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Behanbox is an independent media platform for gender journalism at the intersection of politics, policy, law and data.
Sep 25, 2020 10 tweets 2 min read
#Thread How are women farmers impacted by the new #FarmBills

Parliament passed 3 new Farm Bills
-The Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill
- Farming Produce, Trade, Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill
- Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill

1/10 'Contract farming' rules with agri businesses w/o the intervention of middlemen hampers women farmers’ collective bargaining power at local mandis to ensure fair prices.
2/10
Sep 23, 2020 10 tweets 4 min read
#Thread How draft rules Code of Wages Bill affect women workers
Govt of India released draft rules of the Code of wages Bill in July 2020. 1/10
#LabourReforms Feminist economists and activists say the rules are patriarchal and exclusionary in a consultation by @OxfamIndia. Major points follow 2/10
#LabourReforms
Sep 19, 2020 13 tweets 4 min read
GoI proposed changes to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act under section 10 2(c) and 10 2(b) of the, to pave the way for auctioning of around 500 potential leases. A #thread on what this means for women in mining areas. 1/13 Govt's proposed reform, under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Scheme, aims to enhance private investment in the sector.

Read more: mines.gov.in/writereaddata/… 2/13
Sep 5, 2020 9 tweets 2 min read
The struggles of single women have increased during the lockdown with lack of basic facilities, loss of employment, and increased mental health issues. Yet, they are not recognised in covid support schemes. 1/10 Single women face violation of basic human rights and lack the support they need as society perpetuates a patriarchal norm. They are neither a homogeneous group, and have several intersections that exacerbate their struggle. 2/10
Aug 8, 2020 4 tweets 2 min read
[Workers rights] #Thread
All trade unions across #India (Except BMS) are planning a series of Strikes/ Industrial actions. Here is a list:

7th-8th Aug: All women led scheme workers, ASHA, Anganwadi, Midday Meal workers are on strike for permanent staff status and pay. 9th Aug: Jail Bharo
18th Aug: Coal Workers Strike
Mid September: Defence Workers Strike
TBD: Railway workers federations strike against privatisation
Aug 7, 2020 4 tweets 3 min read
Attn: all women led scheme workers in India, #Asha #Anganwadi and #Midday meal workers are on a 2 day nationwide strike.

In Bihar, the scheme workers are on a 3 day strike between 6th-8th Aug.

Follow us as we get more updates, demands, photos and audios. Image In Haryana #Asha workers are demanding:

1. 4000 as Covid pay
2. Declaration and status as health workers and permanent staff
3. Govt empanelled hospital facilities for treatment of Asha workers Image
Aug 5, 2020 7 tweets 3 min read
1 year since the unlawful amendment of Article 370 and blockade of communication
@KReadingRoom report ‘Disintegration at Guns’ shines the light on political, legal, economic and everyday struggle of the people of Kashmir. [1/7]

Read: jklpp.org/kashmir-readin… The report uncovers international and regional developments, laws and policies and perspectives of frontier regions since August 5, 2019, when the amendment was declared without any consultation with the people of J&K. [2/7]
Jul 16, 2020 4 tweets 3 min read
Women hold 33%-50% elected positions in Panchayats but only 14% of MPs in Lok Sabha.
We explored why it is hard for women with political ambitions to rise up in politics in Tamil Nadu- holds true for all of India. #WomeninPolitics #Throwback
behanbox.com/why-277160-wom… Salma,a poet & former Panchayat leader is among the few women to have made the transition from rural governance to mainstream politics while battling gender prejudices, financial constraints, family pressures.
"Most go back home once their term is over" she says #WomeninPolitics
Jul 13, 2020 5 tweets 2 min read
600 women garment workers have been protesting against illegal lay off by Gokuldas exports, a supplier to @hm, in Srirangapatna, (Kar). behanbox.com/600-women-garm… Pratibha, president of Garment Workers union tells us about why the women workers are protesting.
#WomenWorkersRights behanbox.com/600-women-garm…
Jul 11, 2020 5 tweets 4 min read
Women led scheme workers, like #Anganwadi workers, in india are an exploited workforce w/o minimum pay.

#Thread on their meagre pay.

Central Gov pays a fixed amount per month.
AWW- Rs 4,500 
AW helpers- 1500-2250 +POSHAN incentive of Rs 250
#frontlineworkers #femaleworkforce States pay additional incentives to #Anganwadi workers which vary. Some of the highest paying states are:
Haryana- 7250-8429
Goa- 3062-11937
Delhi-6678
TN- 6750
Telangana- 6000
Karnataka-5000 

