The proposed Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), a flagship anti-discrimination panel promised by the Congress in its manifesto, is back on track after being stuck in an inter-ministerial turf war. A draft Equal Opportunities Commission Bill, prepared by the minority affairs ministry and cleared by the law ministry, gives the EOC mandate to address discrimination, not just against minorities but other disadvantaged groups, if required. Moreover, the private sector will come under...
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A bill to settle a terrible debt by Siddharth Varadarajan
For decades, the victims of communal and targeted violence have been denied protections of law that the rest of us take for granted. It's time to end this injustice. In a vibrant and mature democracy, there would be no need to have special laws to prosecute the powerful or protect the weak. If a crime takes place, the law would simply take its course. In a country like ours, however, life...
More »Now, an endangered press by Sevanti Ninan
The murder of Mid-Day's J. Dey is only the tip of the iceberg. If violence against journalists continues unchecked, can a beleaguered press continue to report the way it should? If they are becoming fair game for everybody, it makes you wonder if the media as a sector really has clout. The lawlessness that is currently manifest in public life is turning out to have another dimension to it. The power...
More »Cracks in pro-Posco group as Orissa govt fails to break resistance by Nageshwar Patnaik
Orissa government is finding it difficult to acquired land for Posco's Rs 52,000 crore steel project as anti-displacement brigade gained strength from political parties and social activists with Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patker on Monday visiting Dhinkia, the entry point to the proposed plant site on Monday and lending her support to protester. Last week social activists Swami Agnibesh visited Dhinkia and warned the government of any violence...
More »Expanded midwifery services could save millions of lives – UN
-The United Nations Up to 3.6 million deaths could be avoided each year in 58 developing countries if midwifery services are upgraded, according to a report released today by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and partners. The study, The State of the World’s Midwifery 2011, estimates that an additional 112,000 midwives need to be deployed in 38 countries to meet their target to achieve 95 per cent coverage of births...
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