Welcome to our monthly current affairs update for September 2023. In this ever-changing world, staying informed about the latest events, trends, and developments is crucial. This month, we’ll take you on a journey through the most significant and noteworthy happenings across the globe. From politics to technology, from culture to the environment, we’ll cover it all. Join us as we explore the stories shaping our world and the issues that demand our attention. Our goal is to provide you with a concise and insightful overview of the events that are shaping our times, enabling you to engage in informed conversations and make well-informed decisions. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the whirlwind of current affairs for this month.
India Elderly to Make Up 20% of Population by 2050-UNFPA Report
In News:
According to the United Nations Population Fund’s, “2023 India Ageing Report”, the percentage of the elderly population in the country is projected to double to over 20% of the total population by 2050 with a “predominance of widowed and highly dependent very old women”.
About the UNFPA report:
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a UN agency dedicated to enhancing global reproductive and maternal health. It published a report “2023 India Ageing Report” projecting India’s age composition in coming decades.
- The report used data from the 2011 Census, the 2017-18 Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India, population projections of the Government of India and World Population Projection 2022 report
- The report can be used as an important resource for scholars, policymakers, program managers, and all stakeholders involved in elder care.
Key Findings of the Report:
- Doubling of the elderly population: The decadal growth rate of the elderly population of India is currently 41%. Thus elderly population is projected to double to over 20% of the total population by 2050.
- Elderly to surpass Children population: It is being estimated that by 2046 elderly population will have surpassed the population of children (aged 0 to 15 years) in the country.
- Poverty among the elderly: More than 40% of the elderly in India are in the poorest wealth quintile, with about 18.7% of them living without an income which affects their quality of life and healthcare utilization.
- An increase in the 80+ population is projected to grow at a rate of around 279% between 2022 and 2050 with a “predominance of widowed and highly dependent very old women”.
- Higher life expectancy of Women: Women, on average, had higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and at 80, when compared to men.
- Regional variation: Life expectancy of women and sex ratio among the elderly varies across states and Union Territories.
- Life expectancy of women at 60 years is greater than 20 years in States such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, etc. raising concerns about their social and economic well-being,
- The sex ratio among the elderly has been climbing steadily since 1991, with the ratio in the general population stagnating. In Central India, the sex ratio (>60 years population) went from 973 in 2011 to 1,053 in 2021.
- Old-age dependency ratio i.e. elderly people per 100 people between 15 and 59 years, was higher in Southern India, than the national average at around 20 as is true of Western India at 17.
Implication of the aging population:
- Increased pressure on social security systems: The elderly population is more likely to be dependent on social security systems, such as pensions and healthcare.
- Increased burden on families: The elderly population is more likely to live with their families, which can put a strain on financial and emotional resources.
- Decreased workforce participation: The aging population will lead to a decrease in the workforce participation rate.
- Increased healthcare costs: The elderly population is more likely to need healthcare, which can increase healthcare costs.
- Inherently gendered poverty: Poverty is inherently gendered in old age when older women are more likely to be widowed, living alone, with no income, and with fewer assets of their own.
- Feminisation and Ruralisation of Older Population
- , and policies must be framed accordingly; data show that women, on average, have a higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and 80 when compared with men.
Recommendation of the report:
- Focus on the elderly in disaster-preparedness plans: Elderlies received inadequate support from the government during COVID-19. Public healthcare facilities were not accessible and nobody except NGOs or community-based organizations helped them. Thus policies and plans are required to focus on the needs of the elderly.
- Collection of credible data related to the elderly in India could be done by including questions on relevant issues related to older persons in the upcoming National Sample Survey, the National Family Health Survey, and the Census of India.
- Increasing awareness about government schemes: The report suggested that the government must work on increasing awareness about schemes for older persons, bring all Old Age Homes under regulatory purview, and focus on facilitating in-situ aging to the extent possible.
- Promoting elderly self-help groups: The Government needs to encourage the creation and running of elderly SGHs and promote elderly people living in multigenerational households.
- Promote in situ aging: The government should encourage in situ (at home) aging by creating short-term care facilities like creches or day-care facilities.
Suicide Clusters in India
In News:
The suicide cluster in Kota is being referred to as a public health emergency. The total number of suicide victims in 2023 alone has touched up to 26 in Kota.
About Suicides in India:
- Suicide is a deliberate act of self-harm that leads to death. It is a complex issue with many contributing factors, including mental illness, substance abuse, relationship problems, and financial hardship.
- There has been a rising trend in number of suicides in India. The city of Kota in Rajasthan has witnessed a notable rise in suicides, particularly among students preparing for examinations making it a suicide cluster.
- US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention defines a suicide cluster as a group of suicides, suicide attempts, or self-harm events that occur closer together in time and space than would normally be expected in a given community.
