19 March 2024 : The Hindu Editorial Notes PDF
The Hindu Editorial
19-March-2024
1. Violence, homelessness, and women’s mental health
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Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Vulnerable sections The article addresses critical societal issues, relevant for UPSC, highlighting intersections of gender, mental health, and homelessness of women in India. |
| Context |
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● The article delves into the pervasive violence against women in India, linking it to mental health issues and homelessness. ● It explores personal narratives, structural barriers, historical contexts, and the need for comprehensive solutions to address these interconnected challenges. |
Introduction:
- The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reveals alarming rates of violence against women in India, with 30% experiencing physical violence and 6% reporting sexual violence.
Violence, Mental Health and Homelessness:
- Violence against women and mental health conditions demonstrate a reciprocal relationship, significantly increasing the risk of homelessness.
- Relational disruptions, often stemming from violence, predict homelessness, even with access to mental health care.
- Qualitative research highlights trauma experiences among homeless women, often deviating from clinical conceptualizations.
Narratives of Homeless Women:
- Qualitative interviews underscore how violence, including child sexual abuse and intimate partner violence, contributes to mental health issues and homelessness.
- Challenges faced by homeless women also involve mental illness, illustrating the impact of violence on their lives.
Structural Barriers:
- Structural barriers like poverty and caste intersect with violence, eroding women’s agency and leading to unconventional pathways out of abusive environments.
- Ellen Corrin’s work challenges reductionist views of schizophrenia, offering a nuanced perspective on social withdrawal.
Historical Context and Societal Constructs:
- Historically, the label of madness has been used to subjugate women resisting patriarchal norms, constraining their autonomy and subjecting them to violence.
- Some women perceive madness as resistance or an opportunity to transcend societal expectations, while others find solace or escape within their altered realities.
Mainstream Discourse vs. Lived Experiences:
- Mainstream discourse often overlooks the multifaceted nature of women’s mental health experiences, focusing narrowly on biomedical perspectives.
- Women’s experiences of distress are often dismissed, exacerbating their vulnerability to homelessness and compounding the impact of violence.
Comprehensive Solutions:
- Comprehensive solutions require a systematic understanding of the interconnected factors perpetuating violence against women.
- Addressing root causes entails recognizing and compensating women for unpaid labour, providing economic independence, and challenging harmful gender norms through education.
Biological and Social Determinants:
- Biological factors and childhood adversity shape inclinations and choices, emphasizing the need for early interventions to reduce violence and its consequences.
Adopting a Multifaceted Approach:
- Addressing the relationship between homelessness, mental illness, and violence necessitates diverse perspectives, innovative research, and meaningful involvement of affected individuals.
- Prioritizing a range of responses can better address the complex needs of homeless women, emphasizing the importance of intersectionality and feminist standpoint theory in advancing understanding and interventions.
Conclusion:
- A multifaceted approach is essential for addressing the intertwined challenges of violence against women, mental health, and homelessness, recognizing the complexity of factors influencing individuals’ experiences and needs.
| Mental Health Challenges For Indian women |
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● Impact: These issues have a profound impact on various aspects of women’s lives, including their physical health, familial relationships, educational and professional pursuits, and overall quality of life. ● Stigma: Stigma surrounding mental health in Indian society often leads to underreporting and lack of access to appropriate care and support for affected women. ● Socioeconomic factors: Economic disparity, limited access to healthcare services, cultural norms, and gender inequality contribute to the mental health challenges faced by Indian women. ● Family pressures: Traditional family structures and societal expectations place significant pressure on women, leading to stress, anxiety, and depression. ● Violence: Women in India frequently experience various forms of violence, including domestic abuse, which exacerbate mental health issues. Way Forward: ● Awareness and Education: Promote awareness campaigns to destigmatize mental health issues and educate communities about the importance of seeking help. ●Accessible Healthcare: Improve access to mental healthcare services, particularly in rural and underserved areas, through the expansion of mental health facilities and trained professionals. ● Community Support: Establish support groups and community-based interventions to provide emotional support and resources for women experiencing mental health challenges. ●Policy Reform: Advocate for policy changes that prioritize women’s mental health, including strict implementation of laws against domestic violence and initiatives to address gender inequality. ●Empowerment: Empower women through education, economic opportunities, and leadership roles to enhance their resilience and ability to cope with mental health issues. |
| PYQ: Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society. (150 words/10m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-1 2023) |
| Practice Question: Discuss the interconnectedness of violence against women, mental health challenges, and homelessness in India, proposing comprehensive solutions (250 Words /15 marks) |
2. The MIRV leap that fires up India’s nuclear deterrence
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Topic: GS3 – Science and Technology – Achievements of Indian S&T, Indigenization of technology The Agni-5 missile test with MIRVs is crucial for UPSC as it reflects India’s strategic advancements amid regional security dynamics. |
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Context |
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● The article highlights India’s successful test of the Agni-5 ballistic missile, now equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs), enhancing its nuclear deterrence capability and signalling readiness to counterbalance China’s advancements. |
Introduction:
- The recent test of the Agni-5 ballistic missile, dubbed “Divyastra,” by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) marks a significant development in the country’s nuclear deterrence capability.
