Tag: #challenges

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

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Empowerment stands for giving authority and power to women. Thus, Women’s empowerment refers to empowering women to make their own decisions. It means women should have full equality across all fields, regardless of stereotypes. With higher literacy rates and equal pay for equal work, women can thrive economically and rise out of poverty. Protecting women and girls from violence and abuse while challenging the stigmas against reporting crimes would overall create a much safer society.

The Current State of Gender Equality:

On the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index of 2021, India ranks 140th among 153 nations, “becoming the third-worst performer in South Asia.” India fell 28 places from its 2020 rank of 112th. The report cites several reasons for this fall. In terms of political empowerment, the number of female ministers declined from about 23% in 2019 to just 9% in 2021. The female workforce participation rate also decreased “from 24.8% to 22.3%.”
Additionally, the “share of women in senior and managerial positions also remains low.” The report also indicates that women in India earn just one-fifth of what men earn.

Furthermore, “one in four women” endure “intimate violence” at least once in their lifetime. Although India has achieved gender parity in educational attainment, illiteracy rates among women remain high. The report indicates that just 65.8% of women in India are literate in 2021 in comparison to 82.4% of men.


Women also endure inequality concerning land and property rights. A 2016 UNICEF report noted that only 12.7% of properties in India “are in the names of women” despite 77% of women in India depending on agricultural work as a core source of income.

Benefits of Empowering Women in India:

As the majority of India’s population, women represent a significant portion of the nation’s untapped economic potential. As such, empowering women in India through equal opportunities would allow them to contribute to the economy as productive citizens. With higher literacy rates and equal pay for equal work, women can thrive economically and rise out of poverty.

Protecting women and girls from violence and abuse while challenging the stigmas against reporting crimes would overall create a much safer society. Improving the female political representation rate would enable more women to serve as role models for young girls and allow a platform to bring awareness to the issues affecting women in India. Overall, gender equality allows for women to live a better quality of life, allowing them to determine their futures beyond traditional expectations.

Women Of Worth (WOW):

According to its website, “Women Of Worth exists for the growth, empowerment, and safety of girls and women” standing “for justice, equality and change.” WOW began in 2008, created by a group of women who longed for change in a society rife with gender discriminatory practices. Its ultimate vision is “to see women and girls live up to their fullest potential.” With a mission of empowering women in India.

The organization has three focal areas:

1. Advocacy Work: WOW utilizes social media platforms to raise awareness of gender inequality and “change attitudes and behavior.”


2. Training and Health Services: WOW provides training to both men and women in schools, tertiary institutions, and companies on women’s safety and rights. It also presents lectures and “keynote addresses” on the topic. Furthermore, WOW provides counseling sessions to improve mental health.
Rehabilitation and Restoration: WOW offers “counseling, life skills training, and therapy” to children and women who are victims of abuse, neglect, and trafficking.


WOW’s efforts have seen success. The organization helped to rescue 200 girls from abusive backgrounds, providing them with rehabilitation services. WOW also gave 11 girls scholarships to continue their education. WOW provided training on gender equality to about 800 working people and “1500 students” along with “200 parents” and 300 educators.


3. Gender equality is a crucial cornerstone in the advancement of any society or nation as it affects all areas of society from economic growth to education, health, and quality of life. Gender inequality in India is a deep-rooted, complex, and multi-layered issue but it is also an essential battle to overcome to see the fullest potential of the nation.

How are women empowered in India?

The Constitution of India has certain provisions that specifically focus on women’s empowerment and prevents discrimination against women in society. Article 14 talks about equality before the law. Article 15 enables the state to make special provisions for women.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Andolan has been launched for creating awareness among the people to educate all girl children in the country. The government successfully promotes this scheme by forming District Task Force and Block Task Force. The scheme was launched in the Panipat district of Haryana on 22 January 2015 with initial funding of Rs. 100 crore. Before the launching of this scheme, the Child Sex Ratio of Panipat was 808 in 2001 and 837 in 2011.
Massive publicity is made about the program in print and electronic media, and the logo of this scheme is very common in government buildings such as pillars of National Highway 44, Panipat District Court, bus stand, and railway station of Panipat district, etc.

