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UPDATE 28: ELECTIONS SPECIAL Dear friends, We are leap-frogging the second part of the preceding update to inform you of some recent developments and forthcoming events of special interest. Specifically, it focuses on initiatives related to the forthcoming parliamentary elections (due to start in mid-April). A new momentum is building up in anticipation of the elections, and we shall try to keep you posted of these activities. Part 2 of the preceding update will follow shortly. Please keep us posted of any election-related activities you may be planning, and share with us any food-related campaign materials you may be preparing in this connection. Today’s headlines: 1. DRIVE TO PREPARE ELECTION-RELATED CAMPAIGN MATERIALS 2. FORTHCOMING: PUBLIC HEARING ON HEALTH 3. NAPM ACTIVISTS LAUNCH INTO ELECTORAL POLITICS 4. CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRATIC INDIA 5: FOCUS ON YOUNG CHILDREN 6. WEBSITE UPDATE 1. DRIVE TO PREPARE ELECTION-RELATED CAMPAIGN MATERIALS Following earlier discussions in Mumbai, about 50 activists from different
states met in Bhopal on 21-22 February to work on campaign materials (posters,
leaflets, pamphlets, plays, etc.) focusing on the right to food and the
right to work, for possible use during the election period. The aim was
to draft material that could be later adapted to local circumstances by
a wide range of organisations around the country.
Work is underway to verify the accuracy of data, prepare illustrations and make master copies that could be used to print posters directly. In case you are interested in printing these posters, we can send you a CD with the master copies on request. Please send a line to right2food@yahoo.co.in for further information. 2. FORTHCOMING: PUBLIC FORUM ON HEALTH (12 March 2004) Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (JSA) is planning to organize a public forum for dialogue on health in Delhi on 12 March, 2004. The forum seeks to bring together health activists from across the country for a dialogue on health care with senior politicians from various national parties. The interaction will be followed by a procession. The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (People’s Health Movement) is a network linking many organizations and individuals working in the area of health care. It came together on the occasion of the People's Health Assembly in 2000, to create a platform that brings together diverse concerns related to Health Care. Activists of JSA have been working closely with the Right to Food Campaign in different states. The ‘Peoples Health Charter’ constituting the JSA affirms: "our inalienable right to comprehensive health care that includes food security; sustainable livelihood options; access to housing, drinking water and sanitation; and appropriate medical care for all; in sum - the right to HEALTH FOR ALL, NOW". JSA expects the political process in the country to take cognizance of these basic concerns. The dialogue as well as other activities of the campaign for the forthcoming elections in the country will be an opportunity to focus on real concerns of the Indian people. To facilitate a dialogue between citizens’ organizations and political parties on the issue of health, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan is organising a public forum of dialogue on Health Care with political parties. Date: 12th February, 2004 For further information, please contact Vandana Prasad at chaukhat@yahoo.com
At the World Social Form (Mumbai, January 2004), various groups concerned with the growth of communal tendencies in the country got together and decided to launch a campaign during the parliamentary elections. The groups will function under the broad banner of “Campaign for democratic India”. At the preparatory stage, meetings of the campaign have taken place in Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Allahabad and several other towns. The groups are likely to take up an active campaign at the grassroots level and also take up wide-ranging advocacy efforts. Work is on towards building an ‘alternative agenda’ that includes concerns of the common people of the country today. A meeting will be held in Delhi on 19 March 04 with several citizens’ organisations to build the alternative manifesto. This will be followed by a public meeting on 20 March. For more details about the campaign please contact Apoorvanand at apoorvanand@rediffmail.com. 5: FOCUS ON YOUNG CHILDREN FORCES, a network working for children under six years of age, is intensifying its advocacy work in anticipation of the forthcoming elections. The network has been working extensively on ICDS, crèche services, and other issues related to young children. The decision to use the space offered by the elections was taken during a national meeting of FORCES at WSF. For more details about their plans, you can contact forces@vsnl.com. Indian Alliance for Child Rights (IACR), Pairvi and other organisations are also planning to highlight children’s issues in the run up to the elections. The group will take up a multi-pronged campaign covering grassroots, media, advocacy with parties, etc. The group has analysed the manifestoes of various national parties of the previous polls and have identified gaps from the child-rights angle. A manifesto is being prepared with child-related concerns which will be used for lobbying with the parties. In case you have further queries, please send a line to right2food@yahoo.co.in, we will be happy to relay it to IACR. 7. WEBSITE UPDATE The website of the right to food campaign (www.righttofood.com) has been
updated, and also includes a new section called “Parliament elections
2004”. This space will be used to post campaign materials, fact-sheets,
and reports of interest. Currently it contains draft posters that are
being prepared for use in the campaign (see item 1 above). The section
will be updated regularly in the next few weeks with further materials.
Please keep an eye on this new section if you are involved in election-related
activities.
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