Link communities to resources for realisation of MDGs

from One World South Asia

New Delhi: The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were designed to provide a timeline for governments across the globe to eradicate poverty and social exclusion.

The India Citizens’ Report on the MDGs by Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA), released on January 7 by Salil Shetty, Global Director, UN Millennium Campaign, provides an overview of the status of MDGs in India and presents the challenges faced, particularly by socially disadvantaged groups.

WNTA is a network of over 3,000 development organisations across 23 states engaged in holding government accountable to meet its promises to end poverty, social exclusion and discrimination.

A compilation of 14 reports that were released by various organisations on 07.07.07, the mid-point towards realising the MDGs, the Citizen’s Report is a ready reference for all involved in the mobilisation and advocacy of the development goals in India.

Dalits in India

The Dalits in India have always been at the receiving end owing to the rigid caste system in the country. Referred as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), these marginalised groups suffer from massive exploitation in terms of resource distribution.

Together SCs and STs constitute about 25% of the Indian population and account for 42% of the poor. They also make up for about 85% of the bonded labour in the country.

Widely discriminated by the upper castes, the Dalits are prevented from owning land. Even in instances where they have received land because of agrarian reforms/ redistribution, such land has been forcibly taken over by higher castes in the area.

Various schemes to alleviate poverty have resulted in marginal success. It is no secret that many from the upper castes have obtained false certificates of belonging to the Scheduled Castes to corner jobs.

Gender equality, health and literacy indicators are also dismal for these groups. The lack of school facilities and the social compulsions to begin work early, have led to high rates of drop-outs, leading to “education poverty”.

According to the National Family Health Survey-II data, maternal mortality, infant mortality and under-five mortality are also high among SCs and STs as compared to national figures.

Some State facts

The report also tracks the progress on MDGs in ten states of India: Orissa, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharshtra and Tamil Nadu.

In case of Madhya Pradesh, in central India, almost one-third of the population is living below poverty line. The rural education infrastructure shows improvement in the state, however, the drop-out rate remains high at primary level especially due to poor implementation of mid-day meal schemes. Child mortality is highest among SCs and STs and less literate women.

Also forests, crucial to livelihoods, have not received much attention.

In case of West Bengal, a state in eastern India, about 10.6 % of rural households remain hungry everyday for some months of the year. The state also shows poor record on literacy, with women, SCs and STs lagging behind the rest of the population. However, West Bengal has done fairly well in reducing child and maternal mortality rate.

The report finds out that there has been a growing rise of number of HIV/AIDS infected persons in West Bengal.

Tamil Nadu records the highest poverty level among other southern states of India. One of the major problems faced by the state is rural women’s disempowerment and girl-child discrimination.

Nearly 45% of the AIDS patients in India live in Tamil Nadu, although there has been some decline in the HIV prevalence in the state due to improved efforts.

Recommendations

In order to achieve successful realisation of the MDGs, it is imperative to call for a broader and more meaningful engagement of communities who are most vulnerable to deprivation of resources.

The relevance of MDGs can be enhanced by linking them with local and national level programmes of the government for the effective monitoring of social action.

The report concludes that poor implementation of government plans have led to the dismal social state of SCs and STs.

To make MDGs result oriented, self-help groups need to be more assertive. Political participation in decision-making, implementation of minimum wages and the Employment Guarantee Act are a must.

The report recommends a Dalit-centric policy framework to the MDGs and calls for “separate and suitably devised strategy exclusively for SCs and STs” at the district level.

However, in addition to political and economic empowerment of these groups, what is needed is a change in societal attitude.

Spreading awareness about MDGs among the marginalised communities with special focus on gender and caste, and greater financial support for social services in rural India can help improve the situation.