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AIF and Zubaan Book Launch on Migration Issues in India

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Rita Soni
Rita.Soni@aifoundation.org / +91.11.4182.8801

Prof. Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate and AIF US Advisory Council Chair, to deliver keynote address at book launch in New Delhi on Wednesday, 20 December 2006

New Delhi (AIF), 18 December 2006 – The American India Foundation (AIF) India Advisory Council and Zubaan announce a book launch of Locked Homes, Empty Schools: The Impact of Distress Seasonal Migration on the Rural Poor with keynote address by Professor Amartya Sen and opening address by Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, to be held at the India International Centre Annexe in New Delhi on Wednesday, 20 December 2006, 4-5 pm. Please join us for refreshments at 3:30pm.

To many, migration is seen as a natural phenomenon with positive outcomes, as it implies exercising a choice to move for better economic conditions and thereby improving one’s quality of life. This is true of most of India’s better off who typically live in the cities and enjoy lifestyles comparable to the western world. In cases like the US, they are considered amongst the richest immigrant community by sheer dint of their hard work. However, just like every success has several failures, so too is the story of migration. Much of the migration that happens in India is not driven by choice but by the lack of it. People are pushed out of their homes and villages due to lack of opportunities and consequently. This phenomenon, called distress seasonal migration, is one of the least understood and researched, but is an important symptom of poverty, deprivation and marginalisation.

Distress seasonal migration takes place for survival, rather than any expectation of economic improvement. Tens of millions of families migrate from their villages every year for several months, to work in agricultural operations and labour-industries like brick kilns, saltpans, sugarcane harvesting, and construction. This is because in rain fed areas there is no possibility of a second crop nor alternative livelihood options that will enable survival until the next monsoon. Some common characteristics of distress seasonal migration are:

Children also migrate with their parents, and get involved in hazardous child labour. They have no access to education and health services, resulting in a negative spiral of social and economic deprivation for the next generation. The number of such children under the age of 14 is estimated to be in order of 9 million.
The family returns with little or no surplus for all their efforts and remains in the debt bondage of the contractor.
There is large scale violation of labour laws and child rights at work sites.

Locked Homes, Empty Schools, a study commissioned by AIF, examines the plight of migrant families by drawing on the work of four NGOs in different parts of India across several sectors: sugarcane harvesting in Maharashtra; saltpan, roof tile and charcoal making in Gujarat; and brick kiln migrations from Orissa to Andhra Pradesh. The book provides an overview of distress seasonal migration in specific sectors and education interventions for children of seasonal migrants by NGOs in Maharashtra (Janarth), Gujarat (Setu) and Orissa (Vikalpa and Lok Drishti). Both macro and micro aspects of distress seasonal migration are covered, including the spread and scale of the occurrence, the seasonality factor, the differing contexts, employer-labour relations, working and living conditions of migrant families, and children, and the links of such migration with child labour.
The model emerging from the experience of AIF and its partners for comprehensive coverage of migrant children involves interventions simultaneously in sending and receiving areas, and multiple options of schooling spanning villages and work sites. These options are:

Seasonal hostel facilities so that children of migrating parents can stay back in their villages;
Site schools at work sites for children who migrate;
Summer bridge courses in villages for those migrant children who could avail of neither of the above options; and
The local school, the mainstay of the model, which needs to take responsibility of all migrant children and improve in terms of full enrolment, retention and better quality of learning.

AIF supports the work of 12 NGOs in three states – Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa – who are together working in 14 districts and 58 blocks, covering 176 villages and 155 migration sites. About 18,000 children are covered in seasonal hostels or work site schools. As a result of the constant engagement with the government over the last three years, several changes have been brought about. At the Central level, there is now a policy specifically for migrant children within Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and several states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa are now actively planning and allocating funds for the education of these children.

RSVP education@aifoundation.org

For further information, please contact Rita Soni (Rita.Soni@aifoundation.org and zubaan@gmail.com / 98.6860.6464)

American India Foundation
15/11 Sarva Priya Vihar, Ground Floor
New Delhi 110016
http://www.AIFoundation.org

Zubaan
K-92, First Floor,
Hauz Khas Enclave,
New Delhi 110016
http://www.Zubaanbooks.com

About AIF: The American India Foundation (AIF) is a non-profit foundation whose mission is accelerating social and economic change in India. In order to achieve this, AIF provides grants and directly implements programs in three areas - education, income and asset creation and public health - that focus on the most disadvantaged. The programs include Digital Equalizer, bridging the “digital divide” by providing computers, internet, and training to under-resourced schools and League of Artisans, creating a platform to build sustainable livelihoods for impoverished artisans. Additionally, it provides fellowships to Americans to volunteer their skills with Indian NGOs and health institutions working on HIV/AIDS. AIF was formed in 2001 under the leadership of President Bill Clinton, who now serves as the Honorary Chair. AIF has main offices in New York, Silicon Valley, Bangalore and New Delhi. The AIF India Advisory Council is sponsoring the Launch and is made up of: Mr. K.V. Kamath, (Co-Chair), Mr. Deepak Parekh, (Co-Chair), Dr. Isher Ahluwalia, Mr. Ashok Alexander, Mr. Nishith Desai, Ms. Parmeshwar Godrej, Mr. Vijay Mahjan, Dr. R. A. Mashelkar, Mr. Sanjay Nayar, Mr. Ranjit Pandit, Ms. Priya Paul, Mr. Saurabh Srivastava and Mr. O.P. Vaish.

About Zubaan: Zubaan is an independent feminist publishing house based in New Delhi, India established by Urvashi Butalia. It is an imprint of Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house. Zubaan publishes scholarly and academic books in the social sciences as well as fiction, general interest non-fiction and books for young adults and activists. Its objective is to increase the body of knowledge on women and to provide a forum for women writers. Zubaan is a non-profit publisher.