Page 312 - Failure to Triumph - Journey of A Student

Domestic violence

The incidents of domestic violence are higher among the lower Socio-Economic Classes (SECs). The
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 came into force on 26 October 2006.

Trafficking

The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act was passed in 1956. However many cases of trafficking of
young girls and women have been reported. These women are either forced into prostitution,
domestic work or child labour.

Other Concerns

Health

The average female life expectancy today in India is low compared to many countries, but it has
shown gradual improvement over the years. In many families, especially rural ones, the girls and
women face nutritional discrimination within the family, and are anaemic and malnourished.

The maternal mortality in India is the second highest in the world. Only 42% of births in the
country are supervised by health professionals. Most women deliver with help from women in the
family who often lack the skills and resources to save the mother’s life if it is in danger. According to
UNDP Human Development Report (1997), 88% of pregnant women (age 15-49) were found to be
suffering from anemia.

Family planning

The average woman in rural areas of India has little or no control over her reproductivity. Women,

particularly women in rural areas, do not have access to safe and self-controlled methods of
contraception. The public health system emphasises permanent methods like sterilization, or long-
term methods like IUDs that do not need follow-up. Sterilization accounts for more than 75% of total
contraception, with female sterilization accounting for almost 95% of all sterilizations.

INDIAN ECONOMY

A combination of protectionist, import-substitution, and Fabian socialist-inspired policies governed
India for sometime after the end of British occupation. The economy was then characterised by
extensive regulation, protectionism, public ownership, pervasive corruption and slow growth. Since
1991, continuing economic liberalisation has moved the country towards a market-based economy. By
2008, India had established itself as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Growth