Context

Recently, the government has introduced new guidelines for solid waste management in coastal aquaculture units to promote sustainable practices in the aquaculture sector. 

• The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFADH) published the regulations that advocate reducing and managing waste across all stages of production, including hatcheries, farms, and breeding centres. 

Challenge of Solid Waste Management In Aquaculture Units

• Concerning Data: According to a report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India produces over 62 mn tonnes (MT) of waste in a year. 
  • Untreated Waste: Most of the waste generated remains untreated and even unaccounted for. Only 43 MT of the total generated waste gets collected, with 12 MT being treated before disposal, and the remaining 31 MT discarded in waste yards.
• Concerns: Inadequate waste collection, transport, treatment, and disposal have become major causes of environmental and public health concerns in India.
• Need for Guidelines: To counter growing concerns over the environmental impact of coastal aquaculture, which can contribute to rising levels of pollution if not managed effectively.

About Guidelines On Solid Waste Management In Aquaculture Units

• Deals With: To delineate protocols spanning from waste handling to prohibiting its burning.
• Aim: To minimize waste generation and ensure its responsible disposal.
• Provisions: 
• • A Systemic Approach: To identify, categorize, and manage waste streams effectively. 
  • Responsibility: Each unit will have to assess waste generation, segregate solid waste into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and hazardous categories, and provide adequate bins for segregation.
  • Actions Required: The facility managers will have to plan waste transportation and implement reuse or recycling measures to minimize environmental impact.
  • Ban on Plastic Burning: The guidelines also impose a ban on the burning of plastic.
    • Plastics of any grade shall not be burnt at any time by the units, and shall be handed over to the local body or the appointed agency.
  • In-house Sewage Treatment Plants: Larger units generating significant sewage are also required to operate in-house sewage treatment plants meeting Pollution Control Board standards. 
  • Methods Recommended: Various methods such as fermentation and composting are recommended for biological waste management. 
    • Incineration of old or dead animals is advised in certain facilities.
  • Adherence to Safety Norms: Storing of fuel, oil, and lubricants must adhere to legal requirements, with regular maintenance and staff training to prevent spills and ensure safety compliance.
• Emphasis On: The importance of temporary storage and proper disposal. 
  • Each unit is required to maintain adequate temporary storage capacity to handle different categories of waste effectively. 
  • Recyclable Non-degradable Waste: It can be stored and periodically sold or handed over to recyclers based on storage facility capacity and disposal schedules.
  • Designated Space for Landfill Disposal: Units will also have to create designated spaces for landfill disposal. 
• Challenge: The real challenge lies in the effective implementation of guidelines.
  • Despite existing principles, pollution persists, indicating gaps in enforcement. 
• Need To Do: The government should impose stringent penalties and robust enforcement measures to ensure the guidelines are adhered to effectively. 

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Context

The Centre has notified Fact Check Unit (FCU) under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) to flag misinformation about Central government departments to social media platforms.

Supreme Court Stays Union Government’s Notification on PIB Fact Check Unit

• In 2023, the Centre amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. 
  • The amendment included a provision for a Fact Check Unit to flag fake, false or misleading online content related to the government.
  • The Supreme court said the matter concerns freedom of speech and Expression, adding that the notification must be put on hold.

About PIB Fact Check Unit

• Legal Backing: The PIB Fact Check Unit’s mandate has its origin from the IT Rules of 2021, which state that social media sites risk losing legal liability protections if they fail to address detected misinformation swiftly.
• Statutory body: The Union Electronics and Information Technology Ministry has designated the FCU as a statutory body within the Press Information Bureau.
• Powers of FCU: The FCU has the authority to identify what it perceives to be wrong information about the Central government and its agencies on social media sites.

Key Highlights of the PIB Fact Check Unit

• Function of PIB Fact Check Unit

  • Determination of Information: The unit will determine whether internet information about the Central Government is accurate or not.
  • Identification of Fake Content: The body will be able to identify government-related content on online platforms like Facebook and Twitter as “fake” or “misleading”.

• Mandate of the PIB Fact Check Unit

  • Removal of Content: Content flagged by the unit must be removed if they want to keep their’safe harbour,’ which is legal immunity from third-party content.
  • Blocking of URL: Social media platforms must remove such posts, and internet service providers must block URLs to such content.

