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The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Scheme-based workers, the struggle for an identity
The central government employs millions of regular and contract workers who are recognised as government employees and are in the pay spectrum of the government. The government also employs several types of workers such as Anganwadi workers or AWWs (13,51,104 workers) and Anganwadi helpers or AWHs (9,22,522), Accredited Social Health Activists or ASHAs (10,52,322 workers), and Mid-Day-Meals workers or MDMWs (25,16,688) under The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme since 1975, the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM) and the mid-day meals day scheme. Put together, around 60 million workers work in government schemes. These schemes are those which carry out social and economic functions by taking care of children and lactating mothers and nutrition aspects. They are also a bridge between the community and the public health system, improving school enrolment and the nutritional health system. The reality of their existence Though there has been much recognition of their work (by the Prime Minister and even the World Health Organization), these workers face hardship — they have been denied basic labour market rights such as workers' status, minimum wages and social security. Three basic issues among others have affected scheme-based workers (SBW) — an identity as 'workers' just like any government employee, minimum wages and social security. They have adopted three strategies to highlight their plight — strikes, legal action and social dialogue. Major central trade unions (AITUC, BMS, CITU) have organised the SBWs extensively. Since there are no prescribed wage negotiation timelines, trade unions have gone on frequent strikes over the issue of wage revision at random. State governments are more generous depending more on the strength of unions, their proximity with the party in power, and political factors such as elections. In March 2025, Anganwadis in Kerala called off their 13-day indefinite strike. The frequent and large-sized struggles of and by SBWs is a feat of labour mobilisation in modern times as State governments have not always been kind to striking workers. In fact, the Maharashtra government imposed the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act in 2017 to curb the right of Anganwadis in the State to go on strike. In a sense, the government has recognised the 'essential' nature of work done by Anganwadis. The judiciary's approach At the same time, Anganwadis have been knocking on the doors of the judiciary, with some success after initial setbacks. In State Of Karnataka & Ors vs Ameerbi & Ors (2006), the Supreme Court held that as Anganwadis do not carry out any function of the state, and do not hold a post under a statute, it did not consider them as workers. This was a judgment that was a blow against the struggles of these workers. But there was judicial relief. The Court, in 2022, granted that Anganwadis are eligible for gratuity as they are covered under workers/employees under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 (Maniben Maganbhai Bhariya vs District Development Officer, 2022). In 2024, the Gujarat High Court (Adarsh Gujarat Anganwadi Union & Ors. vs State of Gujarat) observed that Anganwadis perform onerous duties and responsibilities apart from performing important services under the Right to Education Act (RTE) and the National Food Security Act (NSF). It directed the central and State governments to jointly frame a policy under which the AWWs and AWHs could be regularised as Class III and Class IV grade State employees. Until then, they would be paid minimum wages (Class III and Class IV, respectively). The central trade unions have been raising the issues concerning the SBWs at the tripartite forum, the Indian Labour Conference (ILC), which is a social dialogue forum created during colonial rule. It is notable that in the 45th ILC, its tripartite Conference Committee made unanimous recommendations to the central government to treat the SBWs as 'workers' and not as volunteers or honorary workers, and pay them minimum wages, pension, health insurance and provident fund, among others. The usual stand The government is concerned with the huge cost implications as the employment of SBWs as government employees is set to grow as the population grows. On the other hand, the Labour Minister, in 2016, said in the Rajya Sabha, that the recommendations require long-time policy formulation and that there can be no fixed time-line for their implementation. Policy delay and avoidance at best — and outright denial policy at worst — has been the clever policy of the central government, irrespective of the party in power. The government has been dodging these important issues. On the other hand, there are attempts to privatise the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS). SBW organisations have been waging relentless struggles at all levels to oppose the privatisation of the ICDS and strengthen the labour rights of SBWs. Their struggle, which involves multiple issues, will go on. It is not 'applause' that they seek but 'worker' status. It is an existential struggle. It is interesting to note that in both the traditional and modern (gig) sectors, workers are battling for their labour market 'identities' as 'workers' and earn 'wages and not 'honorarium'. It is not charity that they seek but a legitimate demand for 'workers' status by dint of hard work over long hours. K.R. Shyam Sundar is Professor of Practice, Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Fadhlina: Community involvement, character building important to solve social issues
