Thursday 28 June 2012

IT and Indian Women

India has been touted by every major publication around the world as the new powerhouse of  Information Technology. Indian companies such as Infosys, Wipro have became global household names handling world class companies such as J.P , Morgan and G.E.

But what when one thinks about Indian women?
There is still much poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and discrimination when it comes to women, but there is a certain segment of those women that are making huge impact in the IT sector. Globalization has provided opportunities for the educated, middle class woman to build her own dreams and excel in fields,which earlier were considered as male domains.
 Indian women are becoming increasingly visible and successful in the professional and public sphere.
In the first phase of  IT revolution, women mostly found jobs in lower end work such as Data entry etc. But with the advancement in the technology , new opportunities in Information Technology sector such as Call Center support, software development raised which led to increase in the women percentage working in IT sector.
Now visit any Wipro Spectramind Call center or walk through Infosys's Banglore campus, one sees many Indian women working and managing various tasks such as answering the customers questions etc.
There are estimated 38% of female software programmers in India , largest in any demography.

A few successful Women Entrepreneurs in India in IT sector are listed below:
(i) Mrs.Murthy of Infosys Foundation : She is an outstanding computer programmer who helped her husband found the US$11 billion market cap company. This amazing women is now helping the women through Infosys Foundation.
 
Mrs. Sudha Murthy
Infosys Foundation:  In 1996, Infosys established the Infosys Foundation to support the underprivileged sections of society. Infosys contributes 1% of profit after tax to the Foundation for its campaign to improve the welfare of people in rural areas of India. At the outset, the Infosys Foundation implemented programs in Karnataka. It subsequently covered Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, and Punjab in a phased manner.
                                  
(ii) Revathi Kasturi:The founder and CEO of the Laqsh Job Skills Academy, Revathi Kasturi is a highly successful IT entrepreneur. She started her career in Wipro, and after 17 years in the company, moved on as Co-Founder and President of Tarang Software Technologies.
 
Revathi Kasturi
































 There are many more Women Entrepreneurs in India working in IT sector like Rashmi Sinha, Neetu Bhatia, Dr. Nita Goyal etc.

As an increasing numbers of successful Indian female entrepreneurs coming up, they are becoming aspirational role models for young girls. The Indian society will soon adjust to a new role of women : talented, independent and will be given same right and privileges that are given to men.
IT is providing women of all sections an oppurtunity to gain economic independence and self respect.

click here for more info. 
click here to know more about infosys foundation
Source: http://web.mit.edu/profit/India%20and%20Outsourcing%20Papers/IT%20and%20the%20Indian%20Women%20v2.pdf





 

Just Think...Is our society a safer place for Girl's?? Who is responsible for their safety???

Hello Friends,
Today again I am stuck at these questions : "Is our society a safer place for Girl's? Who is responsible for their safety?"
So, lets try to figure out the answers here.
You all are well aware with the violence girls are facing these days e.g.women trafficking, rape, female foeticide etc and Violence against women in India isn’t just a current issue, but rather has deep seated traditional roots in the culture. 
 Parents these days are quite worried for their daughter's safety, brothers for their sister's safety. But main question that arises here is : How can we protect the women?
We all are living in 21st century and still most of the girls are dependent on their parents, brothers and husbands for their safety. BUT IS THIS THE SOLUTION?? When we try to figure out the reason for this dependence then one reason comes out i.e. BOYS ARE PHYSICALLY MUCH STRONG THAN GIRLS.
I agree with this fact but on the same hand girls can beat boys in this too if: (a few points are mentioned below)
(i) Girls are little aware about their surroundings.
(ii) Knows basic self defence techniques.
(iii) Are self-confident and have courage to face and tackle even the worst situations.
(iv) Mentally strong.

I am not saying self defence classes are must because I understand the busy schedule of the young girls these days but we can atleast spend 5-10min a day for online self defence classes, videos etc. Girls these days are ready to spend whole day on facebook but whenever we try to contact them to have a look on the self defence videos etc they have numerous excuses like:
(i) I am very busy and I don't have time, will see that later (and this later never comes)
(ii) What's the need? I know I am safe nothing wrong is going to happen with me. (But point to think is how are you so confident that you are safe?).
There are numerous excuses. I don't understand the reason for not giving attention to such things that are required or we can say must in our day-to-day life.

Some girls are inviting troubles themselves like by uploading their pictures on social networking sites like facebook just for the sake of fun. Anybody can upload your picture on cheap pages and you all are mature enough to imagine the standard of comments there So please THINK BEFORE YOU ACT..!
It is my humble request to all my readers to please read the article facebook in real life  by Quadd.

So, i want to summarize my article here by saying this Girls are themselves responsible for their safety. Come on Girls, we are much strong than boys even.. just thing is to understand and keep in mind simple things.
Don't depend on your parents for your safety. Try to fight for your safety.  






Monday 25 June 2012

Have Your Teenage Daughter/Sister Test Her Safety Know-How ???

