Millennium Development Goals

In its perspective policies, CSW has adopted eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as set forth in September 2000 at a convention represented by 189 countries, including India. The development policies of several governments across the developing world have mirrored a legitimate commitment to the framework of the MDG and India is no exception. Accordingly, the Planning Commission of India has evolved the National Development Goals (NDG) as part of its I0th and 11th Five Year Plans targets. This is essentially based on the following eight MDG targets:

• Eradication of poverty
• Achievement of universal primary education
• Promotion of gender equality
• Reduction of child mortality
• Improvement of maternal health
• Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensuring environmental sustainability
• Developing a global partnership for development

Therefore, keeping in view the inherent importance of aforesaid MDG, the Governing Body of CSW has decided to work towards achieving the aforesaid goals in the following manner:

Reduction of Poverty

As per the available statistical data, about 43 per cent population in India, including villagers, slum dwellers, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, live below poverty line. Therefore, no country could progress and prosper, till this level is drastically reduced, if not completely eliminated. Therefore, it is important to make all out efforts to increase the sources of livelihood so that people living below poverty line can be brought above this line so that they can contribute their bit in the overall development of the country. This is one of the main objectives of the 11th Five Year Plan of the country, as part of Millennium Development Goals. Looking at the importance of this objective, CSW, in its perspective planning policies, aspires to give appropriate thrust towards achieving this goal of national importance.

With this objective in mind, CSW is giving top priority in its perspective planning policies to make a concerted effort towards increasing the sources of livelihood and make the people capable enough so that they could earn sufficiently and lead an improved quality of life in the society.

Health and Sanitation

It has been realised that with the growing population, improved health services become imperative. This situation called for immediate attention in growing cities where a large segment of population is either illiterate or poverty stricken, living in difficult conditions and largely ignorant to avail health services. The available health services are either very expensive or depend on the whims of the government functionaries. The problems in the government run hospitals are innumerable, ranging from non-availability of drugs and facilities to the indifferent attitude of doctors and paramedics. The condition in private hospitals is also not very satisfactory due to their financial motive. All the growing cities are, therefore, in dire need of proper health care services. The poor health conditions can be attributed to:

• Insensitivity of the masses towards preventive health care services
• Unhygienic conditions
• Lack of facilities

To offset such deficiencies, a beginning has to be made by ensuring appropriate maternal and child health care, which include proper immunisation to the mother and the child.

Gender Equality/Women Empowerment

It is estimated that 78 per cent of India's working women are involved in agriculture – 35 per cent of which are cultivators and 43 per cent are labourers. The women in urban slums and villages are relatively worse off than men. Due to being additionally burdened with responsibilities of their homes and with no real economic independence, non-existent involvement in the decision making processes and most importantly their low level of awareness even on common developmental issues, their basic rights, and means to have access to the available facilities. Consequently this section of the society has become the victim of social and economic inequalities perpetuated by an exploitative social, economic and political order. Wage discrimination and exclusion from decision making processes has an adverse impact on the control over the resources, access to livelihood opportunities, information, technology, skills and so on.

Therefore, the intervention of CSW need to be intensified, both in urban and rural areas and all possible steps are being taken to address the needs of the women in deprived areas to ensure that the resources and means are available to them so that they can participate in the decision making processes of developmental activities and also involve themselves in sustainable manner.

To continue the efforts of empowering women, CSW envisages strengthening partnership with the tribal and dalit women in its developmental areas. In order to enhance the status of women and promote gender equality, women are to be encouraged and empowered to fully participate with their full potential and on equal footing. To ensure their economic independence, attempts are to be made towards bridging the gap between community forums and the government and for establishing a viable linkage with the line departments to help in reducing poverty. Our interventions also aim to prepare them to act as agents of change not only in the community development initiatives but to work as a pressure group to pursue policies related to community development at all possible levels. Our plans continue to empower and enabling the women, in our target areas, to participate in policy and decision making process at all levels of the society.

Imparting Primary Education

'Education' was considered to be the only investment which always spread and enhanced the social capital of the society. CSW continues to raise awareness amongst parents, youths and the adults on the need for education not only for their children but also for themselves for improving the overall educational status of the society.

The strategy has been formulated towards awareness campaigns for raising awareness amongst parents and children for joining formal education system with a view to minimise illiteracy in the identified villages and slums.

As the saying goes "Educate a man and you help one individual, while educating a women, you help a family". Therefore, the adult education, particularly for women, has been envisaged as one of the features of awareness campaigns so that good social dividends could be reaped.

Other Areas of Interventions

1. Helping the Handicapped/Disabled

Various schemes are to be promoted to make the handicapped economically self-dependent, particularly of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population, so that they may lead a respectable, economically independent life with due social acceptance.

2. Tree and Herbal Plantations

With a view to intervene in environmental issues and promote Ayurvedic treatment, schemes are to be devised and promoted amongst the rural populace of India, for tree and herbal plantations with medicinal values. This will not only generate new sources of livelihood for them, but will also meet the growing requirement of such plants in India.

3. Social Marketing

Every effort will be made, by way of organising awareness campaigns, meetings, personal counselling, and distribution of contraceptives, to control the dreaded disease of HIV/AIDS which has now taken a magnitude of global concern.

4. Soil Conservation

The farmers are to be encouraged for tree plantations so that soil erosion may be contained and fertility of the land is improved. This will help them to get maximum crops and improve their earnings and financial status. In addition, in co-ordination with village people, tanks and canals are also to be constructed so that farmers' dependence on rainwater is reduced.

5. Adopting Villages

In an innovative effort, CSW plans to adopt certain number of villagers, every year, with the object to register the expectant mothers, and their children so they can be provided with proper vaccination, affordable but nutritious food and their regular check-ups. This will maintain their health at the desired levels.

6. Drop-out Children

Attempt is to be made to ensure that at least the primary education is provided to the drop-out children in the urban slum areas of our target districts.

7. Elimination of Child Labour Practice

Although engagement of children in activities within the definition of ‘Child Labour’ has been legally prohibited, but still a large number of children are engaged in one or other type of such activities in almost all parts of India. This not only hampers their proper education, but also restricts their future growth. Therefore, CSW has vowed to work towards elimination of this menace at least in the areas of its intervention.

CSW, thus has plans of far reaching consequences to effect a qualitative and quantitative impact upon the lives of the people. We are confident of our ability to execute our plans with success to achieve the desired goals and contribute our bit in the process of national development