understand it YOURSELF! The person who will take the greatest care with your money is you. I learned this a couple of times and lost over £15,000 myself getting it wrong! I want you to avoid these mistakes.
Become Self-educated In Investing And DO IT YOURSELF! We can help you learn these strategies quickly and implement them to get RESULTS.

Step 3: Minimise your time with Negative People
Take this suggestion VERY seriously.
For your own highest good ... minimise time with those people who only talk, think or act in a negative way ...... Don't let anyone steal your dream.
When you start to attract wealth in your life it also attracts other people who are on your path. These will be your new networks and paths to other new and exciting opportunities…when you are ready for them. Stay open minded!!

Step 4: TAKE ACTION!!!
If you decide to do something, you know you want it with all your heart..., but don't take action, nothing will happen...!!!
You MUST research, you MUST think, but by all means you MUST take action..!!
Not making a decision is a decision itself.
"When you have to make a choice, and don't make it, that in itself is a choice."
William James
You have to ask yourself...; How can you get where you want to be if you don't start any movement...? If you don't take the first step?
Act today, DO NOT leave for tomorrow what you can do today!!!!!
Action Creates Action
All Excuses Are Equal
No matter which excuse you can give..., or which excuse you choose to give ... there IS NOT a good reason to be a failure!!!
This is very important, so just take a few moments to think about this. Don't put it off...what one thing have you been putting off? Do it NOW!
Look back five, ten years, can you see yourself at that time?
What happened during those five, ten years...?
Did you get what you wanted...?
If not,
WHAT IS THE EXCUSE YOU HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY TELLING YOURSELF...?
It's hard to face reality... It can HURT to face reality ... I can understand that, I've been there many times ... But I can also tell you .. "Don't look back to recriminate yourself" ...
Now is the time to move forward ...
Now is the time to make the decision ...
Now is the time to make the necessary changes to have a fantastic future!!!

Step 5: START SAVING AND INVESTING ...!!! SAVE AND INVEST... AS MUCH AS YOU CAN...!!
You can make all the money you want, but if you don't have a plan to save it, you will never get to your golden mountain!!! Unless you save you cannot explore other ways to Wealth
Start with as much as you can, even if it only a little... Then increase that amount step by step ...
You MUST Save and Invest ..., Save and Invest ..., Save and Invest... and remember... all excuses are equal!!!
Keeping the Flow of Wealth Moving
Tithing
Tithing is giving 10% of your earnings away. WealthBabes does this already and keeps the Flow of Wealth MOVING! This is also a really important part of the plan and law of attraction.

Step 6: Surround Yourself With People, Who Know What They're Doing and have a proven track record...
LEARN From Them ... Apply What They Have Done To Get To Where They Are Now.
Read as many books on success as you can. Saturate your subconscious mind with story upon story about success. This is an essential step that you must do to change your old conditioning.
You will eventually get to a point where you absolutely know and believe in every fibre of your being, that every step that you are taking on a daily basis is a valuable step, no matter how small it is, and is leading you closer and closer to realising your dreams.
The quicker you saturate your subconscious mind with thoughts of success, the faster you will become it.
It's a "snowball effect"!
You will eventually reach the point where you are literally pulling opportunities for profit to you faster than you can take advantage of them. Imagine what that will be like for you. Opportunities coming to you as opposed to you having to go out and chase them down.
This is one of the main reasons we set up the Millionairess Club. To create a community of likeminded women who will speed up the process of becoming even more successful through collaboration and sharing of specific knowledge.

Step 7: This is the REAL SECRET and is the most amazing step of all - FAITH
Have TOTAL Faith In Yourself and the 'universe' that it will happen! You have to trust and let go of all attachment.
Be Grateful For EVERYTHING You Have ...!!! NO MATTER WHAT...!!!
And Remember To be thankful For The Wealth And Abundance That Is Already Yours (even before it comes)!!!
This is the Attitude of "Gratitude".
Most likely you already know how to be grateful, however the secret to "Gratitude" is to be able to be grateful for everything in your life consistently, without judgment, no matter how good or bad current circumstances may appear to be.
Gratitude will accelerate your wealth process because it is a statement of belief that you already have what you are focused on creating and are about to experience.

