By Moin Qazi* Microfinance – an approach to financial inclusion based on providing small denomination loans and other financial services to poor people who lack the collateral, credit history, or other assets -has generated considerable enthusiasm, not just in the development community but also at political levels. It has infused an entrepreneurial spirit in tiny … More Naysayers may say “king is dead, long live the king”, but microfinance can redefine itself

An Amnesty International India field story from Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, by Manohar Chauhan*, on the occasion the World Indigenous People’s Day 2018, which fell on August 9: I spent the last few weeks in the small district of Raigarh, Chattisgarh. Raigarh has historically been populated with various Adivasi communities as it comes under the fifth scheduled area. … More How pollution caused by neighbouring companies is destroying lush green environs of Raigarh

The National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF), in a letter to Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Shipping, Government of India, has demanded quick and stern action against those responsible in the killing of 12 fishermen in Kochin. Text of the letter: As you might already know that the early morning hours of 7th August, three fishermen died while nine … More Fishermen have the right to take boats up to 200 nautical miles in sea, why are they not protected?

Excerpts from the 212-page report “Amarnath Yatra: A Militarized Pilgrimage”, on the difficulties faced by the unorganized sector, which includes tent-owners, horse owners, porters, and shop owners, most of whom are Kashmiris: Tent owners Accommodation at the base camps and camps in the higher reaches is primarily provided by tent owners who come from adjoining … More Amarnath Yatra: State apathy towards Kashmiri concerns amidst constant picking at open sores

A civil society statement, signed by representatives of people’s organizations and concerned individuals, on “continuing attacks” on the right to life in Jharkhand: Since 2014, people of Jharkhand have faced severe attacks on their mere right to life by the Raghuvar Das-led BJP government. The government has been trying to acquire land of Adivasis and … More Jharkhand land acquisition against Adivasi, Moolvasi wishes, directly affect their livelihood

Excerpt from “Midcourse Manoeuvres: Community strategies and remedies for natural resource conflicts in India” by Kanchi Kohli, Meenakshi Kapoor, Manju Menon and Vidya Viswanathan, CPR-Namati Environmental Justice Program, New Delhi (2018): Land use change is a wicked problem for an aspirational economy like India. In the last three decades, the government has expanded the network … More In many places in India, conflicts associated with land use change have become the new norm