It took a Supreme Court order to begin the first-ever, much needed, mapping of 9,589 homes, including observation homes, special homes and open shelters across the country.&nbsp;

The Report titled ‘Mapping and Review Exercise of Child Care Institutions’, conducted between December 2015 -March &nbsp;2017, was recently made public by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.&nbsp;

The survey throws light on the functioning of child care institutions (CCIs) in the country in the context of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJA).&nbsp;

The study included orphans, abandoned, sexually abused, victims of child pornography, minors who were trafficked for domestic work or labour, those affected and infected by HIV and AIDS as well as those hit by natural disasters.

A very basic database has now emerged of children living in the CCIs across the country that presents only a selection of the larger number of indicators required for CCIs.

Data gaps need to be filled and concerns addressed. Data on children with special needs is also required.

The successive JJAs brought in many changes, but in several states, besides change in nomenclature, there has been very little else.

Children exposed to institutional care do not receive the type of nurturing and stimulating environment needed for normal growth and healthy psychological development.&nbsp;

According to the report, only 46.7 per cent of the homes had an adequate number of caregivers per child and a dismal 28.7 per cent centres were able to tend to inmates showing signs of hunger or illness.&nbsp;

The report points that the lack of infrastructure facilities is “glaring” and that more than 1,000 homes did not have a dormitory for children.&nbsp;

Data is required regarding the emotional, educational and health needs of children. The children are deprived of opportunities to develop stable and continuous attachment relationships due to the large staff turnover and poor quality of contact with their caregivers.

The staff closest to children must be carefully recruited, screened, mandatory-trained in child rights, kindness and compassion, patience, and attentiveness.

Children are regimented. There is lack of a rights-based approach and no understanding on developing counselling, life skills, training, educational interventions and health support for children. No concept of rehabilitation, reintegration, deinstitutionalization and independent living. No long-term vision for children. The location of homes is based on political considerations, rather than on needs of the children.

Children have the right to participate and freely express their views and there is an obligation to listen to their views. It is important to hear the voices of children in the institutions. Nobody has talked to the children for the report. It is significant that children will only express, in a safe and trustful environment, which is lacking at the moment.&nbsp;

Recent incidents in certain homes across the country have established that sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children is rampant. Children feel powerless, angry, frightened and lonely.&nbsp;

The trauma of abuse lasts for a lifetime if the process of healing does not take place. The process of healing is the responsibility of the management and staff. &nbsp;Unfortunately, in a majority of the homes, there is zero awareness.&nbsp;

The report reveals that 65.9 per cent of homes were able to actively supervise children under trauma. CCIs mandate infrastructure, modernisation and digital technology in the homes.&nbsp;

The grievance redressal system has to be strengthened. Institutions must open up. There must be regular interaction with children by joint teams of government and civil society. Mandatory ongoing child protection training is required for staff and management.&nbsp;

Information is required as to what happens to these children after they leave the institutions. Aftercare in the juvenile justice system is an absolute failure.&nbsp;

Another issue of concern is the child’s right to an identity. &nbsp;Children should be given proper names and identity documents. Not known or NK, should not be mentioned on these documents, as it leads to their stigmatisation.&nbsp;

There is a growing global consensus on the need to promote family-based alternatives to institutional care for children.&nbsp;

A right climate is needed to create cost-effective, sustainable alternatives, including strengthening families and raising public awareness.

More evidence-based data will be a tool to systemic reform and transformation of CCIs. It is imperative and urgent that the Ministry invests resources on this.&nbsp;

There must be a participatory and consultative approach with various stakeholders, including children. When it comes to children in institutions, we must apply the same standards of care that we would to our own children. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-child-care-institutions-in-india-are-in-dire-need-of-reforms-2708362">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It took a Supreme Court order to begin the first-ever, much needed, mapping of 9,589 homes, including observation homes, special homes and open shelters across the country.

It took a Supreme Court order to begin the first-ever, much needed, mapping of 9,589 homes, including observation homes, special homes and open shelters across the country. The Report titled ‘Mapping and Review Exercise of Child Care Institutions’, conducted between December 2015 -March 2017, was recently made public by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The survey throws light on the functioning of child care institutions (CCIs) in the country in the context of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJA). The study included orphans, abandoned, sexually abused, victims of child pornography, minors who were trafficked for domestic work or labour, those affected and infected by HIV and AIDS as well as those hit by natural disasters. A very basic database has now emerged of children living in the CCIs across the country that presents only a selection of the larger number of indicators required for CCIs. Data gaps need to be filled and concerns addressed. Data on children with special needs is also required. The successive JJAs brought in many changes, but in several states, besides change in nomenclature, there has been very little else. Children exposed to institutional care do not receive the type of nurturing and stimulating environment needed for normal growth and healthy psychological development. According to the report, only 46.7 per cent of the homes had an adequate number of caregivers per child and a dismal 28.7 per cent centres were able to tend to inmates showing signs of hunger or illness. The report points that the lack of infrastructure facilities is “glaring” and that more than 1,000 homes did not have a dormitory for children. Data is required regarding the emotional, educational and health needs of children. The children are deprived of opportunities to develop stable and continuous attachment relationships due to the large staff turnover and poor quality of contact with their caregivers. The staff closest to children must be carefully recruited, screened, mandatory-trained in child rights, kindness and compassion, patience, and attentiveness. Children are regimented. There is lack of a rights-based approach and no understanding on developing counselling, life skills, training, educational interventions and health support for children. No concept of rehabilitation, reintegration, deinstitutionalization and independent living. No long-term vision for children. The location of homes is based on political considerations, rather than on needs of the children. Children have the right to participate and freely express their views and there is an obligation to listen to their views. It is important to hear the voices of children in the institutions. Nobody has talked to the children for the report. It is significant that children will only express, in a safe and trustful environment, which is lacking at the moment. Recent incidents in certain homes across the country have established that sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children is rampant. Children feel powerless, angry, frightened and lonely. The trauma of abuse lasts for a lifetime if the process of healing does not take place. The process of healing is the responsibility of the management and staff. Unfortunately, in a majority of the homes, there is zero awareness. The report reveals that 65.9 per cent of homes were able to actively supervise children under trauma. CCIs mandate infrastructure, modernisation and digital technology in the homes. The grievance redressal system has to be strengthened. Institutions must open up. There must be regular interaction with children by joint teams of government and civil society. Mandatory ongoing child protection training is required for staff and management. Information is required as to what happens to these children after they leave the institutions. Aftercare in the juvenile justice system is an absolute failure. Another issue of concern is the child’s right to an identity. Children should be given proper names and identity documents. Not known or NK, should not be mentioned on these documents, as it leads to their stigmatisation. There is a growing global consensus on the need to promote family-based alternatives to institutional care for children. A right climate is needed to create cost-effective, sustainable alternatives, including strengthening families and raising public awareness. More evidence-based data will be a tool to systemic reform and transformation of CCIs. It is imperative and urgent that the Ministry invests resources on this. There must be a participatory and consultative approach with various stakeholders, including children. When it comes to children in institutions, we must apply the same standards of care that we would to our own children. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Child care institutions in India are in dire need of reforms

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking. It argues that there must be convergent action with annual health, nutrition and sanitation plans being made in an integrated manner for all districts. In the case of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which is the main programmatic platform through which nutrition outcomes are to be achieved, the report finds that its focus on the first 1000 days of the child’s life is inadequate.&nbsp;

It argues that while children under 2-3 years of age must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions, much of the ICDS interventions are focussed on the delivery of services to children in the age group of 3 to 6 years. While the diagnosis is not entirely wrong, the recommendations at the end of the chapter do not show an adequate understanding of what needs to be done to correct this situation.

Researchers and activists have been making the same point for many years now. There is a consensus that there is a need to better reach the younger child. In the current model of the ICDS, where it is largely centre-based with part-time workers, this is not possible. The FOCUS report, 2006, recommended that every anganwadi centre must have two workers, with the primary responsibility of the second worker being the care of children under three years of age and pregnant and lactating women. In a number of subsequent reports, not just the Right to Food campaign but even UN bodies and the Planning Commission have made similar recommendations.

There has been a tremendous expansion in the ICDS following Supreme Court orders in 2006 directing that anganwadi services be universalised. The number of anganwadi centres in the country grew from about 6.5 lakhs in 2006 to almost 14 lakhs currently. The coverage of children under six receiving any ICDS services increased from 28 per cent children in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 54 per cent in 2015-16 (NFHS-4). However, although there has been this quantitative expansion in the programme as much attention has not been paid to improving the quality as well as addressing the design gaps.

One of the design issues, as discussed above, is enhancing the outreach to children under three. The Niti Aayog report suggests that this must be done through home visits to be conducted by accredited social health activists, a second auxiliary nurse midwife or community infant and young child feeding counsellors. This means the requirement for additional human resources is being recognised and needs to be provided for in the budgets for the ICDS.

While there was an increase in ICDS budgets commensurate to the higher number of anganwadi centres, throughout the last five years the central government’s allocations for ICDS has been stagnant around Rs.16,000 crores a year in nominal terms and declining in real terms.

The NFHS-4 finds that only about 10 per cent of children in the age group of 6 to 24 months in the country currently receive an adequate diet. While this requires counselling on infant and young child feeding, for the children in this age group it is also equally important to ensure the presence of an adult caregiver as well as the availability of energy-dense diverse foods. A number of NGO experiences across the country have shown that community-run daycare/crèche services can play a significant role in reaching out to children under two years of age and this has an impact not health and nutrition outcomes as well. One of the reforms in ICDS must, therefore, be to convert anganwadis into anganwadi-cum-crèches so that they can be accessible to younger children as well. Different models of crèches will have to be thought of depending on local contexts.

