Indian Society and Social Issues: January 2023 UPSC Current Affairs | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

Kala-azar Disease

Why in News?

Kala-azar cases in India declined by 98.7% between 2007 and 2022, from 44,533 to 834 and 632 endemic blocks (99.8%) spread across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal have received elimination status (less than one case per 10,000).

• The only block that is still in the endemic category is Littipara in the Pakur district of Jharkhand (1.23 cases per 10,000 population).

What is Kala-azar Disease?

• About:
  • It is also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis or Black Fever or Dumdum Fever.
  • There are three types of Leishmaniasis:
  • Visceral Leishmaniasis, which affects multiple organs and is the most serious form of the disease.
  • Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores and is the most common form.
  • Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis, which causes skin and mucosal lesions.
  • It is a deadly parasitic disease caused by the protozoa parasite Leishmania and mainly affects the people living in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
  • The disease can cause death, if left untreated.
• Global and National Status:
  • According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Kala-azar is the second deadliest parasitic disease in the world, and as of November, 2022, about 89% of global cases are reported from eight countries: Brazil, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
  • India contributes about 11.5% of total cases of Kala-azar reported globally.
  • Over 90% of kala-azar cases in India are reported from Bihar and Jharkhand, while Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have achieved their elimination targets at the block level.
• Transmission:
  • It is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sandfly.
• Signs and Symptoms:
  • Fever, weight loss, anemia, and enlargement of the liver and spleen.
• Prevention:
  • Prevention of kala-azar involves measures to reduce the breeding sites of sandflies and to protect people from sandfly bites.
  • This can be achieved through the use of insecticides, bed nets, and repellents, as well as the improvement of housing conditions and access to clean water and sanitation.
  • The WHO also recommends Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in areas where the disease is endemic.
• Treatment:
  • The treatment of kala-azar involves the use of drugs, such as sodium stibogluconate and meglumine antimoniate.
  • The WHO recommends a combination of two or more drugs for the treatment of kala-azar, as monotherapy has a higher risk of treatment failure and drug resistance.

Related Initiatives

• Global:
  • WHO’s New Roadmap for 2021–2030: To prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate a set of 20 diseases, termed neglected tropical diseases, by 2030.
  • The WHO has also established the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF), which aims to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, and Kala-azar by MDA.
  • The target set by GPELF in 2000 to eliminate these diseases globally by 2020 was not achieved. Despite setbacks due to Covid-19, WHO will accelerate work to achieve this target by 2030.
• Indian:
  • The central government has taken several steps to achieve its goal of eliminating kala-azar from India by 2023, including building pucca houses through the PM-AWAS yojana, rural electrification, testing, treatment, periodic high-level review, and award distribution.
  • The Centre is also supporting the states in active case detection, surveillance, treatment, and supply of diagnostic kits, medicines, and sprays.
• National Kala-azar Elimination Programme
  • The National Health Policy-2002 set the goal of Kala-azar elimination in India by the year 2010 which was revised to 2015.
  • India signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh and Nepal to achieve Kala-azar elimination from the South-East Asia Region (SEAR).
  • Presently, all programmatic activities are being implemented through the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) which is an umbrella programme and is subsumed under National Health Mission (NHM).

UN World Social Report 2023

Why in News?

According to the United Nations (UN) World Social Report 2023: Leaving no one behind in an ageing world, the number of persons aged 65 years or older worldwide is expected to double over the next three decades.

What are the Key Highlights of the Report?

• The elderly population will reach 1.6 billion in 2050, accounting for more than 16% of the global population.
• North Africa, West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are expected to experience the fastest growth in the number of older people over the next three decades.
• Also, Europe and North America combined now have the highest share of older persons.
• This demographic shift brings into question current arrangements of old-age support in young and old countries.
• Gender inequality also persists into old age. Economically, women’s lower levels of formal labour market participation, shorter working lives and lower wages during working years lead to more economic insecurity in later life.

What is Ageing of the Population?

