On air: Do women need extra help to succeed?

A law that has been reintroduced in India which would reserve a third of all seats in the national parliament and state legislatures for women. Its progress is being delayed by protests today in the upper house. It again raises the issue of whether women require this kind of assistance to achieve the same success and power as men. (And an interesting bit of context to this story is that it was original proposed back in 1996 and 14 years in clearly some Indians still feel it’s very necessary.)

What should the Indian government do to protect its students?

Australia is a major travel destination for Indian students studying abroad.   In return they generate good revenue for Australia.

Surely, these students have a right to feel safe whilst there.  But after an Indian graduate was stabbed to death at the weekend their safety is being questioned. 

Should witchcraft be an accepted part of society?

You may find some of the scenes in this video disturbing.
This video is all over the Indian media. Five women were paraded naked, beaten and forced to eat human excrement by villagers who accused them of being witches.
In Nigeria, hundreds of children have been killed after being branded witches. Village tradition? Poverty? Or should we just accept that in some communities, believing in witches is just the norm?

On air: Is living longer always something to aspire to?

 And would you like to live to 100? We ask because you’re discussing related issues off the back of various stories…take at a look at this site recommended by WHYS listener Patti in Cape Floral. It predicts how long you’ll live.

On air: Is the Indian caste system a human rights abuse?

The UN Human Rights Council in Geneva is about to recognize caste-based discrimination as a human rights violation. An estimated 260 million people globally are victims of such discrimination, which has been likened to the former apartheid system in South Africa.

Do you think this advert is racist?

Get white skin and life will get better: that’s the message to Pakistani and Indian men in this cosmetic advert.  It’s one of several skin whitening television commercials aimed at men in Pakistan and India.

Thanks, to the people at CNN for making this avalible to us on uTube.

Free education ; the answer for the world’s poorest people ?

The Indian Parliament has approved a bill that seeks to guarantee free and compulsory education for all children aged between six and 14. The Bill brings to reality the provision for everyone’s right to education included in the Indian Constitution.

But does free education necessarily translate into quality education for everyone?

Pakistan : “an international migraine” ?

Madeleine Albright had this to say yesterday :

“Pakistan has everything that gives you an international migraine. It has nuclear weapons, it has terrorism, extremists, corruption, very poor and it’s in a location that’s really, really important to us.”

And this  Indian commentator says

On air: Can governments really protect us from terrorism?

Mumbaikars, still shocked and fearful after last weeks horrific events, are struggling to come to terms with their grief and their anger at the perpetrators. But many are now also asking what could have been done to prevent the attacks?

Talking Points 27th November

Gunmen have carried out co-ordinated attacks on high-profile locations, including two luxury hotels, across the Indian city of Mumbai, killing over 100 people. Events are still unfolding – you can read live updates on the situation here. But there are reports that foreigners, particularly British and American passport holders, were being singled out by the gunmen. Can terrorism stop tourism and bring a country to its knees? The Indian financial markets were shut after yesterday’s attacks. Are there places you now wouldn’t go on holiday?