As you begin to enter adulthood, you will become increasingly independent from your parents. Do you know how to keep yourself safe when you are on your own? Read through the scenario below from Gavin de Becker's book Protecting the Gift and see how much you know about decreasing the risk of being attacked or abused.
In this scenario, you are flying alone on a commercial flight. The older man seated across the aisle (he looks to be about forty) starts talking to you. How do you react? Read through the scene below and test how much you know about keeping yourself safe. Then you can talk about the explanations that follow with your parents or another trusted adult. Being an adult also means being mature enough to know how to keep yourself safe.

Man: ''These headphones just aren't loud enough for me. Hi, I'm Billy'' (and he holds out his hand).
Your response: ''Hi, I'm Jennifer Smith.''
Billy: ''I hate landing in a city and not knowing if anybody is meeting me.''
Your response: ''Me, too. I was able to take an earlier flight so I'm not sure how I'm getting to my friend's house.''
Billy: ''I love arriving in a place when nobody knows I'm coming, but you're probably not that independent.''
Your response: ''Yes, I am. I've been flying alone since I was thirteen.''
Billy: ''You know, you have really beautiful eyes.''
Your response: ''Thank you very much.''
Billy: ''How about a sip of my drink?''
Your response: ''No, thanks.''
Billy: ''Oh come on now. You seem like someone who takes charge of her life by doing anything you want.''
Your response: ''Well, OK then.''
The flight lands and you leave a message for your friend to pick you up. You wait at the baggage claim and Billy comes over.
Billy: ''Would you like a ride to your friend's house? I promise I can get you there right away. I know the highways around here pretty well.''
Your response: No. I've called my friend and she is on her way.''
Survival Signal: Too Many Details
Man: ''These headphones just aren't loud enough for me. Hi, I'm Billy'' (and he holds out his hand).
Your response: ''Hi, I'm Jennifer Smith.''

What's really happening
When Billy said his name, though it may not have been immediately apparent, he was actually asking a question, and you responded with exactly the information he hoped for, your full name. Moreover, his talking about his headphones is an extra detail to entice you into conversation with him. Some people do make conversation on planes, but be sure to not divulge more than your first name and be aware of someone who gives you just a bit too much information.
 Survival Signal: Forced Teaming
  Billy: ''I hate landing in a city and not knowing if anybody is meeting me.''
Your response: ''Me, too. I was able to take an earlier flight so I'm not sure how I'm getting to my friend's house.''

What's really happening
This is an example of forced teaming. Billy is trying to get you and him on the same side. When you're in the same boat, you have something in common and the other person starts to seem ''friendlier.'' You've also told him a key piece of information, that you will be alone in a new city when you arrive and no one will immediately notice your arrival. Forced teaming is another survival signal to recognize. No stranger needs to know your arrival plans.
Survival Signal: Typecasting
Billy: ''I love arriving in a place when nobody knows I'm coming, but you're probably not that independent.''
Your response: ''Yes, I am. I've been flying alone since I was thirteen.''

What's really happening
Not only has Billy contradicted himself (he just told you he hates landing in a city where no one is meeting him), he has also used another signal about which you should be aware: Typecasting. He is trying to elicit another response, one in which you will now want to prove how independent you are, thus making you more susceptible to his suggestions. He's not directly asking you anything, but he sure is learning a lot about you from the information you volunteer.
Survival Signal: Charm and Niceness
Billy: ''You know, you have really beautiful eyes.''
Your response: ''Thank you very much.''

What's really happening
Charm is actually an ability and it always has a motive. Someone who uses it has an ulterior motive, sometimes benign, in this case not. Responding to Billy's charm lengthens your encounter with him and raises his expectations. To charm is to compel, to control by allure or attraction. It is another tactic Billy is using to win you over and ultimately make you vulnerable.
Survival Signal: Loan-sharking
Billy: ''How about a sip of my drink?''
Your response: ''No, thanks.''

What's really happening
Billy is offering you the drink to place you in his debt. If you owe him something, it makes it harder for you to get him to leave you alone. It is critical that you be aware of who approaches you without asking them for anything. Then be aware of all the other signals that have been discussed here. In this case, this is the fifth warning signal Billy has given you.
Survival Signal: Discounting NO
Billy: ''Oh come on now. You seem like someone who takes charge of her life by doing anything you want.''
Your response: ''Well, OK then.''

What's really happening
This signal is the most significant of them all. A person who chooses not to hear the word NO is trying to control you. Letting Billy talk you out of the word NO is telling him that he is in charge. NO is a complete sentence. You shouldn't need to say it again.
Survival Signal: The Unsolicited Promise
Billy: ''Would you like a ride to your friend's house? I promise I can get you there right away. I know the highways around here pretty well.''
Your response: No. I've called my friend and she is on her way.''

What's really happening
Finally, Billy is making you a promise to quickly get you to your friend's house. However, a promise is an attempt to convince you of good intentions and is not a guarantee. There is no collateral involved here. Billy is trying to convince you of his reliability and trustworthiness. He sees you have doubts and is trying to soothe it. You need to ask yourself why he wants to drive you. What is his real motivation? And why do you have doubts? If you do have doubts, trust them. Which is what you did when you refused his offer and held firm.
 
