- Casteism: Caste-derived hierarchies have administered social practices in India for more than three thousand years. The Dalit-Bahujan, or ‘oppressed majority’, number more than 250 million and are considered ‘untouchable’ by more affluent castes. National legislation to outlaw the mistreatment of the Dalit-Bahujan is often overlooked and their basic human rights to food, clothing, shelter, medical care, jobs and education is commonly denied.
- Female feticide: A national preference for sons over daughters has lead to a disproportionate ratio of males to females, particularly for ages younger than six. Gender-based discrimination is another issue, whereby women often lack access to education and employment. This usually leaves them no work opportunity but within the informal sector, where pay and safety is unregulated and consequently compromised.
- Human trafficking: Forced labour, commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary marriage are highly problematic in India, especially in regions where the sex ratio is particularly skewed. Children are often specifically targeted to become beggars, domestic servants, agriculture workers, factory workers and sometimes combatants in terrorist organisations.
- Education: Despite increasing enrollment, national retention and completion rates are experiencing little improvement, particularly in rural India. Systemic difficulties include lack of qualified teachers, overcrowded classrooms, generational lack of opportunity, teacher absenteeism and favouring memorisation over problem-solving techniques.
Sources:
CIA WorldFact Book - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html
Transparency International - http://www.transparency.org/country#IND_DataResearch
United Nations Population Fund – www.unfpa.org
United nation Development Reports - http://hdr.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/IND
TBC India - http://www.tbcindia.nic.in/key.html
Global Campaign for Education – http://unicef.org/India_education_1551
