Make
‘inclusive growth’ a reality: ActionAid conclave
Rambati
a woman from the Sahariya tribe who has changed the face of midday meals in
Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh could barely contain her joy at having the
opportunity to share her struggles and successes with others from across the
country. “We were dancing on the
train,” she said.
83
year old Ravinindra who came from “the
last village in
Assam
before the border” is also among the 1400-plus participants in a
four-day event hosted by ActionAid in
Hyderabad
. “I travelled three days to get
here but it is worth it,” says Ravinindra, a local peace activist.
‘Towards
a people’s alliance’ brings together a myriad of marginalised social
groups from
Kashmir
to Car Nicobar.
Indigenous
and fishing communities, Dalits, Muslims, women, urban poor, people with
disabilities and people living with HIV and AIDS are discussing a range of
human rights issues including peace and security, food and livelihood,
health, education and women’s rights.
In
his opening remarks,
Babu Mathew
, country director of ActionAid
India
, a former law professor and trade union leader, highlighted the cruel
contrast between
India
’s economic boom and the increasing marginalisation of those who are left
out.
“It is said
that
India
lives in her villages,” he
said. “But after the deadly growth
that we are witnessing it must be said that
India
is dying in her villages.”
“This death and
destruction of livelihoods is now spreading into the urban slums and the
coastal habitats,”
he added.
Colm O Cuanachain
, ActionAid’s
international campaigns director said:
“I
come from
Ireland
, and our two countries share a common history. Our colonial past; the
struggle for independence from
Britain
; long-running discrimination and sectarianism resulting in violence and
bloodshed; and today both countries are seeing massive economic growth
running in parallel with social decay.”
“In fact the
only difference I can see between our two countries is that here it rains
for 3 months of the year, whereas in
Ireland
it rains all the time!”
Colm,
who spent 15 years working with international human rights watchdog Amnesty,
now leads ActionAid’s ‘HungerFree’ campaign.
“A
recent survey by the Indian health ministry, the National Family Health
Survey backed by UNICEF, has found that almost 46 percent of children under
the age of three are undernourished. To put that in context Indian children
fare worse than children in
Ethiopia
,”
he said.
“In
India
we are faced with unprecedented displacement, threatening livelihoods and
exposing us to mounting hunger and even starvation deaths,” said
Mathew. “ActionAid finds that this
is happening across the world and has launched a campaign saying ‘no to
hunger’.”
Indigenous
groups from Orissa are among those under threat from industrial
developments. Many of their representatives took part in the conclave.
“This is our
place – we have been here for generations”
says Ghasi Majhi talking of her home in Lanjigarh, Orissa. “When
the factory starts, the company will take over our land. What will happen to
our children?” he asks.
Majhi
lives in the shadow of a bauxite refinery built by Vedanta, a company listed
on the London Stock Exchange. The company’s presence in the environmental
sensitive location of Niyamgiri mountain is being challenged in the Supreme
Court. The mountain holds deep spiritual significance for tribal communities
as well as providing a source of food and livelihood.
“The challenge
in
India
is not just to talk about making growth inclusive, but to make ‘inclusive
growth’ a reality. One step in this direction is to ensure a safety net
for the poorest groups and that welfare schemes reach the people for whom
they are intended. Rights enshrined in the Constitution must be made good
for all citizens, not just the fortunate few,”
said
Babu Mathew
.
Photos
credit: ActionAid