• About:
  • It refers to the process by which the proportion of older individuals in a society increases over time.
  • This is typically measured by the proportion of the population that is over a certain age, such as 65 years or older.
• Status in India:
  • According to the National Commission on Population, the share of the elderly in India’s population, close to 9% in 2011, is growing fast and may reach 18% by 2036.
  • Life expectancy in India has more than doubled since Independence from around 32 years in the late 1940s to 70 years or so today.
• Problems Associated with the Ageing Population:
  • Healthcare Costs: As people age, they are more likely to experience chronic physical health conditions and require more healthcare services.
  • This can lead to increased healthcare costs for governments, insurers, and individuals.
  • Social Security Imbalance: Ageing populations can put a strain on social security systems, as a smaller proportion of the population is working and contributing to the system, while a larger proportion is retired and drawing benefits.
  • This can lead to increased pressure to raise taxes or reduce benefits.
  • Mental Health Issues: According to a recent survey, 30% to 50% of elderly people had symptoms that make them depressed due to feelings of powerlessness, loneliness.
  • A large majority of elderly persons living alone are women, especially widows.
• Other Problems:
  • Negligence by kids towards their old parents, Disillusionment due to retirement, Feeling of powerlessness, loneliness, uselessness and isolation in elderly, Generational gap.
• Current Schemes Related to Old Age Population:
  • Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY)
  • Integrated Program for Older Persons (IPOP)
  • SAMPANN Project
  • SACRED Portal for Elderly
  • Elder Line: Toll-Free Number for Elderly
• International Initiative: The World Health Organization and the UN have designated 2021-2030 as the Decade of Healthy Aging, building on the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing is a good step for elderly empowerment.

Way Forward

• Focusing on Healthcare and Social Security: There is a need to Increase funding for healthcare and social security programs to support older citizens.
• Also, promoting healthy ageing and preventive healthcare can reduce the burden of chronic disease.
• Financial Security to Elderly: Increase pension coverage and improve pension schemes to ensure older citizens are financially secure.
• Linking CSR with Elderly Empowerment: There is a need to encourage private sector participation in the provision of elderly care services through Corporate Social Responsibility.
• Private sector can also help in the development of age-friendly infrastructure and environments to support older citizens.
• Old Age Self Help Groups: Old Age Self Help Groups can be formed at the local level linked with handloom and handicraft activities to keep elderly socially and physically active and busy.
• Time to time board games programmes can also be organized at local levels to promote intergenerational bonding through activities that bring together older and younger citizens.

Prison Reforms

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister suggested prison reforms to improve jail management and recommended repealing obsolete criminal laws, at the 57^th All-India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police, organised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

What are the Key Highlights of the Prime Minister’s Address?

• He emphasised on the importance of National Data Governance Framework for the smoothing of data exchange, across agencies.
• Also, making the police forces more sensitive and training them in emerging technologies.
• He talked about leveraging technological solutions like biometrics etc., and the need to further strengthen traditional policing mechanisms like foot patrols.
• He also emphasised on enhanced cooperation between the State Police and Central Agencies to leverage capabilities and share best practices replicating the model of the DGsP/IGsP Conference at the State/district levels, for discussing emerging challenges and evolving best practices among their teams.

What is the Status of Prison Administration in India?

• About:
  • Prison administration is an important component of the criminal justice system. There is a paradigm shift in social viewpoint towards prisoners in the last century.
  • Earlier system of prison with a punitive attitude where inmates were forcibly confined and deprived a variety of freedom as a form of punishment has changed with a change in social perception towards prison and prisoners.
  • It is now treated as a correction or improvement facility which itself indicates that there is more emphasis on reformation of prisoners than to punish them.
• Structure of the Criminal Justice System in India:
  • The Indian Criminal Justice System is composed of government agencies that enforce the law, adjudicate crimes, and correct criminal behaviour.
• It has four subsystems:
  • Legislature (Parliament)
  • Enforcement (Police)
  • Adjudication (Courts)
  • Corrections (Prisons, Community Facilities)
• Issues Related to Prison in India:
  • Pendency of Cases: As per the records of 2022, over 4.7 crore cases are pending in Indian courts across different levels of the judiciary.
  • Also, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)-Prison Statistics India, 67.2% of total prison population in India comprises trial prisoners.
  • Colonial Nature and Obsolete Laws: Both substantive and procedural aspects of the Indian criminal justice system were designed with the purpose of ruling the nation in British colonial times.
  • In light of this, the relevance of these 19^th century laws is debatable in the 21^st century.
  • Inhumane Behaviour Behind Bars: Over the years, critics have repeatedly complained about the indifferent and even inhuman behaviour of prison staff.
  • Also, there have been many instances of custodial rapes and deaths resulting in violation of prisoners' human rights.
  • Overcrowding: Many prisons in India are overcrowded, with facilities designed to hold a certain number of inmates being filled well beyond capacity.
  • For example, in 2020 it was reported that the Tihar Jail in Delhi, which has a capacity of around 7,000 inmates, held more than 15,000 prisoners.
• Inadequate Staff: Many prisons in India are understaffed, which can lead to poor conditions and a lack of security.
• For example, in 2020 it was reported that the Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, Tamil Nadu had only one guard for every 100 prisoners.
  • Also, as per the Prison Act, 1894 and Prisoner Act, 1900, there should be a welfare officer and a law officer in each jail but recruitment of these officers remains pending.