The problem with the ICDS is not that it is food-centric to the neglect of everything else rather than it is under-resourced and lacking investments – financial as well as technical and political. The ICDS is meant to provide pre-school education as well as health and nutrition services and without adequate infrastructure and human resources, achieving these twin objectives is impossible.&nbsp;

Therefore, while on the one side when nutrition is on the agenda, the ICDS is blamed for its excessive focus on older children and preschool; when preschool is the issue being discussed, the problem with ICDS is that it is preoccupied with nutrition! This can be avoided if we keep the child in the centre and not the scheme.

 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-tradition-turns-fatal-nepali-woman-two-sons-die-in-outlawed-menstruation-hut-2706410">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking.

The Niti Aayog’s recent report on ‘Strategy for New India @ 75’ rightly recognises that the multidimensional determinants of undernutrition are inadequately reflected in policymaking. It argues that there must be convergent action with annual health, nutrition and sanitation plans being made in an integrated manner for all districts. In the case of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which is the main programmatic platform through which nutrition outcomes are to be achieved, the report finds that its focus on the first 1000 days of the child’s life is inadequate. It argues that while children under 2-3 years of age must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions, much of the ICDS interventions are focussed on the delivery of services to children in the age group of 3 to 6 years. While the diagnosis is not entirely wrong, the recommendations at the end of the chapter do not show an adequate understanding of what needs to be done to correct this situation. Researchers and activists have been making the same point for many years now. There is a consensus that there is a need to better reach the younger child. In the current model of the ICDS, where it is largely centre-based with part-time workers, this is not possible. The FOCUS report, 2006, recommended that every anganwadi centre must have two workers, with the primary responsibility of the second worker being the care of children under three years of age and pregnant and lactating women. In a number of subsequent reports, not just the Right to Food campaign but even UN bodies and the Planning Commission have made similar recommendations. There has been a tremendous expansion in the ICDS following Supreme Court orders in 2006 directing that anganwadi services be universalised. The number of anganwadi centres in the country grew from about 6.5 lakhs in 2006 to almost 14 lakhs currently. The coverage of children under six receiving any ICDS services increased from 28 per cent children in 2005-06 (NFHS-3) to 54 per cent in 2015-16 (NFHS-4). However, although there has been this quantitative expansion in the programme as much attention has not been paid to improving the quality as well as addressing the design gaps. One of the design issues, as discussed above, is enhancing the outreach to children under three. The Niti Aayog report suggests that this must be done through home visits to be conducted by accredited social health activists, a second auxiliary nurse midwife or community infant and young child feeding counsellors. This means the requirement for additional human resources is being recognised and needs to be provided for in the budgets for the ICDS. While there was an increase in ICDS budgets commensurate to the higher number of anganwadi centres, throughout the last five years the central government’s allocations for ICDS has been stagnant around Rs.16,000 crores a year in nominal terms and declining in real terms. The NFHS-4 finds that only about 10 per cent of children in the age group of 6 to 24 months in the country currently receive an adequate diet. While this requires counselling on infant and young child feeding, for the children in this age group it is also equally important to ensure the presence of an adult caregiver as well as the availability of energy-dense diverse foods. A number of NGO experiences across the country have shown that community-run daycare/crèche services can play a significant role in reaching out to children under two years of age and this has an impact not health and nutrition outcomes as well. One of the reforms in ICDS must, therefore, be to convert anganwadis into anganwadi-cum-crèches so that they can be accessible to younger children as well. Different models of crèches will have to be thought of depending on local contexts. The problem with the ICDS is not that it is food-centric to the neglect of everything else rather than it is under-resourced and lacking investments – financial as well as technical and political. The ICDS is meant to provide pre-school education as well as health and nutrition services and without adequate infrastructure and human resources, achieving these twin objectives is impossible. Therefore, while on the one side when nutrition is on the agenda, the ICDS is blamed for its excessive focus on older children and preschool; when preschool is the issue being discussed, the problem with ICDS is that it is preoccupied with nutrition! This can be avoided if we keep the child in the centre and not the scheme. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Children under age of 3 must be given highest priority in nutrition interventions

Food security usually refers to the adequate consumption of calories. This is the purpose of the National Food Security Act 2013. However, what is needed by the human body is a balanced diet, clean drinking water and sanitation. This will call for greater efforts in the field of nutrition literacy. Since we just celebrated Children’s Day, I would first like to offer a comment on the need to attend to the educational needs of first-generation learners.

We should remind ourselves that children are God’s gifts to the human family. It is important that attention is paid to their needs particularly in the areas of nutrition, health and education. The first thousand days in the child’s life are particularly important from the point of view of access to balanced diets.

An area of concern is the lack of adequate attention to the education of first-generation learners. Such children do not have access to books and other educational tools in their home because their parents are poor. I hope after Children’s Day we will attend to bridging this gap in our educational system. There is ample evidence to show that first-generation learners suffer from cognitive difficulties. A common syllabus will, therefore, not do. We should pay special attention to education and nutritional needs of first-generation learners, without further loss of time so that the country can derive full benefits from its rich human resource. Let education for first-generation learners be the main area of concentration in the light of Children’s Day.

For a malnutrition-free India, we need to pay concurrent attention to the following three areas:

1. Adequate consumption of calories which is possible today because of our progress in improving total food production, thanks to the green revolution. For example, our farmers were producing 7 million tonnes of wheat when we got our Independence in 1947. This year wheat production has exceeded 100 million tonnes. Such progress has been made possible through synergy between technology and public policy.

2. The second area which needs attention is overcoming protein hunger. Fortunately, our pulses production is going up and we should introduce pulses in the public distribution system. Milk production has also gone up and we occupy the first position in the world in milk production. However, prices are not remunerative and it is important to ensure that dairy farmers, often women, are able to receive an adequate economic return. Also, we should sustain the progress we are making in poultry and fish production.

3. The third area which needs urgent attention is overcoming micronutrient deficiencies like vitamin A, iron, iodine, vitamin D etc. Unless these three aspects receive concurrent attention, we will not be able to move from food to nutrition security.

Apart from the above, there is a need to ensure access to clean drinking water and sanitation. In the case of children, nutrition of mother and child, particularly children below 1000 days in age, need urgent attention. We have graduated from the days of the Bengal Famine and PL480 shipment to one of food self-sufficiency and conferring the right to food through legislation. It is time now to examine the nutrition security position starting at the panchayat level.&nbsp;

We have the necessary know-how as well as resources to achieve a nutrition-secure India. What is needed is a group of community hunger fighters who will be able to assist the local population in ensuring that all children, women and men are nutrition secure. I hope the election manifestos now under preparation for the 2019 general election of major political parties will contain a commitment to ensure nutrition security for all.

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-a-nutrition-secure-india-should-be-government-s-top-priority-2686108">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
&nbsp;

Food security usually refers to the adequate consumption of calories. This is the purpose of the National Food Security Act 2013. However, what is needed by the human body is a balanced diet, clean drinking water and sanitation.

Food security usually refers to the adequate consumption of calories. This is the purpose of the National Food Security Act 2013. However, what is needed by the human body is a balanced diet, clean drinking water and sanitation. This will call for greater efforts in the field of nutrition literacy. Since we just celebrated Children’s Day, I would first like to offer a comment on the need to attend to the educational needs of first-generation learners. We should remind ourselves that children are God’s gifts to the human family. It is important that attention is paid to their needs particularly in the areas of nutrition, health and education. The first thousand days in the child’s life are particularly important from the point of view of access to balanced diets. An area of concern is the lack of adequate attention to the education of first-generation learners. Such children do not have access to books and other educational tools in their home because their parents are poor. I hope after Children’s Day we will attend to bridging this gap in our educational system. There is ample evidence to show that first-generation learners suffer from cognitive difficulties. A common syllabus will, therefore, not do. We should pay special attention to education and nutritional needs of first-generation learners, without further loss of time so that the country can derive full benefits from its rich human resource. Let education for first-generation learners be the main area of concentration in the light of Children’s Day. For a malnutrition-free India, we need to pay concurrent attention to the following three areas: 1. Adequate consumption of calories which is possible today because of our progress in improving total food production, thanks to the green revolution. For example, our farmers were producing 7 million tonnes of wheat when we got our Independence in 1947. This year wheat production has exceeded 100 million tonnes. Such progress has been made possible through synergy between technology and public policy. 2. The second area which needs attention is overcoming protein hunger. Fortunately, our pulses production is going up and we should introduce pulses in the public distribution system. Milk production has also gone up and we occupy the first position in the world in milk production. However, prices are not remunerative and it is important to ensure that dairy farmers, often women, are able to receive an adequate economic return. Also, we should sustain the progress we are making in poultry and fish production. 3. The third area which needs urgent attention is overcoming micronutrient deficiencies like vitamin A, iron, iodine, vitamin D etc. Unless these three aspects receive concurrent attention, we will not be able to move from food to nutrition security. Apart from the above, there is a need to ensure access to clean drinking water and sanitation. In the case of children, nutrition of mother and child, particularly children below 1000 days in age, need urgent attention. We have graduated from the days of the Bengal Famine and PL480 shipment to one of food self-sufficiency and conferring the right to food through legislation. It is time now to examine the nutrition security position starting at the panchayat level. We have the necessary know-how as well as resources to achieve a nutrition-secure India. What is needed is a group of community hunger fighters who will be able to assist the local population in ensuring that all children, women and men are nutrition secure. I hope the election manifestos now under preparation for the 2019 general election of major political parties will contain a commitment to ensure nutrition security for all. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A nutrition-secure India should be government’s top priority

By Valentina Gallo

The number of children and infants dying before they reach the age of five is startling. While child mortality varies around the world, 5.9 million children under the age of five died in 2015. More than half of these early deaths were due to preventable diseases or treatable conditions, such as diarrhoea or malnutrition. This means the deaths are caused by socio-economic marginalisation and by barriers in access to simple, affordable healthcare.

