Empowerment means moving from enforced powerlessness to a position of power. Education is an essential means of empowering women with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary to fully participate in the development process. Sustainable development is only possible when women and men enjoy equal opportunities to reach their potential.Women and girls experience multiple and intersecting inequalities.

Structural barriers in the economic, social, political and environmental spheres produce and reinforce these inequalities. Obstacles to women’s economic and political empowerment, and violence against women and girls, are barriers to sustainable development and the achievement of human rights, gender equality, justice and peace.Across much of the world, either by law or custom, women are still denied the right to own land or inherit property, obtain access to credit, attend school, earn income and progress in their profession free from job discrimination.Women are significantly under-represented in decision-making at all levels.

While the economic benefits of educating girls are similar to those of educating boys, recent findings suggest the social benefits are greater.Women have the potential to change their own economic status and that of their communities and countries in which they live yet usually women’s economic contributions are unrecognized, their work undervalued and their promise undernourished.

Unequal opportunities between women and men hamper women’s ability to lift themselves from poverty and secure improved options to improve their lives. Education is the most powerful instrument for changing women’s position in society.Investing in women’s and girls’ education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty.In line with the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives established by the international community, MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, at Israel’s Foreign Ministry, consistently promotes the empowerment of women, considering women’s education a critical component of development policy and planning, and central to sustainable development.

Following important changes in the international development landscape in recent years MASHAV adopted a dual approach to development: We engage in active development policy dialogues and development diplomacy, thus contributing to and shaping policy at a higher, multilateral level.

And, through professional programs, we maintain an active and effective presence at the field level.One of MASHAV’s earliest affiliate training institutions, The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC), has addressed the connection between gender, poverty reduction and sustainable development for over five decades.MCTC places education at the core of women’s ability to contribute to all activities, working to enhance knowledge, competency and skills, including in the development process and in their contributions to civil society.

Guided by this mindset, MASHAV, together with MCTC, the UN Development Program and UN Women is organizing the 28th International Conference for Women Leaders on “The Post-2015 and Sustainable Development Goals Agenda: Ensuring the Centrality of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Next Framework.”

Education is important for everyone, but it is a critical area of empowerment for girls and women. This is not only because education is an entry point to opportunity but also because women’s educational achievements have positive ripple effects within the family and across generations.Education is much more than reading and writing. It is an essential investment countries make for their futures, a crucial factor in reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development.

Experience has shown that the relationship between education and empowerment is not as simple as it may first appear; while education is undoubtedly a key element contributing to empowerment, the two do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Many educational programmes will focus on students’ acquisition of formal knowledge and training, and will often equip them with the technical skills necessary to take up paid employment in a specific sector. For adolescent girls, this can mean being formally trained in an activity traditionally seen as “women’s work”, such as sewing, the small-scale production and commercialisation of food products, artisanal production or secretarial skills for the more literate.

While it is often important that girls receive this vocational training as part of their education, a more holistic approach that places a strong emphasis on enabling girls to develop a wider awareness of themselves and the external context in which they live is also vital. Having the opportunity to develop an awareness of their own social situation, as well as to gain confidence and self-esteem, means not only that girls are in a better position to deal with the multiple challenges that entry into the labour market can pose, but also are increasingly empowered to define and act upon their ambitions.

Education is a powerful tool. It has the power to transform lives. Education has empowered the women and due to education women all over the world are starting to become more active in all areas like political , administrative, judiciary etc. Women have taken up big responsibilities and delivered great results.

INTRODUCTION

Since anyone of any gender and sociodemographic status can be infected, it is understandable, that increasing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression resulting in erratic behaviour among people amidst infectious outbreaks is a not-uncommon phenomenon. Outbreaks can have a profound and broad spectrum of psychological impact on people. At an individual level, new psychiatric symptoms in people without mental illness can precipitate, or aggravate the condition of those with pre-existing mental illness and cause distress to the caregivers of affected persons. Individuals may experience fear and anxiety of falling sick or dying, helplessness, or blame of other people who are ill, potentially triggering off a mental breakdown, regardless of their exposure.

