1. Tibet (Yvette)- It's urgent because the chinese government is trying to destroy a culture. Also because the country of Tibet deserves freedom and their people have the right to express their religion.
2. Sudan (Jalimar)- People have the right of equality and I think that Sudan needs help because all people deserve freedom and to be helped if they need to.
3. Haiti (Ian)- I chose Haiti because I definetely know they do need help. Because of the earthquake that happened last year, many are left homeless, hungry, sick. I think that of all, Haiti needs the most assistance.
4. Jamaica (Giselle)- Jamaicas problem isn't just homosexuality, it goes deeper. It's about equality among the people. I strongly believe that all people are equal because we are all humans.
5. Uganda (Valeria)- I think that education is very important and it's what can make the world a better place. Everyone deserves an education, it's their right.
6. Cuba (Giovanni)- I think that people should have the right to choose their government and change it if they think it's not working.
7. Japan (Juan Jose)- Discrimination is something terrible, but sadly it's happening right now. I think that Juan's proposal is very good and should be done because we are all humans, we are all equal.
8. Brazil (Roberto)- I think that no one should be tortured, even prisoners.
9. Mexico (Angelica)- I chose this one because Mexico is having a lot of problems with illegal businesses and the government should help them to make their country succeed.
10. Uganda (Valeria)- I can't believe homosexuals are being killed and that gay is banned. I chose Uganda because they are violating people's rights. It's like saying that if you are yourself you are going to be killed, and that's wrong.
When analyzing everything that has happened to the Indian women, you realize that they lack something very important in their lives, so important that can mark the difference between someone that can defend them self and someone that can’t. This keyword isessential in knowing what your rights are. What I’m talking about is an education. Having theknowledge to fight against unfairness and corruption; having the knowledge to fight for your right to live peacefully. But to achieve this we need your help and a plan, here’s ours.
First of all, we need to realize how massive this problem is. It’s not just a couple of girls that need the education, its hundreds and thousands of girls throughout this huge country. We need to raise awareness, especially among the poor, about the things that are being done wrong in this society. My proposal is to gather a bunch of internationalteachers. The teachers will then travel across the country and educate other Indian women to be teachers. Then, with your help and the considerate donation of approximately 3 billion dollars we will build schools for girls from kindergarten to 12th grade across the country of India. These schools will be for all social classes (rich and poor) and will teach them all they need to know to be able to stand up for themselves one day and to succeed and get a job.
In conclusion, I know that this proposal will take years to completely take effect, but I also know that if you decide to help us today we could start to make the world a better place for women NOW. We are only asking for one thing and that’s an education; be thankful that you get to wake up every day and go to school. Some people can only dream. On behalf of all the women in India we would like to thank you all for taking your time to read my proposal. Think hard and know that you’re decision will affect the lives of millions.
Even though we’re in modern times and the roles of women in society have changed, India, like many other countries, still have ancient customs that break the rights of women. Some of these traditions are: devadasi, dowry, child marriage, sati, and “bride burning”. Devadsi’s are forced by their families since they were very little to go to a temple and marry to God, also work as God’s slaves. They don’t get an education; therefore rely on dancing to get the money they need to live and to sustain their families. As they get older the profession worsens and they can’t get any money or a job so they end up begging outside the temple. A group of temple prostitutes are fighting to ban this custom. Dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. If the demands of dowry aren’t met, the bride is subject to torture, and often even killed. Did you know? More than 7,000 women will be murdered by their family and in-laws in fights over dowries. According to UNICEF, 47% of Indian’s women of age 20-24 were married before the legal age of 18. The report also showed that 40% of the world’s child marriages occur in India. Early marriage followed by multiple pregnancies can affect the health of a woman for the rest of her life.Sati is a funeral practice in which a recently widowed Hindu woman either voluntarily or by force would kill herself by burning on her husband’s funeral. It’s rare and has been outlawed in India since 1829, but some women are still forced to do it. A similar custom is “bride burning”; it’s one of the most popular ways of murder, where a person burns the women by pouring kerosene on her and then lighting a match. Some men, or in-laws, do it because of dowry or because they just want to remarry. This custom was also abolished on 1829. Other ways women’s rights are violated is when women choose to abort when expecting daughters but carry their pregnancies till the end when expecting sons. When a female is born it is considered to be a disaster, but when a male is born they celebrate it. Women in politics fall in the lowest quartile, with only 9.1% women in the parliament, and still the women that are in politics aren’t even the ones who make the decisions; their husband’s control them. They chose women to be in government because it is a requirement, not because they think we have great things to offer.