These are the 7 Steps that if you only practice these, your life will change dramatically.
You'll hear more about these in the Millionairess Club, our courses and in our other face to face sessions.

Educated women 'aid long life'

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:07:00 +0000

A well-educated woman positively influences both her own and her partner's chances of a long life, Swedish research suggests.

A man whose partner had only a school education has a 25% greater risk of dying early than if she had had a university education, it suggests.

The authors say educated women may be more likely to understand the various health messages their families needed.

The findings are based on a study of 1.5m working Swedes, aged 30 to 59.

The study, in the journal of Epidemiology and Community Healthcare, says that in the case of men, it is their income and social status that affect women's lifespan.

The researchers looked at data from the 1990 Swedish census and followed up information on causes of death, including cancer and circulatory diseases like heart disease and stroke from the cause of death registers up to 2003.

University education

A woman's education and social status were more important for a man's life chances than his own education, the findings indicate.

And a woman's education also affects her own mortality, with someone with a school education having a 53% greater risk of dying early than a university educated woman.

The authors said: "Education is of great importance through a direct influence on mortality as well as indirectly via occupation and income.

"Education may also have an indirect effect through its possible importance for choice of partner."

Dr Robert Erikson, who led the research, said: "Women traditionally take more responsibility for the home than men do and, as a consequence, women's education might be more important for the family lifestyle - for example, in terms of food habits - than men' s education.

"It's still the case that women tend to put the food on the table and in that way have a very direct influence.

"Women with higher education may also receive better medical treatment and their partners may benefit too."

Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, of the UK's Faculty of Public Health, said: "This study shows how closely education, lifestyle and long-term health are linked together.

"If we're serious about radically improving the health of the nation, we must fully invest in high-quality education at all levels."

1 cr women hold PSU bank a/cs

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:59:00 +0000

New Delhi: In the long haul for women's empowerment, another milestone has been achieved. For the first time, the total number of women bank account holders who have been brought under the credit umbrella of the public sector banks has crossed the one crore mark. The number of accounts with access to credit grew from 92 lakh in the year ended March 31, 2008 to 1.05 crore on March 31, 2009.
    The number refers to just individual beneficiaries. If self-help groups and those who dealing with banks in the private sector are added, the number of women beneficiaries will be many times more.
    Also, the trend is gathering momentum. For, even in the year of downturn in 2008 when all financial institutions were engaged in consolidation, public sector banks (PSBs) added at least 10 lakh new women account holders under their credit facility.
    The growth augurs well for the UPA government's objective to bring at least 50% of all rural women in the country under the credit facility extended by PSBs by linking them through self-help groups (SHGs).
    The country's largest bank, State Bank of India, with over 22.40 lakh account holders in 2009, remains on top of the chart of PSBs that extended maximum credit to women. It was followed by Canara Bank with more than 10 lakh account holders, PNB with 8.44 lakh and Indian Bank with 5.50 lakh. 4 PSU banks fail to meet RBI target
New Delhi:
The public sector banks have added over 1 crore women account holders in 2009 and SBI tops the chart with 22.40 lakh. While Syndicate Bank and Bank of Baroda were the other banks having more than 5 lakh women account holders under their credit facility.
    Though most of the PSBs achieved the government's target, according to the finance ministry data, as of March 2008 four PSBs—Allahabad Bank, Dena Bank, State Bank of Patiala and IDBI Bank—failed to meet the target set by RBI in earmarking 5% of their net credit to women entrepreneurs. In 2009, State Bank of Patiala and IDBI could not achieve their target.
    Besides easy credit flow through PSBs, the UPA government had facilitated micro finance to those women who have not been able to avail of institutionalised banking support through the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh. The government has already announced increasing the Mahila Kosh's corpus from Rs 100 crore to Rs 500 crore over the next few years for this purpose.

