DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 16th November 2024

Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 3

Context: Recently, a two-day National Consultation on Revisiting and Re-envisioning the Beijing Declaration was organised by National Alliance for Women’s Organization.

Background: –

• Thirty years after the historic Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (September 4–15, 1995), where the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted and women’s rights were unanimously recognised as human rights, the global community continues to reflect on the progress.

Historical roots of women’s movements 

• Women’s movements have built on events like the Seneca Falls Convention and the Suffragette movement. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention was a historic meeting in New York where the “Declaration of Sentiments” was adopted. The document declared “that all men and women are created equal”. 
• The Suffragette movement of the 19th and 20th century was a long-drawn fight by women globally to gain their right to vote. 
• Afterwards, women’s movements expanded their demands. Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex (1949) challenged the traditional notion of gender by asserting that “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”, postulating that gender identities are not biologically determined but socially constructed. 
• By 1970, women’s movements had gathered momentum. Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique (1963) became a bestseller as it brought the private “problem that has no name” till then into the public domain. Friedan initiated discussion around devalued domestic work and critiqued the way it was romanticised.
• Women’s movement received further impetus from events like ‘The Women’s Strike for Equality’ in 1970. The strike was part of the second wave of feminism in the 1960s and 1970s.
• The “Wages for Housework” campaign, organised by the International Feminist Collective in 1972, mobilised women internationally to urge governments to recognise household and care work.
• However, the fight for women’s rights was not always on equal grounds. The exclusion of black women and women of colour from a predominantly white, middle-class dominated women’s movement meant that issues of race and class were not seen as women’s issues. 
• Women of colour, immigrants, and other marginalised women face intersection of multiple issues of gender, race and class and this theory of intersectionality expanded the scope of  feminist movement. 

Unified global framework on women’s rights 

• The First World Conference on Women (1975), emerged from various women’s movements underlining the growing need for a unified global framework for addressing women’s rights.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), affirmed equality in principle but lacked specific measures to address gender disparities. The Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (1967) lacked legal enforcement mechanisms.
• The 1975 conference laid the groundwork for the declaration of 1976–1985 as the ‘International Decade of Women’. The conference recognised gender equality as fundamental for development, sustainable peace and stability.

The Second World Conference on Women

• The Second Conference on Women in 1980 shifted focus to more specific areas of women’s development, especially in education, employment and healthcare.
• It led to the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). CEDAW, referred to as the International Bill of Rights for Women, is a core international human rights treaty. It redefined ‘discrimination’ to include not only legal inequalities but also social and cultural barriers.
• The Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, adopted at the United Nations World Conference on Women in 1985, outlined a visionary framework that integrated women’s perspectives into all aspects of development and governance, and made women essential stakeholders in all aspects of societal progress. The Nairobi Strategies set specific goals for advancing women’s rights globally.
• The four World Conferences on Women between 1975 and 1995 provided global platforms to advance women’s rights issues, culminating in the landmark Beijing Declaration, which remains a testament to the sustained fight for gender equality.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – HISTORY 

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the commencement of 150th Birth Anniversary Year celebration of Birsa Munda.

Background: –

• The Centre had in 2021 decided to celebrate November 15, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

Key takeaways

• Born: November 15, 1875, in Ulihatu, present-day Jharkhand.
• Belonged to the Munda tribal community, which practiced their distinct socio-cultural traditions.

Role as a Tribal Leader:

• Birsa Munda was a prominent freedom fighter, religious leader, and tribal reformer.
• He led the Munda Rebellion (also known as the Ulgulan or “The Great Rebellion”) against the oppressive British colonial system and zamindari system.

Ulgulan Movement (1899–1900):

• The movement sought to protect tribal lands and rights from the Dikus (outsiders) like landlords, moneylenders, and the British.
• Focused on restoring tribal autonomy, ending forced labor (beth begari), and ensuring land ownership for tribal people.

Religious and Social Reforms:

• Advocated for monotheism and rejected superstitions, idol worship, and the influence of Christian missionaries.
• Encouraged the Munda community to reclaim their cultural and spiritual identity.
• Declared himself as “Dharti Aba” (Father of the Earth) and urged people to worship a single god and follow tribal traditions.

Arrest and Death:

• Arrested by British forces in 1900 during the rebellion.
• Died on June 9, 1900, in Ranchi Jail, under mysterious circumstances, at the young age of 25.
• Jharkhand State was established on his birth anniversary in 2000 as a tribute.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: BASIC countries have been complaining against the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) introduced by the EU.

