The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 7th March 2025 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Beyond ‘Beijing’, unlocking a feminist future in India

Why in News?

• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995, is a global framework for advancing women’s rights.
• India has improved gender equality through policies, economic growth, and legal reforms while tackling gender violence.

Background of the Beijing Declaration

• The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in 1995, is a global blueprint for advancing women’s rights.
• The conference brought together leaders and delegates from 189 countries, including over 200 representatives from India.
• Over the past three decades, India has made significant progress in many of these areas.

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

• Adopted: At the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China (1995).
• Purpose: Aimed at achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.
• Key Focus Areas: Identifies 12 critical areas, including poverty, education, health, violence against women, economic rights, decision-making, human rights, and media representation.
• Global Commitments: Calls for policy reforms, legal changes, and increased resource allocation for women’s rights.
• Impact: Influenced global gender policies, including SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
• Follow-up Mechanism: Reviewed at Beijing+5 (2000), Beijing+10 (2005), Beijing+25 (2020) to assess progress.
• Legacy: Considered a blueprint for gender equality, shaping national policies and international frameworks for women’s rights.

Improvements in Maternal Health and Education

• Initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana have increased institutional deliveries to 95%.
• Maternal mortality has decreased from 130 to 97 deaths per 1,00,000 births between 2014 and 2020.
• More than 56.5% of married women now use modern contraceptives, giving them greater control over their reproductive health.
• The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana has provided millions of women with free access to critical healthcare.
• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative has improved the child sex ratio and increased school enrollments for girls.
• The National Education Policy 2020 has helped retain more girls in school, particularly in STEM fields.
• Improved sanitation has reduced menstruation-related school absences.

Economic Empowerment and Digital Inclusion

• The National Rural and Urban Livelihood Missions have connected nearly 100 million women to financial networks via self-help groups.
• The use of digital platforms, particularly through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), has increased financial independence for women.
• The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission has provided access to credit, financial literacy, and livelihood opportunities to over 100 million rural women.
• The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan has trained over 35 million rural women in digital literacy.
• Gender-responsive budgeting has increased its share in the national budget from 6.8% in 2024-25 to 8.8% in 2025-26, with $55.2 billion allocated to gender-specific programs.

Challenges of Gender-Based Violence

• Gender-based violence remains a serious concern.
• To address this, 770 One Stop Centres provide essential support such as medical, legal, and psychological aid.
• The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023, implemented in July 2024, strengthens legal protections for women.
• A blockchain-based system in Odisha ensures swift, confidential, and coordinated support for survivors.
• Partnerships with institutions like the Rajasthan Police Academy have enhanced gender-responsive policing and improved access to justice.

Women’s Leadership and Policy Changes

• Young women are leading change in areas such as climate action and digital entrepreneurship.
• Initiatives like the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) project promote women’s participation in STEM.
• The G20 TechEquity platform has trained thousands of young women in emerging technologies.
• The Women’s Reservation Bill ensures 33% legislative representation for women, building on the success of local governance, where close to 1.5 million women hold leadership positions.

Conclusion

• The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration highlights that gender equality is a global responsibility.
• India’s progress has been driven by strong government policies and support from local and international partners.
• Continued investments in young women’s leadership and addressing systemic challenges will be crucial for further progress.

Is Artificial Intelligence affecting critical thinking skills?

Why in News?

Concerns are being raised regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on critical thinking as its use in education continues to rise.

AI in College Classrooms

• AI tools are being widely adopted in education worldwide, benefiting both students and teachers.
• British universities are being urged to evaluate their assessment methods, as a significant number of students rely on AI tools.
• In India, more than 61% of educators have already integrated AI into their teaching practices.
• Despite concerns, AI cannot be entirely prohibited since it is ingrained in everyday life and learning environments.
• The level of AI usage should be determined by the type of course. For technical and coding courses, AI can aid students in assessing and validating their code.

Need for Responsible AI Usage

• AI should be utilized ethically and responsibly within classrooms.
• In the absence of government regulations, educational institutions need to establish their own AI policies.
• These policies should be communicated clearly to students at the beginning of each course.
• Teaching AI usage should prioritize ethical standards and prevent any potential misuse.

AI as a Critical Educational Infrastructure

• AI is poised to become an integral part of educational institutions, businesses, and organizations.
• The Future of Jobs Report 2025 emphasizes the importance of analytical thinking, AI-related skills, and adaptability as crucial future competencies.
• Programming skills are now considered less essential than the ability to evaluate AI outputs and demonstrate analytical capabilities.
• Integrating AI necessitates robust security measures to safeguard personal and institutional data.

Concerns About AI Integration

• Some governments are advocating for AI in schools without conducting thorough audits of AI tools.
• AI tools may contain inherent biases and problems related to their training data.
• Clear disclosure requirements and safety evaluations should be in place before implementing AI in education.

Regulated AI Adoption Over Prohibition

• Given AI's expanding role, regulation is becoming more necessary than outright bans.
• Some countries are reluctant to regulate AI to prevent hindering its progress.
• Discussions on AI regulation should advance in tandem with technological developments.
• While the European Union has made significant strides in AI regulation, India is still in the process of formulating its policies.

Impact of AI on Critical Thinking

• There are worries that reliance on AI might diminish students' critical thinking skills.
• Although AI can be a valuable learning aid, educational institutions need to strike a balance between practical skills and the development of critical thinking abilities.
• Excessive reliance on AI-generated answers could pose challenges for both students and educators.
•  Teaching responsible AI usage is essential, highlighting both its advantages and limitations.