- With a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers, the Agni-5 is India’s longest-range missile, but its integration with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) enhances its strategic potency.
Comparison with China:
- While MIRV technology is not novel globally, it represents a new frontier for India. Other major nuclear powers, including the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom, have already integrated MIRVs into their arsenals.
- MIRV-equipped missiles are crucial for striking multiple targets simultaneously, offering evasion capabilities against ballistic missile defenses.
- China’s ongoing development of ballistic missile defenses, like the HQ-19 interceptors, poses challenges for India’s earlier missile variants.
- However, with the Agni-5’s MIRV capability, India strengthens its nuclear deterrent vis-à-vis China.
Technical Challenges and Achievement:
- Developing MIRV-capable ballistic missiles demands meeting stringent technical criteria, including nuclear warhead miniaturization, lightweight re-entry vehicle design, and precise configuration for integration into the missile.
- The recent Agni-5 test demonstrates India’s successful navigation of these challenges, despite constraints such as limited nuclear testing and insufficient data for warhead and re-entry vehicle design.
- The opacity surrounding the Agni-5’s exact capabilities, including the number of warheads and their yield, adds to its strategic ambiguity but underscores India’s progress.
Future Prospects:
- The Agni-5’s MIRV capability is tailored for China-specific deterrence. Further advancements may include testing a long-range Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), augmenting India’s nuclear triad.
- India’s Atomic Energy Commission, particularly the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, has played a pivotal role in compact nuclear warhead design, enhancing MIRV capabilities.
- The successful Agni-5 test sends a clear message to China, signalling India’s preparedness to counterbalance Beijing’s advancements in missile and defense technologies.
Conclusion:
- India’s successful integration of MIRVs into the Agni-5 ballistic missile represents a significant milestone in its quest for credible nuclear deterrence.
- The test underscores India’s resolve to bolster its strategic capabilities in response to regional security dynamics, particularly concerning China.
- Continued advancements in missile technology and nuclear capabilities position India as a formidable player in the global strategic landscape, ensuring its ability to safeguard national security interests effectively.
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What are Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs)? |
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Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) are a type of ballistic missile payload system that consists of multiple warheads mounted on a single missile. Each warhead can be independently aimed at separate targets during re-entry. Advantages of MIRVs: ● Enhanced Strike Capabilities: MIRVs allow a single missile to strike multiple targets, increasing the effectiveness of a single launch. ● Counterforce Capability: MIRVs enhance a nation’s ability to target and destroy a diverse range of enemy assets, including military installations, command centres, and missile silos. ● Increased Survivability: The ability to target multiple locations simultaneously makes MIRV-equipped missiles more resilient to enemy countermeasures, such as missile defense systems. ● Cost Efficiency: Despite the initial investment in developing MIRV technology, the ability to engage multle targets with a single missile reduces the overall cost per target destroyed. ● Deterrence: The deployment of MIRVs can act as a potent deterrent against adversaries, as the capability to deliver multiple warheads increases the perceived threat and the potential consequences of aggression. ● Flexibility: MIRVs provide flexibility in strategic planning and response, allowing for dynamic targeting based on evolving geopolitical scenarios. ● Reduced Risk to Launch Platforms: By enabling one missile to engage multiple targets, MIRVs reduce the number of launches required, minimizing the risk to launching platforms and personnel. ● Space Efficiency: MIRVs allow for the deployment of multiple warheads without the need for additional launch vehicles or infrastructure, maximizing space utilization. |
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PYQ: Consider the following statements (UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2023) 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their fights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of fight. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [A] 1 only [B] 2 only [C] Both 1 and 2 [D] Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: D |
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Practice Question: Discuss the significance of India’s recent test of the Agni-5 ballistic missile with MIRVs in the context of regional security dynamics. (250 Words /15 marks) |
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