Abdul Matin

Social Ecology and Social Exclusion: Lessons from Kosi Command Area

There is a close relationship between social ecology and social exclusion, although not rigorously examined by social scientists. The proposed article attempts in establishing a relationship between ecological conditions of the Kosi Command Area adversely affecting various social classes in the region under investigation and exclusion from the benefits resulted from state initiatives. Kosi is one of most notorious rivers in India. It is known for changing its course frequently. Changing course of the river has resulted into millions of hectares of land being degraded, resulting into uncultivable for agricultural purposes. The proposed article examines various agrarian classes adversely affected by degradation of land due to change of the course of the Kosi river. Besides, it also highlights unprecedented floods due to overflow of water from Nepal for which Government of India has no control. These floods have devastated millions of people and billions of rupees in terms of inundation of houses and other assets and damages to crops in the fields. A large chunk of cultivators coming from lower socio-economic background as well as low castes are excluded from benefitting from the little resources available at their disposal. Grihasts as well as petty cultivators are excluded from optimising their major resources at their disposal due to fragile ecological conditions intensified by natural calamities like floods. Social Scientists must learn from these devastations from the perspectives of the disaster management for empowerment of the marginalised sections of the society.

Sex Ratio Complexity in Selected States: A Tentative Observation

Sex ratio is one of the important indicators reflecting the status of girl child as well as women in Indian society. This paper makes an attempt in examining complex trends of sex ratio at the district level in selected states. State level data may not be considered truly representative as district level data reveals a paradoxical situation. A close examination of 2011 census data reveals that some districts are much below the State average; whereas, other districts show low sex ratio. These trends require explanation different from State level average. It has been argued that sex ratio variations at the district level or even below district level may provide us better insights than the conventional understanding of the State level averages. This may have implications for policy and planning in order to address the social problems of gender discrimination. In this background, we have comparatively analysed seven states of India viz. Haryana, Rajasthan, J&K, Uttar Pradesh, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as states of north and west are notorious for discrimination against women, the manifestation of which is apparent through the sex ratio of respective states. And now this serious problem is also making its inroad into southern and eastern states too. This phenomenon is supported by advancement in reproductive technologies and their use for sex determination and elimination of unwanted female foetus, which is responsible for adversely increasing gender disparity as reflected through child sex ratio in India, which is negating the notion of woman empowerment rather contributing in declining the status of women and girl child. It has been shown in the paper that in best performing states there are worst performing district, which are comparable to states and districts with low sex ratio and vice-versa.

Cultural Constraints to Girl Child's Right to Health and Nutrition

The present paper attempts in examining cultural constraints by identifying the deprivation of girl child in terms of health and nutrition, which begins from her family and continues at the community level at large. India in general and Uttar Pradesh in particular is conspicuous for gender bias practices till date including in the areas of health and nutrition. Birth of a girl child is either not celebrated or if at all celebrated than with minimum rituals. Harmful traditional practices perpetuate deprivation of girl child in getting proper nutrition and health care. In this study, the indicators taken into consideration are initiation of breast feeding, exclusive breastfeeding throughout the first 6 months, clothing and birth ceremony for examining denial of girl childs right to health and nutrition as cultural constraint.

Children's Right to Nutrition: Improvement through Community-Based Supervision in Aligarh

Children are deprived of adequate nutrition, which adversely affects their health and survival. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among children enhances mortality risk and stunting. National Family Health Survey (NFHS3) data show that about 8 million children under 5 years of age are SAM victims.This study, based on Strengthening Comprehensive Child Survival Programme Through Supportive Supervision (S-CCSP-SS) in Aligarh district, reveals that feeding practices for children have been substantially changed by community-level workers, especially Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). Data suggest that initiation of breastfeeding within 1 h, 24 h and >24 h has changed from 40 to 80, 13 to 15 and 47 to 5 per cent, respectively (during 1st and 2nd surveys), due to community-level intervention. Furthermore, exclusive breastfeeding has also improved from 30 to 71 per cent with ASHAs’ intervention. It is further buttressed by the fact that among the three exclusive breastfeeding advisors, namely doctors/auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), ASHAs and family members, breastfeeding has changed from 11.5 to 4, 58 to 91.6 and 30.5 to 4.4 per cent, respectively. It clearly shows the crucial role played by ASHAs. The findings from the present study suggest the significant role played by the community workers in ensuring and enhancing nutrition to neonatals.