Mahima Research Foundation and Social welfare
194, Karaundi, BHU, Varanasi-221005
Annual Report of Financial Year 2013-2014
Annual meeting of the Mahima Research Foundation and Social welfare was held on 4th April 2014. The detail activities of the financial year 2012-2013 were discussed with the participants due the meeting.
On 16th October 2013, the foundation organized the “SHG Awareness Programme” at 194, Karaundi, BHU, Varanasi. It was inaugurated by Smt. Urmila Devi, President, Mahima Research Foundation and Social Welfare. Smt. Urmila Devi said that the Government of India and state authorities alike have increasingly realized the importance of devoting attention to the economic betterment and development of rural women in India. The Indian Constitution guarantees that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of gender. In reality, however, rural women have harder lives and are often discriminated against with regard to land and property rights, and in access to medical facilities and rural finance. Women undertake the more onerous tasks involved in the day-to-day running of households, including the collection of fuelwood for cooking and the fetching of drinking water, and their nutritional status and literacy rates are lower than those of men.
On 19th October 2013, the foundation organized two day National National Conference on “Scope of Translational Researches in Ayurvedic Medicine” on 19-20 October 2013 New Lecture Theater Complex, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, partially sponsored by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), New Delhi and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Prof. R.G. Singh, Director, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
On 23rd November 2013, the foundation organized two day National Conference on “Systematic Approach in Implementation of Informational and Resource-Saving Technologies in Food-Crop Production : Prerequisite for Eco-Balancing” on 23-24 November, 2013 at Seminar Hall, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, sponsored by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Govt. of India, New Delhi, Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Govt. of India, Mumbai and Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt. of India, New Delhi. It was inaugurated by Prof. Rav Pratap Singh, Director, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
On 28th December 2013, the foundation organized the “Health Camp” at Panchayat Bhawan, Karaundi, BHU, Varanasi. In this health camp free examined the one thousand patients. Among those who attended the camp included Dr. Ravi S. Pandey, School of Medicine-University of Missouri, USA, Yogacharya Ram Babu Yadav, Dr. Ravi S. Pandey emphasized that if the person were physically, mentally and socially healthy, then he or she could be considered as complete healthy. He said that consumption of tobacco and beetle led to various kinds of cancers, including oral and stomach.
On 22nd March 2014, the foundation organized the “Plantation Camp” medicinal plants in different villages. Ratnesh Kumar Rao said that the trees hold such eco system that plays a vital role in environmental sustainable development. But unfortunately the area under forest Cover decreased up to dangerous level in Punjab. All Educational, Social, religious organization must join to fight the environmental challenges and plant the trees to save the life on earth. Medicinal plants make up a large portion of the ingredients used by people throughout the ages to help combat disease and illness. Many of these medicinal plants are still used today all around the world. Take a peek at some of the different types of plants which are said to be useful for a variety of health reasons.
On 25th March 2014, the foundation organized the “Women Empowerment Programme” at 194, Karaundi, BHU, Varanasi. It was inaugurated by Dr. Sweta Kumari, Department of Social Science, Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. Dr. Sweta Kumari said that Globalization has presented new challenges for the realization of the goal of women’s equality, the gender impact of which has not been systematically evaluated fully. However, from the micro-level studies that were commissioned by the Department of Women & Child Development, it is evident that there is a need for re-framing policies for access to employment and quality of employment. Benefits of the growing global economy have been unevenly distributed leading to wider economic disparities, the feminization of poverty, increased gender inequality through often deteriorating working conditions and unsafe working environment especially in the informal economy and rural areas. Strategies will be designed to enhance the capacity of women and empower them to meet the negative social and economic impacts, which may flow from the globalization process. Equal access to education for women and girls will be ensured. Special measures will be taken to eliminate discrimination, universalize education, eradicate illiteracy, create a gender-sensitive educational system, increase enrolment and retention rates of girls and improve the quality of education to facilitate life-long learning as well as development of occupation/vocation/technical skills by women.Reducing the gender gap in secondary and higher education would be a focus area. Sectoral time targets in existing policies will be achieved, with a special focus on girls and women, particularly those belonging to weaker sections including the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes/Minorities. Gender sensitive curricula would be developed at all levels of educational system in order to address sex stereotyping as one of the causes of gender discrimination.
Dr. Sudha Sinha, Head, Department of Philosophy, Magadh Mahila University, Patna said that due to the lack of specific implementation plans and faulty representations, local communities have not adequately accepted government and private schemes for the upliftment of women. Women have not actively participated in their own emancipation due to their lack of economic independence and rampant illiteracy. Not long ago it was a socially accepted Indian tradition that a woman’s place was in her home and she was to perform the duties of a wife and a mother. But many changes occurring in the Indian society since the beginning of the 20th century in general and after independence in particular, have forced women into new social roles. As a result, the age-old customs and prejudices discouraging the employment of women belonging to middle and upper middle class families have been fast disappearing. Now they have entered not only into several gainful jobs of different kinds but have also come out to take up jobs and positions in those fields which were traditionally the exclusive preserve of men. Minority status combined with the prejudices against women pose limitations on them in performing their new roles effectively.
(Ratnesh Kumar Rao)
Secretary
Mahima Research Foundation and Social Welfare,
194, Karaundi, BHU, Varanasi |