SPECIAL LUNCHTIME SEMINAR

Presented by Madhu Purnima Kishwar

Thursday 24th November 2011, 12 – 2.00 pm
Monash Asia Institute, Room H5.95, Level 5, Building H, Monash University, Caulfield Campus

Lunch will be provided. For catering purpose, please RSVP by Tue 22 November 2011.

ABOUT THE SEMINAR
The audio visual presentation will describe the existing policies governing two of the largest groups of urban self employed poor in India as illustrative examples of the vicious statist controls that trap the legitimate occupations of people in the unorganized sectors of economy in a web of illegality which make them easy victims of extortionist mafias and human rights abuses. The presentation will also describe the landmark victories in  Manushi’s 18 year long battle in pushing for policy and law reform for these two sectors as part of our work towards a bottom up agenda of economic reforms in India as well as the setbacks and continuing hurdles faced in implementing the new policies and laws. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of the new laws drafted by Manushi as illustrative examples of enabling legislation that strengthens the rights of the poor without resorting to draconian punitive measures.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Madhu Purnima Kishwar is Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS)—a social science research centre, based in Delhi. Director of the Indic Studies Project based as CSDS and Convener of a series of International Conferences on Religions and Cultures in the Indic Civilization. She is the Founder Editor and publisher of Manushi – A Journal about Women and Society published since 1979. The Journal is run by a non-profit Trust. Kishwar is also Founder President, Manushi Sangathan – a forum for research based advocacy and active interventions for democratic reforms that will promote greater social justice and strengthen human rights for all, especially for women.

* From Madhu Purnima Kishwar’s blog