Learning all of this information about women’s rights in India was very impacting, to me. What I wrote doesn’t even cover half of the rights that are broken each day. This is only India, imagine the whole world! We might think that we are in modern times and that things have changed, we read things that happened hundreds of years ago and argue about how they could have done that, but we are ignorant because we don’t realize that those same things are happening TODAY. I think that the things that are happening in India are terrible, and the fact that women aren’t completely well educated and can’t defend themselves because they don’t know what their rights are is TERRIBLE. Next time we read or hear about things that are happening around us let’s pay more attention. We have the technology and the freedom to research information about our rights, let’s get informed and make this world a better place.
According to police record:
A woman is molested in the country every 26 minutes
A rape occurs every 34 minutes
An incident of sexual harassment takes place every 42 minutes
A woman is kidnapped every 43 minutes
A woman is killed every 93 minutes
In India a “bride burning” takes place approximately once every two hours, to punish a woman for an inadequate dowry or to eliminate her so a man can remarry
Marital rape is not considered an offence unless the ‘wife’ is less than twelve years old even though marriage with a minor itself is a crime
Last year (2008) in a study of 109 Indian judges…
48% believed that there were certain occasions when it was justifiable for a husband to slap his wife
68% believed that “provocative” clothes are an invitation to sexual assault
19% believed that a woman who says “no” to sexual intercourse actually means “yes”
India has had numerous of great leaders throughout history. Some more well known than others, but nevertheless all have one thing in common, and that is the improvement of their great country. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, or better known as Father of Nation, was born on October 2, 1869 and was killed on January 30, 1948. He played an important role in winning freedom for India. And how did he come to accomplish everything he did? Well, through “ahimsa” (no harm or no violence) and “satyagraha” (determined but nonviolent resistance). Some examples of “ahimsa” and “satyagraha” done by Gandhi are: boycotts, non-cooperation, writing letters, passive resistance, led peaceful marches, and fasted. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was born on November 19, 1917 and assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguard on October 31, 1984. She became president of India National Congress in 1959, was Minister of information and broadcasting Lal Bahadur Shastri’s government, became Prime Minister in 1966, nationalized major banks in 1969, led India to a war against Pakistan in 1971 etc. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, or better known as Mother Teresa, was born on August 26, 1910 and died on September 5, 1997. She started Missionaries of Charity in 1950, received Nobel Prize for peace in 1979, and received Bharat Ratna in 1980.
Poverty in India is a major issue. Rural Indians depend on agricultural incomes, which mean they also depend on rain patterns and the monsoon season, while Urban Indians depend on jobs that are very scarce. As of 2010, more than 37% of Indian’s population still lives below the poverty line. The division of resources in India is uneven, which means that there are different poverty ratios for different states. There are also other reasons why poverty in India is so high, like the fact that the average Indian family is often large, therefore they need more resources to support their family which equals to more money, which they don’t have. Another cause of poverty in India is the caste system, also the major reason for rural poverty, and the main reason for poverty in urban area is the increase population in the cities. Since 1970, the Indian government has accomplished various programs to destroy poverty, and has had some success, but still there are many things that have to be fixed in India and done, to put to an end to this serious issue once and for all.
There are two main natural disasters that seriously affect India. Tropical Cyclogenesis is popular in the Bay of Bengal in India. Cyclone season is from April to December. Averages for each year are eight storms with wind speeds more than 63 km/h. A great cyclone was the Cyclone 05B on October 29, 1999; it was equivalent to a category 5 hurricane. Almost 2 million people were left homeless; another 20 million lives were interrupted by the cyclone. India agriculture is immensely dependent on the monsoon season as a source of water. Throughout history droughtshave led to major Indian famines, including Bengal famine of 1770, the 1876-1877 famine, the 1899 famine, and the Bengal famine of 1943, which over 5 million died from starvation and famine related illnesses.
There are many health issues that affect the Indian people among this are: tuberculosis, dengue fever, chikungunya, skeletal fluorosis, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, obesity, the 2008 H5N1 outbreak, the 2009 Gujarat hepatitis, and leprosy. Malnutrition in India is ranked 2nd worldwide and is most commonly found in rural areas. Each day, approximately 1,000 Indian children die because of diarrhea alone. In 2010 it was predicted that India was going to have approximately 50.8 million diabetics. Another very serious health issue affecting India is HIV/AIDS. It was first detected in 1986 and a statistic, made on 2009, shows that India ranks 3rd worldwide with 2,400,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, this includes adults and children.