Financial independence is important for women’s empowerment. Women, who are educated and earning, are in a much better position in our society as compared to uneducated women workers. Therefore, a scheme called working women hostels has been launched so that safe and convenient accommodation should be provided to working women. The benefit of this scheme is given to every working woman without any distinction of caste, religion, marital status, etc. To take benefit from this scheme, the gross total income of women should not exceed Rs. 50,000 per month in the case of metropolitan cities whereas, in the case of small cities, the gross total income should not exceed Rs. 35,000 per month.

The focus of the government has shifted from women’s development to women-led development. To achieve this goal, the government is working around the clock to maximize women’s access to education, skill training, and institutional credit. MUDRA Yojana ( Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd ) is one such scheme that was launched on 8 April 2015 in which loans up to Rs. 10 lakh are provided to women entrepreneurs, without any collateral. For instance: A woman namely Kamla daily wage laborer from Panipat has taken a loan of Rs. 45,000 from the State Bank of India to start work in a beauty parlor and she is engaged in gainful employment with dignity now.

Conclusion:

Women must have an equal voice, rights, and opportunities, throughout their lives. Gender equality can make a difference to individual lives and whole communities. Economic and Social Empowerment places women and girls in a stronger position. Women’s and girls Economic Empowerment gives a voice in decison making processes. women also should be given equal rights like men to actually empower them. They need to be strong, aware, and alert every time for their growth and development. The most common challenges are related to the education, poverty, health, and safety of women.

Censorship of Indian Films

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In India, films are censored by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), a statutory censorship and classification body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Films should be certified by the board to be publicly exhibited it in India, including films shown on television.

History -:

Film censorship, the control of the content and presentation of a film, has been a part of the film industry for almost as long as it has been around. The activists of current society continue to broaden the First Amendment rights for the film industry allowing the art to be restricted to a certain limit.[24] Britain established film censorship in 1912 and the United States followed a decade later. Other early efforts of censoring the film industry include the Hays Code of 1922 and the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930.

The Film Fraternity – :

Films are considered a great medium of communication with people. With the development and progress of society and also with the progress in the field of science and technology, films have undergone a sea change and by adopting all the available technologies, have been able to reach the masses and are also significantly contributing to the social and cultural development of the country. In this way, the films are equated with the Press as Press is also considered a great medium of communication.

The Constitution-:

Article 19(1) of the Indian constitution ensures the right to freedom of speech and expression for all. Hence, this right is also applicable to moviemakers as well as writers. Article 19(2) specifies that freedom of expression should not threaten the sovereignty and integrity of the Nation. Censor Board was established based on this principle.

Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) -:

A motion film is certified by CBFC, the regulatory authority in India, under Sections 5A and B of the Cinematograph Act, 1952. CBFC certifies and differentiates movies as ‘U (Unrestricted Public Exhibition)’, ‘U/A (Parental Guidance for children below the age of 12 years)’, A (Restricted to adults), and S (Restricted to any special class of persons).

NECESSITY OF CENSORSHIP -:

1. Influences the young -:
Nowadays, most movies have unrealistic scenes. Violent scenes that motivate young viewers to copy the tasks their heroes perform on screen may cost them their lives. movies that claim that the consumption of drugs is injurious to health are promoting the use of drugs as young minds grow curious to try them in real life. It is better if such scenes are censored. Children are also watching ‘A’ certified movies, filled with full of violence. The accessibility to movies has increased considerably. So there is a need to remove scenes of too much violence and vulgarity.