Way Forward

• Making Prisons Correctional Institutions: The ideal policy prescription of making prisons into places of rehabilitation and “correctional institutions” will only be achieved when the issues of unrealistically low budgetary allocation, high workloads and the unmindfulness of the police regarding procedural safeguards are addressed.
• Recommendation for Prison Reforms: The Supreme Court appointed Justice Amitava Roy (retd.) Committee which gave the following recommendations to address the overcrowding of prisons:
• Speedy trial remains one of the best ways to remedy the unwarranted phenomenon of overcrowding.
• There should be at least one lawyer for every 30 prisoners, which is not the case at present.
• Special fast-track courts should be set up to deal exclusively with petty offences which have been pending for more than five years.
• The concept of plea bargaining, in which the accused admits guilt for a lesser sentence, should be promoted.
• Improving Prison Management: This includes providing proper training and resources to prison staff, as well as implementing effective systems for monitoring and accountability.
• This also includes providing basic amenities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, and medical facilities to inmates.

Issues Faced by Females in Sports

Why in News?

Recently, some sportspersons made allegations of sexual harassment against WFI (Wrestling Federation of India) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

• Sports Ministry demands explanation from WFI within 72 hours, if WFI fails to furnish the reply, the Ministry will proceed to initiate action against the Federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.

What is the Scenario of Such Allegations?

• According to RTI (Right to Information) Data, between 2010 to 2020, there were 45 complaints of sexual harassment to the SAI (Sports Authority of India), of which 29 were against coaches.
• In several of these reported cases, the accused were let off leniently, with punishments that consisted of transfers to a meager cut in pay or pension.
• Some of the cases have not seen the end of the tunnel with many dragging on for years, with no resolutions in sight.
• Abuse in sports was a poll issue in Germany in 2021. The Federal Parliament's Sports Committee hosted a public hearing on emotional, physical and sexualised violence in sports in May 2021.
• It is about time India discussed the issue and not wait for athletes to stage protests at Jantar Mantar to be heard.
• Living in the 21st century, where we have devised the technology to monitor robots to do our bidding, there’s still one aspect where we fall grossly short when it comes to progress — gender equality.

What are the Issues Faced by Sportswomen?

• Funding and Budget:
  • Sportswomen face a lack of equal funding compared to men's athletics, making it difficult for them to compete and run consistent programs.
• Buoyant Sexism:
  • Women are made to face the barrels of buoyant sexism on a daily basis, be it at work or even at home. They are monitored and judged by the way they dress, by the way they speak.
• Gender Disparity:
  • Despite women's efforts to advocate for their social rights, they still do not receive the same level of respect or recognition on the professional front, particularly in the sports industry, as their male counterparts.
• Lack of Access and Costlier:
  • Lack of physical education in schools and limited opportunities to play sports in both high school and college mean girls have to look elsewhere for sports –which may not exist or may cost more money.
  • Often there is an additional lack of access to adequate playing facilities near their homes that makes it more difficult for girls to engage in sports.
• Safety and Transportation Issues:
  • Sports require a place to participate – and for many girls, especially in dense urban environments, that means traveling to facilities through unsafe neighborhoods or lacking any means to get to a good facility miles away.
  • And if there isn’t a safe option like carpooling with other families, the only option for a girl and her family may be to stay home.
  • For example, Manipur is a sporting powerhouse, but 48% of female athletes travel over 10 km to reach the practice facility.
• Social Attitudes and Disfigurement:
  • Despite recent progress, discrimination based on the real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity of female athletes persists.
  • Girls in sports may experience bullying, social isolation, negative performance evaluations, or the loss of their starting position.
  • During socially fragile adolescence, the fear of being tagged “gay” is strong enough to push many girls out of the game.
• Decreased Quality Training:
  • The facilities are not as good as the boys’ venues and the playing times may not be optimal.
  • The availability of quality, trained coaches may be lacking in their community or these coaches may be more focused on the boys’ programs that have more money for training.
  • Equipment, and even uniforms aren’t funded for many girls’ programs at the same levels as boys so their ability to grow and enjoy the sport is diminished. In short, sports just aren’t “fun” any more.
• Lack of Positive Role Models:
  • Today’s girls are bombarded with images of external beauty, not those of confident, strong female athletic role models.
  • Peer pressure can be hard for girls at any age; when that pressure isn’t offset with strong encouragement to participate in sports and healthy physical activity, the results may lead girls to drop out altogether.
• Limited Media Coverage:
  • Women's sports are often underrepresented in the media, which can make it harder for female athletes to gain recognition and sponsorship opportunities.
• Pregnancy and Maternity:
  • Female athletes often face challenges balancing motherhood and their sports careers.
  • This can affect the training and competing opportunities for female athletes.