The Indian constitution provides equality for both men and women, but for women it is often denied in many parts, especially in the rural areas. Agricultural societies were based on physical labor, therefore dominated by men, and women were considered their slaves. Women were denied education and cultural development, and most of the time weren’t allowed to step out of the house, unless they wore a veil and could not socialize with other people unless her husband allowed her. Despite industrialization, and the fact that now women have began to get an education and started to work, in the Indian society males still dominate and looks down upon women. When a female is born it is considered to be a disaster, but when a male is born they celebrate it. Another ridiculous practice that affects women is dowry, which treats women like cattle to be bought and sold.
It’s celebrated on August 15th to indicate India’s independence from British rule and its beginning as an independent nation in 1947.
Republic Day
Celebrates the day in which the Constitution of India was truly forced as the governing document of India on 26 January 1950.
Gandhi Jayanti
A day to honor Mahatma Gandhi, and is celebrated on his birthday, October 2nd. Popular celebrations include prayer meetings, honorary ceremonies as well as teaching the young on Gandhi and his life.
Popular Holidays
Diwali
Five day festival that indicates the start of the Hindu New Year; known for all the lights and fireworks, during the celebration, which represent good over evil and brightness over darkness.
Ganesh Chaturthi
Eleven day festival that honors the birth of Lord Ganesha (Hindu elephant-headed god); at the end of the festival statues are paraded through the streets and then drowned in the ocean.
Holi
Two day festival that also celebrates the victory of good over evil, it is also known as “Festival of Colors.” People throw colored powder and water all over each other and have gatherings.
Krishna Janmashtami/Govinda
Celebrates the birthday of Lord Krishna; a fun part of this unique festival includes people climbing on each other, forming a human pyramid, to try to reach and break open clay pots filled with curd. Which have been hung up high from buildings.
Onam
Ten day festival that indicates the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali; people decorate the ground in front of their houses with flowers in beautiful patterns to welcome the King.
Unique Celebration
Griha Pravesh Ceremony
The first time people enter in a newly built house. An important Hindu ritual in India. It is so important it even has a place in Vaastu Shastra, astrological book of architecture. According to the book, when the house is completed, a moment is chosen on astrological considerations. To begin to live, in the new house is determined by the Graha Pravesh ritual.
Traditions
Fasting
It’s a very important part of India’s culture and tradition. Some religious people like the Jains are known to keep a fast for weeks, though now this type of fasting has been banned in India. They believe that fasting creates a relationship between the body and the soul.
Tilak
As shown in the picture, it's a red, yellow, orange, or black mark (dot) on their forehead; it may also be worn in different parts of the body, on a daily basis, or special occasions. Tilak is very important for the Hindus.
Arranged Marriage
Today in India arranged marriage is more flexible. The boy and girl have to agree, they meet each other before getting married and if everything goes right, their engaged. For compatibility, the parents take family backgrounds, horoscopes, caste, wealth, and so on in consideration. In the urban areas arranged marriage is rare, but in rural regions it’s still strong.
Indian Funeral Traditions
When someone passes away in India, it is given a lot of importance. An example can be a Hindu death ceremony called Teravih. From the day of the death to the 13th day after, whether you’re a men, women, or child, you are not supposed to attend religious functions, eat certain foods, wear new clothes, or participate in any cultural activity. The 3rd, 5th, 7th or 9th day after the death are also important, all relatives gather to have a meal of the deceased’s favorite foods. A small portion of food is left before the deceased’s photo and abandoned there, with a lit diya. Also, at the end of the year family of the deceased gather for the Shraad ceremony.
Cultural Norms
1.Shoes are not worn inside, as a sign of respect.
2.Indians eat with their hands so it’s custom to wash your hands before and after you eat.
3.Do not put on revealing clothes (stay conservative)
4.Don’t touch objects with your feet (feet are considered unclean) or point your feet/toes at others (believed to be bad luck)
5.Do not touch food with your left hand (left hand is considered unclean; do not take food with the left hand, do not touch food with the left hand, some do not even give money with their left hand)
6.Do not shake hands with a women
Etiquette
Dressing
The majority of Indians are very conservative. Wearing short and revealing clothes, especially women are definitely frowned upon. You can wear: knee length Bermudas, tee shirts, long or quarter length skirts, capris and jeans. However, when you are inside your hotel room or out partying you can relax and not worry much about the dress code.
Shoes
It’s expected for you to take off your shoes before entering a place. In some temples and gurdwaras there are guards that will keep them safe. It will also be expected for you to take off your shoes in a person’s home, that’s why it’s easier to wear flip flops than normal shoes.