Background:

• On the opening day of the COP29 meeting, China, on behalf of the BASIC countries, had moved a proposal to include a discussion on “unilateral restrictive trade measures” — without mentioning CBAM — in the formal agenda of the COP meeting

Key takeaways

• The BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India, and China) are a group of four large, newly industrialized nations that formed an agreement on November 28, 2009.
• Purpose: The BASIC countries were formed to act jointly at international climate change negotiations, particularly at the Copenhagen Summit (COP15). They aimed to present a united front on climate change issues and advocate for the interests of developing nations.

Key Features:

• Common Stance: The BASIC countries share a common stance on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and raising funds to combat climate change.
• Copenhagen Accord: The group played a crucial role in brokering the Copenhagen Accord with the United States.
• UNFCCC: The BASIC countries represent a collective voice at the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Significance:

• Geographical and Population Coverage: Together, the BASIC countries cover about one-third of the world’s geographical area and nearly 40% of the world’s population.
• Economic Influence: These countries are emerging economic powerhouses and wield significant influence in international forums.
• Climate Change Advocacy: The BASIC countries advocate for the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), which emphasizes that developed nations should take greater responsibility for climate change mitigation due to their historical emissions.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Union government informed Kerala that the Wayanad landslides cannot be declared a national calamity, and expressed the view that sufficient funds are available with the state for relief operations.

Background: –

• The state government had sought assistance of Rs 900 crore from the Centre towards the relief and rehabilitation of the people affected by the tragedy.

Key takeaways

• The Wayanad landslides occurred on July 30, 2024, in the Wayanad district of Kerala, India.
• Location: Punjirimattom, Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Vellarimala villages in Meppadi Panchayat, Vythiri taluk.
• Cause: Heavy rains triggered landslides, causing hillsides to collapse and resulting in torrents of mud and water sweeping through the villages.
• Casualties: Over 420 fatalities and 397 injuries. Around 47 people are still missing

Centers response

• Under the existing provisions of SDRF/NDRF, there is no provision to declare any calamity as national disaster,” Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in a letter to Kerala government’s special representative in Delhi.
• The Union minister said primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the state.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Indian Army is conducting exercise Poorvi Prahar from the 10th to the 18th of this month in the forward areas of Arunachal Pradesh.

Background: –

• According to the Indian Army, the exercise brings together a wide spectrum of cutting-edge military platforms and systems, showcasing the country’s advancements in modern warfare technology. 

Key takeaways

• Exercise Poorvi Prahar is a high-intensity tri-service military exercise conducted by the Indian Armed Forces. 
• The exercise aims to enhance the joint combat effectiveness of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in executing integrated joint operations in challenging terrains.
• Dates: November 10 to November 18, 2024.
• Participants: Army, Navy, and Air Force.

Objectives:

• Inter-Service Coordination: Improve coordination and synergy between the three services.
• Operational Readiness: Enhance the operational readiness of the forces.
• Technological Integration: Integrate advanced military technology and joint command structures.
• Common Operating Picture (COP): Develop a refined COP through joint control structures for better coordination.

Significance:

• Strategic Deterrence: Bolster India’s strategic deterrence capabilities.
• Modern Warfare: Showcase India’s advancements in modern warfare technology.
• Theaterisation: Pave the way for the theaterisation of command, enhancing the ability to execute seamless multi-domain operations.

Source: News On Air

Q1.) Which of the following statements about Birsa Munda is/are correct?

1. He was associated with the Ulgulan movement to fight against British colonial rule and protect tribal rights.
2. He was born in present-day Chhattisgarh.
3. His efforts led to the establishment of the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, which restricted the transfer of tribal land to non-tribals.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q2.) Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the BASIC countries?

1. The BASIC group was formed to coordinate the climate change negotiation strategy of developing countries.
2. All BASIC countries are members of the G20.
3. The principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities” is a key stance of the BASIC group in climate negotiations.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q3.) Which of the following statements regarding Exercise Poorvi Prahar is/are correct?

1. It is a tri-service military exercise.
2. The exercise aims to enhance the joint combat effectiveness of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in executing integrated joint operations in challenging terrains.
3. It is conducted annually by the Indian Armed Forces with participation of US armed forces.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – a

Q.2) – a

Q.3) – b