EVESCAPE SEPT 2020

 

 OPINION

Am I allowed in?

By Dr. Shalini Yadav

I love writing. Over time my writing revolved around being a mother, a daughter, a wife, in my roles of a woman. I’d never imagined that there will come a day when I would be writing from the outside in. As someone who falls in an hitherto unexplored category…a widow. I found that all occasions in the world for celebrating womanhood leave this one category of woman out. Every such celebration brings into startling focus in a widow’s mind the question… Am I allowed in? What am I supposed to do? Where do I fit in with this huge multitude with a significant part of whose life I can no longer identify? Whose ongoing stories of love, companionship, shared responsibilities I can empathise but not identify with anymore. It’s no longer a world I inhabit. No longer the path I walk. Who am I? Where do I belong? Because like it or not, a widow is a pariah, even to the women’s world. Even today. Subtly, but surely.

It wasn’t until I was bereaved that I realized that there’s a parallel world that exists, a large part of the women’s world, where many are unwelcome. The world of judgements magnified manifold. Where you realise that despite being a woman, there’s a thin veiled line beyond which you aren’t allowed in. Not even in the women’s circuit. And it unfortunately begins the moment when you are at your lowest. And life has dealt its severest blow to you, the moment you lose your husband. There are no examples, no role models …who do you follow? What does society expect of you? What does this new role entail for you? What will life look like? Will you laugh again? Will you live again?

Even if you, like me, have not defined your identity solely through your relationship with the primary men in your life, you find yourself stripped, denuded. As if there’s a mask off. There’s never a moment when your identity as just a woman is more glaringly obvious and available as when you become a single woman. It is a moment of reckoning. While there’s a certain amount of freedom in it, there’s a hush hush, a forbidden line that you aren’t supposed to cross. Unsaid, but understood, and often unfavourably loaded against you. 

The judgements begin the moment you are reeling under the shock and impossibility of the event. ‘See the colour of the Saree she’s wearing?”,“ I don’t think she’s as affected by it.”, ‘ Do you think she’s crying enough? She doesn’t look as distraught as she should be.”, ‘I wonder if her marriage was a good one”. The odious, irrelevant judgements go on and on. You become an item on display, with all and sundry having miraculously earned and self-assigned to themselves the authority to judge your life, to publicly comment on it, with a no-holds barred approach. All the gloves off. “How is she going to take care of her kids?’, ‘ Does she have enough to get by?’, and the most galling of all….”Who’s going to take care of her?’??? To which, I’m sure any self-respecting woman wants to snap…back off!! 

There exist 258.5 million widows in the world, with 584.5 million children, roughly 1 in 10 women of marital age are widowed. 1 in 7, or 38 million women live in extreme poverty. With women, on an average, out-living men, there’s a huge population of these women, whose role lies undefined in this new century. The traditional response of a patriarchal society was to wish away the existence of such women. To invisibilize them. Marginalized and bereft of any power and economic rights, they would be easy to exploit in a hierarchical society dominated by the powerful. After all a society used to defining a woman in relation to her identity vis a vis a man, is at a loss of what to do with her, and where to place her, when those roles end. And herein, the power play begins. In a most noxious and subtle way. 

Everytime I see a woman being widowed, I’ve newfound sympathy for her. I understand from an experiencer’s perspective, the anxieties, apprehensions, fears and challenges that confront every single woman, and even more achingly so, a widow. And I want to reach out to that ache and say…don’t be defeated and don’t be defined. Certainly not by a society that cannot rise above its own prejudices and inadequacies and so prefers to box you as a ‘Bechari’, the most unfortunate one. Instead, seek yourself in and above all roles and assert your individuality. That is the only way in. Unapologetically and confidently.

(The author is a Haryana based lawyer and political activist)

--------------------------

FEATURE

Digital India only through Swatch Internet Abhiyan: Dr. Harold D’ Costa

In an interview to EVESCAPE, well known cyber security expert and chief of Cyber Security Corporation, Dr. Harold D’Costa lists telling signs of cyber breach that one should observe while working and studying online. He further urges the government to amend the Information Technology Act 2000. Excerpts...

Cyber challenges faced while working remotely

The whole world has changed its work dynamics during the COVID -19. In the last 26 years of Internet in India, never there has been such a calamity and emergency of work from home. The challenges faced while working remotely are as follows:

Inadequate protection to the digital device (laptops, desktops) connecting from home to office network. Laxity of implementing firewall and blacklisted IP are far more vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Fake weblink intended to trick you into either handing over your personal details or downloading of malicious program in the system, thereby breaching privacy of the user and parting with sensitive and confidential information.

The office environment has full-fledged IT managers, who are well equipped to control the security of Wi-Fi networks, home networks have weaker security protocols (WEP instead of WPA-2). This allows the hacker easier access to the device.