In a new study, my colleagues and I looked at data for 194 countries and found that a country’s rate of gender inequality is associated with a higher level of child mortality, with girls being disproportionally affected, in particular in low and middle-income countries.

Globally, children are at a greater risk of dying before age five if they are born in rural areas, within poor households, and if their mother was denied basic education. Gender has an impact on access to social power, which in turn interferes with the decision-making process and the distribution of resources within households. In some countries, men and women’s lives can be valued differently too.

While around 107 boys are born for every 100 girls globally, boys experience a higher mortality in early infancy. This has been linked to the greater biological susceptibility of boys to diseases. For example, girls are less vulnerable than boys to perinatal conditions, congenital anomalies, and infectious diseases.

Worldwide, at the country level, an average of 120 boys died in 2015 per 100 girls before reaching age five. That year child mortality before age five was higher among boys compared to girls in all countries in the world except for Tonga and India, where 81 and 94 boys were dying for every 100 girls, respectively.

The highest mortality among boys compared to girls under the age of five was registered in Mongolia (148 boys per 100 girls), Turkmenistan (144 boys), and Vietnam (140). The number of boys dying compared to girls was higher in upper-middle and high-income countries, but a clear pattern among countries worldwide was not immediately evident.&nbsp;

Mapping gender inequality

Our study compared this data on under-five mortality with a global index of gender inequality, published by the UN Development Programme. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) measures gender inequalities in three aspects of human development: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status. It reflects the human development costs of gender inequality, which has been associated with higher infant mortality. This can be partially explained by a number of cultural, societal, and economic factors, such as the wealth of a country and access to healthcare.

Girls at greater risk

Our analysis also shows that gender inequality in a country is associated with disproportionate death rates among girls under five-years-old, compared to boys. So the higher the GII of a country, the lower the under-five mortality sex ratio, implying that relatively fewer boys died compared to girls.

Given the specific design of our study, we weren’t able to say that the girls who die under the age of five do so as a result of gender inequality in each country. There may also be other factors that influence the association we found.

However, gender inequality may contribute to the likelihood of a boy surviving beyond age five compared to a girl, through its impact on mothers. Maternal under-nutrition, exposure to violence, and lack of access to education can leave children experiencing poorer health. This could be through susceptibility to communicable diseases such as respiratory tract infection, or birth complications, as well as reduced access to preventive medicine.

In order to decrease child mortality in general, policies should be extended to focus beyond economic development towards reducing gender inequality across a variety of domains, including healthcare, education, workforce participation and political empowerment. Only until these measures are addressed will the detrimental transgenerational effects of gender inequality on child mortality, and particularly the child mortality of girls, be alleviated.

(Valentina Gallo is Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, Queen Mary University of London)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-girls-die-under-age-five-in-countries-with-high-gender-inequality-105911">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Valentina Gallo The number of children and infants dying before they reach the age of five is startling. While child mortality varies around the world, 5.9 million children under the age of five died in 2015.

By Valentina Gallo The number of children and infants dying before they reach the age of five is startling. While child mortality varies around the world, 5.9 million children under the age of five died in 2015. More than half of these early deaths were due to preventable diseases or treatable conditions, such as diarrhoea or malnutrition. This means the deaths are caused by socio-economic marginalisation and by barriers in access to simple, affordable healthcare. In a new study, my colleagues and I looked at data for 194 countries and found that a country’s rate of gender inequality is associated with a higher level of child mortality, with girls being disproportionally affected, in particular in low and middle-income countries. Globally, children are at a greater risk of dying before age five if they are born in rural areas, within poor households, and if their mother was denied basic education. Gender has an impact on access to social power, which in turn interferes with the decision-making process and the distribution of resources within households. In some countries, men and women’s lives can be valued differently too. While around 107 boys are born for every 100 girls globally, boys experience a higher mortality in early infancy. This has been linked to the greater biological susceptibility of boys to diseases. For example, girls are less vulnerable than boys to perinatal conditions, congenital anomalies, and infectious diseases. Worldwide, at the country level, an average of 120 boys died in 2015 per 100 girls before reaching age five. That year child mortality before age five was higher among boys compared to girls in all countries in the world except for Tonga and India, where 81 and 94 boys were dying for every 100 girls, respectively. The highest mortality among boys compared to girls under the age of five was registered in Mongolia (148 boys per 100 girls), Turkmenistan (144 boys), and Vietnam (140). The number of boys dying compared to girls was higher in upper-middle and high-income countries, but a clear pattern among countries worldwide was not immediately evident. Mapping gender inequality Our study compared this data on under-five mortality with a global index of gender inequality, published by the UN Development Programme. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) measures gender inequalities in three aspects of human development: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status. It reflects the human development costs of gender inequality, which has been associated with higher infant mortality. This can be partially explained by a number of cultural, societal, and economic factors, such as the wealth of a country and access to healthcare. Girls at greater risk Our analysis also shows that gender inequality in a country is associated with disproportionate death rates among girls under five-years-old, compared to boys. So the higher the GII of a country, the lower the under-five mortality sex ratio, implying that relatively fewer boys died compared to girls. Given the specific design of our study, we weren’t able to say that the girls who die under the age of five do so as a result of gender inequality in each country. There may also be other factors that influence the association we found. However, gender inequality may contribute to the likelihood of a boy surviving beyond age five compared to a girl, through its impact on mothers. Maternal under-nutrition, exposure to violence, and lack of access to education can leave children experiencing poorer health. This could be through susceptibility to communicable diseases such as respiratory tract infection, or birth complications, as well as reduced access to preventive medicine. In order to decrease child mortality in general, policies should be extended to focus beyond economic development towards reducing gender inequality across a variety of domains, including healthcare, education, workforce participation and political empowerment. Only until these measures are addressed will the detrimental transgenerational effects of gender inequality on child mortality, and particularly the child mortality of girls, be alleviated. (Valentina Gallo is Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, Queen Mary University of London) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

More girls die under age five in countries with high gender inequality

According to UN Food and Agriculture&#39;s top official, Africa is home to nearly 224 million under-nourished people.&nbsp;

FAO&#39;s assistant director-general for Africa, Bukar Tijani, noted climate change and conflicts to heighten food insecurity across the continent. Conflicts in countries like Somalia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic have also increased food insecurity in the region.

Tijani spoke at a conference on Africa organised by the UN&#39;s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He further noted that the situation in the continent was a &quot;cause of concern&quot;.

&quot;Under-nourishment appears to have increased from about 21 percent to nearly 23 percent between 2015 and 2016,&quot; Tijani noted.

&quot;Over the same period, the number of under-nourished rose from 200 million to 224 million in Africa. This is a cause of concern for all of us.&quot;

UN officials have previously warned against growing food insecurity in the region. According to the international body, food insecurity is now displacing more and more people across the continent.

Many African countries -- like South Sudan -- struggle for proper food. Proper nutrition is also one of the main issues in some African countries.

Tijani noted Africa&#39;s economy to have improved, its food and agriculture market was estimated to reach one trillion dollars by 2030.

The ongoing five-day conference in Sudan&#39;s capital will witness hundreds of delegates from across the continent. These delegates will discuss ways to eradicate hunger and food insecurity in Africa.

(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

Many African countries -- like South Sudan -- struggle for proper food

According to UN Food and Agriculture's top official, Africa is home to nearly 224 million under-nourished people. FAO's assistant director-general for Africa, Bukar Tijani, noted climate change and conflicts to heighten food insecurity across the continent. Conflicts in countries like Somalia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic have also increased food insecurity in the region. Tijani spoke at a conference on Africa organised by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He further noted that the situation in the continent was a "cause of concern". "Under-nourishment appears to have increased from about 21 percent to nearly 23 percent between 2015 and 2016," Tijani noted. "Over the same period, the number of under-nourished rose from 200 million to 224 million in Africa. This is a cause of concern for all of us." UN officials have previously warned against growing food insecurity in the region. According to the international body, food insecurity is now displacing more and more people across the continent. Many African countries -- like South Sudan -- struggle for proper food. Proper nutrition is also one of the main issues in some African countries. Tijani noted Africa's economy to have improved, its food and agriculture market was estimated to reach one trillion dollars by 2030. The ongoing five-day conference in Sudan's capital will witness hundreds of delegates from across the continent. These delegates will discuss ways to eradicate hunger and food insecurity in Africa. (With inputs from AFP)

Food insecurity rising across Africa: United Nations 

A measles outbreak is feared to have killed about 100 malnourished people in Indonesia`s Papua, an official said Sunday, highlighting a health crisis in the country`s easternmost province.&nbsp;

A total of 69 toddlers have died in the remote Asmat region, said Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi, while reports on the ground suggest 27 people have died in an equally remote and mountainous district named Oksibil.

&quot;We have received reports from villagers that the outbreak is also happening in Oksibil district and our staff have confirmed that, but we still need to check how many people have died,&quot; Aidi told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;Measles is not dangerous, it`s a mild disease. But because those children are malnourished, they can`t cope in that condition.&quot;

The government and military have sent medical teams and are supplying villagers with medicine, vaccines, medical equipment and nutritious food in Asmat. But the difficult terrain means the team will not arrive in Oksibil until Monday at the earliest, Aidi added.

Both areas suffer from a severe shortage of doctors and health facilities as well as poor infrastructure and communications networks, delaying news of the outbreak.&nbsp;

About 129,000 people live in Asmat, a swampy region cris-crossed by rivers that can only be accessed by a flight from Papua`s capital Jayapura followed by a helicopter and boat ride.&nbsp;

The district of Oksibil has a population of 4,000. To reach some of the villages, people must walk for about a day.