2. Tackles the unacceptable -:
If a part of a movie contains scenes or language that cannot be accepted by people of all religions, then there will be calls to ban the movie and a riot may break out. So, to avoid them, the government has set up a board that will censor those unacceptable parts. If there is no censorship, there are dangers that movies that hurt the sentiments of certain sections will be out in public. This can lead to violence and threatens public order.

3. Keeps children safe -:
Censoring certain parts of movies helps keep children away from hearing and seeing inappropriate things. Nowadays, children are addicted to watching TV. When a movie is shown on TV — and most movies are these days — children are exposed to it. Inappropriate scenes or a string of wrong words can teach them all the wrong things and have a bad influence. As a society, we have a responsibility to protect children from being exposed to dangerous content.

4. Maintains harmony -:
Scenes that make a travesty of history or create friction amongst people should be completely removed. The case of the movie, Padmaavat, which was released in January 2018, is the perfect example of the need of censoring movies to maintain communal harmony.

DISADVANTAGES OF CENSORSHIP -:

1. An art -:
The arts do not influence people’s thoughts and feelings, let alone their actions unless they connect with something already present in those people’s personalities or experiences. People choose what art they will look at, what movies they will watch, what games they will play, or what sites they will visit, because of who they already are. Cinema, like other art forms, is a medium for expression. Filmmakers translate their vision onto the big screen through months or years of hard work. Thus, to snip off portions that are undesirable in a movie is unfair.

2. Obstructs creativity -:
Censoring parts of movies obstructs their creative flow and nullifies the effect of the narrative. It is always up to us if we want to watch a movie or not. Censoring parts of it means breaking the million thoughts and ideas that go into building that movie. Documentaries, which are meant to expose truths, are also undergoing many cuts. Filmmakers spend a lot of money and time making movies. If parts of the movie are cut in the name of censorship, they will be discouraged to make more movies.

3. Essence lost-:
Be it a plot or sub-plot, every part of a movie is crucial. So, with a part missing, the entire essence of the movie is lost. It’s time to leave movies in the hands of the movie’s crew and not the certification board. People have the mental ability to decide what to watch and what not to watch. Government has no right to decide what people are allowed to watch.

Is censorship a necessary evil?

Censorship can be considered a necessary evil, but that doesn’t negate the freedom of speech and expression completely. The chief problem is that it seems that Censor Board doesn’t look into alternative options before banning a movie and fails to take into account a lot of mitigating factors involved in the making of the movies. While public interest needs to be protected, the private interest of the parties involved cutely be forgotten.

Loss of time and money :

Right from the script to music, to production and advertising, a lot of effort and money has gone into the movies which when banned enormously impacts the economic status of people involved, which in turn comes under the ambit of their fundamental right of livelihood. This repeated pattern of Board or Government banning or halting the release of movies, thereby consequently an appeal being filed to High Courts and Supreme Court where the ban is lifted is getting quite tedious.

Conclusion :

The Certification Board must take a balanced approach while reviewing movies and must take into account that the harmony between freedom of expression and a sense of security and peace in society is maintained. In a perfect world, censorship would not be necessary. Children wouldn’t be exposed to movies inappropriate for their age and every person would have the mental stability to recognize the boundary between movies and reality. But we don’t live in a perfect world – so while we can’t always monitor what our children watch, or predict what could inspire violent behavior, we can take steps to protect the unguarded things in society through classification and censorship.

YOUTUBE MARKETING

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YouTube Marketing is the practice of promoting businesses and products on YouTube’s platform, by uploading valuable videos on a company’s YouTube channel or using YouTube ads. more and more companies are including YouTube as part of their digital marketing strategy.

That’s partly because YouTube as a platform is growing insanely fast. But it’s also because the video is an extremely powerful medium.

The truth about youtube marketing -:

YouTube is an opportunity to get more traffic and customers. YouTube can be a very competitive place. This means you can’t just start uploading videos and expect to see results. Countless “big brands” have jumped into YouTube marketing head-first… with only a handful of views and subscribers to show for it.