BANGI: Social issues such as child marriage, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and intergenerational conflict cannot be resolved without the active involvement of the community and establishment of character education. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said there is an urgent need to overhaul the educational approach to be more comprehensive, encompassing aspects of values, ethics and character development of students, while also emphasising the role of parents and the community in educating children. She outlined concerns regarding several social statistics that do not show positive changes, particularly related to the persistently high divorce rate, cases of women killed due to domestic violence, and issues of family disharmony involving the elderly and children. 'The home is not safe for women when this happens within the house and women die at the hands of their partners,' she said while speaking at the 'Pesona Inspirasi Keluarga MADANI' programme here today. Meanwhile, she also emphasised the importance of the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) module in addressing issues involving adolescents and children. 'I don't think it is still taboo in society when social crises occur in the community,' she added. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will use the PEERS module starting from the 2027 school year. PEERS will be taught through the Health Education curriculum from preschool to secondary school, and students will be equipped with information and skills, particularly psychosocial competencies, to make informed decisions in their daily lives.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Fadhlina: Community, character key to tackling social issues
BANGI: Social issues such as child marriage, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and intergenerational conflict cannot be resolved without the active involvement of the community and establishment of character education. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said there is an urgent need to overhaul the educational approach to be more comprehensive, encompassing aspects of values, ethics and character development of students, while also emphasising the role of parents and the community in educating children. She outlined concerns regarding several social statistics that do not show positive changes, particularly related to the persistently high divorce rate, cases of women killed due to domestic violence, and issues of family disharmony involving the elderly and children. 'The home is not safe for women when this happens within the house and women die at the hands of their partners,' she said while speaking at the 'Pesona Inspirasi Keluarga MADANI' programme here today. Meanwhile, she also emphasised the importance of the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) module in addressing issues involving adolescents and children. 'I don't think it is still taboo in society when social crises occur in the community,' she added. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will use the PEERS module starting from the 2027 school year. PEERS will be taught through the Health Education curriculum from preschool to secondary school, and students will be equipped with information and skills, particularly psychosocial competencies, to make informed decisions in their daily lives.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Utah's new holiday to help folks combat loneliness is on Saturday
The last Saturday in April — this Saturday — is a new state holiday. The Utah Legislature created Utah Social and Community Health Day to nudge people to mind their relationships. The day is a reminder to nurture friendships and to reach out to others to counter the growing problem of loneliness, a challenge that has seeped through communities across the country. 'Think of it as a day to level up your friendships,' said Brent Reed, one of the architects of the holiday and a strong advocate for the value of forging connections. 'Every major problem — and every joy — is easier to face when we're not alone." The holiday's goal, he told Deseret News, is to get everyone to do something, however small, to connect with someone else. He'll be having lunch with an old friend he almost lost track of as both of their lives got busy. Reed, 59, is a Highland dad with seven kids, who range from teens up to their 30s. He owns a window cleaning business. Reed said he got interested in the issue of social connections in 2023, when news stories were chronicling a loneliness epidemic. He took stock of his own life and realized he'd let many of his social connections drift away. About the same time, Reed said he saw some of the work done by BYU professor of psychology Julianne Holt-Lunstad, who had been studying and publishing research on the impact of loneliness and isolation — which may not be the same thing. You can have people around you and still feel lonely. You can be by yourself and not feel lonely. But many people do suffer from feelings of one or the other — or both. Reed got involved with 'friendship labs,' coming up with tools to help people increase the quantity of their friendships and improve the quality. He kept trying different things, plagued by the notion that disconnection was a solvable societal problem. But loneliness is tricky, he said, because no one wants to own that they feel that way. 'Being lonely seems to be generally frowned upon,' he said. He took his concerns to a legislator, who agreed that a day of recognition might be 'leverage to tell people to take it more seriously.' State Sen. Brady Brammer, R-Pleasant Grove, sponsored SCR4, while state Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, carried it in the House. The resolution says the day, which became official in 2025, 'recognizes loneliness and social isolation as critical public health priorities' and 'urges individuals to prioritize building positive relationships and fostering social connections.' Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University and director of the university's social connections lab, believes having a designated day could be 'an opportunity both for increasing awareness as well as for taking action.' She helped polish the resolution's language. She's long been heavily involved in sounding the alarm about the very real dangers of loneliness and isolation, noting health risks more dangerous than obesity, air pollution, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption or smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 'No factor is more consistently associated with long life and happiness than strong social connections,' she said, pointing to findings from Harvard's Study of Adult Development, which is the world's longest study of happiness. When U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued his advisory on loneliness, which he characterized as an epidemic, she was the scientific editor. She's also a technical adviser to the World Health Organization's commission on social connection. The commission will issue a new report in July. Despite recent attention from officials, Holt-Lunstad said she thinks there's a 'significant lack of awareness around this issue' among the public. So besides the push to get people involved with each other on a personal level, she believes an awareness day provides an opportunity to 'create messaging and campaigns and dialogue that can help us start to increase awareness around just how critically important our social connections are, not only for individuals, but the thriving of our communities and society. 'We know it impacts health, education, safety, prosperity, several different kinds of outcomes — and for far too long, our social connections have been taken for granted and so this is an opportunity for us to create awareness but also for communities to plan events, for individuals to take action in their own relationships and communities,' she said. The day should remind people how important connections are, said Holt-Lunstad. Reed said his own focus is on fortifying spiritual, relational health. 'Lots of groups are building parks and paths, and there are lots of things that build community. But until you start talking to someone, making friends, going to lunch, it's for naught.' What he wants to do, he said, is 'level up as a friend. If people did that, it would be fantastic.' It's easy to let a relationship slide if it's not minded, according to Reed, who is pretty sure that on Saturday he'll be having lunch with someone who's been his friend for 30 years, but with whom he almost lost touch, then working in the man's backyard for a bit. Helping others, doing things together — even chores — forms or strengthens bonds. Holt-Lunstad talks about a randomized controlled trial she was part of that asked people to do just small acts of kindness for their neighbors over the course of a month. 'What we found was that when people did that, that reduced loneliness, it reduced stress and it also reduced conflict in neighborhoods.' Action on behalf of others is free, simple and anyone can do something, she said. A single commemorative day is not going to change much, she adds, or be as helpful as something done consistently over time. But it could get people started thinking about others and launch some new connections. Doing things with and for others makes people feel good. So it can lead somewhere important on a personal level. 'Relationships take time to develop and time to maintain,' she told Deseret News, noting the day 'really should be a reminder, more than a one-off.' There's a website under development at It will be built out with ideas for connecting and with different resources, Reed said. Holt-Lunstad added that she's glad the holiday focuses on social connection, rather than targeting loneliness explicitly. 'I think oftentimes we focus so much on the problem that we lose sight of what we're aiming for. Social connection is something everyone needs and everyone can take part in. I'm happy that Utah is focusing on the bright spots.'
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Health
- The Sun
MOE to increase teaching hours for PEERS module in 2027
PUTRAJAYA: Teaching hours for the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) module will be increased under the 2027 School Curriculum as part of efforts to better equip students with the essential knowledge, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. The PEERS module is part of the Health Education curriculum, which is taught to pre-schoolers and primary and secondary school students. It provides them with information and skills, particularly psychosocial competencies, allowing them to make informed decisions in their daily lives. Fadhlina said the initiative is part of the Education Ministry's ongoing advocacy efforts through the Generasi MADANI programme and various awareness programmes rolled out in schools. '...it is our approach. InsyaAllah, in 2027, under the new curriculum, we will increase the teaching hours for PEERS. 'There will be a significant responsibility and commitment from the MOE (Ministry of Education) to extend the (PEERS module teaching) time and to ensure our children receive proper education on this issue,' she said after officiating the 56th MOE-MSSM-MILO Sports Awards 2024, here today. She was responding to a news report published by a portal on April 26, which stated that HIV infections among university and school students are on the rise, with most cases linked to sexual activity. Malaysian AIDS Council and Malaysian AIDS Foundation honorary secretary Dr Zaiton Yahaya was reported as saying that the majority of those infected are between 20 and 29 years old, accounting for 44 per cent of all cases. She also cited that four per cent of school students between the ages of 13 and 19 were confirmed to have contracted HIV, with the majority of cases linked to sexual activity. Concerning the high failure rate in Mathematics in the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, Fadhlina said the ministry would carry out intervention measures for subjects that recorded a decline in performance. 'For example, last year (SPM 2023), when Bahasa Melayu and History showed a decline, we immediately implemented interventions, and this year's results show that those efforts were successful, particularly for those two subjects,' she said. According to the SPM 2024 Examination Results Analysis Report, 84,025 candidates failed the Mathematics subject, which is 22.4 per cent of the 375,115 who took the subject.