&quot;We have sent aid, now we are making sure that it is actually distributed to those remote villages and not just stocked in a warehouse,&quot; said social affairs minister Idrus Marham.

Jakarta proclaimed western Papua to be part of Indonesia after a self-determination referendum in 1969 which some regarded it as a sham.&nbsp;

When President Joko Widodo took office in 2014 he vowed to speed up the development in infrastructure in Papua to speed up economic growth.

A total of 69 toddlers have died in the remote Asmat region

A measles outbreak is feared to have killed about 100 malnourished people in Indonesia`s Papua, an official said Sunday, highlighting a health crisis in the country`s easternmost province. A total of 69 toddlers have died in the remote Asmat region, said Papua military spokesman Muhammad Aidi, while reports on the ground suggest 27 people have died in an equally remote and mountainous district named Oksibil. "We have received reports from villagers that the outbreak is also happening in Oksibil district and our staff have confirmed that, but we still need to check how many people have died," Aidi told AFP. "Measles is not dangerous, it`s a mild disease. But because those children are malnourished, they can`t cope in that condition." The government and military have sent medical teams and are supplying villagers with medicine, vaccines, medical equipment and nutritious food in Asmat. But the difficult terrain means the team will not arrive in Oksibil until Monday at the earliest, Aidi added. Both areas suffer from a severe shortage of doctors and health facilities as well as poor infrastructure and communications networks, delaying news of the outbreak. About 129,000 people live in Asmat, a swampy region cris-crossed by rivers that can only be accessed by a flight from Papua`s capital Jayapura followed by a helicopter and boat ride. The district of Oksibil has a population of 4,000. To reach some of the villages, people must walk for about a day. "We have sent aid, now we are making sure that it is actually distributed to those remote villages and not just stocked in a warehouse," said social affairs minister Idrus Marham. Jakarta proclaimed western Papua to be part of Indonesia after a self-determination referendum in 1969 which some regarded it as a sham. When President Joko Widodo took office in 2014 he vowed to speed up the development in infrastructure in Papua to speed up economic growth.

100 in Indonesia's Papua feared dead from malnutrition, measles

By Heather Ohly &amp; Nicola Lowe*

An incredible 155m children around the world are chronically undernourished, despite dramatic improvements in recent decades. In view of this, the UN&rsquo;s Sustainable Development Goals include Zero Hunger. But what do we understand by the word hunger?

It may refer to lack of food or widespread food shortages caused by war, drought, crop failure or government policies. But as researchers, we are particularly interested in a different kind of hunger &ndash; one that is less visible but equally devastating.

Micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, occurs when there is a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in a person&rsquo;s diet. This condition affects more than two billion people globally, and can contribute to stunted growth, poor cognitive development, increased risk of infections, and complications during pregnancy and childbirth. The wider impacts of micronutrient deficiencies socially and economically are also well established.

Supplementation and food fortification have long been used around the world to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Both strategies boast high cost/benefit ratios. But as they require repeated investment, their sustainability is limited. Supplements may be used to treat multiple micronutrient deficiencies, but this is a resource-intensive approach and does not address the cause of the problem &ndash; dietary inadequacy.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202267/original/file-20180117-53299-1cxwz1d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
Micronutrient supplements. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/3d-rendering-pills-dietary-supplements-lying-479296576?src=ARF0dOt83H0FxcSA_l_KYA-1-5">Aleksandra Gigowska/Shutterstock.com</a>

&nbsp;
</figcaption>
</figure>

Food fortification, on the other hand, improves the nutritional quality of food itself. Here, micronutrients are added to commonly consumed foods at the processing stage. This strategy can be implemented at population level, and does not require individuals to change their eating behaviours.

In the UK, for example, flour has been fortified with calcium since World War II, when a reduced supply of dairy products was anticipated. Today, many of our foods are fortified, including bread, cereal products and fat spreads.

In developing countries, food fortification has gained momentum in recent years through the work of organisations like the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Large scale food fortification programmes have enhanced the micronutrient content of a range of staple foods in over 30 countries. For example, the GAIN/UNICEF Universal Salt Iodization Partnership has protected 466m people in 14 countries against the debilitating effects of iodine deficiency &ndash; such as mental impairment and goitre, a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland.

But one major disadvantage of food fortification is that some of the poorest families may not have access to commercially processed foods. And it is these remote rural communities &ndash; that grow and process food locally &ndash; that are often the most affected by hidden hunger.

Going one step further

An alternative approach is to add micronutrients at the agricultural production stage. This approach, known as biofortification, uses conventional plant breeding techniques to enhance the micronutrient concentration of staple crops. This is achieved by cross-breeding standard varieties with their wild relatives, over several generations.

This innovative strategy was first developed in the 1990s, and is now pioneered by an organisation called HarvestPlus, which is supported by the UK Department for International Development. HarvestPlus has focused its efforts on iron, zinc and vitamin A &ndash; identified as the three most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies globally.

Biofortified crops include: vitamin A maize, vitamin A cassava, vitamin A sweet potato, iron beans, iron pearl millet, zinc rice and zinc wheat. These crops have been introduced into many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. And HarvestPlus aims to reach 100m people with biofortified crops by 2020.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202281/original/file-20180117-53314-1e4er29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
Some extra vitamin A with your sweet potato? <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fresh-organic-orange-sweet-potato-763562713?src=rPdoA8gdsDb-YaioTiIXkg-1-62">Janthiwa Sutthiboriban/Shutterstock.com</a>

Biofortification has several advantages over food fortification. After the initial investment to develop the biofortified seed, it can be replicated and distributed without any reduction in the micronutrient concentration. This makes it highly cost-effective and sustainable. Biofortified crops are also often more resilient to pests, diseases, higher temperatures and drought &ndash; essential qualities as many countries become increasingly susceptible to climate change. And perhaps most importantly for nutrition, biofortified crops reach the world&rsquo;s poorest and most vulnerable people.
</figcaption>
</figure>

Each new biofortified crop requires meticulous development and evaluation to ensure the micronutrient concentration is sufficient to make a significant impact on nutritional status, and that farmers and consumers will adopt the new biofortified varieties. Research has shown high levels of consumer acceptance, especially when information and awareness campaigns were implemented.

At the University of Central Lancashire, in partnership with international collaborators, we are currently investigating the impact of biofortified zinc wheat in a rural community in northwest Pakistan &ndash; where over 40% of women are zinc deficient. The diet is very limited in this community but wheat flour is used every day to make chapattis.

The zinc concentration of the soil is very low and this provides an opportunity to experiment with &ldquo;agronomic biofortification&rdquo;, or the application of zinc enriched fertiliser. Our study will determine the cost effectiveness of these combined strategies.

Of course, biofortification is a partial solution, which must go hand in hand with efforts to reduce poverty, food insecurity, disease, poor sanitation, social and gender inequality. But it has the potential to contribute to the eradication of hidden hunger, and the UN&rsquo;s aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030.

&nbsp;

*Nicola Lowe is Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Central Lancashire

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-are-breeding-super-nutritious-crops-to-help-solve-global-hunger-89815" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Scientists are breeding biofortified crops, such as vitamin A maize, vitamin A cassava, vitamin A sweet potato, iron beans, iron pearl millet, zinc rice and zinc wheat to countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

By Heather Ohly & Nicola Lowe* An incredible 155m children around the world are chronically undernourished, despite dramatic improvements in recent decades. In view of this, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals include Zero Hunger. But what do we understand by the word hunger? It may refer to lack of food or widespread food shortages caused by war, drought, crop failure or government policies. But as researchers, we are particularly interested in a different kind of hunger – one that is less visible but equally devastating. Micronutrient deficiencies, also known as hidden hunger, occurs when there is a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in a person’s diet. This condition affects more than two billion people globally, and can contribute to stunted growth, poor cognitive development, increased risk of infections, and complications during pregnancy and childbirth. The wider impacts of micronutrient deficiencies socially and economically are also well established. Supplementation and food fortification have long been used around the world to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Both strategies boast high cost/benefit ratios. But as they require repeated investment, their sustainability is limited. Supplements may be used to treat multiple micronutrient deficiencies, but this is a resource-intensive approach and does not address the cause of the problem – dietary inadequacy. Micronutrient supplements. Aleksandra Gigowska/Shutterstock.com Food fortification, on the other hand, improves the nutritional quality of food itself. Here, micronutrients are added to commonly consumed foods at the processing stage. This strategy can be implemented at population level, and does not require individuals to change their eating behaviours. In the UK, for example, flour has been fortified with calcium since World War II, when a reduced supply of dairy products was anticipated. Today, many of our foods are fortified, including bread, cereal products and fat spreads. In developing countries, food fortification has gained momentum in recent years through the work of organisations like the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Large scale food fortification programmes have enhanced the micronutrient content of a range of staple foods in over 30 countries. For example, the GAIN/UNICEF Universal Salt Iodization Partnership has protected 466m people in 14 countries against the debilitating effects of iodine deficiency – such as mental impairment and goitre, a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland. But one major disadvantage of food fortification is that some of the poorest families may not have access to commercially processed foods. And it is these remote rural communities – that grow and process food locally – that are often the most affected by hidden hunger. Going one step further An alternative approach is to add micronutrients at the agricultural production stage. This approach, known as biofortification, uses conventional plant breeding techniques to enhance the micronutrient concentration of staple crops. This is achieved by cross-breeding standard varieties with their wild relatives, over several generations. This innovative strategy was first developed in the 1990s, and is now pioneered by an organisation called HarvestPlus, which is supported by the UK Department for International Development. HarvestPlus has focused its efforts on iron, zinc and vitamin A – identified as the three most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies globally. Biofortified crops include: vitamin A maize, vitamin A cassava, vitamin A sweet potato, iron beans, iron pearl millet, zinc rice and zinc wheat. These crops have been introduced into many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. And HarvestPlus aims to reach 100m people with biofortified crops by 2020. Some extra vitamin A with your sweet potato? Janthiwa Sutthiboriban/Shutterstock.com Biofortification has several advantages over food fortification. After the initial investment to develop the biofortified seed, it can be replicated and distributed without any reduction in the micronutrient concentration. This makes it highly cost-effective and sustainable. Biofortified crops are also often more resilient to pests, diseases, higher temperatures and drought – essential qualities as many countries become increasingly susceptible to climate change. And perhaps most importantly for nutrition, biofortified crops reach the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Each new biofortified crop requires meticulous development and evaluation to ensure the micronutrient concentration is sufficient to make a significant impact on nutritional status, and that farmers and consumers will adopt the new biofortified varieties. Research has shown high levels of consumer acceptance, especially when information and awareness campaigns were implemented. At the University of Central Lancashire, in partnership with international collaborators, we are currently investigating the impact of biofortified zinc wheat in a rural community in northwest Pakistan – where over 40% of women are zinc deficient. The diet is very limited in this community but wheat flour is used every day to make chapattis. The zinc concentration of the soil is very low and this provides an opportunity to experiment with “agronomic biofortification”, or the application of zinc enriched fertiliser. Our study will determine the cost effectiveness of these combined strategies. Of course, biofortification is a partial solution, which must go hand in hand with efforts to reduce poverty, food insecurity, disease, poor sanitation, social and gender inequality. But it has the potential to contribute to the eradication of hidden hunger, and the UN’s aim to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. *Nicola Lowe is Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Central Lancashire This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Scientists to create a hunger-free world. This is how.

