24 September 2022

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

. No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	UNSC	Prelims & Mains
2.	G 4	Prelims & Mains
3.	QUAD	Prelims & Mains
4.	Child Marriage in India	Prelims & Mains

1 – UNSC: GS II – International Relations

Context:

• On September 22, a number of ministers, chiefs of state, and representatives in the UN Security Council voiced their alarm over the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. S. Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, was one of them.

About:

• In 1945, the UN Charter created the Security Council. It is one of the United Nations’ six main bodies.
• The General Assembly (UNGA), the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat make up the remaining 5 institutions of the UN.
• Its major duty is to contribute to the preservation of world peace and security.
• The council has its main office in New York.

Members:

• Ten non-permanent members chosen for two-year terms and five permanent members make up the council’s fifteen members.
• The United States, the Russian Federation, France, China, and the United Kingdom are the five permanent members.
• India joined the UNSC as a non-permanent member last year (2021), becoming a member for the eighth time. It will serve on the council from 2021 to 2022.
• Out of a total of 10 non-permanent members, the General Assembly elects five of them each year for terms of two years. The 10 non-permanent seats are allocated according to regions.
• The 15 council members alternate holding the position of president each month.

Voting authority:

• Each Security Council member gets one vote. The Security Council makes decisions by a majority vote of nine members, including the permanent members who concur in the decision. The resolution cannot be passed if one of the five permanent members votes “no.”
• Any UN member who is not a member of the Security Council is permitted to take part in discussions without having a vote whenever the Security Council determines that the member’s interests are particularly impacted.

India and UNSC:

• India actively participated in the 1947–1948 drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and spoke out vehemently against racism in South Africa.
• India has contributed to the formulation of policies on a number of matters, including the admission of former colonies to the UN, resolving lethal conflicts in the Middle East, and preserving peace in Africa.
• It has made significant contributions to the UN, particularly for the upkeep of world peace and security.
• India has participated in 43 peacekeeping missions, contributing more than 160,000 troops and many police officers in all.
• India’s demand for a permanent seat in the UNSC is entirely sensible given its population, territory, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), economic potential, civilisational legacy, cultural variety, political system, and historical and current contributions to UN activities.

Problems with UNSC:

Lack of Meeting Minutes and Records:

• The UNSC does not operate under standard UN procedures, and none of its meetings are recorded.
• Furthermore, there isn’t a “text” of the meeting for debate, amendment, or objection.

Power struggle in UNSC:

• It is antiquated in this day and age for the five permanent members of the UNSC to have veto power.
• In its current form, the UNSC has become a barrier to comprehending the global dynamics and developments in the field of human security and peace.

Conflicts Among the P5:

• Decisions are either not made or are made with little consideration due to the extreme polarisation among UN members.
• The UNSC P-5 frequently splits, which prevents it from making important decisions.
• As an illustration, when the coronavirus epidemic emerged, the UN, UNSC, and World Health Organization were unable to effectively assist governments in controlling the spread.

An Organization with Underrepresentation:

• It is troubling that the UNSC is devoid of the four most significant nations in the world: South Africa, Germany, Brazil, and India.

Way ahead:

• There is an urgent need to address the disparities in power between the P5 and the rest of the world.
• In order for the UN body to properly address the “ever-complex and growing problems” to maintaining global peace and security, the Security Council must also be reformed by adding more permanent and non-permanent seats.
• India, one of the UNSC’s existing non-permanent members, can begin by formulating a resolution that includes a thorough list of recommendations for revamping the body.
• It can also approach other nations with similar views (such as the G4: India, Germany, Japan, and Brazil) and expand its network of allies until a sufficient number of nations come together to address the entire UNGA and propose the resolution with a reasonable possibility of passing.

Source The Hindu

 2 – G 4: GS II – International Relations

Context:

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently visited the UN with the goal of reforming it. On Thursday, after the BRICS meeting, he met with his counterparts from Germany, Brazil, and Japan under the auspices of The Group of Four (G4). The group’s main goals include, but are not limited to, permanent membership for G4 nations in the UNSC and UNSC reform. They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing reform on Thursday and voiced disappointment at the lack of development in this area.

About:

• Members: Japan, Brazil, Germany, Brazil, and India
• The members of the United Nations Security Council, which was established in 2004, support each other’s candidacy for permanent seats.
• Since the UN’s founding, each of these four nations has been one of the council’s chosen non-permanent members.
• Their economic and political clout has increased dramatically during the past few decades, approaching that of the permanent members (P5)
• G4 campaigns for United Nations reforms, particularly increased representation of poor nations in both permanent and non-permanent UNSC positions.
• With no issues with the veto being extended to new permanent members, France supports the inclusion of a G4 and an African representative as members. Despite not having veto power, UK supports the G4 as new members.
• The Uniting for Consensus movement or Coffee Club (a group of 12 nations led by Italy, including Pakistan) frequently oppose G4 bids, as do their political or economic adversaries.