Emergence of Kota as a suicide cluster:
- Point cluster: The situation in Kota is identified as a suicide cluster, specifically a point cluster, where suicides are occurring closer together in time and space than otherwise.
- The contagion effect could also be witnessed where one person’s suicide, due to its circumstances and the publicity around it, triggers the risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and/or deaths by suicide in others who are already vulnerable to suicidal thoughts, leading to suicide clusters.
- Suicides throughout the preparation duration: Suicide clusters in Kota are different in terms that these events occur not at a specific point in time but throughout the year in preparation for examinations.
Reasons for rising Suicide incidences:
- Academic pressure: Students preparing for competitive examinations face immense academic pressure. This pressure can be overwhelming, especially for students who are not coping well academically.
- Parental expectations: Many parents have high expectations for their children, especially when it comes to academics. This pressure can be a major source of stress for students.
- Competitive environment: The competitive environment in Kota is very intense. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression, especially for students who are not able to keep up with the pace.
- Homesickness: Many students who come to Kota are from other parts of India. They may feel homesick, and lonely which can lead to feelings of isolation and despair.
- Lack of mental health support: There is a lack of mental health support available to students in Kota. Many students are not aware of the resources that are available to them, or they are reluctant to seek help due to stigma.
Initiatives by the government to tackle suicides:
- National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS): India introduced the NSPS, aiming to decrease suicides by 10% by 2030.
- Suicide Surveillance Systems: A key target of NSPS is to establish effective suicide surveillance systems within the next three years.
- Mental Health Outpatient Clinics: Another goal under the NSPS is to set up mental health outpatient clinics providing suicide prevention services. This will be achieved under the District Mental Health Programme and is slated for completion within five years.
- Helpline numbers by States: States such as Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have launched helplines for suicide prevention, particularly during the announcement of school leaving and entrance examination results.
- Decriminalization of Suicides: The Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017, significantly reduced the scope for the use of Section 309 IPC which criminalizes attempts to commit suicide. It made the attempt to commit suicide punishable only as an exception.
Way Forward:
- De-stigmatization: Despite several measures, there has been a steady rise in the number of suicides in India. The need of the time is to de-stigmatize the discussion around suicides and motivate the distressed to seek help.
- Media Responsibility: Encourage media to report responsibly on suicides to prevent contagion.
- Focus on Prevention strategies to reduce the risk of further suicides need to be implemented.
- Adopt Successful Models: Adopting approaches like the Tomorrow Project in Nottingham, UK, which has successfully halted suicide contagion through community information, meetings, and clinical support.
Identity and Marginality in Northeast India
In News:
The Northeast region of India is home to numerous ethnic communities who have migrated from different regions. The tendency to conceptualize the region as a single homogenous territory is problematic.
About the Northeast region:
- The Northeast region comprises the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
- The region has a diverse milieu of population, however, the majority of them belong to the Indo-Chinese Mongoloid racial grouping.
- The region is as diverse as India itself in terms of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic representation.
Northeast: Not a single homogenous entity:
- Ethnic diversity: According to the 2011 Census of India, the Northeast region is home to over 200 ethnic groups. The largest ethnic group in the region is the Assamese, followed by the Meiteis, Nagas, Bodos, Tripuris, and Mizos.
- Linguistic diversity: The Northeast region is home to over 120 languages. The most widely spoken languages in the region are Assamese, Bengali, Meitei, Nagamese, and Nepali.
- Cultural diversity: The Northeast region is home to a variety of cultures, each with its own unique traditions and festivals. Some of the most popular festivals in the region include the Hornbill Festival (Nagaland), the Bihu Festival (Assam), and the Sohra Festival (Meghalaya).
- Religious diversity: The Northeast region is home to a variety of religions, including Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam. Northeast India has a major cluster of followers of Christianity.
- Historical diversity: The Northeast region has a long and complex history, with each ethnic group having its own unique history and traditions. The region has been influenced by a variety of cultures, including those of China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
- The colonial conceptualization of the region: The homogenous construction of the Northeast was developed by British colonists for administrative ease.
Social Reality of Northeast Region:
- Elements of Heterogeneity: The region of the Northeast has several elements of heterogeneity based on experiences, contestations, and conflicts of different groups.
- Multidimensional issues affecting the society: The social realities of the Northeast are influenced by several factors such as indigeneity, policy, economy, migration, land rights, insurgency, militarisation, state violence, and laws like AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), reservation, etc.
- Marginalization: People from the Northeast region often experience marginalization and discrimination in other parts of India. This is due to a number of factors, including racism, prejudice, and a lack of understanding of the region’s unique culture and history.
- Violence: The Northeast region has a long history of violence, both internal and external. This violence has caused immense suffering and displacement, and it continues to impact the lives of many people in the region today.