Many people have lost their jobs or are working reduced hours. Due to the enormity of this pandemic and the global shut down the sense of normality has been turned upside down. The uncertainty over what even the near future holds will make sustained attention a challenge. A lot of people have to teach or take care of their children at home who used to be at school, kindergarten or childcare. Some people are struggling to figure out how they should pay rent or buy groceries, and are experiencing that the businesses or careers they’ve spent years building have no meaning anymore. Some individuals have health conditions that make them anxious (and vulnerable) about catching the virus.

Significant psychiatric conditions could be found varying from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, somatic symptoms, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, to delirium, psychosis and even suicidality, which could be associated with younger age and increased self-blame. For persons grieving from the traumatic and sudden loss of loved ones from the outbreak, the inability to gain closure can result in additional stresses, anger and resentment. According to a study on 1210 Chinese citizens in China in the first two weeks following the outbreak conducted by Wang et al, females were reported to experience a higher degree of the psychological impact of the outbreak, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. This finding concurred with previous epidemiological studies that found women to be at an elevated risk of depression, which could possibly be due to their unique biological and socioeconomic factors

Persons who are sick or quarantined may experience shame, guilt, or stigma. Studies reported a high prevalence of psychological distress with longer duration of quarantine which was associated with an increased prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms correlating with symptoms of depression. Foreigners under quarantine or in isolation in hospitals are at increased risk of psychiatric issues, as they are deprived of their social supports and risk uncertainty for repatriation, thereby necessitating practical and emotional support for them.

At the community level, there could be distrust towards other individuals in terms of disease spread and the government and healthcare services in terms of their capability to manage the outbreak. With the closure of community services and the collapse of industries negatively impacting the economy, a lot of people face financial losses and risk unemployment, which will be intensifying the negative emotions experienced by individuals. 

CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

In difficult times it is normal for children and other family members may have strong reactions like sadness, being irritable or confused. Sleeping disorders, physical reactions and fear of the unknown could take place. Everyone reacts differently. Some parents perhaps immediately develop a new home routine, some others may struggle in balancing their work and home duties. As a reaction to these new situations children can experience intense sadness or anger, others may be withdrawn or behave as if nothing has happened.

When schools close it means that children and adolescents who have mental health needs, do not have access to the resources they usually have through schools. For young people with mental health problems, the routine of school helps them have an anchor in life the closure means that their symptoms could relapse. Adolescents in racial and ethnic minority groups, having a low family income, or with public health insurance already have less access to mental health services without school closures.

Children who have special education needs like those in the autism spectrum or other disabilities are also at risk. When their daily routines are disrupted they can become frustrated and short-tempered. Parents could create a schedule for their children to reduce anxiety induced by uncertainty. Furthermore suspended therapy sessions of children with special needs could decrease their chance to develop essential skills

TIPS TO OVERCOME STRESS DURING COVID-19

Exercise Regularly

Exercising helps release endorphins within your system, which play a vital role in elevating your mood and keeping a positive attitude. Stretching exercises and yoga also help keep you fit and your mind calm.

Take a Break

The constantly negative news can be a lot to handle. Decide the amount of exposure to the news that works for you. Especially if there are children involved, make sure you expose them to only age-appropriate material. Ever so often disconnect physically and mentally from anything to do with the Coronavirus coverage. Play with puzzles, read a book, reorganize or clean instead.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

Unnecessary stress can cause you to overeat or eat unhealthy, adversely affecting your metabolism. Avoid emotional eating by identifying trigger factors and keeping away from the urge. Keep healthy snacks around you such as fruit bowls, nuts or even granola bars. Keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the day helps regulate your mood and emotions. Good nutrition also keeps your immune system healthy.

Find Ways to Express Yourself

Whether by putting pen to paper, capturing videos, scrapbooking, keeping a journal or by blogging, expressing yourself helps to cope with your feelings. You can either write extensively or just a line a day, as long as you find a hobby that works best for you. This keeps the stress away and gives you something to look forward to every day.

Offer to Help People when You Can

If you need help with groceries or medications for someone at home, do not hesitate to ask for help. Similarly, if you are stepping out, you can take a list of errands from elderly or sick people who cannot get out. Helping people out gives you a sense of fulfillment and calms the restless mind.

INTRODUCTION

Mucormycosis is a very rare infection. It is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables. It affects the sinuses, the brain and the lungs and can be life-threatening in diabetic or severely immunocompromised individuals, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS.

Doctors believe mucormycosis, which has an overall mortality rate of 50%, may be being triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients.