#frontlineworkforce #femaleworkforce
Jul 6, 2020 4 tweets 4 min read
Sidhamallamma, ex-Panchayat leader in #TamilNadu is also an #ASHA worker passionate about health. As a child bride herself she knows the dangers of #earlymarriage + frequent pregnancies. Read how she makes a difference. behanbox.com/illiterate-mar… An #Adivasi from the Irula tribe, she frequents #MNREGA sites to to talk to women about their health and control over their own bodies. 47.4% women in Krishnagiri dt, where her panchayat is located are anaemic and 2.2% are severely so. #WomeninPolitics #Panchayatleaders
Jun 25, 2020 4 tweets 6 min read
#Lockdown has had a gendered impact. It has particularly affected #Adivasi and #ForestDweller women with no access to markets & harassment by forest department @ForestRightsAct bring to you #voices of Adivasi women from the ground. #VoicesThatMatter #ForestRights In Part 2 of the series of #Adivasi & #Forestdwelling #women @ForestRightsAct bring a compilation of powerful stories from across India highlighting issues these #women faced during the #covid19 #pandemic.behanbox.com/adivasi-and-fo… Image
Jun 23, 2020 4 tweets 4 min read
What has been the impact of #lockdown #Covid19 on Adivasi women across India. Here we bring you stories of Adivasi and forest dwelling women from Uttararkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. #AdivasiWomen #ForestRights Triloki Devi, a PTVG woman from Uttarakhand narrates how the forest department made their life hell during the #Covid19 #Lockdown. Forest dwelling women have been affected by #lockdown in very specific ways. Read these stories. behanbox.com/adivasi-and-fo…
Jun 22, 2020 5 tweets 4 min read
Adivasi & Minor Forest Produce gatherer women have been hit hard by #Covid19 #lockdown+ #CycloneAmphan in Odisha. In the absence of state support and stopping procurement, Adivasi women are losing out, writes @SorengArchana behanbox.com/adivasi-womens… 77% of funds under MSP for Minor Forest Produce remain unspent. Half the states have not spent a single rupee from the program. This hurts Adivasi women most as 70% of their income comes from forest produce.
Jun 17, 2020 5 tweets 3 min read
#ASHA workers in Ludhiana stage a protest as Govt asks them to do smartphone surveys. Most don't have the phones nor the money to buy.

hindustantimes.com/cities/asked-t…

Punjab has not paid ASHAs for 3 months

Read our report on unpaid incentives+ honoraiums

behanbox.com/promised-mostl… Listen to what Ranjit Kaur, an ASHA from Ropar told us here about how ASHAs are working for free in Punjab.

Jun 16, 2020 11 tweets 3 min read
Domestic Workers in India are not covered under any national law that guarantees decent work conditions. #InternationalDomesticWorkersDay Only laws applicable to them are Unorganized Social Security Act, 2008, Sexual Harassment law and Minimum Wages schedules in some states. #InternationalDomesticWorkersDay
Jun 11, 2020 6 tweets 3 min read
Even though Kerala’s women health workers are as important as doctors & nurses in keeping its acclaimed public health system piled, their income is 1/4th of a junior nurse’s, 1/7th a senior nurse’s and 1/12th a govt doctor’s income. Last of a 3-part series. Central to Kerala’s healthcare model are the 28,000 ASHAs at the frontlines of its Covid-19 response. Many of them have deep roots in the community and are elected to local self govt. So, why are they angry? article-14.com/post/ashas-wit…
May 18, 2020 12 tweets 8 min read
Charanjit, an ASHA worker from Kaithal, Haryana, details what is expected of them at the frontlines of #COVID19 and how a remuneration of Rs. 1000 per month for the same is shameful. | #RecogniseASHAs @IndiaWgh @peekayty @VidyaKrishnan @gluppschlopp @RemaNagarajan @inayat_s_kakar @patralekha2011
May 6, 2020 5 tweets 3 min read
"Local Diaries" podcast is here.

Meera & @RizwanaTabassum tell stories of women from Bundelkhand and beyond.

Stories of women like Roshni, Badrunissa, Seema whose lives have been upended by the #Lockdown.

Are their fearless freedoms slipping away?

audioboom.com/posts/7574780-… Badrunissa (23) from Varanasi found friends when she stepped out to learn tailoring.

She is worried whether post #lockdown she will be allowed to step out at all?

Listen to @RizwanaTabassum narrate her story

behanbox.com/local-diaries-…
Apr 24, 2020 5 tweets 4 min read
On #NationalPanchayatiRajDay, we look at some incredible work of women Panchayat leaders. First, the story of Krishnaveni, a Dalit leader in TN who fought caste, patriarchy and the state during her term. She survived a brutal attack on her.

behanbox.com/krishnavenis-s… Sidamallamma, once a child bride, trained herself as an ASHA worker and today ensures crucial health services reach her remote tribal Panchayat in Padiganalam in Krishnagiri, TN. She aspires to enter state politics one day. #NationalPanchayatiRajDay
behanbox.com/illiterate-mar…
Feb 9, 2020 4 tweets 2 min read
Women are continuing to lead India in the resistance against Fascism

We have now recorded 333 women led #nrc_caa_npr_protests

These include
-165 Women Led Sit-ins
-93 women led rallies
-85 women led marches
Explore the interactive map here
behanbox.com/women-led-prot… Map of India with points de... Sit-Ins are increasing everyday and spreading deep into india's smaller towns and villages- in Bhilai, Mewat, Jabalpur, Buldhana, Davangere, among others.

State-wise Sit-Ins
Bihar-60
Maharashtra-23
UP-10
MP-11
Rajasthan-9 Map of India with sites whe...