• Operational Framework

• • Reporting Authority: The Unit reports to the Principal Director General of the PIB, who also serves as the Government of India’s Principal Spokesperson.
  • Headed by: The unit is headed by a senior director general/additional director general level officer of the Indian Information Service (IIS) and its day-to-day operations are handled by IIS officers at various levels.

Fact Check Mechanism

• Handling Queries: Users submit requests via WhatsApp, email, or a web portal, which are handled as ‘Queries’ by the Unit.
• Process of Verification: Actionable Queries for the Government of India are thoroughly verified utilising official sources and technological tools.
• Fact Check Publication: Verified information is categorized as Fake, Misleading, or True and shared on the Unit’s social media platforms to raise awareness.

Categories of Fact-Checked Content

• Fake: Factually incorrect information intentionally or unintentionally disseminated to deceive or manipulate the audience.
• Misleading: Information presented with partial truths, selective facts, or distortion to mislead recipients.
• True: Information verified to be factually accurate after rigorous investigation.

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Context

According to a report titled as “Billionaire Raj” published by the World Inequality Lab (WIL), India’s top 1% will have the greatest income and wealth shares in history in 2022-23, at 22.6% and 40.1%, respectively.

• Four economics experts, Nitin Kumar Bharti, Lucas Chancel, Thomas Piketty, and Anmol Somanchi, created time series data on income and wealth inequality in India.

Key Highlights from the World Inequality Lab Report

• It claimed that the country had become more unequal than the British Raj.
• Findings of the Report: The top 1%‘ income and wealth shares in India reached their greatest historical levels in 2022-23, at 22.6% and 40.1%, respectively.
  • The paper stated that India’s top 1% income share is among the highest in the world, surpassing even South Africa, Brazil, and the United States.
  • India’s top 1% has a lower wealth share than South Africa and Brazil.
• Disparity among Income Groups: The paper also emphasizes the degree of difference between different economic classes.
  • According to the paper, the top 1% has an average wealth of Rs 5.4 crore, which is 40 times the average Indian.
  • However, the lowest 50% and middle 40% had Rs 1.7 lakh (0.1 times national average) and Rs 9.6 lakh (0.7 times national average), respectively.

Key Suggestions in the Working Paper

• Estimates from Multiple Sources: The paper’s estimates of income and wealth disparity are based on numerous sources.
  • There are no official income estimates or survey-based wealth data in India.
• Policy Recommendations: The research makes several policy recommendations to alleviate India’s inequality problem.
  • They include tax reform that takes into account both income and wealth, as well as broad-based public spending in health, education, and nutrition.
• Imposition of Super Tax: According to the research, a “super tax” of 2% on the net wealth of the top 167 families in 2022-23 would generate 0.5% of national income in revenue.
• • Benefit of Super Tax: It would also free up valuable fiscal space to support such expenditures, in addition to functioning as a weapon for combating inequality.

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Context

Recently, the Indian Prime Minister held a telephonic conversation with the President of Russia and President of Ukraine. He was Invited to the Upcoming Global Peace Summit in Switzerland.

Global Peace Summit on Ukraine 

• Hosted by (Proposed): Switzerland 
• Aim and Agenda of the Summit :
  • The summit aims to convene world leaders with the primary agenda of discussing strategies to halt Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. 
  • It will help to  demonstrate global unity to advocate for a  resolution to the conflict
  • Invited Nations from the Global South to ensure diverse representation and perspectives at the summit.
  • It will be largely focused On Ukraine 10 Point Peace Plan.
  • The Swiss government has acknowledged the request and is currently in the process of finalizing additional details for the summit’s organization and execution.

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Context

A recent study ‘Enabling a Circular Economy in India’s Solar Industry – Assessing the Solar Waste Quantum’ has been conducted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

• The study has been done  in collaboration with the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) has estimated concerning predictions about India’s solar waste. 

What is Solar waste?