Source The Hindu

 3 – QUAD: GS II – International Relations

Context:

• On the outskirts of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the foreign ministers of the Quad group of nations—India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan—met on Friday to formalise their Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) relationship.

Quad:

• A “free, open, and prosperous” Indo-Pacific area is what the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) between India, the United States, Japan, and Australia seeks to ensure and encourage.
• Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced the concept of Quad for the first time in 2007. However, the plan was unable to proceed since Australia withdrew, ostensibly under Chinese pressure.
• In order to protect the maritime commons from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, Shinzo Abe once more proposed the idea of Asia’s “Democratic Security Diamond” with participation from Australia, India, Japan, and the US.
• The long-awaited “Quad” Coalition to create a new strategy to maintain the independence of the vital sea routes in the Indo-Pacific was formed in November 2017 by India, the US, Australia, and Japan (especially China).

China and the Quad Nations:

USA:

• The United States had a strategy in place to limit China’s expanding influence in East Asia. The coalition is therefore seen by the USA as a chance to reclaim its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
• In its National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and the Pentagon’s report on the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the US has referred to China and Russia as strategic rivals.

Australia:

• Australia is concerned about China’s increasing influence in its universities and interest in its land, infrastructure, and politics.
• Australia has maintained its commitment to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China in light of its overwhelming economic dependency on China for development.

Japan:

• Japan has voiced concerns over China’s territorial incursion in the area over the past ten years.
• Japan’s economy still depends heavily on trade with China; since the start of 2017, net exports have accounted for precisely one-third of Japan’s economic growth.
• Japan is therefore balancing its economic requirements and territorial concerns with China in light of its significance.
• Japan has also promised to take part in infrastructure projects in other nations as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. By doing this, Japan can lessen Chinese influence in those nations while fostering better ties with China.

India:

• India faces a strategic threat as a result of China’s recent violations of international law, particularly its building of military installations on reclaimed islands in the South China Sea, as well as its expanding military and economic might.
• Given the strategic significance of China, India is carefully balancing China and the US by keeping loyal to China’s strategic autonomy, which has traditionally been comforting to China.
• As China is cautious of the drill, India has also refused to allow Australia to take part in the Malabar Trilateral Maritime exercises between India, the US, and Japan.
• The recent summit between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi at Mamallapuram is a positive development, and both parties see it as essential to providing strategic direction to stakeholders on both sides.

Challenges:

• Territorial Claims of China China asserts that it has historically owned practically the whole South China Sea region, giving it the authority to create islands. However, the suit was denied by the International Court of Arbitration in 2016.
• China’s Association with ASEAN: Additionally, China and the ASEAN nations get along well. China’s growing influence over ASEAN countries is demonstrated by the Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP), which was recently established.
• China’s Economic Power: The Quad states cannot afford to have strained relations with China given its economic power and the reliance of countries like Japan and Australia on it.
• convergence between the four nations: Each country in the Quad grouping aspires to different things and strives to balance their own interests. As a result, there is no cohesion in the Quad Nation’s collective vision.

Way ahead:

• The Quad will require a more precise self-image. Members of the Quad must resist acting on impulse. Additionally, it is crucial to show openness and make sure that the phrase “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” is more than just a catchphrase.
• While the US also needs to adopt a more proactive approach to advancing the concept of connectedness, countries like India, Japan, and Australia may lead the way in infrastructure initiatives.
• The Quad should concentrate on establishing a strong regional dialogue process and work with ASEAN countries on matters of regional significance.
• India’s participation in the Quad framework gives it geopolitical legitimacy and gives India a rare chance to actively shape a regional security architecture with global implications.

Source The Hindu

 4 – Child Marriage in India: GS II – Social Sectors

Context:

• Nayagarh, a small district in Odisha, has taken a novel approach to ending child marriage by meticulously compiling data on all district adolescent girls.
• Child marriage is a worldwide problem that is fueled by gender inequity, poverty, social norms, and insecurity and has terrible repercussions anywhere it occurs. High rates of child marriage are a reflection of sexism and a lack of opportunity for girls and women in society.
• The improvement is not particularly outstanding despite numerous regulatory provisions in India and programmes like Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes. The situation got worse when Covid-19 was placed under a nationwide lockdown.