Women scaling neww heights

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Listen to the assertive new Indian woman

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:55:00 +0000

M J AKBAR

Sir Harcourt Butler was a great civil servant of the British empire, an icon who understood India, befriended Indians like the Raja of Mahmudabad and advocated causes like the Aligarh Muslim University. As a former governor of United Provinces (today's Uttar Pradesh), he offered a word of advice for the Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, in a letter sent from Rangoon on January 16, 1916. The most powerful influences in India, said Sir Harcourt, were priests and women. As long as any political organization was unable to mobilize both, the government had little to fear.
    Mahatma Gandhi, who had no shortage of priests alongside, jolted the British during the non-cooperation movement in 1920 and 1921 precisely because he brought women out of their ancient closet, promising Hindu women the end of Ravanraj (British rule) in six months if they wore homespun and spurned luxury just as Sita had rejected Ravana's temptations. There was a similar contemporary upsurge among Muslims. Maulana Muhammad Ali's redoubtable mother Bi Amman was the first Muslim woman to address the Muslim League without a veil, and the wives of Hakim Ajmal Khan and M A Ansari set up the Women's Khilafat Committee in 1921.
    Nine decades later, priests and women remain the most powerful engines of political mobility, with one huge twist in a long tale. The influence of women now far outweighs that of priests. Social development is not even. There are sharp differences both between communities and within communities. But the dominant voice of the next decade will be an assertive new woman with a modern spine.
    The Muslim vote remains powered by the exhortations of the ulema, but the queues of women in ballot order, even if in hijab or burqa, are evidence of a new dynamic. They have understood the power of the secret vote and exult in exercising it. The Congress, a principal beneficiary in the last general elections, may want to check why it lost a safe, minority-dominant seat in a Delhi by-election. Did veiled women register a protest against rising costs in the kitchen, or rediscover questions about the Batla House deaths last year?
    One reason why the BJP's Ram temple campaign succeeded in the late 1980s and the early 1990s was because it energized women, and made them stakeholders in the proposed temple by asking them to contribute a brick each. But that model has dated, or is in the process of becoming passe. A girl born in 1989 would have voted in 2009.
    The BJP's stagnation, or slide, can be partly explained by its disconnect with the changing profile of Hindu women. This is not limited to metropolitan India. The very presence of imitation brands in small towns is proof of the spread of aspiration. This is not a passing fad or fashion; it is rooted in a new mindset. The most powerful weapon in the armoury of the modern woman is choice. Choice is liberating at both the individual and collective level. Imposition, disguised as obedience, stability and security, is yesterday's story. Today's woman wants the final say, whether in dress, marriage, lifestyle or the vote; she does not want to be told that she cannot wear jeans or enjoy Valentine's Day, or go to a pub of an evening if she so chooses. Indian women can see the suffocation of fundamentalism in the neighbourhood. That is the last thing they want in India.
    Much is being made, in Delhi, of the fact that the Kashmir valley celebrated one of the most peaceful, happiest Eids in memory. Don't overdo the celebrations. This may have less to do with India than with Pakistan. Even a cursory look at Pakistan tells the Kashmiri young — and particularly young women — that whatever its faults, India just might be the better option. How many young men would want to live within gunshot distance of the Taliban? How many young women would seek a future in a land where the clergy insists on twisted gender laws? As they might put it, India is ''less worse''.
    Pakistan's favourite Kashmiri leader, Jamaat-e-Islami's Syed Ali Shah Geelani, pleaded with every Kashmiri Muslim to sulk along with him on Eid; he was ignored. Geelani was a teenager in 1947. The teenager of 2009 does not recognize the teenager of 1947. There are no jobs in conflict, unless of course you want early retirement from the burdens of existence. The young want life; old warmongers offer death.
    The happiness of life, the joy of individual liberty, will define the politics of India in the foreseeable future. Those politicians who do not recognize this are condemned to irrelevance. Who understands life better than a woman? Women give life. Men take it.
    Women have listened to priests in every age of recorded history. It is time for priests to listen to women.

VITAL, IF VEILED

Investing In Women Seen Key To Global Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:26:00 +0000

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--From finance and infrastructure to human capital and innovation, world business and political leaders say investing in women and girls is integral to a global economic recovery.

The role of women took center stage at this week's annual Clinton Global Initiative in New York with supporters such as Goldman Sachs Inc. (GS), Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), General Mills (GIS), Nike Inc. (NKE), and Jennifer and Peter Buffetts NoVo Foundation launching multi-million-dollar commitments toward business training, technology and ending abuse and trafficking of millions of women and girls.

During her closing remarks at the conference, .

Women set to outnumber men at work in America

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 01:27:00 +0000

One person's adversity is often another's opportunity. That's certainly proving to be the case in recession-hit North America. A spurt in firing of men and hiring of women has resulted in women now outnumbering men in the Canadian workforce, accounting for 50.9% of the country's 14 million salaried workers.