• It is defined as the waste which is generated during the manufacturing of solar modules and waste from the field during a project’s lifetime. 
• The study categorizes solar waste into manufacturing waste and field waste
  • In the manufacturing stage, there are two kinds of waste: 
    • Scraps created during production and 
    • Waste resulting from PV modules that don’t meet quality standards.
  • Waste from the field has three main sources:
    • Waste generated during transportation and handling, where damaged modules are classified as waste.
    • Waste resulting from damage sustained by solar modules during their operational lifespan.
    • Disposal of modules when they reach the end of their usable life and are no longer functional.

Key Findings of the Study

• Current Capacity and Waste:

  • Current Capacity and Past Waste: India’s existing installed capacity of 66.7 GW (as of FY23) has already produced approximately 100 kilotonnes of waste.
  • 2030 Waste Projection: This waste is projected to increase significantly to 340 kilotonnes by 2030.

• Cumulative Waste Projections:

  • Rise in cumulative waste: The cumulative solar waste from both existing and new capacity deployment, between FY24 and FY30, is estimated to reach about 600 kilotonnes by 2030.
  • Rise in waste due to new capacities: By 2050,600 kilotonnes  is projected to rise significantly to approximately 19,000 kilotonnes, with 77% generated from new capacities.

• Mineral Composition in Discarded Modules:

  • Minerals in solar waste: Discarded solar modules contain critical minerals such as silicon, copper, tellurium, and cadmium.
    • By 2030, expected solar power waste will include 10 kilotonnes of silicon, 12-18 tonnes of silver, and 16 tonnes of cadmium and tellurium.
  • Significance of minerals; These minerals play major  roles in various industries and are significant for India’s economic development and national security.

• Major States of Solar Waste Production

• • In India, 67% of solar waste is Concentrated  in Five States. 
    • These states are Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • Reasons for Concentration:
    • High solar capacity: These states currently possess a higher solar capacity compared to others.
      • Therefore, they are expected to generate a larger amount of solar power waste.

• Expansion of Solar Capacity in Targeted States:

  • Plan for Extension of solar capacity: The five high solar producing states have plans for extensive expansion of their solar capacity in the coming years.
    • This expansion can cause a higher rate of solar waste production from these states.

Recommendations to Manage Solar Waste

• Database Maintenance:

  • Policymakers are urged to maintain a comprehensive database of installed solar capacity to estimate future solar waste accurately.

• Incentivizing Recyclers:

  • Policymakers should provide incentives to recyclers to encourage effective management of growing solar power waste.

• Creating a Market for Solar Recycling:

  • India has been urged to focus on establishing a market for solar recycling 
  • Solar waste can be generated through other ways too. Therefore, Solar waste generation is not just a future problem but a current concern that requires immediate attention.

• Approaches to Recycling: 

  • The report indicated two ways for recycling solar panels. 
    • Conventional Recycling:
      • It is also known as bulk material recycling. 
      • It Involves mechanical processes like crushing, sieving, and shearing of waste.
      • While it can recycle materials like glass, aluminium, and copper, valuable materials like silver and silicon cannot be recovered through this method.
    • High-Value Recycling:
      • It uses a combination of mechanical, chemical, and thermal processes for recycling.
      • Unlike conventional methods, high-value recycling can recover materials like silver and silicon through chemical processes.

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Context

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has mandated that manufacturers of medical devices and in-vitro devices submit their safety reports online. 

• In vitro diagnostic medical devices are tests used on biological samples to determine the status of a person’s health. 

DCGI Mandated Online Safety Reporting for Medical Devices

• Online Submission of PSUR: The directive, issued by the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI), has directed the online submission of Period Safety Update Reports (PSUR), aimed at improving post-market surveillance data evaluation. 
• Overhauling Drug Regulation: This is part of efforts to overhaul India’s drug regulation framework and enhance safety transparency.
• Launch of NSWS: To simplify operations for the medical device industry, CDSCO had launched the National Single Window System (NSWS) on 1 January 2024.
  • This platform, aligned with the Medical Devices Rules 2017, was developed by the central government to create a one-stop shop for all investor permissions, facilitating business processes. 
  • The NSWS encompasses all required permits and clearances.
• Period Safety Update Reports (PSUR): A PSUR is a vital pharmacovigilance document that assesses the risk-benefit balance of a drug product after its authorization, providing a comprehensive analysis based on all available information, including new data. 
• • This report determines whether additional studies are necessary or if modifications are needed.