Making the country malnutrition-free would be the bedrock of any achievement towards a New India by the year 2022, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said here today.

&quot;As many as 38.4 per cent of our children are born stunted or suffering from malnutrition. It&#39;s a blemish, a stain on our national record that we cannot afford to live with,&quot; he said while delivering a presentation on New India @2022, at the inauguration of the two-day conference of district Collectors.

He said that removing malnutrition is a pre-requisite for building a knowledge economy.

&quot;How can we talk about a knowledge economy with that sort of a statistics? If we want to build a knowledge economy, the first thing we have to do is to remove malnutrition and achieve kuposhan-mukt Bharat by 2022.

&quot;If we do nothing else by 2022 and achieve only this...We would have done our country proud and a great service,&quot; Kumar said.

He said NITI Aayog has already launched a nutrition strategy and would closely monitor the implementation of the nutrition mission in the country.

&quot;The Prime Minister made me Chairman of National Nutrition Mission. We will be watching like a hawk, every state and every district, on how the mission is coming about,&quot; Kumar said, adding that they are using the latest technology to achieve this.

He said a real-time data dashboard will be installed for the purpose.

&quot;Hope Andhra Pradesh will lead the effort because this effort will be the bedrock of any achievement...Every achievement we actually want to make,&quot; the NITI Aayog vice-chief said.

Speaking on the economy, Kumar said the note ban move had resulted in a 19 per cent jump indirect tax collection.

&quot;People very often criticise demonetisation saying &#39;Oh the black income had actually not been caught red-handed&#39;. Believe me...Black wealth has at least become grey because now it is all sitting in the bank accounts, which is being monitored closely by the banking division and the CBDT,&quot; the noted economist said.

Without demonetisation, the country&#39;s security itself would have been jeopardised, he said, recalling the first warning note he sounded way back in 2007.

Hailing GST as a &quot;historic step unifying our economy&quot;, Kumar said it was forcing &quot;formalisation&quot; of all businesses in the country.

&quot;It is a very, very big step. About 40-50 per cent of our economy was un-formalised. GST will see at least 20 per cent hike in revenues as we go forward in the years to come,&quot; he said.

Kumar further said India would become &quot;unstoppable&quot; if efficient delivery of public goods and services was achieved by rooting out corruption and ushering in e-governance.

&quot;Once we achieve efficient delivery of public goods and services, basic education, basic health, law and order, street lighting, infrastructure and all that...If we do that, private sector in our country is as capable as us...This country will become unstoppable,&quot; he said.

He said the old story of India being a &quot;soft state, soft government, a corrupt government, and the endemically nonperforming government is now history&quot;.

&quot;This is the beginning of a new India in terms of e-governance where accountability and transparency will be right at the forefront,&quot; he observed.

Stressing that India should embrace the fourth industrial revolution, Kumar said it was vital to ensure it did not cause a &quot;trade-off&quot; with employment generation.

&quot;The fourth industrial revolution is our tomorrow. Our eyes on 2022 should be with this focus in mind. We are seeing most disruptive technologies coming up in the world. We need to see that there is no trade-off between all of this and our biggest need today--- employment generation. That&#39;s our biggest priority,&quot; he said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Ministers K E Krishna Murthy, N China Rajappa, Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar, Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha, ministers and bureaucrats attended the programme.

Later, Real-Time Governance CEO Babu Ahamed showed the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman the functioning of RTG Centre at the state Secretariat.Kumar praised the facility saying it is unparalleled in the country.

&quot;Visit to RTG is just startling. It&#39;s an eye-opener. Will do my best to showcase this to all the other states and to the Central government, if I can. I don&#39;t think such a facility exists anywhere in the country.

This is the best idea of an accountable, transparent and digitally-driven governance. I think this is the future. This is the future for the rest of the country,&quot; he said.

Rajiv Kumar said a real-time data dashboard will be installed for the purpose

Making the country malnutrition-free would be the bedrock of any achievement towards a New India by the year 2022, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar said here today. "As many as 38.4 per cent of our children are born stunted or suffering from malnutrition. It's a blemish, a stain on our national record that we cannot afford to live with," he said while delivering a presentation on New India @2022, at the inauguration of the two-day conference of district Collectors. He said that removing malnutrition is a pre-requisite for building a knowledge economy. "How can we talk about a knowledge economy with that sort of a statistics? If we want to build a knowledge economy, the first thing we have to do is to remove malnutrition and achieve kuposhan-mukt Bharat by 2022. "If we do nothing else by 2022 and achieve only this...We would have done our country proud and a great service," Kumar said. He said NITI Aayog has already launched a nutrition strategy and would closely monitor the implementation of the nutrition mission in the country. "The Prime Minister made me Chairman of National Nutrition Mission. We will be watching like a hawk, every state and every district, on how the mission is coming about," Kumar said, adding that they are using the latest technology to achieve this. He said a real-time data dashboard will be installed for the purpose. "Hope Andhra Pradesh will lead the effort because this effort will be the bedrock of any achievement...Every achievement we actually want to make," the NITI Aayog vice-chief said. Speaking on the economy, Kumar said the note ban move had resulted in a 19 per cent jump indirect tax collection. "People very often criticise demonetisation saying 'Oh the black income had actually not been caught red-handed'. Believe me...Black wealth has at least become grey because now it is all sitting in the bank accounts, which is being monitored closely by the banking division and the CBDT," the noted economist said. Without demonetisation, the country's security itself would have been jeopardised, he said, recalling the first warning note he sounded way back in 2007. Hailing GST as a "historic step unifying our economy", Kumar said it was forcing "formalisation" of all businesses in the country. "It is a very, very big step. About 40-50 per cent of our economy was un-formalised. GST will see at least 20 per cent hike in revenues as we go forward in the years to come," he said. Kumar further said India would become "unstoppable" if efficient delivery of public goods and services was achieved by rooting out corruption and ushering in e-governance. "Once we achieve efficient delivery of public goods and services, basic education, basic health, law and order, street lighting, infrastructure and all that...If we do that, private sector in our country is as capable as us...This country will become unstoppable," he said. He said the old story of India being a "soft state, soft government, a corrupt government, and the endemically nonperforming government is now history". "This is the beginning of a new India in terms of e-governance where accountability and transparency will be right at the forefront," he observed. Stressing that India should embrace the fourth industrial revolution, Kumar said it was vital to ensure it did not cause a "trade-off" with employment generation. "The fourth industrial revolution is our tomorrow. Our eyes on 2022 should be with this focus in mind. We are seeing most disruptive technologies coming up in the world. We need to see that there is no trade-off between all of this and our biggest need today--- employment generation. That's our biggest priority," he said. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Ministers K E Krishna Murthy, N China Rajappa, Chief Secretary Dinesh Kumar, Chief Commissioner of Land Administration Anil Chandra Punetha, ministers and bureaucrats attended the programme. Later, Real-Time Governance CEO Babu Ahamed showed the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman the functioning of RTG Centre at the state Secretariat.Kumar praised the facility saying it is unparalleled in the country. "Visit to RTG is just startling. It's an eye-opener. Will do my best to showcase this to all the other states and to the Central government, if I can. I don't think such a facility exists anywhere in the country. This is the best idea of an accountable, transparent and digitally-driven governance. I think this is the future. This is the future for the rest of the country," he said.

Getting rid of malnutrition crucial to build New India by 2022: NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman

Haryana is all set to become the first Indian state to mandatorily fortify food items like wheat flour, milk and edible oils.&nbsp;

Haryana&#39;s Food and Drug Administration Department has decided to fortify food items in a bid fight anaemia and malnutrition in the state.&nbsp;

The move was discussed in a department meeting headed by Haryana&#39;s Principal Secretary of Health, Amit Jha.

&quot;These fortified food items would be distributed in mid-day meal in schools, at Public Distribution System outlets and under all Integrated Child Development Schemes. This would benefit about 80 lakh people who would be provided nutritious food,&quot; Jha noted.

