With population of over a billion, India has over 35 million people living in poverty. Despite having made commendable strides in economic growth and reduction of poverty through aggressive economic and trade policies under its Structural Adjustment Programme, in 1998 India was still ranked number 128 in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index. The incidence of rural poverty at 37% is higher than that in the urban areas which shows a figure of 31%. Among those ravaged by economic poverty, women and children and indigenous communities, especially in rural areas, are the most disadvantaged. A different version of poverty - a socio-political one, arising mostly out of caste-based discriminations and denial of fundamental rights - makes their status even worse. Gender bias, which cuts across communities, exacerbates the already disadvantaged positions of women and girl children. In India average life expectancy at birth is 62.9 years, the adult literacy rate is 55.7% (39% for women, indicating low enrollment for girls consequent to gender inequalities in access to education) and the GDP is US$2,077 per capita. But behind these global figures there is a very uneven distribution of wealth and development. 99% of the country's wealth is concentrated in the hands of 3% of the population. The overall development picture is compounded by regional disparities: in the poorest states, such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttranchal and Uttar Pradesh, millions of people live in abysmal conditions of poverty, malnutrition, ill health and illiteracy. These millions are in the position of poor food security or marginal livelihoods. In the area of health there are extreme regional variations in health status. For example in 1996 the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) varied from a low of 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in Kerala to a high of 97/1,000 in Madhya Pradesh. Gender-based violence is fast becoming a major cause of concern and is evident with the rise in infant mortality rate (IMR) in states where female infanticide is rampant (eg. Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Punjab). Female foeticide continues to be on the rise even in states like Haryana and Punjab which are rich with natural resources and have a thriving farm economy, indicating that gender-based violence is cutting across economic barriers, though poverty is found to be aggravating such violence. Policies to ensure social justice and equity have been found to be inadequately addressing the question of land rights and equitable distribution of land and other natural resources like water. Denial of rights of women and children in all sectors of development has remains a critical concern, in spite of the Indian sub-continent's achievements across other sectors like trade, Information Technology, defence and nuclear advancement. India is a signatory to a number of international treaties and declarations, including the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978 promising 'Health for All' by the year 2000 and the UN Convention on All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Yet application of the provisions and clauses therein are still a distant dream, countered by poor implementation and dis-investment policies affecting social and health sectors.
Desirable
Return to menu The health trainer (HT) will be based at Koraput, which is the district headquarters of Koraput District. South Orissa Voluntary Action (SOVA) is a non-profit voluntary organization registered in 1993. SOVA formally launched its operation in Koraput District in 1994/95. Since then SOVA has been spreading, deepening and strengthening its social developmental activities in Koraput in an attempt to empower communities. SOVA's core activities include organising and strengthening the community at the village level to address the issues affecting their life especially with regard to health and provision of basic amenities. SOVA now works in 45 villages covering 2 blocks of Koraput District. In addition to this, the organisation is actively involved in creating awareness on HIV/AIDs and empowering men and women. The main activities include formation of community organisations, alternative education for tribals, promoting reproductive and child health education by imparting training to village volunteers, creating livelihood options through micro-watershed development, imparting project-based training for community based organisations and sensitising people on HIV/AIDS. The organisation
has a total number of 54 staff members. Of these, 51 are locals originating
in the villages that SOVA works in. Terms and Conditions: To be provided to applicants or upon request
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