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Context

Chennai’s space start-up launched its first rocket Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator (SOrTeD) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, on 22 March.

Agnibaan Rocket: By Agnikul Cosmos

• Agnibaan Rocket would be India’s second privately developed rocket to be launched. It has been developed by Agnikul Cosmos Private Limited.
• Vikram-S launched in 2022, was India’s first privately-developed rocket which lifted off from the ISRO launch pad in Sriharikota. 
  • It was developed by Hyderabad-based start-up Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, under the mission titled Prarambh.

Key Features of Agniban Rocket-SOrTED:

• Single-Piece 3D printed engine: Agnibaan features the world’s first single piece 3D printed engine designed and built indigenously, showcasing advanced manufacturing techniques.
• Semi-Cryogenic Engine: It is a single-stage launch vehicle demonstration that will be powered by a semi-cryogenic engine, the Agnilet. 
• Closed-loop feedback guidance feature: This sub-orbital mission employs a complete stack of closed-loop feedback guidance and control, featuring gimballed thrust vector control for precise navigation. 
  • It is not merely a sounding rocket.
• ELaborate Safety Protocols: This is the first private space mission in India to include a flight termination system and a meticulously calculated safety radius, based on extensive worst-case scenario simulations.
• Testing Crucial Spaceflight Components: The mission aims to confirm the functionality of the guidance, control, navigation system, launch release hold mechanism, and other critical operations necessary for full orbital flight, excluding stage separation.

Role of Tamil Nadu in Space Sector

• Development of Minor Parts: Several companies and MSME’s from Tamil Nadu have contributed to the development of minor parts for several prestigious launches, including Chandrayaan-3.
• Vendor Base for ISRO: Tamil Nadu hosts numerous companies that form part of ISRO’s vendor base, providing a wide array of services such as design, R&D, simulation, material and propellant supply, as well as mechanical and structural manufacturing.
• Presence of Notable Private Sector Companies: Prominent private sector players like Agnikul, Data Patterns, and L&T have a significant presence in the state. 
  • For instance, Data Patterns has evolved from a sub-system manufacturer to a complete satellite manufacturer and is a reliable supplier to ISRO. 
  • L&T, operating in Coimbatore, manufactures rocket motors for ISRO. 
  • AgniKul Cosmos, incubated at IIT Madras, is noted for its innovative contributions to the sector.
• Development of Space Parks: Tamil Nadu is bolstering its space sector infrastructure by establishing two new space parks near the upcoming space port in Kulasekarapattinam. 
  • These parks will focus on space-related manufacturing and propellant production, addressing the critical needs of space organizations.

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Context

According to a research paper, titled ‘Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour’, released  by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), forced labor earns illegal earnings of $36 billion each year.

About Bonded Labour

• Definition: A person becomes a bonded labourer when their labor is demanded as a means of repayment for a loan. 
  • The person is then tricked or trapped into working for very little or no pay.
• Constitutional Provisions:  Bonded labour is prohibited in India by law vide Articles 21 and 23 of the Constitution.
• Laws Governing Bonded Labour: Bonded labour is a type of contemporary slavery that has been prohibited in India since 1976, when the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act was enacted.
• Data on Bonded Labour in India: According to Union government figures, 315,302 persons were released from bonded work between 1978 and January 2023, with 94% of them rehabilitated.

Key Findings of the Research

• Earning Estimates of Traffickers: Traffickers and criminals earn close to $10,000 per victim, up from $8,269 (adjusted for inflation) a decade earlier.
• Contribution of Forced Commercial Sexual Exploitation: The survey also said that forced commercial sexual exploitation contributes for more than two-thirds (73%) of overall illicit profits, despite accounting for only 27% of all victims in privately imposed work.
• Data on Forced Labour: There were 27.6 million individuals involved in forced labor on any given day in 2021, which equates to 3.5 people for every 1,000 people worldwide.
• Increased Investments in Enforcement Measures: The report also emphasizes the critical need for increased investment in enforcement measures to halt unlawful profit flows and hold criminals accountable.