The meeting was attended by over 150 representatives from the Edible Oil Manufacturers Association, Milk Producers Association, Roller Flour Miller Federation and other leading business organisations.

The food items would be fortified with iron, folic acid, Vitamin A, D, B-12, zinc and other nutrients under an initiative taken by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Health Minister Anil Vij. &nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

The move was discussed in a department meeting headed by Haryana's Principal Secretary of Health, Amit Jha

Haryana is all set to become the first Indian state to mandatorily fortify food items like wheat flour, milk and edible oils. Haryana's Food and Drug Administration Department has decided to fortify food items in a bid fight anaemia and malnutrition in the state. The move was discussed in a department meeting headed by Haryana's Principal Secretary of Health, Amit Jha. "These fortified food items would be distributed in mid-day meal in schools, at Public Distribution System outlets and under all Integrated Child Development Schemes. This would benefit about 80 lakh people who would be provided nutritious food," Jha noted. The meeting was attended by over 150 representatives from the Edible Oil Manufacturers Association, Milk Producers Association, Roller Flour Miller Federation and other leading business organisations. The food items would be fortified with iron, folic acid, Vitamin A, D, B-12, zinc and other nutrients under an initiative taken by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Health Minister Anil Vij. (With inputs from PTI)

Haryana to become first state to fortify essential food items

India is facing a serious burden of undernutrition, according to a global report released today which shows that more than half the women of reproductive age in the country suffer from anaemia.

The Global Nutrition Report 2017, which looked at 140 countries including India, found &#39;significant burdens&#39; of three important forms of malnutrition used as an indicator of broader trends.

These include childhood stunting, anaemia in women of reproductive age, and overweight adult women.

Latest figures show that 38 per cent of children under five are affected by stunting - children too short for their age due to lack of nutrients, suffering irreversible damage to brain capacity.

About 21 per cent of children under 5 are defined as &#39;wasted&#39; or &#39;severely wasted&#39; - meaning they do not weigh enough for their height.

Over half of women of reproductive age - 51 per cent - suffer from anaemia - a serious condition that can have long-term health impacts for mother and child.

More than 22 per cent of adult women are overweight, a rising concern as women are disproportionately affected by the global obesity epidemic, according to the report.

While the country has shown some progress in addressing under-5 stunting, it has made no progress or presents worse outcomes in the percentage of reproductive-age women with anaemia, and is off course in terms of reaching targets for reducing adult obesity and diabetes, the report said.

&quot;The Global Nutrition Report highlights that the double burden of undernutrition and obesity needs to be tackled as part of India&#39;s national nutrition strategy,&quot; said Purnima Menon, an independent expert group on the Global Nutrition Report.

&quot;For undernutrition, especially, major efforts are needed to close the inequality gap,&quot; said Menon, Senior Research Fellow in the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)&#39;s South Asia Office in New Delhi.

The Global Nutrition Report 2017 calls for nutrition to be placed at the heart of efforts to end poverty, fight disease, raise educational standards and tackle climate change.

&quot;We know that a well-nourished child is one third more likely to escape poverty,&quot; said Jessica Fanzo, Professor at Johns Hopkins University.

&quot;They will learn better in school, be healthier and grow into productive contributors to their economies. Good nutrition provides the brainpower, the &#39;grey matter infrastructure&#39; to build the economies of the future,&quot; said Fanzo, also the Global Nutrition Report Co-Chair.

The report also found that 88 per cent of countries studied face a serious burden of two or three forms of malnutrition.

It highlights the damaging impact this burden is having on broader global development efforts.

The report found that overweight and obesity are on the rise in almost every country, with two billion of the world&#39;s seven billion people now overweight or obese and a less than one per cent chance of meeting the global target of halting the rise in obesity and diabetes by 2025.

In India, 16 per cent of adult men and 22 per cent of adult women are overweight.

About 21 per cent of children under 5 are defined as 'wasted' or 'severely wasted' - meaning they do not weigh enough for their height.

India is facing a serious burden of undernutrition, according to a global report released today which shows that more than half the women of reproductive age in the country suffer from anaemia. The Global Nutrition Report 2017, which looked at 140 countries including India, found 'significant burdens' of three important forms of malnutrition used as an indicator of broader trends. These include childhood stunting, anaemia in women of reproductive age, and overweight adult women. Latest figures show that 38 per cent of children under five are affected by stunting - children too short for their age due to lack of nutrients, suffering irreversible damage to brain capacity. About 21 per cent of children under 5 are defined as 'wasted' or 'severely wasted' - meaning they do not weigh enough for their height. Over half of women of reproductive age - 51 per cent - suffer from anaemia - a serious condition that can have long-term health impacts for mother and child. More than 22 per cent of adult women are overweight, a rising concern as women are disproportionately affected by the global obesity epidemic, according to the report. While the country has shown some progress in addressing under-5 stunting, it has made no progress or presents worse outcomes in the percentage of reproductive-age women with anaemia, and is off course in terms of reaching targets for reducing adult obesity and diabetes, the report said. "The Global Nutrition Report highlights that the double burden of undernutrition and obesity needs to be tackled as part of India's national nutrition strategy," said Purnima Menon, an independent expert group on the Global Nutrition Report. "For undernutrition, especially, major efforts are needed to close the inequality gap," said Menon, Senior Research Fellow in the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)'s South Asia Office in New Delhi. The Global Nutrition Report 2017 calls for nutrition to be placed at the heart of efforts to end poverty, fight disease, raise educational standards and tackle climate change. "We know that a well-nourished child is one third more likely to escape poverty," said Jessica Fanzo, Professor at Johns Hopkins University. "They will learn better in school, be healthier and grow into productive contributors to their economies. Good nutrition provides the brainpower, the 'grey matter infrastructure' to build the economies of the future," said Fanzo, also the Global Nutrition Report Co-Chair. The report also found that 88 per cent of countries studied face a serious burden of two or three forms of malnutrition. It highlights the damaging impact this burden is having on broader global development efforts. The report found that overweight and obesity are on the rise in almost every country, with two billion of the world's seven billion people now overweight or obese and a less than one per cent chance of meeting the global target of halting the rise in obesity and diabetes by 2025. In India, 16 per cent of adult men and 22 per cent of adult women are overweight.

India under serious burden of undernutrition: Report

Life-threatening levels of malnutrition have risen dramatically among Rohingya refugee children who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh, the United Nations warned Friday.

The UN children&#39;s agency said preliminary data indicated a full 7.5 per cent of the children crammed into one of the camps in Bangladesh&#39;s Cox&#39;s Bazar district were at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition.

More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar&#39;s Rakhine state since late August during military operations that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing and the world&#39;s most acute refugee crisis.

Around half of them are children.

&quot;It&#39;s very worrying to see the condition of children who keep arriving,&quot; UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac told reporters in Geneva after a recent trip to the camps.

The agency and its partners are already treating more than 2,000 acutely malnourished children at 15 treatment centres, and are in the process of setting up six additional centres.

UNICEF said its preliminary findings were based on a nutrition assessment conducted last week of children under the age of five in 405 households in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox&#39;s Bazar.

&quot;The Rohingya children in the camp, who have survived horrors in Myanmar&#39;s northern Rakhine State and a dangerous journey here, are already caught up in a catastrophe,&quot; UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder said in a statement.

&quot;Those with severe malnutrition are now at risk of dying from an entirely preventable and treatable cause,&quot; he warned.

Malnutrition rates among children in northern Rakhine were already above emergency thresholds before the latest crisis erupted.

&quot;The condition of these children has further deteriorated due to the long journey across the border and the conditions in the camps,&quot; the UNICEF statement said.

Some 26,000 people now live in the Kutupalong camp, where they are faced with an acute shortage of food and water, unsanitary conditions and high rates of diarrhoea and respiratory infections, the agency said.

UNICEF said it was planning two additional assessments in other sites in Cox&#39;s Bazar this month, including at a makeshift settlement, to help determine if the numbers found in Kutupalong might apply to the entire area.

&quot;We need far more attention to the crisis, and far more resources for the response,&quot; Beigbeder said, stressing that &quot;these children need help right now.&quot;&nbsp;

The UN children's agency said preliminary data indicated a full 7.5 per cent of the children crammed into one of the camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district were at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition

Life-threatening levels of malnutrition have risen dramatically among Rohingya refugee children who have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh, the United Nations warned Friday. The UN children's agency said preliminary data indicated a full 7.5 per cent of the children crammed into one of the camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district were at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state since late August during military operations that the United Nations has described as ethnic cleansing and the world's most acute refugee crisis. Around half of them are children. "It's very worrying to see the condition of children who keep arriving," UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac told reporters in Geneva after a recent trip to the camps. The agency and its partners are already treating more than 2,000 acutely malnourished children at 15 treatment centres, and are in the process of setting up six additional centres. UNICEF said its preliminary findings were based on a nutrition assessment conducted last week of children under the age of five in 405 households in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. "The Rohingya children in the camp, who have survived horrors in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State and a dangerous journey here, are already caught up in a catastrophe," UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder said in a statement. "Those with severe malnutrition are now at risk of dying from an entirely preventable and treatable cause," he warned. Malnutrition rates among children in northern Rakhine were already above emergency thresholds before the latest crisis erupted. "The condition of these children has further deteriorated due to the long journey across the border and the conditions in the camps," the UNICEF statement said. Some 26,000 people now live in the Kutupalong camp, where they are faced with an acute shortage of food and water, unsanitary conditions and high rates of diarrhoea and respiratory infections, the agency said. UNICEF said it was planning two additional assessments in other sites in Cox's Bazar this month, including at a makeshift settlement, to help determine if the numbers found in Kutupalong might apply to the entire area. "We need far more attention to the crisis, and far more resources for the response," Beigbeder said, stressing that "these children need help right now."

