Press release

"We are citizens too," say India's marginalised groups  

Hyderabad, June 12, 2007: After rousing opening session, day two of the National conclave saw intense discussions in different social groups. Children, Muslims, Dalits, urban poor, and people with disabilities shared their stories of struggle and success.

Fishing communities, indigenous groups, women and people living with HIV and AIDS also drew up their strategies for action.

The common thread was exclusion – every group is in some way denied the rights that other Indian's take for granted.

CHILDREN'S PERSPECTIVE

Thirty children from as many as five states including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan shared their experiences of what it means to be out of school and working to fend for themselves and their families.

Two sets of issues emerged – first, inability to go to school because of child labour or parents' belief that their children are too old for school. Some Muslim parents cite religious reasons for not sending their daughters to study. "Poverty is a major reason why children don't go to school," says Niraj, an ActionAid child rights campaigner. "But what we are clearly hearing is that these kids really want to study against all the constraints," adds Niraj.

Fourteen-year-old Balvir from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh recounted a harrowing tale of how 300 children live and work on platforms and trains in his city. Balvir sells peanuts and old books to passengers in trains. "We are hounded by the Railway Police, they take away our goods, they take away our earnings and also put us in children's jails, where they make us wash clothes and utensils," he says.

"The police wouldn't let us grow out of poverty," asserts Balvir.

The second burning issue for children is that many attend school where teachers don't teach. "A teacher in Bevas district of Madhya Pradesh used to come drunk at a village school. He used to send kids to fetch cigarettes and liquor. Students boycotted his class, and that mended the teacher's ways," says Niraj.

WOMEN'S VIEW

Ason, 24, says the biggest challenge in Tuensang, Nagaland where she lives is that "our society is very male dominated and most women are illiterate."

"Every decision in the village is made only by the men. Government has allotted 33% funds for women but we do not get that. Parents think educating girls is a waste of time.

"We are 8 in our family, 6 sisters and two brothers. My brothers attend private school but the girls either didn't go or went government schools where we can't get a proper education. I fought hard for scholarships to get me through every stage. Whenever I saved any money I would spend it all on buying books."

"Now I am the only one working and earning to support the entire family but when my parents die I will get no inheritance, not a single bowl or spoon, let alone land to grow food."

But slowly things are changing: "my father now says he realises that that girls are just as important as the boys," she says.

Ason works as a field officer with local organisation ECS. With ActionAid's support they are working hard to change attitudes towards women in the highly conservative Chang tribal community from which she comes.

Women's groups called for an end to all forms of violence against them.

"The struggle against poverty cannot be successful until male domination, from the home to streets and public transport to the schools, colleges and workplace – is challenged," said Sudipta Viswas from DMSC, a sex worker's collective in Kolkata. She is also demanding workers rights for sex workers.

There were strong calls for achaic administrative systems to be overhauled so that women can seen as citizens in their own right. Neerja from AIM, an organisation working poor communities in Uttar Pradesh, said: "Women and girls are always the most marginalised. Official forms reinforce this by insisting on identifying women as 'daughter or wife of…'"

VOICES OF URBAN POOR

A diverse and lively group of hawkers, domestic servants, ragpickers and other informal sector workers from cities across the country debated issues facing urban poor:

Vinal Pajre is 53 migrated to in Nasik, Maharashtra, 17 years ago. She migrated to the big city after contracting leprosy and being thrown out of her home in the town of Kalvam. She now lives day-to-day on the irregular wages of whatever work she can get: Rag picking or construction on a good day, on a bad day, nothing.

Like other migrant workers Vinal was stripped of her identity and citizenship when she arrived in the new city. After a two year struggle and with the help of ActionAid partner the Visha Foundation, Vinal has been this year been granted a temporary ration card meant for migrant workers.

"I was very happy after getting the ration card. It was so difficult to negotiate with the administration I never thought it would be possible," she said.

"Now I get 35 kg of food grain each month and a card that proves my identity as a citizen of Nazik. The collector himself came to talk me (part of the official verification process for ration cards). It was the first time that they took care about me. I felt very proud," she says.

Migrant workers like Vinal are calling for the temporary ration card system to be adopted across the country and for the registration process to be made simpler. "The cards are currently only available in selected districts of Maharashtra," she explains.

The current model of economic growth is also destroying livelihoods of a multitude of informal sector workers and pushing others into poverty wages and dangerous conditions.

Sudarsh Patnage of NMPS union of construction workers called social security and laws to protect workers in all states. The impact of the recent ban on cooking in the street is being felt by food vendors nationwide with police harassment flourishing.

Vegetable vendors are also feeling the squeeze. Mukesh, lives with his wife and four children in Delhi. A Reliance Fresh store, part of a new wave of supermarkets opening in urban centres recently opened in his area he says.

"I am now struggling to sell most of my vegetables, whatever is left over is simply sold at half price or thrown away. I really don't know what we will do."

MUSLIM CONCERNS

The key concerns raised by Muslims were communalism and poverty.

"I wish my village was the same when Hindus and Muslims lived together in harmony," said Nagma Nadaf from Karnataka. "Today what we experience is hatred and distrust, why have we turned against each other, where do we go from here?"

Nagma is a also a member of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (Indian Muslim Women's Movement of which ActionAid is a founding member)

On poverty Zakia Jowher of ActionAid said:

"As citizens of India we want equal share and participation in all walks of life. Equal citizenship rights must be there for Muslims too, be it right to education, livelihood and above all right to life."

"We call for implementation of Sachar Committee recommendation, to return to the value of secularism and vision of a pluralist society enshrined in the Constitution."

PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES

"Equal access to all services is my right and not a matter of charity but I have to struggle hard to get to it", says wheelchair user at the conclave. "The public services are not disabled friendly."

PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS

"It has been a struggle all along. I know I am not alone in the society and will keep fighting for myself and those like me", said Preeti Ben, an HIV positive woman from Gujarat.

FISHING COMMUNITY

"The state seems bent on eroding our age old source of living, we need a strong leadership to resist this, if we don't, we have nothing to survive", said Sankar Reddy, a 36 year old fisherman from Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Sankar's community face eviction and loss of livelihood due to large scale investment by the state to boost tourism, without considering the needs of local citizens in their plans. They are currently challenging the Coastal Regulation Zone which threatens to push poor coastal people away from their land and livelihood.

DALIT RIGHTS

"Dalit women are facing sexual violence by upper castes. It is a way of destroying the spirit of the whole community. Subsequent treatment at the hands of the police rubs salt into the wounds. The police call us liars or refuse to register or follow up our cases," says Pempha Ram a dalit leader from Kaliyanpur, Barmer, Rajasthan.

"We desperately need access to training and education to choose professions of our own, not by force and put a stop manual scavenging work," he says.

Fourteen-year-old Uganta from Nagor district of Rajasthan quit manual scavenging to join a bridge school supported by ActionAid. She says only half the kids in her district go to school, and they are all well-off. She would like to become an artist when she grows up.

"I would like to paint school-going children, also people injured in conflict zones, and of course the lives of poor people," says Uganta.

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES

"The voice of tribal people here are clear. State should not make any attempt to displace the tribals in the name of 'development' whether it is irrigation, mining, or tourism," says Bratindi Jena of ActionAid.

Ghasi Majhi from a primitive tribal group in Lanjigarh, Orissa, 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.

"This is our place – we have been here for generations" says Ghasi Majhi. "When the factory starts, the company will take over our land. What will happen to our children?" he asks.

End.