Recommendation

• Strengthening of Legal Frameworks: It has advocated for stronger legal frameworks, training for enforcement officers, expanding labor inspection into high-risk areas, and improving coordination between labor and criminal law enforcement.
• Enforcement actions: Enforcement actions must be part of a comprehensive approach that prioritizes addressing root causes and safeguarding victims.
• Promoting Worker Freedom and Collective Bargaining: Ensuring the freedom of workers to associate and to bargain collectively is also essential to building resilience to the risks of forced labor.

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Context

“Ae Watan Mere Watan,” movie was released recently based on the  biography of Usha Mehta.

About Usha Mehta

• Usha Mehta was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and joined the Quit India Movement for contributing to the freedom struggle.
• Method of Struggle: 
  • She was instrumental in establishing Congress Radio, an underground radio station that operated during the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Setting Up An Underground Station

• Need: At the advent of the War in 1939, the British had suspended all amateur radio licenses across the Empire. 
  • Operators were supposed to turn in all equipment to the authorities, with severe punishment for those who failed to do so.
  • To spread the message of Independence: Launched as part of the Quit India Movement, Congress Radio was one of the earliest radio networks established in India. 
  • It was used by Gandhiji to spread the message of Independence.
• Organizers: Alongside Usha Mehta, Babubhai Khakar, Vithalbhai Jhaveri, and Chandrakant Jhaveri Nariman Printer, etc. were key figures in organising Congress Radio.
• Congress Radio Case: The trial of the five accused in the Congress Radio case: Mehta, Babubhai Khakar, Vithalbhai Jhaveri, Chandrakant Jhaveri, and Nanak Gainchand Motwane (who sold key pieces of equipment to the team) generated a lot of excitement in Bombay. 
  • Acquitted: Vithalbhai and Motwane were acquitted, 
  • Punishments: Usha Mehta, Babubhai, and Chandrakant received stern sentences. 
• Released from Jail: Usha Mehta was released from Pune’s Yerawada Jail in March 1946, and hailed in the nationalist media as “Radio-ben”.
• Recognition: The Union Government conferred upon her the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, in 1998. 
• Death: She passed away after a brief illness in 2000.

Background of Quit India Movement: Do or Die

• Launched on:  August 8, 1942.
• Slogan of ‘Do or Die’: by Mahatma Gandhi at Bombay’s Gowalia Tank maidan. 
• Method of Struggle: Mass civil disobedience, massive public demonstrations calling for the end of British rule, acts of public sabotage, and even the setting up of parallel governments in certain regions.
• British Response: Britishers were already stretched due to World War II. 
  • They arrested many protestors in response. 
  • The Congress’ senior leadership, including Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Vallabhai Patel, were put in prison by August 9 itself, and the party was banned.
• Result: A new crop of younger leaders took the lead, sustaining the QIM even amidst brutal repression by colonial authorities.

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Context

Recently, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network released the World Happiness Report 2024 which ranks countries on the basis of happiness. 

• The International Monetary Fund concurred that while GDP per capita is a “significant predictor of happiness, but it’s not the only factor”. 
  • “Variables including social support, life expectancy, free­dom, generosity, and the absence of corruption” explain the happiness of countries.

About World Happiness Report

• An Annual Report: It is an annual report that evaluates happiness levels across more than 140 nations and is published in celebration of the International Day of Happiness (March 20).
  • The rankings are from nationally representative samples over three years.
• Six Considered Factors: Social support, income (GDP per capita), health, freedom, generosity and the absence of corruption. 
  • Use of Cantril ladder: They also measured people’s life satisfaction, through a self-assessed evaluation tool called the Cantril ladder. 
    • The Cantril Ladder asks respondents to think of a ladder, with the best possible life for them being a 10 and the worst possible life being a 0.
• Source of Data: Data is sourced from various outlets, including the Gallup World Poll. 
  • Collaborators include the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Gallup, and the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre.
• Significance: It reflects a worldwide demand for more attention to happiness and well-being as criteria for government policy. It reviews the state of happiness in the world today and shows how the science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness.

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World Happiness Report 2024: Key Highlights

• Top Happiest Countries in the World:

  • Worldwide: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia.
    • The top 10 countries in the list have remained the same since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • In Asia: Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, China and Mongolia.