    In the US, too, women now hold 49.8% of the country's 132 million jobs and are projected to cross the 50% mark by the first quarter of 2010 when the US will have—according to President Barack Obama—come out of recession.
    The USA Today has described this as a historic reversal caused by long-term changes in women's roles and job losses for men during recession. "Women are gaining the majority of jobs in the few sectors of the economy that are growing,'' the newspaper said. As a matter of fact, at the current pace, women could even outnumber male workers in the US by November this year.
    Across the border in Canada, there are 160,000 more women in jobs than men, according to The Toronto Star. "Women's paid employment hit an all-time high in March at 50.9%, when 233,000 more women were employed,'' the newspaper quoted analyst Ted Wannell as saying. Women continue to earn less than men
    More women than men may be holding jobs in Canada today, but it's not the first time that it has happened. Nobody in Canada really noticed that in 2007 women first tip-toed across this employment threshold for three months from February to April. But women's dominance in paid employment this year clearly marks a turning point.
    In the US, gender transformation is particularly visible in local governments' 14.6 million work force. Cities, schools, water authorities and other local jurisdictions have cut out 86,000 men from their payrolls during the recession while adding 167,000 women, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
    The postal service is cutting tens of thousands of unionised, blue collar jobs dominated by men while recruitments are expanding in teaching and other fields dominated by college-educated women.
    However, analysts added a caveat—they say the figures could be red herrings and that historic milestones hold little promise for women in their longstanding battle for economic equality.
    The Toronto Star reported that women still made up about 70% of part-time workers and 60% of minimum wage earners in Canada. "Nearly 40% are employed in precarious jobs that are generally poorly paid with little or no benefits such as pensions,'' the newspaper said. And the average full-time, full-year female worker still earns just 71.4 cents for every dollar earned by a man working similar hours, according to the latest Statistics Canada data from 2007.
    In the US, the boost has come due to massive job cuts in male-dominated professions such as construction and manufacturing. The only parts of the economy still growing are health care and education where governments have traditionally hired women.
    Labour economist Heidi Hartmann says the change reflects the growing importance of women as wage earners, but it doesn't show full equality. "On average, women work fewer hours than men, hold more part-time jobs and earn 77% of what men make.'' TNN

T he woman in your life...very well expressed...

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:16:00 +0000

To all the guys who read this…..please read fully
and understand…………..
…….
This is a beautiful article:

Tomorrow you may get a working woman, but you should marry her with these facts as well.

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;
Who is earning almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as
you have because she is as human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your
Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system
that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family ,name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply
Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while whendeadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important,
relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some
and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.

But not many guys understand this......

Please appreciate "HER"

I hope you will do....

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WOMAN POWER : Bracing for women’s day specials

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:55:00 +0000

WOMEN'S empowerment issues may get more than lipservice in the new UPA regime.
    The government's 100-day programme, announced by President Pratibha Patil in her address to the Parliament, included priorities such as early passage of the Women's Reservation Bill, making efforts to increase women's representation in central government jobs and setting up a national mission for women empowerment for implementing women-centric programmes like increasing female literacy.
    Since the idea behind the 100-day programme is to ensure that early action is taken on the issues identified, one could hope that at least some of the issues would get implemented. The President said the national literacy mission will be recast as national mission for female literacy, to make every woman literate in the next five years. While male literacy went up to over 75% in the last census and is expected to be higher now, female literacy was only 54% in 2001. Increased female literacy is expected to become a force multiplier for all our social development programmes," she said. Concerted effort to increase representation of women in central government jobs will be made.
    Steps for early passage of the women's reservation bill providing for one-third reservation to women in state legislatures and in the Parliament, which has been delayed for many years, figures prominently in the 100-days programme. Ms Patil also proposed a Constitutional amendment to provide 50% reservation for women in local self government.

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Women staff strength in BPOs up 60%

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:36:00 +0000

THE number of women working in the IT-BPO sector grew 60% in the past two years to 6.7 lakh in 2008, as per a survey on gender inclusivity conducted by HR consulting firm Mercer and IT association Nasscom.