The truth is, to succeed on YouTube, you need to have a winning strategy, the ability to create great videos, and the SEO know-how to optimize those videos around keywords and topics that people on YouTube care about.

Why youtube is considered a major market for advertising – :

1. YouTube is the 2nd most-visited website in the world.
2. 2 billion people log in to YouTube every month.
3. 68% of YouTube users state that videos help them make a “purchasing decision”.
4. The number of SMBs advertising on YouTube has doubled over the last 2 years.

What is the main goal of YouTube marketing?

One of your objectives for your YouTube marketing should be to help your customer find you. A catchy slogan or prominent company name throughout the video can keep you on people’s minds long after they’ve seen your message online. They can then do an online search and find you.

Objectives of Youtube marketing –:

YouTube videos should have clear objectives that align with your company goals. focus all of your efforts on gimmicks that will get the attention of viewers and help your video go viral, you may overlook the reason you market on YouTube to get more business. Make sure your attention-getting videos help you move toward your company objectives.

1. Reaching Your Target Customer -:

If your target demographic is women between the ages of 35 and 45, and your video catches on with teenagers, you may be popular, but you won’t be effective. Think about the kinds of images and messages that would appeal to your customer, and make it one of your objectives to use as many of those images as possible.

2. Making It Easy to Find You -:

One of your objectives for your YouTube marketing should be to help your customer find you. A catchy slogan or prominent company name throughout the video can keep you on people’s minds long after they’ve seen your message online. They can then do an online search and find you. You should include a link to your website, along with any other contact information, such as an email address, business address, or phone number. Don’t lose sight of your objective of helping customers contact you.

3. Establishing a Relationship -:

You should evaluate the relationship you want with your customers, and create a video that helps them feel you are one of them. You can convey a sense of trust, lightheartedness, sophistication, down-to-earth values, or even anger, to name a few relationship starters.

4. Keeping Your Product in Mind -:

Don’t get so involved with making an interesting video that you lose sight of your number-one objective: letting people know about your product or service. Feature your product prominently and clearly, so that viewers won’t have to wonder what you are marketing.

Importance of YouTube to Business -:

1. Advertising -: the largest video-sharing website on the Internet, according to NBC, YouTube also doubles as one of the largest video search engines in the world
2. Customer Communication -: YouTube provides an array of channels for businesses to communicate with customers and prospects.
3. Internal Communication -: YouTube provides a convenient and easy-to-use video hosting service, it can serve as an inexpensive way to post instructional videos, announcements, and other internal communications.
4. Complaints –: As a business owner, you should carefully monitor YouTube for customer feedback and complaints.
5. Considerations -: YouTube can offer numerous important benefits to businesses, but you should keep some considerations in mind when using this resource.

Advantages of YouTube Marketing –:

1. Heavy Traffic
2. Higher Visibility on Google
3. Build Your Email List on YouTube
4. Higher Conversion Rates
5. Multiple Video Types
6. Massive Media Library

Disadvantages of Youtube Marketing –:

1. Control
2. Targeting
3. Ad Bypass
4. Auctions
5. Sales Conversion

YouTube provides every business with an insane opportunity to get more traffic and customers. However, it is also a very competitive place as well. This means that you can’t just start uploading videos and expect to see results overnight. Many big businesses jump into YouTube marketing with no strategy – their lack of views and subscribers show for it. The truth is that to succeed on YouTube is not just about creating great videos. It’s knowing how to optimize those videos around keywords that people on YouTube are searching for.

Cultural Pluralism

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Cultural pluralism is defined as the societal condition in which minority groups within a society can maintain their distinctive cultural identities, values, and practices if they are consistent with the laws and values of the wider society. Institutions and values that support cultural pluralism include political democracy, tolerance for uncertainty, prioritization of secular rational values, and openness to foreign cultures. societies with a demanding climate and high innovation performance, their citizens tend to support democracy, are more tolerant of uncertainty, prioritize secular-rational values, and take more leisure trips outside of their home country.