• Nordic Countries Dominate Top Ranks:

• • Finland, Denmark and Iceland retain their top positions at first, second and third place, respectively. Sweden followed closely at fourth. 
  • Costa Rica and Lithuania have broken into the top 20 list for the first time, securing ranks 12 and 19, respectively.

• Afghanistan Remains Least Happy Country:

  • Afghanistan retained its status as the unhappiest country in the world followed by Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Congo.

• A High (5th) Rank Secured by Israel:

  • Despite ongoing conflicts, Israel secures the fifth position in the report. 
  • Reason: It is due to the three-year averaging method used in the rankings, which mitigates the immediate impact of cataclysmic events such as the war with Hamas.
    • A cataclysmic event is one that changes a situation or society very greatly, especially in an unpleasant way.

• Noticeable Shifts: 

• • For the first time, happiest nations no longer include any of the world’s largest countries, with only the Netherlands and Australia with populations exceeding 15 million within the top 10, and Canada and the UK with populations over 30 million within the top 20.
    • The U.S. missed in the top 20 list, a first in 12 years of the report’s publication.

• Benevolence Levels: 

  • It means how likely people are to help others in need, as feelings of social support factor into life satisfaction. 
    • There is a post-COVID increase in how benevolent people are across all generations, particularly those born after 1980, the Millennials and Generation Z “who are even more likely than their predecessors to help others in need”.

• A Shift in Happiness Dynamics: 

• • Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Iceland (all Nordic nations), ranked the highest, while the opposite trend was observed in Portugal and Greece.

India’s Rank in World Happiness Report 2024

• India ranked at 126 place (same as last year). 
  • India lags behind its neighbouring countries like China at 60, followed by Nepal at 93, Pakistan at 108 and Myanmar at 118.
• Aged 30 and Below: India ranked at 127th spot.

• • Aged 60 and Above: India ranked at 121st spot. Here, older age is associated with higher life satisfaction. 
  • Older Indian Women: They tend to report higher life satisfaction compared to men, despite facing more stressors and health challenges.
  • Older Indian Men: Particularly those in higher age brackets, presently married, and those with an education, tend to report greater life satisfaction compared to their counterparts.
• Numerous elements, including marital status, social interaction, and physical well-being, impact the life contentment of elderly Indians.
  • Women often have broader social networks.
• Among older Indians, factors such as dissatisfaction with living arrangements, perceived discrimination and poor self-rated health are linked to lower life satisfaction.
• Correlation Between Caste Divisions And Life Satisfaction: It highlights that life satisfaction was higher among non-schedule caste (SC) and non-schedule-tribe (ST) than their SC-ST peers. 
• Impact of Education & Caste: Education and caste played key roles, with older adults with higher education and those of higher social castes reporting higher life satisfaction than their counterparts without formal education and those from SCs and STs.
• Regional Variations: Regionally, older adults from Western parts of India were much happier than those living in north-eastern or central regions.

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Arising Concerns in the World Happiness Report

• Widening Gap: Worldwide, women were less happy than men in every region, with the gender gap widening as they aged.
  • The report raises concerns regarding the escalating disparity in happiness worldwide, particularly among older individuals and in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting discrepancies in income, education, healthcare, and social support systems.
  • Happiness inequality is widening in every region except Europe, increasing by more than 20% over the past dozen years. 
• Happiness Trends among Different Age Groups: This was the first edition that looked at the intersectionality of life satisfaction with age and generations.
  • Aged 30 and Below:  Lithuania, Israel, Serbia, Iceland and Denmark ranked in the top five, with Finland at the seventh rank. 
  • Aged 60 and Above: Denmark claims the top spot for those over 60. 
• Decline in Children’s Happiness: Alarmingly, the report highlights a decline in children’s happiness, particularly in North America and Western Europe. 
  • There is an urgent need for policy action to address this concerning trend.

• Loneliness, a Significant Issue: Loneliness emerges as a significant issue, particularly in the US. Surprisingly, it is the younger generation, particularly Millennials, who report higher levels of loneliness compared to older demographics.
  • Millennials: The term used to describe a person born between 1981 and 1996, though different sources can vary by a year or two.

Challenges Associated with the World Happiness Report 

• Implicit Focus on Resources: The Report  uses “happiness” and “life satisfaction” interchangeably, thus tying happiness scores with one’s access to economic and social resources. 