    The survey that covered over 45 leading technology companies in the country also revealed that HR practices, such as transportation policy of a company, besides flexible working hours and leave policy, play a major role in attracting women in an organisation. Other practices that women workers appreciate are anti-harassment policy, healthcare and awareness programmes, women's lounge or recreational activities. "The Indian ITBPO industry has set high standard in gender inclusivity. Women are a key and vital part of our workforce, and their participation in the workforce is seen as a critical enabling factor for continued growth of the industry," said Nasscom VP Sangeeta Gupta.
    The report also put forth some recommendations for ensuring gender inclusivity at the workplace. It has suggested upgrading the professional skills of women, setting up a mentorship programme for women in an organisation, undertaking an internal study to identify where career paths for women reach a block, providing incentives in the form of tax benefits for organisations, which fulfil certain criteria in empowerment of women.
    The survey said India has the largest number of working women in any single country in the world, which can be attributed to the growth of the IT-BPO space. "Of the 400-million worforce in India, about 30-35% are female, and only one-fifth of these women work in the urban areas," it said.

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His mother’s voice

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:18:00 +0000

Be it Varun Gandhi or AR Rahman, Indian men just don't want to let go of their mothers. Nona Walia explores why

EVERY rising son has a mother behind him! In the political battlefield of Varun vs Rahul Gandhi, their mothers — Maneka and Sonia Gandhi — somewhere dominate their political thinking. It seems, Mukesh and Anil Ambani's mother — Kokilaben Ambani — has a great influence on the millionaires. Recently, at New Delhi's Nizamuddin dargah, Oscar-winner AR Rahman and his mother Kareema Begum offered prayers. His mother flew from Chennai to be with him, "She's been my guide. Even when I didn't know I would do great in music, she urged me to follow my dream. Mothers guide us, so naturally they are possessive about their sons," the maestro said.
    It seems, some of India's most powerful men still follow their mother's voice. Recently, The New York Times reported how despite westernisation, the bond between Indian mothers and sons remains stronger than ever. Right now, Rama Pilot, mother of Sachin Pilot, young Congress MP, is campaigning for her son in Ajmer, his new constituency, "I introduced him to the people when he joined politics. I tried to give him my wisdom and support. I've been a friend to my children, I don't think I ever tried to dominate or influence my son. I allowed him to make his own decisions. I became his friend when he turned 12. It was his decision to join politics and I'm glad he followed his father's footsteps. But I have to guide him along the way, how can I not? I always have some secrets to share with him, so he can face the political challenges."
    In business, Rajshree Birla is known for her vision and philanthropy, not surprising then, her son, Kumar Mangalam Birla follows her vision, his corporate core values are "commitment, passion and speed". In Bollywood, Abhishek Bachchan is known to take real life tips from mother Jaya Bachchan even now. While cricketer Yuvraj Singh confesses, "I'm a mama's boy. I just love her food. And her. I'm not embarrassed about it. She's made life seem so easy. I can't think of doing anything major in my life without her advice." His mother Shabnam Singh isn't complaining, "I have to deal with a
    lot of stuff — from
    his fans sending
    me 'I love you'
    messages to
    looking after Yuvi
him. He can marry who he falls in love with. She should be a 'homely' girl, who should be able to cope with the pressures in his life. Yuvi's link-ups with women don't bother me too much. He's good-looking and young, if he won't go out now, when will he do it? And he does his own thing, but respects me a lot."
Men and their mothers... It seems the Indian man doesn't want to let go of his Ma! And his relationship with his mother seems relatively straight-forward and simple. Mothers, it seems, simply want to 'protect' their boys from getting hurt. If the grapevine is to be believed, Maureen Wadia was reluctant to accept son Ness' relationship with Preity Zinta, hence the alleged split. But Indian men still don't want to think of their mothers as their buddies. In fact, politician Varun Gandhi has previously confessed, "My mother's not my buddy. I believe in maintaining a healthy distance between a parent and child. I really respect my mother, I've learnt a lot from her. Every morning, when I wake up, I wish she walks into my room for a chat."
Yet, the smart, modern mother isn't over-involved. She knows how to strike a balance. Says Gitanjali Prasad, author of The Great Indian Family, "There's less role-playing. Earlier, there was a specific role for a widowed mother, one within a joint family and a mother who lived away from her son. Now, mother and son look at each other as individuals and define their relationship from their experiences. Indian men are attached to their mothers out of love and admiration. After all, Indian parents really nurture their kids." Whatever our superclass of boys might think, their mothers still call the shots. Says Subhalaxmi Khan, mother of sarod players Amaan and Ayaan Ali Khan, "A mother looks ahead in life, so she can tell her boys the truth as she sees it. However, things have changed a lot. Ayaan and Amaan want to experiment with Bollywood and films, so let them do their thing. Nothing is right or wrong anymore. We can't tie down our children. We have to set them free. This is the biggest change in the motherson bond." TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Not without my mom: AR Rahman with mother when Kareema Begum, h e 's Rahul Gandhi with ma Sonia, Mukesh Ambani with matriarch Kokilaben

