Monday, June 7, 2010

Municipal platform is going to protect women at workplace

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From Tuesday, Mumbai’s working women will have a support platform that will strive towards eliminating sexual harassment at the workplace.

Aimed at making Mumbai a “gender friendly city”, the BMC’s Savitribai Phule Gender Resource Centre will be inaugurated by municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya. Such centres have been set up by NGOs but this is the first by a civic body.

Built on a municipal reserved plot at Balaseth Murudkar Marg in Lower Parel, the center is the result of the efforts of the civic body’s committee on prevention of sexual harassment, formed in 2003 for women in municipal offices. Dr Kamakshi Bhate of KEM Hospital said it will also serve as a platform for various agencies and NGOs working towards empowerment of urban working women, especially those from BPL families.

NGOs such as Akshara, Stree Mukti Sanghatana, Sneha and Lawyers Collective have already come forward and agreed to share their resources for complaints redressal, counselling and training. We will also involve corporate firms and various UN programmes. We will also have community psychiatric units in slum areas to help women who undergo various forms of embarrassment, at home and at their workplaces.

One of the main areas of focus will be a violence resource centre, a platform for redressal of complaints. Any woman harassed can complain and will be counselled by trained persons. A community video unit will involve youths in highlighting and documenting women’s issues and violence against women.

The centre will include self-defence training, and a library and a reading room. It will be open to school and college girls from BPL families who mostly live in one-room houses without a place to study. A preventive health clinic open to all girls and women will be on the premises.

How can working moms strike home and work life balance by managing stress

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These days, working moms have many titles and wear many hats. Regardless of your profession, striking the work-life balance and "having it all" is probably on your list of constant challenges. Given that the average person works 45-50 hours per week and spends approximately one hour per day with their children, work has become a major stressor.

Stress is unavoidable - it is simply the body's reaction to change - and our world is constantly changing. When you experience change, it affects your total person: emotionally, behaviorally and physically. Managing that stress is key to remaining healthy and being the best "you" that you can be.

In a recent article, What Really Matters, published by The State News, Suzy Merchant, head coach of the MSU women's' basketball team shares candidly the combined challenges of working and parenting. "With the dynamics of everything, I don't think 'balance' is the right word. I don't think there is work-life balance," Merchant said. "I think it's just literally about being in the moment of 'mom mode' or 'work mode, coach mode.' You have to separate them, and when you can blend it, it's great."

Here are some ways to rebuild and maintain energy to manage your stress:

Take a nap
A quick 10-20 minute "power nap" is all it takes to shut down and rebuild some energy.

Eat healthy
Decrease the amount of sugar and fats in your diet; increase whole grains and proteins. A common sense approach to eating healthy may work best.

Exercise
Exercise helps your body manage stress by relieving muscle tension, increasing energy levels and strengthening the immune system. Sneaking exercise in by parking at the far end of the parking lot and taking the stairs instead of an elevator is a great start. Want to take it a step further? Try taking a walk, hiking, cycling, yoga classes, fitness classes, swimming - anything that gets your heart pumping!

Prayer and/or Spirituality
Studies show that people who pray or use some form of spirituality live longer and healthier than people who do not. Prayerful meditation, attending church and other spiritual activity is good for your health.

Have Fun and Laugh!
Your body releases a stress busting hormone when you laugh. Play, have a big adventure, have a girls night out, wrestle with your kids, goto a comedy club - whatever makes you let loose and have real fun.

Australia's wine industry is looking at India for absorbtion of excess supply

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Australia's wine industry, valued at ASD 5 billion, is keenly looking at India to stay afloat at a time when it is going through a crisis due to excess supply, a top official from the sector said here today. All major Australian companies, including the top four, are investigating joint ventures opportunities as also distribution alliances for their wine brands in India.

The Australian wine industry is "undergoing a period of crisis" as there is a supply glut in the domestic market. Over capacity has compelled the Australian wine majors to explore strategic partnerships and distribution network with Indian liquor companies. Australia's top wine producers include, the Fosters, Constellation, Pernod Ricard and Cissallo.