Significance of cultural pluralism -:

The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which saw the largest surge of immigrant arrivals in American history, an anti-immigrant backlash took the forms of nativism, xenophobia, and other expressions of prejudice. Criticism of the unfamiliar appearances and behaviours of the newly arrived people prompted discriminatory treatment of the new immigrants in education, employment, government programs, housing, and public accommodations. As a result, the advance of industrious and talented immigrants whose efforts could enhance American progress was held back. The concept of cultural pluralism is an alternative to the “melting pot” view that immigrants should assimilate to American culture by abandoning their own cultures, languages, and other traditions. Cultural pluralists insist that different ethnic groups have enriched the American way of life as immigrants and native-born citizens have learned from one another, thereby broadening their views on art, cuisine, education, history, music, and other aspects of life.

Positive Aspects of Cultural Pluralism -:

1. The cultural plurality system is that it is easily understood by voters, provides a quick decision, and is more convenient and less costly to operate than other methods.
2. The plurality method operates best under a two-party system.

Critique of cultural pluralism –:

1. Cultural pluralism has been attacked for justifying cultural separatism—that is, a transformation to a “nation of nations” like what is found in Switzerland or a segregated America of ethnically pure residential enclaves.
2. The cultural pluralists assume that because ethnic traditions are static, they suppress individuality.
3. Cultural pluralists are attacked for a belief that ethnic identity is primary and thus more powerful than other identities. Some critics even see Kallen’s concept of cultural pluralism as rooted in Jewish ideology.

Cultural pluralism is distinct from multiculturalism, which lacks the requirement of a dominant culture. If the dominant culture is weakened, societies can easily pass from cultural pluralism into multiculturalism without any intentional steps being taken by that society. If communities function separately from each other or compete with one another, they are not considered culturally pluralistic. Pluralism is valuable because it provides individuals with alternative ways to live, promotes critical reflection on the culture within which one currently lives, and thus promotes change and growth within cultures generally.

Canada is a country that is often cited as an example of cultural pluralism. This is due in large part to the fact that Canada is home to a diverse range of cultures and ethnic groups.

Cultural pluralism brings diversity as explained by, Cultural pluralists who insist that different ethnic groups have enriched the American way of life as immigrants and native-born citizens have learned from one another, thereby broadening their views on art, cuisine, education, history, music, and other aspects of life.

CHALLENGES ESTABLISHING PSYCHOLOGY AS A SCIENCE.

Wilhelm Wundt a German physician and philosopher in 19th century set up the first psychological laboratory at Leipzig University in 1879 to study human behaviour, through his rigorous experiment, work and efforts made psychology emerged as a science.

However, establishing psychology as a science was a challenge. People still didn’t knew how the mind work and functions. There was still a massive amount of data yet to be gathered. Thought it emerged as a science it was into many controversies and criticism; let see what were they.

1) PSYCHOLOGY IN PRE PARADIGMATIC STATE

According to American philosopher, Thomus Kuhn psychology has not succeeded in producing a cumulative body of knowledge that has a clear conceptual core. It contrasts with other sciences.

2) PROBLEM RELATED TO OBJECTIVITY AND VALIDITY

Methods such as introspection and psychoanalysis are inherently subjective, so in some extant psychology falls short on the criteria of objectivity and validity.

3) OBJECTIFYING HUMANS

Since many experiments on humans and their behaviour some of the scientist from the same field criticised the work. They said it treats human as an object, it sometimes portrayed as dehumanizing.

4) ISSUES RELATED TO PREDICTABILITY AND REPLICABILITY

In psychology making exact prediction is difficult and major goal of psychology is to predict human behaviour and humans respond in different way in different situations thus causing more difficult to understand human behaviour. Therefore causing the test results in psychology are more varied, harder to control and difficult to replicate.