Touching
Indian culture and tradition prohibits unnecessary touching, in public, especially between people of the opposite sex. Kissing in public is not advised in here. You can shake hands, but it’s better to just do the traditional Namaste greeting.
Music Instruments
Dholak: popular folk drum of northern India. Barrel shaped with skins on both sides.
Dumroo: maybe the oldest and traditional instrument of percussion; the only remaining form of hour-glass drums seen in ancient Indian statues.
Ghatam: ancient percussion instrument.
Khol: Its high skin is very small with a diameter of about 9-10 cm; this gives it a unique high, piercing sound.
Manjeera: a set of small cymbals and is an important part of dance; very old instrument and easy to play.
Mridangam: most classical instruments of South India. Goes together with vocal, instrument and dance.
Pakhawaj: barrel-shaped, two-headed drum.
Tabla: most popular pair of drums in the Indian Sub-continent; pair of drums that consist of a small right hand drum and a larger metal one.
Bansuri: basically a folk instrument.
Shehnai: believed to be introduced in India by the Muslims; predominant double-reed wind instrument.
Sarangi: has a hollow body and made of wood adorned with ivory inlays. Have 40 strings, which 37 are sympathetic.
Tanpura: drone instrument that goes with Dhrupad singings and is of the most important of all instruments of Indian Classical Music.
Dance
Classical Dances
1.Bharatanatyam Dance: combines artistic expression with a sense of spirituality
2.Kathak Dance: emphasis the telling of stories
3.Manipuri Dance: among the six classical type of dances
Folk/ Tribal Dances
1.Dandiya Dance: the most popular dance
2.Garba Dance: it’s being performed not only all over India but all over the world
3.Lavani Dance: combination of traditional song and dance
Food
Indian food is incredebly diverse. Even though many Indians are vegetarian, not all are.
Languages and Religion
Both affect politics because they are SO DIVERSED! There are so many languages and not everyone understands each language, so it’s difficult to communicate and understand what’s happening to the government, therefore they can’t really do something to help it.
Art
Major themes of art appear to begin at about 2500 BC. In India, art is influenced by social, politics, and most importantly religion. Figures of Shiva, the god of creation as well as the jakshi, a female earth spirit, are examples of some of the subjects portrayed in Indian art.
BOLLYWOOD!
Finally, you can’t talk about Indian culture and tradition without talking about BOLLYWOOD!! It’s not just music, it’s not just a movie, it’s an amazing Indian musical! Bollywood is very well known all over the world and it’s the largest film industry in the world with over a thousand films produced every year.
“Jana – Gana – Mana” (Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People)
Flag and Meaning
Saffron - a symbol of courage
White - peace and honesty
Blue - vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice
Green - hope, joy, fertility and love and in many cultures have a sacred significance
-The Indian emblem showstheblue Ashoka Chakra - the "wheel of the law"
-The Chakra was based on the emblem of the 3rd century Mauryan emperor, Ashoka
-The 24 spokes of the wheel signifies 24 hours and progress every hour
Location
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geography
Coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Area: 3,287,263 sq km
Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Population
1,189,172,906 (July 2011 est.)
Current government type
Federal republic
Political state
Constitution: 26 January 1950; amended many times
Regular elections
Democracy is okay, but is complicated by tensions over religion, ethnicity, and male dominance. There is a lot of variation within each country.
Education and literacy rates
Literacy Rates:
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 61%
Male: 73.4%
Female: 47.8% (2001 census)
Education:
3.2% of GDP
School life expectancy:
Total: 10 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 10 years (2007)
Languages
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
Religions
HINDU 80.5%, MUSLIM 13.4%, CHRISTIAN 2.3%, SIKH 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Birth rates
20.97 births /1,000
Death rates
7.48 deaths /1,000
Life expectancy
Total population: 66.8 years
Male: 65.77 years
Female: 67.95 years
Ethnic groups
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Legal system
Based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus, and Muslims.
Telephones – cell phones: 670 million (2010) (number 2 in the world)
Military service
Include Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, and Coast Guard. 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may join as officers, but for noncombat roles only.
Transnational issues
Trafficking in persons: India is a source for men, women, and children being trafficked and sold for force labor and sexual exploitation. Not just commercial sexual exploitation, but also forced marriage. Children are forced to work on factory, agriculture, as servants and be beggars.
Refugees and Internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 77,200 (Tibet/China); 69,609 (Sri Lanka); 9,472 (Afghanistan)
3. Haiti (Ian)- I chose Haiti because I definetely know they do need help. Because of the earthquake that happened last year, many are left homeless, hungry, sick. I think that of all, Haiti needs the most assistance.