Australia, which is the world's largest exporter of wines, shipped liquor worth ASD 20 million to India in the last fiscal, Griffth said, adding that the companies are looking to expand base in India. In 2009-10, Australian wine producers exported a total of ASD 200 million worth of wine products to China. India in the long-term is a large opportunity for us.

If the Indian government brings down tax barriers, it will be easier for the Australian wine producers to strike deals with Indian companies. Australia and India are working on a Free Trade Agreement, which may see taxes on liquors coming from down. Australia's wine and grapes sector is witnessing over capacity and demand stagnation.

Grapes and wine prices have fallen significantly in the post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC), compelling many to even leave the business. Independent grape producers are the most affected as prices have come down to (Australian) USD 250 per tonne from USD 1,000 per tonne as supply has outstripped demand. The four big players in the industry produce only 10 per cent of the grapes and the rest is bought from independent producers.

13-year-old girl spurns marriage with 38-year-old man

A 13-year-old girl has showed exceptional courage in stopping her wedding to a person thrice her age and who already has two wives.

The girl contacted a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working for the welfare of children and women. NGO members, along with Department of Women and Child Development officials, swooped on the girls house at Gautan Nagalavi in Mandihal Gram Panchayat, Dharwad taluk, and saved her from child marriage.

It is believed that the girls father received Rs 6,000 from a 38-year-old person of Nandghad in Alnavar taluk, to arrange the marriage. The girl had just completed seventh standard at the Government High Primary School at Mugad. The groom had allegedly promised the girls father more money after the marriage.

As soon as the girl learnt about the marriage, she opposed it and expressed her desire to continue studies. Even her mother and uncles supported her, but her father was adamant. The girl, who had heard about the NGO during an awareness programme in the school, showed the courage to contact them seeking help to save her.

Saved in nick of time

On Thursday, Dharwad-based Sadhana Human Rights Centre Founder Isabella Xavier, Child Development Project Officer (Dharwad Rural) D H Lalitha, a supervisor and an Anganawadi worker visited the girls house at Gautan Nagalavi.

They managed to convince her father to cancel her marriage fixed for June 4, and send her to the Balakiyara Balamandir at Ghantikeri in Hubli to continue her studies.

D H Lalitha recounted that when they visited Gautan Nagalavi, the villagers and family members asked them to save the girl. As a result, three purposes were served. The child was saved, her desire to continue studies will be fulfiled and awareness was created among other adolescent girls of the village, she added.
In the last two months, the department has managed to stop two child marriages in Itagatti and Benachi villages.

The girl will now continue her studies at Balakiyara Balamandir till she is 18.
Isabella Xavier said the awareness programmes about child marriage and childrens rights being organised in schools under the Sarva Shikshana Abhiyan helped this girl. Such a programme was held at the Mugad school also. When this girl came to know about her marriage, she sent her uncle to the school, obtained my phone number and contacted us, she said. Her marriage was being arranged through a mediator at Alnavar.

Xavier further added that the girls father, an alcoholic, beat up his family members for opposing the girls marriage. In view of this, she has been shifted to Balakiyara Balamandir.

When the girl was brought to the Balamandir on Thursday evening, the mehendi on her hands and legs were tell-tale signs of the marriage that she managed to rescue herself from.

The girl, who defeated the bid to ruin her life, was visibly happy about being able to continue her studies now.
DH News Service

Milan Dalal to be formally arrested in cheating case tomorrow

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Securities scam accused Bhupen Dalal's son Milan, detained at Delhi airport would be brought to Mumbai tomorrow following which he would be arrested in connection with a cheating case.

On the run since July 2009, Milan was yesterday detained by Immigration officials at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi.

As a look out notice was issued against him, the officials caught him and informed about his detention to Mumbai Police, Ambre said adding a three-member team headed by Inspector Bhushan Rane left for Delhi yesterday. He would be brought here in a train after which we would arrest him formally.

An FIR was registered against Milan and his five associates in July 2009 for allegedly cheating and trying to grab a private limited company at Vile Parle with forged documents.

The accused had also allegedly transferred two lakh shares of the company worth Rs 12 crore to their accounts by forging signatures.