Learning Privacy and Control
From Gavin de Becker's Protecting the Gift
''Since most of what I've written about men and violence is anything but PC--as in politically correct--I'll borrow the acronym from that tired phrase to characterize the contexts in which young women (and women in general) can recognize the safety hazards: PC will now stand for Privacy and Control.
If a man who intends sexual assault or rape has Privacy and Control, he can victimize someone. If he does not have PC, he is not dangerous, period. Accordingly, just the presence of the two features in a situation can trigger a young woman's heightened awareness and readiness. The presence of Privacy does not mean that a man is sinister, but it does mean a girl is vulnerable. At that point, she'll benefit from carefully evaluating how the man got Privacy: Was it by circumstance or by his design?''

What is Privacy?
A private place is one in which there is little or no chance that a third party will suddenly show up, or a place that is out of hearing of people who could assist you. Places such as cars, hotel rooms, closed businesses, and wilderness areas can all afford privacy to a potential attacker, which puts you in a vulnerable position.

What is Control?
Control can exist when a young woman feels persuaded to do what a man wants because she fears being injured if she resists, because she doesn't want to hurt his feelings, because she doesn't want him to hurt her reputation, or because she wants to avoid rejection.

If you don't give a man privacy or control, then you are keeping yourself safe.
You need the tools to prevent vulnerable situations from turning deadly. If you are uncomfortable talking about these types of issues with your parents, perhaps there is another trusted adult who can help lend some guidance. You may also want to pick up Gavin de Becker's book, The Gift of Fear, which directly addresses safety issues for adult women.

For parents and elder family members: As a parent, you want to do everything in your power to ensure your teenager's safety. Once your daughter/sister reaches these critical years, it's imperative that you sit down with her often to talk about the things that she can do to enhance her safety. Practice this scenario at home or come up with one of your own. Role-playing can increase confidence and bring up other important issues you may not have previously addressed.

Thursday 7 June 2012

UP to launch foetus insurance cover scheme

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to provide insurance Rs one lakh cover to foetus or unborn babies of pregnant women.

Called "Jananishree", the scheme will start under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The aim of the scheme is to promote institutional deliveries as only those women will get the benefit who will deliver babies in government hospital or a recognised private hospital.

According to medical and health department officials, that the state government has made all the necessary arrangements required to implement the scheme. In fact, Rs 50 crore have already been earmarked for the scheme. The draft of the scheme has been sent to the Central government for approval. It will be implemented as soon as Centre grants approval. Officials said that scheme will help in checking neonatal and maternal deaths because it will motivate people to go for institutional deliveries. The neonatal and maternal mortality rate is less in deliveries done in hospitals in comparison to household.

A section of experts, however, did not agree with the officials. They said that incentive should be to give money to the women who go for institutional delivery as it is in case of Janani Surakha Yojna (JSY), already being run under NRHM. The government can increase the amount of Rs 14,00 given under JSY to the women who deliver babies in government hospitals. Experts also warned about misuse of the scheme. "In the state where female foeticide is assumed a menacing proportion, the insurance cover scheme can lead to a situation where people will kill daughters after birth for the insurance money," said Dr Shashi Kumar, an activist.

However, government officers said that in case of institutional, health staff will keep a track record of the child after birth, hence it would be impossible for people to kill the baby. "It would be figured out easily whether the neonatal has been killed or has died due to some disease or any other factor," they said and added ""We will also monitor how parents are taking care of the baby after birth. The benefit will not be given in case of death of the baby due to negligence or unnatural death."

But Activists argued that given the rampant corruption in the health department, as we have seen in the Rs 5000 crore NRHM scam, the chances are high that health staff will not report the true cause of death of the baby. The killer parent in connivance with the health staff may siphon off the money, they said.

According to estimates, around 500 female foeticide cases take place in UP every day, which means 1.5 lakh unborn girls are killed every year in the state. UP's child sex ratio (0-6 years age group) as per Census 2011 is 899, a drop of 17 points in comparison to 2001.


click here for more info. 

What do you think friends... Share with us your views.. FOETUS INSURANCE COVER SCHEME : BOON or BANE for UP????

Monday 4 June 2012

Indore's Baby Falak: Cigarette burns, multiple fractures

Indore: 18-month-old Baby Shireen has been admitted to a hospital in Indore with horrific signs of abuse. She has 11 cigarette burns on different parts of her body. Her hands have multiple fractures.

She was brought to hospital by her mother, Zarina, whose lover reportedly abused the baby for weeks. However, doctors attending to her say the baby's life is not in danger.

The details of baby Shireen's trauma echo the story of Baby Falak, who died in March after being treated for serious physical abuse at Delhi's AIIMS hospital. Like Falak, Shireen has battered baby syndrome, according to her doctors.

Zarina separated from her husband; the couple had three children; she then ran away with a man named Wahid to Ajmer. He reportedly abused her children and forced her into prostitution. Zarina managed to escape with her children and returned to Indore this week after which she took her children to hospital.

Wahid has been arrested.

click here for more info.

BUT FRIENDS WHAT DO YOU THINK.. WHICH PUNISHMENT WILL BE THE PERFECT AND CORRECT ONE  FOR THIS CULPRIT 'WAHID'???