Sunday, June 30, 2013

"Meri Pehchan" (My identity) campaign

PVCHR flagged "Meri Pehchan" (My identity) campaign in 72 model villages of Badagaon, Pindra block of Varanasi, Tanda block of Ambedkar Nagar, Robertsganj block of Sonbhadra, Chaka block of Allahabad and Domchach block of Jharkhand state of India. My Identity campaign is a way to break the culture of silence through I am some one as my identity as my dignity. 

After the preliminary analysis of 3000 format filed in the base line survey it was concluded that most of the people did not own any type of identity cards such as election card, Caste certificate, birth registration and death registration certificate. 

The objective of this campaign is to discussion in each village on the importance of identity card and how it contributes in creating torture free village.  

Caste Certificate is the proof of one’s belonging to a particular caste, especially in case one belongs to any of the ‘Scheduled Castes’, as specified in the Indian Constitution. The Government felt that the Scheduled Castes and Tribes need special encouragement and opportunities to progress at the same pace as the rest of the citizenry. As a result, as part of the Indian system of Protective Discrimination, there exist certain special privileges granted to this category of citizens, such as reservation of seats in the Legislatures and in the Government Service, waiving off a part or the whole of the fees for admission to schools and colleges, quotas in educational institutions, relaxation of upper age limits for applying to certain jobs, etc. To be able to avail these privileges, a citizen belonging to a Scheduled Caste must be in possession of a valid Caste Certificate.

Birth registration is central to ensuring that children are counted and have access to basic services such as health, social security and education. Knowing the age of a child is central to protecting them from child labour, being arrested and treated as adults in the justice system, forcible conscription in armed forces, child marriage, trafficking and sexual exploitation. A birth certificate as proof of birth can support the traceability of unaccompanied and separated children and promote safe migration. In effect, birth registration is their ‘passport to protection.’  Universal birth registration is one of the most powerful instruments to ensuring equity over a broad scope of services and interventions for children. 

 Election card is a unique identity card which has the individual’s name and personal data, such as address, date of birth, and father’s name. A photograph is also included in it. 

In the month of July the activists of PVCHR will reach to the house of each target group and write an application and submit it to concerned official. 

For more information please contact to pvchr.india@gmail.com . The in charge for the campaign in different blocks as follows:

1.      Badagaon: Ms. Chhaya and Mr. Dinesh Kumar Anal
2.      Pindra: Mr. Shiv Pratap Chaubey and Mr. Prabhakar
3.      Tanda: Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh and Mr. Digvijay Singh
4.      Robertsganj: Mr. Pintu Gupta, Mr. Mahesh Kumar Gupta and Shyam ji
5.      Chaka: Ms. Farhat Saba Khanam and Mr. Mahesh
6.      Domchach: Mr. Onkar Kumar Viswakarma and Ms. Vandana

Thursday, June 6, 2013

NHRC issues notice to the UP Government on allegations of caste-based discrimination and sexual exploitation in Bundelkhand region.


NHRC issues notice to the UP Government on allegations of caste-based discrimination and sexual exploitation in Bundelkhand region.
New Delhi, 6th June, 2013

The National Human Rights Commission has taken cognizance of a complaint alleging that caste-based discrimination, sexual exploitation and untouchability are widespread in Bundelkhand area of UP, which is very backward. In the demography of the region, 53 percent are OBCs, 25 percents Scheduled Castes/Dalits, 10 percent tribals and 12 percent are Thakur and Brahmins who own land, but dominate others.

The Commission has issued notice to Chief Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh calling for a report within four weeks into the allegations. It has also asked its Director General (Investigation) to send a Fact Finding Team.

Allegedly, a Dalit needs to take off his shoes and hold it in his hand, if a Thakur is approaching towards him. He has to do so while visiting a locality in the village inhabited by upper caste. The complainant, Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi of PVCHR, Varanasi, UP, has alleged that this practice is prevalent in several villages of District Lalitpur in the region.

He has also alleged that the women of the Balmiki community manually dispose off human faces and carcass of dead animals. Violence against women is rampant and during the last few years, a number of Sati deaths have been reported from the region. There have been cases of selling of daughters or wives to repay debts even as the sex-ratio is very adverse in the area.

The complainant has prayed for appropriate action against the system under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1995 and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.