N. B. Lekha & A. Palackal, Unveiling the Gender Paradox: Dynamics of Power, Sexuality and Property (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022), xiii + 160 pp., ₹12,478 (Hardback). ISBN 978-3-031-09699-3 (Hardcover), 978-3- 031-09701-0 (Softcover), 978-3-031-09699-0 (e-book).
In India, the state of Kerala is considered as Gods own country. This Southern most state of India was cited by Amartya Sen as the model of Development, which shines in various aspects like literacy, secularism, technological pursuits, life expectancy and political upsurge. At the same time it bears impediments with respect to unemployment among educated youth, alcoholism, divorce and family breakdown. Despite these, another factor that can be added to the dread list is the spiralling suicide rate. The latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau show that 8,431 people killed themselves during 2010; the State accounted for 6.2 per cent of the total number of suicides in the country. The NCRB data also showed that the national average suicide rate was 11.2 per lakh population during 2010, which was marginally lower than 11.4 per lakh population during 2009 (NCRB Report 2010). Though Keralas per centage share has come down, there has been an increase in the rate of suicide from 24.6 per lakh population in 2009 to 25.3 per lakh population in 2010 which is two times higher than national average; which means one suicide per hour. In fact, 2010 has had the dubious distinction of having witnessed the highest number of suicides in the last five years (NCRB reports 2010). Police sources add that 36 cases of suicide have already registered in the first two months of the current year. For each completed suicide there are 20 times more suicidal attempts. Each suicide, on an average leaves 20 times more people in severe distress (NCRB 2011). Maithri, an NGO in Kerala says that around 100 people attempt suicide every day in Kerala, of whom 25 are successful. More men kill themselves than women, the ratio being 7:3 and 80 per cent of the suicides are by those in the 15 to 59 age group.
The present paper describes the strategy to mitigate and control epidemic contingencies in the backdrop of Kerala's Covid-19 containment plan. I have purposefully selected Kerala, the southernmost state of India, because of its globally acclaimed experience in efficiently managing the cases of coronavirus that were reported. Even tackling the Nipah and Zika virus cases in the pasts, makes it an exemplary unit of study. Moreover, the past experience of the state points to the fact that the containment strategy adopted is the result of an evolved practical approach. I came across certain innovative strategies implicating community mobilization like community kitchens, social surveillance, large scale production of face masks etc. by utilizing the hidden productive capacity of communities that extended from women self-help groups, youth clubs and even prison inmates. Moreover, the state's controlling and containing measures were mentioned by international media and agencies like the BBC and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Kudumbashree project from Kerala (a state in the southern part of India) has been a much discussed case for the community of practitioners, policy makers, researchers working on technology, empowerment and development. It is built around three pillars of economic, social and womens empowerment. Its formation was the culmination of a process of community mobilization taken up by the State Government. But this article is focusing on the inclusion of gender in policies relating to information and communication technology with the aim of empowering women as users and producers of this technology. The prominent part of this investigation is the case study of Kudumbashree ICT enterprises in the State of Kerala to understand the factors that resulted in the working of these enterprises. Data were collected from Northern part of Kerala. Focus group discussions and interviews were the method employed to gather information.
The Kudumbashree project from Kerala (a state in the southern part of India) has been a much discussed case for the community of practitioners, policy makers, researchers working on technology, empowerment and development. It is built around three pillars of economic, social and women's empowerment. Its formation was the culmination of a process of community mobilization taken up by the State Government. But this article is focusing on the inclusion of gender in policies relating to information and communication technology with the aim of empowering socially excluded women as users and producers of this technology. The prominent part of this investigation is the case study of Kudumbashree ICT enterprises in the State of Kerala to understand the factors that resulted in the working of the enterprises and performance of them. Data were collected from Northern part of Kerala. Focus group discussions and interviews were the method employed to gather information.