Why is it Important for More Women Participation in Sports?

• Physical and Mental Health:
  • Sports can have a positive impact on physical and mental health for both men and women.
  • Girls active in sports during adolescence and young adulthood are 20% less likely to get breast cancer later in life.
• Gender Parity:
  • By providing equal opportunities and resources for women in sports, we can help to break down barriers and stereotypes that limit women's potential and participation in other areas of life.
  • Sport in its most basic form encourages balanced participation and has the capacity to promote gender equality (SDG Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all Achieve women and girls)
• Economic Empowerment:
  • Women who participate in sports often have more opportunities for education and employment, which can lead to greater economic empowerment.
• Rectify Societal Connotations:
  • Women's participation in sports can also help to change societal attitudes towards women and their capabilities.
  • By seeing women excel in sports, it can inspire more women to pursue their own goals and aspirations, and challenge stereotypes about what women are capable of achieving.
• Representation:
  • Women's participation in sports can help to provide better representation for women in leadership roles, including coaching and administration.
  • It can also serve as an inspiration for young girls to pursue sports as a career.
• Community Building:
  • Sports can bring people together and promote greater understanding and respect between different groups within society.
  • By promoting greater participation in sports among women, we can help to build stronger and more inclusive communities.

Way Forward

• Women's participation in sports in India has been traditionally low due to cultural and societal attitudes. However, in recent years there have been efforts to promote and encourage women's participation in sports, such as the implementation of policies to increase funding and resources for female athletes, and the creation of programs to encourage girls to participate in sports from a young age.
• Despite these efforts, there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving gender parity in sports participation and representation in India.
• Sports in India is in the process of development. To accelerate this rate of development, a holistic approach should be adopted. Efforts are required in developing infrastructure, identifying sports talents, organising regular sports events, and generating awareness at the grass-root level.

World Leprosy Day 2023

Why In News 

• In 2023, World Leprosy Day will be observed on 29 January.

About Leprosy Day

• World Leprosy Day is observed every year on the last Sunday of January.
• In India, it is observed on 30th January every year, coinciding with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.   
• He was deeply committed to the cause of leprosy-affected persons.
• It aims to create awareness against the stigma and discrimination attached to the disease, by making the general community aware that it is a disease spread by a type of bacteria and it can be easily cured. 
• The theme of World Leprosy Day 2023 is “Act Now. End Leprosy.”
• The theme stresses three main points: 
• elimination of leprosy is possible
• immediate action is required, which includes resources and commitment
• leprosy is preventable and treatable, hence people still suffering from it is a needless thing.

Leprosy 

• It is also known as Hansen’s disease and is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. 
• The disease affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract and the eyes. 
• It is known to occur at all ages ranging from early childhood to old age. 
• Transmission: It is transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contact with untreated cases.
• The disease is not spread through casual contact with a person who has leprosy like shaking hands or hugging, sharing meals or sitting next to each other.
• Impacts: Left untreated, the disease may cause progressive and permanent disabilities.
• Spread: It is reported from all six WHO Regions; the majority of annual new case detections are from South-East Asia.
• It is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which still occurs in more than 120 countries, with more than 200 000 new cases reported every year.
• Treatment: It is a curable disease. 
• The currently recommended treatment regimen consists of three drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. 
• The combination is referred to as multi-drug therapy (MDT). 
• WHO response: WHO provides technical support to Member States on leprosy prevention and control. 
• The Global Leprosy Strategy 2021–2030 “Towards zero leprosy” was developed through a broad consultative process with all major stakeholders during 2019 and 2020.
• Efforts of India: The Government is implementing the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) with the goal of making India leprosy free. 
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the umbrella of the National Health Mission (NHM). 
• It is implemented in all the States/UTs.
• The World Health Organization (WHO), working through the country office in India, supports the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).