Malnutrition soaring among Rohingya children in Bangladesh: UN

Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children&#39;s agency said Monday.

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria.

Fews Net, the famine early warning system, said some remote areas of Nigeria&#39;s Borno state are already affected by famine since late last year and the disaster is likely to continue as aid agencies are unable to reach those in need.

Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF.

In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live.&nbsp;

UNICEF director Anthony Lake appealed for quick action. &quot;We can still save many lives,&quot; he said.

UN Security Council ambassadors are due to travel to northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger next month to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the conflict with Boko Haram militants.

(AFP)

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition

Almost 1.4 million children suffering from severe malnutrition could die this year from famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, the UN children's agency said Monday. In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, 462,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition while 450,000 children are severely malnourished in northeast Nigeria. Fews Net, the famine early warning system, said some remote areas of Nigeria's Borno state are already affected by famine since late last year and the disaster is likely to continue as aid agencies are unable to reach those in need. Drought in Somalia has left 185,000 children on the brink of famine but that figure is expected to reach 270,000 in the next few months, said UNICEF. In South Sudan, over 270,000 children are malnourished and a famine has just been declared in parts of Unity State in the north of the country, where 20,000 children live. UNICEF director Anthony Lake appealed for quick action. "We can still save many lives," he said. UN Security Council ambassadors are due to travel to northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger next month to draw international attention to the humanitarian crisis triggered by the conflict with Boko Haram militants. (AFP)

1.4 million malnourished children could die due to famine in four countries: UN

Twenty-two tribal children in India&#39;s eastern Odisha state have died of malnutrition in the last two months.&nbsp;The children, all members of Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha&#39;s Jajpur district, died of acute malnutrition. 
 
With no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits, situation remains grim in the village.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Opposition lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for not taking adequate steps to address the issue. 
 
&quot;Twenty two children have died due to malnutrition. This has happened because Odisha&#39;s chief minister is saying that he is doing development work, he is providing special schemes for villagers and tribal people, but no such scheme from federal or state government has reached the villagers and tribals yet,&quot; said a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rabinarayan Nayak. 
 
Despite India&#39;s economic boom over the last two decades, 46 per cent of its children under five years of age are underweight, and 48 per cent are stunted, according to the 2015 government figures. 
 
Child malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for three million children annually across the world - nearly half of all child deaths - with most dying from preventable illnesses like diarrhoea due to weak immune systems, according to the United Nations Children&#39;s Fund. 
 
Those lucky enough to survive, grow up without enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, causing their brains and bodies to be stunted, which means they cannot fulfill their physical, academic or economic potential. 
 
(Reuters)

Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha has no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits

Twenty-two tribal children in India's eastern Odisha state have died of malnutrition in the last two months. The children, all members of Juang tribe in Nagada village of Odisha's Jajpur district, died of acute malnutrition. With no access to immediate healthcare and social welfare benefits, situation remains grim in the village. Meanwhile, the Opposition lashed out at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for not taking adequate steps to address the issue. "Twenty two children have died due to malnutrition. This has happened because Odisha's chief minister is saying that he is doing development work, he is providing special schemes for villagers and tribal people, but no such scheme from federal or state government has reached the villagers and tribals yet," said a legislator of Bharatiya Janata Party, Rabinarayan Nayak. Despite India's economic boom over the last two decades, 46 per cent of its children under five years of age are underweight, and 48 per cent are stunted, according to the 2015 government figures. Child malnutrition is an underlying cause of death for three million children annually across the world - nearly half of all child deaths - with most dying from preventable illnesses like diarrhoea due to weak immune systems, according to the United Nations Children's Fund. Those lucky enough to survive, grow up without enough energy, protein, vitamins and minerals, causing their brains and bodies to be stunted, which means they cannot fulfill their physical, academic or economic potential. (Reuters)

22 tribal children die of malnutrition in eastern India village

Nearly 200 people have died in the last month at a camp for people made homeless by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria, an aid agency said Wednesday, warning of a growing malnutrition crisis. 
 
A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team on Tuesday visited the camp, home to around 24,000 people including 15,000 children, and found what it called &quot;a catastrophic humanitarian emergency&quot; unfolding. 
 
One in five of over 800 children it examined had severe acute malnutrition, while 16 severely malnourished children &quot;at immediate risk of death&quot; were referred to its in-patient treatment centre. 
 
At least 188 people have died in the internally displaced people (IDP) camp in Bama, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Maiduguri, since May 23 -- about six a day -- mainly from diarrhoea and malnutrition, MSF said in a statement. 
 
A total of 1,233 graves, many of them of for children, had been dug near the camp in the past year, the agency said. 
 
&quot;This is the first time MSF has been able to access Bama, but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond critical,&quot; said MSF head of mission in Nigeria, Ghada Hatim. 
 
&quot;We are treating malnourished children in medical facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors.&quot; 
 
&#39;Walking corpses&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Borno state government and international aid agencies have previously warned about acute food shortages for IDPs in northeast Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region. 
 
On June 15, the Borno state government said it had transferred nearly 700 people, most of them children, from Bama to Maiduguri for treatment for severe malnutrition. 
 
Sixty-one young children and babies were said to be &quot;critically malnourished&quot;. 
 
A civilian vigilante and a soldier based in the remote town of Banki, 60 kilometres from Bama near the Cameroon border, told AFP 
this month at least 10 people were &quot;starving to death&quot; every day. 
 
The vigilante said 376 people had been buried in the last three months and those still alive were like &quot;walking corpses&quot;. 
 
- Security issues - 
 
Boko Haram, whose seven-year Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria has left at least 20,000 dead and displaced more than 2.6 million, controlled swathes of territory in the northeast in 2014. 
 
But the Nigerian government has said IDPs housed in camps or host communities can return after a military counter-offensive pushed the militants out of captured towns and villages. 
 
Despite assurances the northeast is largely clear of the rebels, sporadic attacks continue and security remains an issue, while houses, businesses and farms have largely been destroyed. 
 
Domestic and international aid agencies are mainly based in Maiduguri and dependent on Nigerian army assistance to access camps outside the city. 
 
The Borno state governor Kashim Shettima last week ordered police to investigate reports that relief material, including bags of rice meant for IDPs, was being stolen. 
 
The UN&#39;s children&#39;s agency, UNICEF, said it has been working with its partners in Bama since March and has provided health and nutrition support for some 19,000 people. 
 
Its primary health care centre sees on average 140 patients a day for conditions ranging from malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoea, as well as malnutrition screening and treatment. 
 
(AFP)

One in five of over 800 children had severe acute malnutrition, while 16 severely malnourished children 'at immediate risk of death'

Nearly 200 people have died in the last month at a camp for people made homeless by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria, an aid agency said Wednesday, warning of a growing malnutrition crisis. A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team on Tuesday visited the camp, home to around 24,000 people including 15,000 children, and found what it called "a catastrophic humanitarian emergency" unfolding. One in five of over 800 children it examined had severe acute malnutrition, while 16 severely malnourished children "at immediate risk of death" were referred to its in-patient treatment centre. At least 188 people have died in the internally displaced people (IDP) camp in Bama, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Maiduguri, since May 23 -- about six a day -- mainly from diarrhoea and malnutrition, MSF said in a statement. A total of 1,233 graves, many of them of for children, had been dug near the camp in the past year, the agency said. "This is the first time MSF has been able to access Bama, but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond critical," said MSF head of mission in Nigeria, Ghada Hatim. "We are treating malnourished children in medical facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors." 'Walking corpses' The Borno state government and international aid agencies have previously warned about acute food shortages for IDPs in northeast Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region. On June 15, the Borno state government said it had transferred nearly 700 people, most of them children, from Bama to Maiduguri for treatment for severe malnutrition. Sixty-one young children and babies were said to be "critically malnourished". A civilian vigilante and a soldier based in the remote town of Banki, 60 kilometres from Bama near the Cameroon border, told AFP this month at least 10 people were "starving to death" every day. The vigilante said 376 people had been buried in the last three months and those still alive were like "walking corpses". - Security issues - Boko Haram, whose seven-year Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria has left at least 20,000 dead and displaced more than 2.6 million, controlled swathes of territory in the northeast in 2014. But the Nigerian government has said IDPs housed in camps or host communities can return after a military counter-offensive pushed the militants out of captured towns and villages. Despite assurances the northeast is largely clear of the rebels, sporadic attacks continue and security remains an issue, while houses, businesses and farms have largely been destroyed. Domestic and international aid agencies are mainly based in Maiduguri and dependent on Nigerian army assistance to access camps outside the city. The Borno state governor Kashim Shettima last week ordered police to investigate reports that relief material, including bags of rice meant for IDPs, was being stolen. The UN's children's agency, UNICEF, said it has been working with its partners in Bama since March and has provided health and nutrition support for some 19,000 people. Its primary health care centre sees on average 140 patients a day for conditions ranging from malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoea, as well as malnutrition screening and treatment. (AFP)

200 die in one month at camp for people made homeless by Boko Haram violence

An international aid convoy reached the Syrian government-besieged town of Daraya overnight, delivering food supplies for the first time since 2012, said&nbsp;a UN spokesman on Friday. 
 
Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month&#39;s supply of food for 2,400 people as well as health and hygiene items for the entire estimated population of 4,000 in the rebel-held town near Damascus, spokesman Jens Laerke said. 
 
&quot;It was quite a feat,&quot; Laerke told in a news briefing, adding it was &quot;the first time in years&quot; that the world body had delivered food to Daraya, where malnutrition has been reported.

Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month's supply for 2,400

An international aid convoy reached the Syrian government-besieged town of Daraya overnight, delivering food supplies for the first time since 2012, said a UN spokesman on Friday. Trucks from the UN and Syrian Arab Red Crescent brought a month's supply of food for 2,400 people as well as health and hygiene items for the entire estimated population of 4,000 in the rebel-held town near Damascus, spokesman Jens Laerke said. "It was quite a feat," Laerke told in a news briefing, adding it was "the first time in years" that the world body had delivered food to Daraya, where malnutrition has been reported.

UN convoy brings food to besieged Syrian town of Daraya

Like any other refugee, Kasim Isse Dhuhulow came to India looking for a better life. He&#39;d lost his parents in the civil war that broke out in Somalia after the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991, his sister was separated from him &ndash; he doesn&#39;t know where she is any longer but he says he would like to go back to look for her &ndash; and his grandfather thought he would be better educated in India.&nbsp; 
 
He didn&#39;t find that better life, mostly because of the racism people of African origin face in India.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;We are dubbed as kaalus (blacks, a derogatory term in India) and gorillas,&rdquo; says Kassim.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Racial discrimination is very prevalent, especially when it comes to African refugees. People from Africa complain about racial abuse from their neighbours, their employers, and their fellow students,&rdquo; says Mazher Hussain, executive director of the Hyderabad-based Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), an NGO that works towards building a &ldquo;harmonious and just society &nbsp;through sensitisation of all sections of people&rdquo;.&nbsp; 
 
Abdul Hussain, 28 (he asked that we not use his real name) says he was attacked in Delhi when he was nineteen. A group of young boys approached him and a friend, asking for drugs. When they said they didn&#39;t have any, the boys began to beat them. Ever since then Abdul says he has been hesitant to speak with strangers. And that he now lives in the south Indian city of Chennai where he feels safer than he did in Delhi.&nbsp; 
 
The Somalis &ndash; alongwith the Rohingyas of Myanmar &ndash; are generally thought of as the worst off of the refugees in India. This is because of the &nbsp;protracted conflict back home, the resultant malnutrition, and the near complete absence of medical care.&nbsp; 
 
Most of them &ndash; the United Nations High Commission for Refugees says there are 600 Somali refugees in India &ndash; live in the southern city of Hyderabad. With the large Muslim population there, they say they feel more at home and that at least the racism isn&#39;t as bad as in places like Delhi.&nbsp; 
 
Memories of home, obviously, are strong. &nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;I dream of dying in Somalia, buried in a Muslim graveyard that echoes with prayers in Somali, my language, but I fear that I&rsquo;ll have to die here in India. Alone,&rdquo; says Kassim.&nbsp; 
 
He seems older than his 36 years &ndash; his hair is greying, his face wrinkled &ndash; and when he speaks, a surprisingly strong south Indian accent emanates.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;I was very young when I came to India (he came in 2003). I have started to forget my mother tongue but I know basic Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam&rdquo;, he says, naming three of the four major south Indian languages.&nbsp; 
 
Kassim writes a blog on the lives of Somalis in India and he calls himself Mr Blackgold. &ldquo;Black people are like gold.&rdquo; For a living, he translates for African patients admitted to Indian hospitals.&nbsp; 
 
According to Mazher, most Somalis in India are single men in the 20 to 30 age group; they come to the country on student visas and then stay on as refugees.&nbsp; 
 
He says the younger Somalis are well educated &ndash; a lot of them come to study engineering and computer science &ndash; and that they come to India thinking they will find good jobs here. But because nobody will employ them &ndash; you would be hard pressed to find an African man employed in an Indian office even today &ndash; they finally have to make do with odd jobs like the translating Kassim does.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;It took months to get a refugee card from the UNHCR and years to get into an educational institution. I however managed to sail through but the insensitivity here traumatised me. People here are not aware of our situation,&rdquo; says Kassim. 
 
&ldquo;It is easy for the Bangladeshis and Afghans to find work but people hesitate to employ us just because we look different,&rdquo; says Abdul. He adds, &ldquo;Access to education is very limited. Most struggle due to financial constraints. Their (the Somalis) English is not good and in India to get a job in any organisation you should be proficient in English. The lack of a work permit deprives them of jobs in formal organisations.&rdquo; &nbsp; 
 
 
 
No Refugee Policy in India 
 
India is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, nor to its 1967 protocol. This is surprising for it hosts a significant number of refugees and therefore the country, or at least the refugees who find themselves in it, are in desperate need of a refugee policy.&nbsp; 
 
Also, should India wish to be a global player it will have to take on global responsibilities. &nbsp;Estimates suggest for example that there are currently only 40 refugees from Syria in India.&nbsp; 
 
&ldquo;Laws like the Foreigners Act (which govern refugees in India in the absence of a refugee policy) continue to impose unreasonable restrictions on the rights of refugees to freedom of movement and association. The ad hoc nature of refugee policy in India and the absence of a robust domestic legal framework has led to uncertainty and arbitrariness in the treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees,&rdquo; says Shailesh Rai, senior law and policy adviser at Amnesty International India. &nbsp; 
 
But policy or no policy, India will have to put a lot more work into being a more hospitable place for the Somalis. And that might not be something that Kasim would like to wait around for. He says that with things improving in Somalia since 2012 when a new internationally-backed government was installed, he would like to go back.&nbsp; 
 
As for Abdul, he is now trying to get to the United States &ndash; and dreaming of a new, new life in a foreign land.

Because of the protracted conflict back home, the resultant malnutrition, and the near complete absence of medical care, displaced people from the African country are generally regarded as the ones most in need of help

Like any other refugee, Kasim Isse Dhuhulow came to India looking for a better life. He'd lost his parents in the civil war that broke out in Somalia after the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991, his sister was separated from him – he doesn't know where she is any longer but he says he would like to go back to look for her – and his grandfather thought he would be better educated in India. He didn't find that better life, mostly because of the racism people of African origin face in India. “We are dubbed as kaalus (blacks, a derogatory term in India) and gorillas,” says Kassim. “Racial discrimination is very prevalent, especially when it comes to African refugees. People from Africa complain about racial abuse from their neighbours, their employers, and their fellow students,” says Mazher Hussain, executive director of the Hyderabad-based Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), an NGO that works towards building a “harmonious and just society through sensitisation of all sections of people”. Abdul Hussain, 28 (he asked that we not use his real name) says he was attacked in Delhi when he was nineteen. A group of young boys approached him and a friend, asking for drugs. When they said they didn't have any, the boys began to beat them. Ever since then Abdul says he has been hesitant to speak with strangers. And that he now lives in the south Indian city of Chennai where he feels safer than he did in Delhi. The Somalis – alongwith the Rohingyas of Myanmar – are generally thought of as the worst off of the refugees in India. This is because of the protracted conflict back home, the resultant malnutrition, and the near complete absence of medical care. Most of them – the United Nations High Commission for Refugees says there are 600 Somali refugees in India – live in the southern city of Hyderabad. With the large Muslim population there, they say they feel more at home and that at least the racism isn't as bad as in places like Delhi. Memories of home, obviously, are strong. “I dream of dying in Somalia, buried in a Muslim graveyard that echoes with prayers in Somali, my language, but I fear that I’ll have to die here in India. Alone,” says Kassim. He seems older than his 36 years – his hair is greying, his face wrinkled – and when he speaks, a surprisingly strong south Indian accent emanates. “I was very young when I came to India (he came in 2003). I have started to forget my mother tongue but I know basic Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam”, he says, naming three of the four major south Indian languages. Kassim writes a blog on the lives of Somalis in India and he calls himself Mr Blackgold. “Black people are like gold.” For a living, he translates for African patients admitted to Indian hospitals. According to Mazher, most Somalis in India are single men in the 20 to 30 age group; they come to the country on student visas and then stay on as refugees. He says the younger Somalis are well educated – a lot of them come to study engineering and computer science – and that they come to India thinking they will find good jobs here. But because nobody will employ them – you would be hard pressed to find an African man employed in an Indian office even today – they finally have to make do with odd jobs like the translating Kassim does. “It took months to get a refugee card from the UNHCR and years to get into an educational institution. I however managed to sail through but the insensitivity here traumatised me. People here are not aware of our situation,” says Kassim. “It is easy for the Bangladeshis and Afghans to find work but people hesitate to employ us just because we look different,” says Abdul. He adds, “Access to education is very limited. Most struggle due to financial constraints. Their (the Somalis) English is not good and in India to get a job in any organisation you should be proficient in English. The lack of a work permit deprives them of jobs in formal organisations.” No Refugee Policy in India India is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, nor to its 1967 protocol. This is surprising for it hosts a significant number of refugees and therefore the country, or at least the refugees who find themselves in it, are in desperate need of a refugee policy. Also, should India wish to be a global player it will have to take on global responsibilities. Estimates suggest for example that there are currently only 40 refugees from Syria in India. “Laws like the Foreigners Act (which govern refugees in India in the absence of a refugee policy) continue to impose unreasonable restrictions on the rights of refugees to freedom of movement and association. The ad hoc nature of refugee policy in India and the absence of a robust domestic legal framework has led to uncertainty and arbitrariness in the treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees,” says Shailesh Rai, senior law and policy adviser at Amnesty International India. But policy or no policy, India will have to put a lot more work into being a more hospitable place for the Somalis. And that might not be something that Kasim would like to wait around for. He says that with things improving in Somalia since 2012 when a new internationally-backed government was installed, he would like to go back. As for Abdul, he is now trying to get to the United States – and dreaming of a new, new life in a foreign land.

Somali refugees in India: The worst of the worst off

malnutrition

Malnutrition, News on Malnutrition, stories on Malnutrition, articles on Malnutrition, Malnutrition stories at Wion, Malnutrition news, Malnutrition latest news