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UN International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in Geneva last week reviewed India's performance after 17 years and described it as “poor”. The panel also advised India to try harder towards realising rights including health, food, water, housing, education, work, gender equality, and social security.
It is learnt that India's 13-member delegation faced rigorous questioning. “Progress on all social fronts was deemed unsatisfactory,” said members of civil society groups who were present during the review.
Babu Mathew of ActionAid said everyone appreciated India's Constitutional framework, its laws and policies. But there were no satisfactory answers on implementation of laws. It was mentioned that over 50% of children in India dropped out of school before they turned 14. Even job guarantee scheme did not reach the needy.
The committee did not buy the delegation's argument that rights were being realised progressively. It said there were immediate obligations to realise certain rights such as food, housing, health and education.
Concerns were also expressed about violation of rights of women and girls, declining sex ratio, high maternal mortality, growing violence against women and discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS. (Source: Hindu)
May 19, 2008
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