Despite a booming economy, nutrition deprivation among India’s children remains widespread.  “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” So begins the Universal Declaration of Human Rights established 60 years ago and celebrated today around the globe. This year’s theme is non-discrimination. When it comes to nutrition, all of India’s children are not equal. According to India’s third National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) of 2005-06, 20...

The termination of the proposed social audits of works carried out under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in 16 panchayats -- one each from an equal number of districts -- in Rajasthan this past week has come as a rude shock to the social activists who pioneered the job scheme. Coming as it does from the Congress Government in the NREGS flagship State of Rajasthan, the development has...

To oppose the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s new scheme for privatising garbage collection and segregation, the All-India Kachra Sramik Mahasangh has decided to organise a rally at the MCD headquarters here on Thursday which is being observed as Human Rights Day. Citing the loss of livelihoods for thousands of rag pickers as a result of the civic body’s decision, the Mahasangh has demanded that the MCD cancel the contract of the...

In a year of sparse rains and spiralling food prices, with hundreds of districts being officially declared as drought-hit, a rally by activists in the capital demands a Food Entitlements Act.  Perhaps the most vocal demands at the rally were those aimed at a complete revamp of the Public Distribution System (PDS), starting with universal — instead of targeted — coverage. Over 5,000 grassroots activists, agricultural workers, farmers, lawyers, doctors and...

The group of four emerging economies sets June 2010 as deadline to reach consensus  Further negotiations on any unresolved issues should be in accordance with Bali mandate Rich nations should provide finance and technology support to developing countries Not hopeful of an agreement on climate change at Copenhagen — the negotiations for which begin next week — the group of four emerging economies, Brazil, South Africa, India and China, have set June...