The vulnerability of girl child of historically marginalised communities in backward regions of the State is extremely high in the State. The girls bear the burden of caste, class, ethnic and gender based discrimination with continued political and bureaucratic apathy in spite of protective laws and programmes for their protection and development. The girl child faces violence in family, community and institutions such as schools and hostels where she is supposed to get the fullest protection to live a life with dignity without fear and exploitation.
A vast majority of tribal families are poor and live in remote areas where they do not have school near their habitations. Many of them prefer to send their children to residential schools. With growing trend of privatisation of education, the Government schools are the only option for the poor tribals to educate their children. It is the duty of the State Government to protect the girl children while ensuring quality education. However, it is still a far cry.
Sunita Raita, a nursing student of R Udayagiri of Gajapati and Kanakdei Bhadra, a class 10th student of Bhatiguda High School in Papadahandi block of Nawarangapur committed suicide, the one by hanging herself and the other pouring kerosene, just for being unable to put up with harassments and casteist remarks. In a most recent incident, two minor tribal girl students, the one in the Umri Ashram School in Jeypore and the other in lingagada in Kandhamal district, gave birth to child in their hostels. The hostel superintendent and headmaster were arrested and released on bail and in later case the teachers and ANM were suspended and removed. The matter raised concern by many in media including a discussion in the State Assembly by members cutting across party line.
The tribal literacy rate in the southern region of Odisha is lowest in the country. It is estimated in 2012 that 64 per cent of the tribal population in rural area of the State is under poverty line and southern Odisha has a large share in it. There are about 5,375 hostels for ST students which provide residential facility to four lakh students out of which three lakh are girl students till 2013-2014.This figure is excluding hostels run by NGOs for tribal girls and the Government has been engaged in increasing the number of hostels with special Central assistance.
These hostels are run by the ST and SC Development (SSD) Department. There has been regular news in media about the plight of inmates of Ashram schools run by the SSD in backward regions such as southern Odisha. The girl children are the worst sufferers of the prevailing disturbed conditions of both private and Government run educational institutions in spite of growing public concern for women in the country. It has been regularly exposed in media that the hostels run by the SSD Department are in poor condition without basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, latrine, kitchen and boundary wall etc.
The inmates are not being supplied with bed and bed sheet, mosquito net, adequate food and other minimum essential items required for a student in hostel. The lack of basic amenities has badly-affected the physical and mental health of students and many of them are forced to leave the hostel. Coupled with this are the sexual, moral and physical exploitations they have to face in the hostels. While the State Government has been madly engaged in building hostels after hostels for tribal students with major Central assistance but there has been no plan to address the safety, security and dignity of girls in hostel.
It is largely the reflection of age old hegemonic, casteist and patriarchal thinking of people in governance and policy making bodies those have no respect for dignity of women. It also shows the attitude of administration towards the tribal girls. The social composition of teaching and non-teaching staff in all residential schools is a matter of concern. It is found that a majority of staff do not mix with tribals. The SSD Department has not developed any special orientation or training for the teaching and non-teaching staff employed in these hostels.
Education is key to development of any backward community including tribals who are historically marginalized for their distinct identity. Odisha is the third largest tribal populated State having near one fourth of the population belonging to tribal communities which is about ten per cent of the total tribal population of the country. The girl child education is very important in the context of overall tribal development of the State. Tribal girl education has impacted over the transformation of tribal families from the bondage of poverty, illiteracy, alcoholism, landlessness, debt and distress migration as tribal women play a central role in family and community.
The literacy rate of tribal women is only 41 per cent as per Census 2011 which is below the State and national average and less than all other social groups including SC women. There are also women in specific tribal regions and women in PTGs whose literacy percentage is much lower and a matter of concern. The dropout rate of tribal students is very high in comparison to students of other social group. It has observed that mostly tribal girls are forced to serve as maid servants in the urban areas of the State and outside in the metropolis of our country. Trafficking of women and distress migration of women with other family members are very often reported in media.
A number of studies have established that prevalence of domestic violence and sexual exploitation at work place is much higher among women belong to SC and ST communities. Ministry of Tribal Affairs reported in 2012 that Odisha was the State with highest number of cases registered under SC and STs (PoA) Act, 1989 in the country and the performances of the State in disposal of cases against Scheduled Tribe by courts during the year 2012 indicate that Odisha is the second largest State having more number of pending cases for trial next to Madhya Pradesh.
The State Women Commission does not maintain a disaggregated data base on tribal women though one of commission members is a tribal woman under the provision of 3(2) of The Odisha Commission for Women Act, 1993. Tribal women have represented in Panchyatraj institutions, State Assembly and as members in lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as a result of provisions of political reservation for STs but they have very insignificantly represented in visible leadership role in women movements, academics, media, courts and bars, trade unions and CSOs which are largely dominated by upper caste, educated, urban women and mostly non tribals.
Tribal women are largely encouraged with micro finance and women centric unsustainable livelihood programmes without their active participation. There are a number of provisions for spending such as Tribal Sub plan, Special Central assistance and President’s grant under Article-275(1) and external aided projects like OTElP which are especially dedicated to tribal development where women can play a central role in the development process.
(The writer is a social activist, who can be contacted at manasbbsr15@gmail.com)