- Displacement and Land alienation: Displacement is a major challenge in the Northeast region. This is due to a number of factors, including violence, conflict, and natural disasters. Displaced people often face significant challenges, including access to food, shelter, and healthcare.
Condition of Women in Conflict ridden regions:
- Consequences of displacements: Conflict-ridden areas have seen large-scale displacement which impacts health, food, livelihood, and economic security, and the long road to rehabilitation.
- Women as sole Breadwinners: Displaced households have witnessed women shouldering the entire responsibility of the family. Women became the primary breadwinners due to forced displacement, and/or death of their husbands or other male members of the family.
- Health Challenges: Women in conflict zones face a number of health challenges, including malnutrition, post-traumatic stress, and communicable diseases. These challenges are due to factors such as poverty, congested living conditions, lack of awareness, and inadequate healthcare services.
- Marginalization within marginalized groups: Tribal bodies of Nagaland, which elected its first two women MLAs this year, are opposing 33% reservation for women which they claim will infringe on Naga customary laws protected by the Constitution.
- Pseudo matriarchy: Popular narratives glorifying the matriarchal structure in Khasi society, in reality, are only matrilineal with the power resting with maternal male members, and thus inherently patriarchal.
Measuring Hunger Across States
In News:
An India-specific hunger index at the level of States and Union Territories helps evaluate the extent of undernourishment at a more localized scale.
About Hunger
Hunger is an uncomfortable or painful physical sensation caused by insufficient consumption of dietary energy. It becomes chronic when the person does not consume a sufficient amount of calories (dietary energy) on a regular basis to lead a normal, active, and healthy life.
FAO has used the Prevalence of Undernourishment indicator to estimate the extent of hunger in the world, thus “hunger” may also be referred to as undernourishment.
Status of India on Hunger:
- Despite being a major food producer with extensive food security initiatives, India grapples with significant challenges related to food insecurity, hunger, and child malnutrition.
- According to the 2022 Global Hunger Index (GHI), India ranked 107th among 121 countries, trailing behind Nigeria and Pakistan.
- The GHI is a comprehensive assessment that measures various aspects of undernourishment and hunger at the national level, encompassing factors such as calorie deficiency, child malnutrition, and under-five mortality.
- Over the past five years, India’s GHI score has worsened, primarily attributed to the increasing prevalence of calorie undernourishment.
- Child malnutrition is a pressing issue in India, characterized by high rates of stunted growth, underweight children, and wasting.
- The 2022 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report highlighted that India has over 224 million undernourished individuals, which equates to more than 22 crore people, with significant disparities observed among different states.
Performance of states in Hunger Index:
- Alarming Hunger: Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh scored 35 on the State Hunger Index (SHI), placing them in the ‘alarming’ category.
- States Above National Average: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, and West Bengal all scored above the national average, which is 29. These states’ performance is akin to that of some African nations like Haiti, Niger, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
- Moderate Hunger: Chandigarh scored 12, while Sikkim, Puducherry, and Kerala all scored below 16. These states, along with Manipur, Mizoram, Punjab, Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Tamil Nadu, are categorized under ‘moderate hunger.’
- Serious Hunger: All other states that scored below the national average but above 20 are dealing with ‘serious hunger’ issues.
- Low Hunger: There are no states in the ‘low hunger’ category.
Issues Related to the Hunger Index
- Data and Methodology Concerns: The Indian government disputes the GHI findings and raises concerns about the data and methodology used in its calculation. This dispute highlights the need for transparency and consensus in measuring hunger and undernourishment.
- Lack of National Sample Survey (NSS) Data: The absence of recent National Sample Survey data on nutritional intake since 2011-12 is a critical issue. Reliable and up-to-date data is essential for accurately assessing the nutritional status of the population and addressing hunger effectively.
- Climate Change and Food Insecurity: India is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, which pose significant threats to the country’s food system and poverty alleviation efforts. These shocks can potentially reverse the gains made in poverty reduction and exacerbate food insecurity.
- Non-Communicable Diseases: India is experiencing a rising burden of non-communicable diseases, particularly among the middle class. These diseases are strongly linked to diet and nutrition. Addressing nutrition and dietary patterns is crucial in mitigating the health risks associated with non-communicable diseases and improving overall well-being.
First UN guidance on Children’s Rights and Environment
In News:
In a recent directive called General Comment No. 26, the United Nations officially acknowledged and reinforced the rights of children to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
Key Highlights of UN Guidelines on Children’s Rights and the Environment:
- Protection against environmental damages: The UN member states have to take measures to protect children from harm caused by environmental degradation and climate change.
- Energy transition: Nations have been urged to phase out the use of coal, oil, and natural gas. Ensure a fair and just transition of energy sources and invest in renewable energy, energy storage, and energy efficiency to address the climate crisis.