• Self-Declaration: Life satisfaction in the study is self-reported, thus there always remains the possibility of misreporting due to the fear of social stigma.

Conclusion

As rightly observed by the Dalai Lama, “the purpose of our lives is to be happy”, there is an urgent need to address all those issues which hamper happiness. India also needs to work upon in this direction by adopting the practices of Finland that help it to be on the top list and countering the challenges where India is lacking in this list. India needs to establish a Ministry of Happiness with academicians, economists, psychologists and social thinkers to map the road to happiness forever.

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Context

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) presents a concerning picture of the pervasive violence against women in India, highlighting its intersection with mental health conditions and homelessness.

Violence Against Women

• Definition: The UN defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence’ that results in or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.
• Occurrence: The issue of violence against women occurs throughout the life cycle from pre-birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood to old age.
• A Matter of Concern: The issue of violence against women is a social, economic, developmental, legal, educational, human right and health (physical and mental) issue.
  • It is a human rights violation, and the immediate and long-term physical, sexual, and mental consequences for women and girls can be devastating, including death.

Current Status of Violence Against Women in India/World

• Violence Against Women – According to UN Data:

• • As per UN Women: One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner.
    • The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women is also known as UN Women.
  • As per United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Globally, 38% of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner.

• Violence Against Women in India – National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) Data:

• • Prevalence: 

    • 30% women between the age of 18 and 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 years, while 6% have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
    • Only 14% of women who have experienced physical or sexual violence by anyone have brought the issue up.

  • Age and Types of Violence: 

    • Women in the 40-49 age bracket experience more violence than those in the 18-19 category.
    • 32% of married women (18-49 years) have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional spousal violence. 
    • The most common type of spousal violence is physical violence (28%), followed by emotional violence and sexual violence.

  • Regional Divide: 

    • Domestic violence against women is highest in Karnataka at 48%, followed by Bihar, Telangana, Manipur and Tamil Nadu. 
      • Lakshawdeep has the least domestic violence at 2.1%.
    • The experience of physical violence is more common in rural areas (32%) than urban areas (24%).

  • Impact of Education & Wealth: 

    • Violence declines sharply with increased schooling and wealth – both for the female victim, as well as the male perpetrator.
    • Schooling: 40% women with no schooling are subject to physical violence compared to 18% who completed their schooling. 
    • Wealth: The experience of physical violence ranges between 39% among women in the lowest wealth quintile and 17% in the highest wealth quintile.

  • Husband as Perpetrator: 

    • In over 80% cases of physical violence against women, the perpetrator is the husband. It has impact of various following factors: 
    • Education and Alcohol Consumption of husbands significantly impact spousal  violence rates.

  • Interrelation with Mental Health and Homelessness: 

    • There is a recursive interaction between violence against women, homelessness, and mental health almost universally.

  • Underreporting: 

    • As per WHO, less than 40% of women seek help from family and friends.
    • Less than 10% seek help by appealing to the police.

Violence Against Women in India: Causes

• Gender Disparity: 

  • It is one of the major causes of violence against women. 
    • Discriminatory gender norms and gender stereotypes result in structural inequality.
    • Stereotypes of gender roles have continued over the ages.

• Socio-Demographic Factors: 

  • Patriarchy is the main cause of violence against women. 
    • If women have a higher economic status than their husbands and are seen as having sufficient power to change traditional gender roles, risk for violence is high.

• Family Factors: 

  • Exposure to harsh physical discipline during childhood and witnessing the discriminatory behaviour between gender roles in childhood is a predictor of victimization and perpetration of violence.

• Female Genocide: 

  • It causes long-term psychological trauma with increased physical suffering.

• Acid Attacks: 

  • It has emerged as a cheap and readily accessible weapon against females for various reasons such as family feuds, inability to meet dowry demands, rejection of marriage proposals, etc.

• Honour Killing: 

  • In several countries of the world including Bangladesh, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Turkey, and India, women are killed to uphold the honour of the family due to varied reasons such as-alleged adultery, premarital relationship, rape, etc.

• Early Marriages: 

  • Early marriage is a form of violence as it undermines the health and autonomy of millions of girls.
    • The primary roles thought for women have been marriage and motherhood.
    • Women must marry because an unmarried, separated or divorced status is a stigma.