Child marriage in India:

• Prevalence: According to UNICEF estimates, at least 1.5 million girls under the age of 18 get married in India every year, making it the country with the most child brides worldwide, making up a third of the total.
• Root causes of child marriage among girls: Child marriages take place in a social and economic environment that is shaped by preconceived notions about the position of women and girls as well as their responsibilities as spouses and mothers.
• These are accompanied by the reality of domestic work and caregiving provided by women, the notion that girls need to marry young in order to be safe and protected, and worries about the potential harm to family honour or financial burden.
• Another factor is the preference for sons, which leads to having more daughters than desired.
• In wealthy families who can afford to rear more children, the issue is less common.
• To provide a supply of young, even prepubescent brides, poorer families may choose to marry off their daughters before they are ready.
• Some parents begin looking for a match for their child around this age range since they view the 15 to 18 year old range as fruitless, especially for girls.
• Compared to boys, young girls are more likely to be married off.
• Additionally, only up to the age of 14 is education free and required by the Right to Education Act.
• NFHS Research on Child Marriage According to data from the National Family Health Survey’s (NFHS4) fourth phase conducted in 2015–16, one in four Indian girls were getting married before turning 18 at the time.
• At the time of the poll, 8% of women between the ages of 15 and 19 were either mothers or pregnant.
• According to sources, the Covid pandemic has seen an increase in child weddings, and the first phase results of the NFHS5 (2019–20) do not indicate any appreciable advancements in the fight against child marriage.

Child Marriage and Related Problems:

• Child marriage infringes on the rights of girls and virtually erases them from public perception.
• The right to an education, the right to leisure time, and the right to protection against mental or physical abuse, including rape and sexual exploitation, are some of the fundamental rights.
• Women’s Disempowerment: Since child brides are unable to finish their education, they stay reliant and weak, which presents a significant barrier to achieving gender equality.
• Related health problems: Teenage pregnancy, stunting in children, population increase, inadequate educational opportunities for children, and reduced employment of women are all expenses associated with child marriage.
• Teenage wives often have low status in the home, which condemns them to long hours of domestic work, poor nutrition and anaemia, social isolation, domestic abuse, and less control over household decisions.
• Low birth weight is another factor that contributes to the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, along with inadequate schooling, malnutrition, and early pregnancy.
• CCTs’ ineffectiveness poor ending child marriage: Programs known as Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) provide funds to households in exchange for them meeting predetermined criteria.
• Most governments have used CCTs as their primary policy tool to eliminate child marriage over the past 20 years.
• They cannot, however, alter social standards on their own. The daily experiences of adolescent girls may not always be sensitive to generalised situations.

Steps to Take:

• Policy Interventions: One crucial component of the strategy to end girl-child marriage in India is legislation.
• In 2017, Karnataka modified the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act to declare all child marriages null and void from the beginning, make them a criminal offence, and impose a minimum sentence of harsh imprisonment on anyone who facilitates a child marriage. The middle level can be used in a similar manner.
• Involvement of the government in social change: Field officials from various departments who engage with rural communities, such as teachers, anganwadi supervisors, panchayat and revenue staff, should be informed that they are child marriage prohibition authorities.
• Decentralizing birth and marriage registration to gramme panchayats will also safeguard women and girls by providing them with important age and marriage documents, improving their ability to assert their rights.
• The growth of secondary education, easy access to economical public transportation, and encouragement for young women to use their education to get a living are some of the factors that are driving social change.
• Education expansion goes well beyond simply increasing access to it. Girls must be able to go to school, stay there, and succeed.
• In order to prevent young girls from being forced out of school, states can make use of their network of residential schools, girls’ hostels, and public transportation, especially in impoverished areas.
• Girls and boys in high school need to regularly engage in dialogues about gender equality in order to develop progressive attitudes that will last into adulthood.
• Empowerment Measures: To end child marriage, empowerment measures are also necessary, such as community engagement through initiatives like Mahila Samakhya.
• Children can express their concerns at children’s village assemblies held at gramme panchayats all over India.
• Economic expansion is necessary to prevent child marriage. India needs to change not only culturally but also economically if it wants to ensure that females get married later.
• Some of this has already happened, as Indians have become more rich and as the number of those living in extreme poverty has decreased.
• Indian girls will avoid child marriage thanks to economic progress. combined with cultural and educational knowledge in opposition to a sex preference, which will undoubtedly take more time; economic success a long-term fix.

Conclusion:

• In terms of ending girl child marriage, social change agents including education, legislative restrictions, and awareness-raising campaigns still have a lot of ground to cover. Additionally, the change must originate from the inside out.

Source The Hindu