- Inclusive early warning systems: Priority of all nations to establish them to protect children from impacts of the extreme weather events.
- Grants for children’s rights: Developed countries have been urged to offer grants instead of loans to address issues affecting children’s rights.
- Effective Emissions reductions: The nations have been asked to prioritize emissions reductions to support children’s full enjoyment of their rights in the shortest possible period of time and to avoid irreversible damage to nature. According to UNICEF estimates, reducing carbon emissions can prevent 4,000 to 6,000 child deaths due to heat in Africa every year.
- Mitigating climate change-induced migration: Adaptation frameworks should address climate change-induced displacement and include provisions for ensuring a child rights-based approach to these issues. In 2022, extreme weather events around the world displaced at least 12 million children.
Need for the UN Guidelines on Children’s Rights and the Environment:
- As per the WHO-UNICEF-Lancet 2020 report, the future of children around the world, including India, is being threatened by environmental degradation and climate change.
- Water crisis: Approximately 415 million children are living in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability. In these regions, risks of drought, groundwater table decline, water stress, and annual and inter-annual seasonal variability intersect with low levels of access to water services.
- Health crisis: Children are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat waves, as they have a reduced capacity to regulate their body temperature and protect themselves. Nearly 90 percent of the global burden of disease associated with climate change is borne by children under five.
- Nutrition crisis: With the increasing frequency and severity of droughts, floods, and severe weather, food security gets compromised threatening the nutrition of children. According to UN estimates, by 2030, climate change is expected to generate 95,000 more deaths of children under five years of age each year due to malnutrition.
- Education crisis: Climate change and environmental degradation affect children’s ability to go to school, through its impact on the health and well-being of both students as well as teachers.
- Social protection crisis: Climate change strains the systems to accommodate the needs of the most vulnerable.
- Climate-related migration: The 2020 Global Trends report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed that out of the 79.5 million people displaced by the end of 2019, around 30-34 million were children.
Initiatives for promoting disability rights
In News:
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in India has embarked on a transformative journey.
About
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) in India is on a path of profound transformation. In its unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive society, DEPwD has established crucial collaborations and introduced pioneering programs to catalyze enduring societal change.
DEPwD’s five initiatives encompass a range of groundbreaking actions:
- MOU with Council of Architecture: The department collaborates with the Council of Architecture (COA) to mandate universal accessibility courses in Bachelor of Architecture programs. This partnership extends to developing a certified course for architects and civil engineers to conduct accessibility audits in built environments, ensuring compliance with accessibility standards.
- Releasing of Anonymous Data of UDID: DEPwD’s release of anonymous data through the UDID portal for research purposes facilitates data-driven decision-making in the disability sector, offering insights at various levels to enhance understanding and inform targeted interventions.
- PM Daksh Portal: PM Daksh Portal is a comprehensive digital platform for Persons with Disabilities seeking training and employment opportunities, offering seamless registration, skill training options, job listings, and streamlined administrative processes.
- Pathways to Access: Courts on Disability Rights: Judgments from India’s Supreme Court and High Courts on disability rights have been compiled into a booklet, providing a reference guide for persons with disabilities and stakeholders in the disability sector.
- Online Case Monitoring Portal by CCPD: The Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities adopts a cutting-edge application for handling grievances filed by persons with disabilities, making the entire process paperless and efficient, featuring seamless online complaint filing, automated reminders, and simplified hearing scheduling.
FAQs on Monthly Current Affairs – September 2023
Q1: What are monthly current affairs?
A1: Monthly current affairs refer to the latest and most significant events, developments, and news stories that have occurred within a particular month. These events encompass a wide range of topics, including politics, economics, science, technology, culture, and more. They are a reflection of the dynamic nature of our world and provide a snapshot of what’s happening globally or within a specific region during a given month.
Q2: Why are monthly current affairs important?
A2: Monthly current affairs are important for several reasons:
- Informed Citizenship: Staying updated with monthly current affairs is crucial for informed citizenship. It empowers individuals to make well-informed decisions, including voting in elections, advocating for causes, and engaging in meaningful discussions about societal issues.
- Professional Relevance: Professionals, such as journalists, policymakers, and business leaders, need to be aware of current affairs to make strategic decisions, create informed content, and respond to changes in their respective fields.
- Academic and Competitive Exams: Many academic institutions and competitive exams assess students’ knowledge of current affairs, making it essential for academic and career success.
- Cultural Awareness: Understanding current events helps individuals appreciate and understand different cultures, societies, and global interconnections.
- Safety and Preparedness: Some current affairs, such as natural disasters or public health emergencies, can directly impact personal safety and require timely awareness and preparedness.
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