Mama dearest: Yuvraj Singh with mother Shabnam

Mama's boy: Varun Gandhi with Maneka Gandhi

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Mom alone

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:16:00 +0000

Unwed, single, scared and yet brave — the new-age Mother's Day embraces motherhood of all kinds. Sreemoyee Piu Kundu explores

WOMEN nurture a Cindrella Syndrome — a loving husband, kids and a picture perfect home. But as a single mom, I've learnt that you don't always need a Prince Charming to walk into the sunset!" That's 32-year-old Parul Toria, single parent to a teenaged son, talking. Parul is just one of the many single moms who are redefining the very definition of parenthood in a contemporary urban scenario.
PROVIDER & PROTECTOR
The twilight zone of single moms is a fortified universe guarded by maternal pride, and the need to be a material and emotional provider. "Single parenting is daunting, involving multitasking at all levels," adds actress Pooja Bedi, single mom to 11-year-old Aalia and nine-year-old Omar. Thankfully, social acceptance is forthcoming. Kalyani Chawla, VP, Christian Dior, India, and a single mother feels, "There's great respect for women who're working to support themselves and bring up children as single moms. Once you can afford to take care of yourself and your children emotionally, on your own, more than financially, you find ground for great pride and self-worth. Today, women are financially independent. You don't need a man anymore to fulfil a false sense of security."
THE SIEGE WITHIN
The rise in urban divorce rates coupled with redefined gender rules has transformed modern-day motherhood from a biological obligation to a 24-hour job. "In the past, a single mom raised her kid in the cocooned shelter of her parents' home. Now, with nuclear homes and working women — it's a challenge — spending quality time with the child and also being a pro at work. The struggle is more internal now," holds Parul.
    Single moms grapple with the void in their own lives too. Divya Khanna, a single mom to her 11-year-old daughter Megha adds, "Immediately after divorce, moms want to vent their frustration and the child is all she has. But, one needs to cultivate a positive support system and not badmouth the father in front of the child as it instills negative emotions."
    Teething problems apart, single moms are up for the challenge. Lecturer Sunaina Lal, who discovered she was pregnant two months after being dumped by her fiancé, recalls, "I was scared. At 30, being an unwed, single mom wasn't on life's agenda. When I decided to keep my child, a lot of people pitied me saying, 'God will take care of your child.' Their condescending attitude made me feel my child was being singled out. Wanting a baby puts a woman in control of her destiny and it's a decision to be lauded!"
WORKING WARRIORS
In the humdrum of daily life, only the fittest survive. Meena Sharma, a teacher and a single mom to an eight-year-old son says, "I separated when Akash was only nine months old. I jumped jobs — lured by better pay and flexi-timings. Even today, many employers say my resume is choppy — but they don't realise single moms aren't like regular employees. We have to pay bills, attend PTA meetings and rush home if our child has fever."
    TV actress Achint Kaur, who separated when her son was three adds, "I customised my work schedule to accommodate my son's every need. I rarely accepted outdoor schedules and worked only for 15-18 days a month. During and before his board exams, I informed my producers that I wasn't available. Being professionally productive ensures people understand." Yet one can't deny the inherent pull at a mom's heartstrings. Kalyani adds, "My daughter's principal said, 'Don't feel guilty about being a working mother, every teacher teaching your daughter is one.'"
HOME TRUTHS
Most single moms grapple with disciplinary issues walking the fine line between indulgence and maternal love. "Usually parents balance each other out — while one's strict, the other pampers. I'm the softer one and thus handling Megha's rebellious bouts is tough," admits Divya, adding, "Her dad always meets her outside, taking her to malls and coffee shops and spoiling her with shopping sprees. Their visits are more like dates. He doesn't realise the impact it has."
    Is it wise then to keep the father out? Meena says, "Till my son was four, he never knew what a dad was. But, one day, after watching a man leave for work on a scooter, he asked, 'Is that dad?' It was time to mend
    fences. I called my ex after years. Today, I know there's someone there, apart from me, on whom my son can depend on."
    Sunaina adds, "My 10-yearold daughter once asked, 'Do you miss dad?' Initially, I said, 'No, ma loves you, dad's far away.' But I couldn't sleep for nights. I hadn't disclosed my pregnancy to my ex. But, I'd wondered if knowing he was going to become a father may have changed his mind. I had to face my own demons. I traced him, mailing him pictures of Apsara. For months, there was nothing. And then one evening, I got a call from Dipin — a much married father of two daughters settled in Delhi. He even visited us, offered monetary help, but I refused knowing he wouldn't be able to come clean to his family and that seemed hypocritical. I was scared of Apsara's response — but her strength amazed me. After he left, she hugged me saying, 'Ma, are you okay?' It was a moment of retribution."
PLAYING DAD
Filling in a father's shoes is no mean task. But Chawla says, "Create dedicated moments with your l'il one." Psychologist Seema Hingorrany adds, "Single moms try to compensate lack of quality time through materialistic spoils. But, being there emotionally is the key."
    Meena says of her bonding ritual, "Every four months we go for a small holiday. Sundays too are reserved just for us — we cook, play board games and dance."
SECOND TIME LUCKY
A lot of single moms shy away from finding love for themselves. "The fear of being exploited again and the impact it can have on kids keeps love out," says Seema. Meena adds, "Lots of men think it's cool to date a single mom. But what most guys don't realise is that a single mom can't just go out on casual dates at the drop of a hat. I have to look out for my son first."
Pooja, who was seeing choreographer Haneef Hilal feels, "Expose your kids to the people in your life. Even today, there's no bitterness between Haneef, me and my kids, post our split. Kids need to know that love and respect exist between their mom and the men in her life, whether or not the relationship sustains."
MOM'S THE WORD
Being the perfect single mom is an uphill journey. But, the rewards overshadow the regrets. "Being a single mom isn't as burdensome like films and serials portray — yes, there are moments when you face social pressure, rebellion from your child and professional dilemmas, but the joys of knowing you are their hero is unparalleled. Last year, on Mother's Day, Apsara was awarded the best allrounder trophy in school and upon being asked whether she missed a dad, she just pointed at me saying, 'That's my dad!' What's bigger than that?"
(Some names have
been changed to protect
identities.) sreemoyee.kundu1@timesgroup.com