Weak passwords are incredibly easier for hackers to crack allowing the criminal to access multiple accounts in a very short interval of time.

Telling signs of cyber breach that one should observe

In a country like India where Cyber Hygiene practices are yet to implemented, it is therefore important to note that many users shall become victim of cybercrime. The users should be keen to observe the following facets related to cyber breach:

CPU utilization higher, even when most of the applications are idle.

Automatic installation of unwarranted software in the system.

Popups displayed on the screen at frequent intervals.

Unauthorised logging on to the system from unusual locations or multiple logging at abnormal times.

Computer getting crashed at regular intervals.

Appearance of dark background screen on the system.

Increase in SPAM messages in the email account.

Alarm messages from social networking sites that your friend request has been accepted, without you sending one.

Email from an unknown person demanding money (ransomware) to pay through bitcoins or else the users personal information hacked from his system shall be published and broadcasted in public domain therefore defaming him/her.

Dangers & ramifications posed by the challenges

A cyber attack can effectively make your business move towards bankruptcy. Confidential and proprietary data in competitors’ hand can result in years of work put by the organization into complete distress.

Cyber-criminal can use organization data to get Insta loans from the bank.

Initiate mails from organization account to customer’s related to payments and fake bank accounts can be provided for transfer of funds.

Damage to business reputation and erode the trust customers have resulting in improper liquidity and huge cash flow crunch. This can also result in cutting down manpower and creating huge un-employment.

Privacy Lawsuits and huge expenses to tackle in court of law.

A malware can erase or overwriting the data from the organization’s server. On some occasions recovery of data can be impossible.

Shutting down online website, therefore denying business resulting in huge impact on the bottom and top sales of the organization.

End point security gaps to be filled in remote working

While employees are working remotely it is very important to fill the following security gaps:

Cyber security Policy.

Information security guidelines.

Strong password and periodically changing from time to time. No noting passwords in books or storing in folders on the mobile phone.

Two factor authentications, in case of remote, or unauthorised access, to the system.

Paid anti-virus, firewalls & anti-malware software’s to be installed and updated from time to time.

End-point security to operate outside the corporate network. This shall ensure and prevent malware and other hacking software’s not to be installed and also alerting the organization in case of any outside breach taking place in the network.

Use of VPN for employees who need to connect to critical organization system.

Overcoming cyber security threats for children studying online or women working from homes

Few threats a child can overcome while being online is counseling the child on do’s and dont’s of Internet.

Blocking of Social networking, pornography sites and restricting to dark web.

Monitoring the digital footprints of the activities carried out is a prime responsibility of the parent during the phase of online learning.

Women’s have to be cautious in not uploading photo and videos on social networking sites.

Check friends in Facebook, WhatsApp and other social networking sites to ensure that no intruder is part of the group.

Do not get carried away by discounts on gadgets, ornaments or any household items as this may be a trap to breach into privacy of the digital device.

Avoid chatting with friend, colleagues unless and until consciously aware that he/she is the right person.

Recommendations as an expert

We have in place Swatch Bharat Abhiyan. In today’s time when work from home has become de-facto standard, it is very important to have Swatch Internet Abhiyan. There are lot of things which the Government can do to make this possible:

Amend Information Technology Act 2000. It has been almost 12 years that the ACT has not been amended.

Have Data Protection Bill in place.

Have cyber security policies developed for the organizations in various verticals and ensure that they are been implemented.

Provide incentive to the organizations who are cyber compliant.

Have a nodal agency in place who can figure out fake apps and provide advisories. Many citizens fall prey to such fake apps.

Make cyber security, cyber forensics and cyber law subject’s mandatory programs for all students from junior college onwards.

Having at-least two “University of Academic Excellence in Cyber Space” and dedicated Cyber Forensic Labs in every state.

Focus on training law enforcement agencies and judicial agencies to ensure that conviction rate increases and decrease in occurrence and reoccurrence of cybercrimes.

Organization’s and citizens shall not be victimized and hence the mission of Digital India can be successfully carried out.

---------------------------------------

IN FOCUS

Protection of Children

Adv. Lida João is the Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) South Goa. In this interview, she speaks about the powers and functions of CWC. Excerpts...

Child Welfare Committee

In accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (care and protection of children) Act, the state government constitutes CWC in each district for the purpose of exercising the powers and to discharge duties conferred on such committees in relation to Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) under the Act.

Role of CWC

CWC has the authority to dispose of cases and rehabilitation of the CNPC as well as to provide for their basic needs and protection. Any CNCP child can be brought to CWC by a public spirited citizen, public servant, NGO, police or social worker. The affected child can approach the CWC on it’s own too.

Composition of CWC

The CWC comprises of the Chairperson and four members. The task before CWC is to pass orders for care, protection and education of CNPC children including those residing in CCI, and also declaring a child legally free for adoption, passing placement orders for children given in foster care, cases dealing with beggary, child labour, corporal punishment and protection of victims of sexual abuse brought before the CWC.