Major initiatives under NLEP are as follows

• Leprosy Case Detection Campaign (LCDC) in high endemic districts.
• Focused Leprosy Campaign (FLC) in low-endemic districts for case detection.
• ASHA Based Surveillance for Leprosy Suspects (ABSULS).
• Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign on 30th January every year.
• Active Case Detection and Surveillance both in rural and urban areas.
• Convergence of leprosy screening under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) for screening of children (0-18 years) and under Ayushman Bharat for screening of people above 30 years of age.

NCW’s Concerns over Sexual Assault

Why in News?

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked all States to ensure strict implementation of the sexual harassment at workplace law.

What are the Concerns of NCW?

• The NCW has expressing concern over incidents of sexual harassment at coaching centres and educational institutes and asked to ensure strict implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and guidelines established thereunder.
• In recent years, sexual harassment at workplace is becoming one of the most pressing issues affecting women across the globe.
• Nearly 31,000 complaints of crimes committed against women were received by the NCW in 2022, the highest since 2014.
• About 54.5 % of the complaints were received from Uttar Pradesh. Delhi recorded 3,004 complaints, followed by Maharashtra (1,381), Bihar (1,368) and Haryana (1,362).
• Crimes that women were subjected to: Domestic violence, Harassment of married women or dowry harassment, Sexual harasment at workplace, Rape and attempt to rape, Cyber crimes.

What is Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment Act, 2013

• Background: The Supreme Court in a landmark judgement in the Vishakha and others v State of Rajasthan 1997 case gave ‘Vishakha guidelines.
• These guidelines formed the basis for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 ("Sexual Harassment Act").
• Mechanism: The Act defines sexual harassment at the workplace and creates a mechanism for redressal of complaints.
• Every employer is required to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee at each office or branch with 10 or more employees.
• The Complaints Committees have the powers of civil courts for gathering evidence.
• The Complaints Committees are required to provide for conciliation before initiating an inquiry if requested by the complainant.
• Penal Provisions: Penalties have been prescribed for employers. Non-compliance with the provisions of the Act shall be punishable with a fine.
• Repeated violations may lead to higher penalties and cancellation of license or registration to conduct business.
• Responsibility of Administration: The State Government will notify the District Officer in every district, who will constitute a Local Complaints Committee (LCC) so as to enable women in the unorganised sector or small establishments to work in an environment free of sexual harassment.

What is the Background & Mandate of NCW?

• About:
  • Under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, the NCW was set up as a statutory body in January 1992.
  • The First Commission was constituted on 31^st January 1992 with Mrs. Jayanti Patnaik as the Chairperson.
  • The commission consists of a chairperson, a member secretary and five other members. The chairperson of the NCW is nominated by the Central Government.
• Mandate and Functions:
  • Its mission is to strive towards enabling women to achieve equality and equal participation in all spheres of life by securing her due rights and entitlements through suitable policy formulation, legislative measures, etc.
• Its functions are to:
  • Review the constitutional and legal safeguards for women.
  • Recommend remedial legislative measures.
  • Facilitate redressal of grievances.
  • Advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.
  • It has received a large number of complaints and acted suo-moto in several cases to provide speedy justice.
  • It took up the issue of child marriage, sponsored legal awareness programmes, Parivarik Mahila Lok Adalats and reviewed laws such as:
  • Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961,
  • Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act 1994,
  • Indian Penal Code 1860.

Way Forward

• There is a need to implement JS Verma Committee recommendations on Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act:
• Employment Tribunal: Setting up of an employment tribunal instead of an internal complaints committee (ICC) in the Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act.
• Power to Form Own Procedure: To ensure speedy disposal of complaints, the committee proposed that the tribunal should not function as a civil court but may choose its own procedure to deal with each complaint.
• Expanding Scope of Act: Domestic workers should be included within the purview of the Act.
• The Committee said any “unwelcome behavior” should be seen from the subjective perception of the complainant, thus broadening the scope of the definition of sexual harassment.
• Women's role is continuously expanding in today’s India and the expansion of the role of the NCW is the need of the hour.
• Further, the State Commissions must also widen their ambit.
• Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights.
• All in all, the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - to leave no one behind - cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls.
• Crime against women cannot be resolved in the court of law alone. A holistic approach & changing the entire ecosystem is what is required.
• All the stakeholders need to get their act together, including Law makers, police officers, forensic dept, prosecutors, judiciary, medical & health dept, NGOs, rehabilitation centres.