Perfect family: Kalyani and Tahira Tara

Mom's in charge: Pooja Bedi with Aalia and Omar

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Nooyi, 2 other Indians in best US CEO list

noreply@blogger.com (Ways2earn) — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:43:00 +0000

BIG LEAGUE

THREE Indian-origin CEOs, Indra Nooyi, Francisco D'Souza and Ramani Ayer, have figured among the best US chief executives in the seventh annual listing of best American CEOs by the Institutional Investor magazine.
    Pepsi's Ms Nooyi, Cognizant Technologies' Mr D'Souza and Hartford Financial's Mr Ayer feature in the list of CEOs who, according to the magazine, stand out "for being forthright and transparent with shareholders and smart with their companies' balance sheets". They also earn high praise for keeping their companies on course, said a statement from the magazine.
    Around 900 investment professionals at more than 460 firms that manage $6.6 trillion in the US equities identified the best CEOs in 57 industry sectors in the list.
    PepsiCo's Nooyi tops the beverages segment in the listing followed by Coca-Cola's Muhtar Kent. Mr D'- Souza ranks No. 3 in the technology list topped by Accenture's William Green. Ramani Ayer, who heads the Hartford Financial Services Group is 3rd in the life insurance segment.
    Both Ms Nooyi and Mr D'Souza have been honoured by The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence in the past. Ms Nooyi, who won the ET Global Indian of the Year in 2006, also headed the awards jury in 2008. Mr D'Souza was selected by ET as the entrepreneur of the year in 2005.

Indra Nooyi

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