Campaigns for awareness

CWC runs active awareness campaigns at public places. Awareness sessions are being held on Juvenile Justice Act and other laws related to children, availability of free legal aid services and also the Foster Care Scheme in Goa initiated by the Government of Goa at all police stations, colleges, schools, panchayats, municipalities, child care institutions, road transport offices. Awareness programmes in coordination with the District Legal Services, South Goa, health camps in association with Department of Pathology of Shri Kamaxi Devi Homeopathic College, Shiroda, etc are held periodically. At present the CWC handles victims of sexual abuse.

-----------------------------------

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Building immunity, the Ayurveda way

By Shivleela Gore

A well-balanced diet (with all six tastes and qualities balanced), is based on one's dosha. Whole grains such as all types of lentils, amaranth and barley, raagi, variety of beans, chick peas, daliya, moong, urad, jowar have immunity-fighting effects, because they provide cleansing fiber and contain many essential nutrients.

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, local red vegetable, maath, kardai, ambadi bhaji, shepu, mustard greens are also great immunity boosters. Greens provide iron, calcium and other nutrients while simultaneously cleansing the bowel. Broccoli, gourds, cabbage, carrots, beet root, radish and cauliflower contain antioxidants,  flavonoids and other immune-enhancing nutrients.

Ginger, mint, garlic, black pepper, coriander, cumin and lemon should be used in the diet, Include a variety of spices into your daily dietary routine. Most spices are high in oxygen radical absorbance capacity, and reduce cell damage and maintain integrity.

Consumption of Rasayana herbs like ashwagandha and amla boost immunity. Take 15 ml of Amla juice daily. Chyavanprash are good for supply of extra antioxidants and also for strengthening immunity.

Probiotics -- the good bacteria present in certain yoghurt, curd, butter milk and other fermented foods like pickled vegetables, idli, appam, dosa can actually help boost your immune function. It does so by stimulating your immune response to fighting diseases and promoting beneficial bacteria growth in the gut.

Drink plenty of warm water. Staying well hydrated will keep the throat and mucous membrane moist, supporting its action as a good barrier to all microbes. Always maintain good personal hygiene, eat seasonal fruits and vegetables and be stress-free.

Ghee and milk are cherished in the Ayurvedic tradition for their ojas-enhancing effects. Ghee is the most easily digested fat, contains essential fatty acids, and is a great immunity booster. Both milk and ghee should be organic and free of additives, and milk should be boiled with a pinch of cardamom before it is drunk in order to make it easier to digest.

(The writer is a Yoga &Wellness Coach, Naturopathy & Ayurved Practitioner)

-----------------------------------------------

VOCAL for LOCAL

Crafting face-covers for the community 

Health Ministry released a manual of hand-made face masks, thereby giving such face masks an official stamp of approval. Prepared by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, the manual claims that a double layer of 100 per cent cotton cloth is about 70 per cent as effective as a surgical mask at capturing small particles (up to five times smaller than coronavirus).

Several self help groups (SHGs), NGOs and local administration in Goa have joined hands to ensure that masks — a very essential means of protection from the infection — reach everyone.

Kalpana Sawant Desai chief of Ashtavinayak SHG in Pajifond, Fatorda is one such SHG that is crafting face-masks to protect thousands from coronavirus. Her work is not only helping in protecting others, but is also given livelihood opportunities to several women. Earlier, during the period of lockdown, their masks were sought through bulk orders by government departments and essential service providers. Starting from 70 masks putting in five hours per day to making a 1000 masks in four days, Kalpana is personally happy to have contributed, in a way, to serve the people in this difficult times of pandemic.

“I am grateful to have had this opportunity,’ she tells adding that her SHG normally stitches clothes for babies, wool and micro wire products for home decor, besides making garam masala, sweets like besan laddo, shankarpali and a variety of snacks.

While the world health crisis has put several communities into various difficulties, Kalpana sounds positive. “The crisis has given women like us an opportunity to make profound use of our skills and time and we are happy to serve for greater good of our people,” she says.

As government turns to self-help groups for mass production of face masks, women like Kalpana in villages across the State is thankful to the government for having resorted to assigning SHGs with the task of producing face masks in a big way. “As a SHG we are making ourselves useful by engaging in self-help activities,” Kalpana concludes.

-------------------------------------

TRIBUTE

My beloved Papa!

By Adv. Kavita Harischandra Velip 

It’s been over a decade now. But your demise still haunts me. Though since then, I’ve always worked towards fulfilling the dreams you had for me, I attempt to live up to your expectations. I can sense your presence in my life every moment. Even as your physical presence is missed, your sweet memories fill the emptiness of my life. As I look back, I feel proud and lucky that I received extra attention from you. Now I can only pray that God gives you eternal peace and your blessings continue showering on me.

-----------------------