• Low Education & Sensitivity: 

• • Men are more likely to perpetrate violence (and female victims) if they have low education, a history of child maltreatment, exposure to domestic violence against their mothers, harmful use of alcohol, unequal gender norms including attitudes accepting of violence, etc.

Consequences of Violence against Women in India

• Health Issues: Violence in any form affects physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health of women with an adverse affect on their self esteem, ability to work and make fertility decisions.
• Economic Issues: Violence against women poses serious impacts on the economy of the household as well as of the nation.
  • Examples: Loss of income, productivity, cost of social services, impact on child well being, intergenerational social, psychological cost, etc.
• Development Issue: Such violence resists women participation in the workforce, prevents their ability to act or move freely and hence in development and planning programs.
  • Violence against women is an obstruction to poverty alleviation programs as it impedes equitable distribution of resources.

• Violation of Constitutional Rights & Values: Any form of Violence against women is against the fundamental rights under articles 14 (equality before the law and equal protection of the laws), 19 (freedom of speech), 21 (Protection of Life and Personal Liberty) and 32 (Right to Constitutional Remedies) of the Indian Constitution.
• Impact on Future Generation: Many victims of such violence attempts suicides or escape with their children and in such an environment they face threats or even received disabilities (if a suicidal attempt got failed during train jump or self-fire).
  • Throughout their homelessness, they faced the arduous task of survival, finding food and safe spaces to rest every day. 

Way Forward to Curb Violence Against Women in India

• Establishment for a Support Network: 

  • There is a need to recognise and compensate women for their unpaid labour in household roles and creating the space for women to find supportive networks and alternate family structures outside that may offer security and refuge. 
    • Example: In India, Emergency Response Support System (112) is a unified emergency number for immediate assistance in cases of domestic violence.

• Ensure Economic Independence: 

  • Ensuring access to basic income, housing and land ownership may offer economic independence and reduce vulnerability to homelessness. 

• Cultural and Educational Shift: 

  • Such values should be embedded in the environment, specially in education curriculum that helps to counter violence against women and respect equality.

• Need for Policies & Interventions: 

• • There is a need to implement such policies and interventions that reduce violence beginning in the formative years itself.

• Gender-based Legislation: 

  • There is a need to enact and enforce legislation and develop and implement policies that promote gender equality by ending discrimination against women.
    • National plans and policies should be formed to address violence against women.
    • Example: Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is considered the most “progressive blueprint” for advancing the rights of women. 
      • It is focused on the goals of equality, development and peace for all women everywhere. 

• Enhancement of Survey & Surveillance Quality: 

  • To combat this women violence issue, there is a need to improve the system of collecting crime surveillance data on violence against women.
    • Gender based surveys and health surveys should be conducted.
    • There is a need for a comprehensive and systematic research and analysis on crime against women at Central, State, district and block level.

• Capacity Building and Training 

  • Capacity Building and Training should be prioritised for service providers and law enforcement officers to handle cases of violence against women.

• Provide Counselling & Friendly Mental Health Care Services: 

  • There is evidence that advocacy and empowerment counselling interventions, as well as home visitation are promising in preventing or reducing intimate partner violence against women.
    • Affordable and accessible mental healthcare should be the priority for the government. Here, ASHA workers can play a significant role and is an important step towards women empowerment. 

• Adopt a Multifaceted Approach:

• • Need Scrutiny: Instead of addressing root causes rhetorically, there is a need to examine the complex strands surrounding mental health. 
    • It requires opening up to new avenues, involving diverse professionals, innovative research, and meaningful involvement of those with lived experiences. 
  • Prioritization of Responses: Prioritizing a range of robust responses can better address the plurality of needs, especially for high-priority groups such as homeless women. 
    • No single narrative makes for a complete response. 
  • More Knowledge and Understanding: Greater exploration of issues and their influence on mental health, the role of intersectionality, power asymmetries and the use of feminist standpoint theory in advancing science and ways of knowing are needed.

Conclusion

A woman’s right to live free from violence is upheld by international agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the 1993 UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. There is an urgent need for investments to increase proximal access to mental health care with collective action that can substantively address deep-rooted violence.

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