How Asha Minds Her Language

Where the Region Stands: A Snapshot Of Gender Gaps

Mom Michelle Moves On Child Obesity

Asma Parveen: Bihar's Karate Kid and more

Lights On The Education Blackout

Marriage, Women and Caste: A Signal Verdict

New Chapter in Sri Lankan Writing

Nepal's Princess Diaries: Happy to Be Commoners

From Behind The Burqa, Looking On The World

Children of Sex Workers Drop Out Of A Good Life

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India
How Asha Minds Her Language
Nirupama Dutt

She comes, she speaks and she conquers - meet Asha Sharma, 50, the most sought-after anchor for Punjabi shows, internationally. Asha literally queens the California coast, where she now lives, as mistress of ceremonies for film-star nights, Punjabi music shows, political rallies, religious congregations and even wedding parties. Her fans include stars like Shahrukh Khan, Gurdas Mann and, of course, loyal listeners of her radio programme, 'Geet Sangeet'. Very often shows and programmes are rescheduled to her convenience or she is sent a chartered helicopter to do a morning show in another town so that she can return home for a show in the evening.

"Whatever I have achieved is because of my mother tongue. Punjabi is a beautiful and vigorous language. I take great pride in it"

[Photographs Available]

Global
Where the Region Stands: A Snapshot Of Gender Gaps

The Asia-Pacific region has made much progress in advancing gender equality in life expectancy, school enrolment and labour force participation, with the most rapid gains occurring in East Asia and the Pacific. In South Asia, by contrast, large gender gaps remain, even in basic capabilities such as education, health, nutrition and employment opportunities. To place the region in a broader context, this excerpt from the just-released UNDP report, 'Power, Voice and Rights: A Turning Point for Gender Equality in Asia and the Pacific, 2010', compares Asia-Pacific sub-regions to other regions of the world on several indicators for survival, capabilities and empowerment. These selected indicators and figures also assess where the region is with regard to international commitments on gender equality, such as achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Close to 100 million women in Asia are estimated to be 'missing', having died because of discriminatory treatment or through pure neglect - or because they were never born in the first place.

[Photographs Available]

United States
Mom Michelle Moves On Child Obesity
Elayne Clift

US First Lady Michelle Obama has recently launched Let's Move!, an ambitious inter-agency campaign to combat children's obesity - a public health issue in America where obesity rates have more than doubled in the last 30 years and threaten the lifespan of children. Interestingly, at least 155 million school-age children worldwide are overweight or obese, with experts terming the escalation of global obesity as 'globesity'. Perhaps, the world can take a cue from Michelle Obama's efforts.

"This isn't like a disease where we're still waiting for a cure to be discovered... We have everything we need, right now, to help our kids lead healthy lives."

[Photographs Available]

India
Asma Parveen: Bihar's Karate Kid and more
Swapna Majumdar

Young Asma Parveen is the first girl in her village to attain the brown belt in karate and has catapulted her family and village to fame by being chosen for the prestigious United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) calendar for this year. Once forbidden to pursue an education by her father and brothers, this former 'madrasa' pupil is now a college student, a karate instructor and a true inspiration for young women faced with similar social and economic hurdles.

"I no longer take any money from my brothers for any of my personal expenses. I also contribute to the household and paid for my mother's medical bills when she was unwell."

[Photographs Available]

India
Lights On The Education Blackout
Alka Pande

In Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state where 60 per cent of school drop-outs are girls and where female literacy hovers around 43 per cent and below, frequent power cuts or even the absence of electricity prevent young women in rural areas from pursuing an education. Yet, there is a ray of hope for many now. Swedish company Ikea, keen to promote girls' education, will through Unicef, give 60,000 sturdy solar-powered lamps to state-run residential schools, such as Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV), located in the state's most remote and backward areas.

"This will help children, especially rural girls, play, read, write and study at night as most of them after coming back from school first help their mothers in the daily chores and then get a chance to study."

[Photographs Available]