Steroids reduce inflammation in the lungs for Covid-19 and appear to help stop some of the damage that can happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive to fight off coronavirus. But they also reduce immunity and push up blood sugar levels in both diabetics and non-diabetic Covid-19 patients.

It’s thought that this drop in immunity could be triggering these cases of mucormycosis.

WHY BLACK FUNGUS HITS COVID-19 PATIENTS?

Mucormycosis can occur any time after COVID-19 infection, either during the hospital stay or several days to a couple of weeks after discharge.

The COVID-19 causes favourable alteration in the internal milieu of the host for the fungus and the medical treatment given, unwittingly also abets fungal growth. COVID-19 damages the airway mucosa and blood vessels. It also causes an increase in the serum iron which is very important for the fungus to grow. Medications like steroids increase blood sugar. Broad-spectrum antibiotics not only wipe out the potentially pathogenic bacteria but also the protective commensals. Antifungals like Voriconazole inhibit Aspergillosis but Mucor remains unscathed and thrives due to lack of competition. Long-term ventilation reduces immunity and there are speculations of the fungus being transmitted by the humidifier water being given along with oxygen. All the above make for a perfect recipe for mucormycosis infection.

SYMPTOMS OF BLACK FUNGUS

Nasal blockage, bleeding, discharge from the nose are initial features of mucormycosis. On endoscopic visualization of the nasal cavity an unmistakable black eschar (slough or dead tissue) coated masses will be present which gives away the diagnosis. As the disease progresses the palate may be destroyed as a large black necrotic mass may be seen on opening the mouth. When the orbit is involved there will be proptosis (protrusion of eyeball), loss of movements of the eyeball with consequent double vision. Eye pain, redness with blindness can follow. If the brain is invaded due to blood vessel blockage there will be strokes, hemorrhages, and even death. Patients can also have headaches, drowsiness, limb weakness, seizures and even death.

In lung mucormycosis clinical features are similar to COVID-19 with fever, cough, shortness of breath, making clinical diagnosis difficult. Suspicion of fungal infection must be considered when a patient despite getting appropriate medications is not improving or was improving and has unexplained deterioration. CT chest helps in diagnosis by revealing additional lung lesions. Diagnosis is by microscopic evaluation of the bronchopulmonary lavage aspirate.

TREATMENT OF BLACK FUNGUS

Once a clinical and radiological diagnosis is made, endoscopic evaluation of the nasal cavity can confirm a fungal lesion. Immediate surgical debulking is a must. The surgery can be radical and disfiguring but is acceptable considering the existential crisis of leaving behind any residual tissue. The entire nasal cavity needs to be scoured and all fungal, necrotic tissue needs to be removed. If the orbit is involved surgeries as drastic as exenteration of the eye socket contents may be required. Intracranial decompression may be required if the infection has spread to the brain. Surgical intervention should be undertaken a couple of hours after diagnosis.

In tandem, medical management with antifungal drugs, namely injection Liposomal amphotericin-B needs to be instituted. Older form amphotericin deoxycholate is significantly nephrotoxic. However, the liposomal cousin is safe and effective. Posaconazole tablets/ suspension and intravenous forms are available and are used in lieu of amphotericin if the latter is not tolerated by the patient. Following several weeks of intravenous medication depending on the response the patient is put on oral posaconazole sustained release tablets for several months. Isavuconazole is also an alternative drug that can be used. Drugs are stopped after clinical and radiological clearance of the disease.

During treatment, judicious use of steroids (keeping blood sugar levels under control), antibiotics, and other antifungal drugs need to be done.

PREVENTION OF BLACK FUNGUS

Prevention is always better than cure.

In hospital:

*Maintenance of good hygiene and cleanliness is a must. Regular oral hygiene care with mouthwash, povidone-iodine gargles must be done.
*While administering oxygen, water for humidification must be sterile and there should be no leakage from the humidifier.
*Steroid usage must be limited to no more than necessary with strict blood glucose control.
*Unnecessary use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, antifungals should not do as this removes the normal commensal flora resulting in the growth of unwanted organisms due to lack of competition.

Once discharged:

*Stay indoors as much as possible
*Regular exercises
*Control of blood sugars
*At home, the surroundings must be clean and free from dust and dampness
*Maintain oral and nasal hygiene
*While going out always wear an N-95 mask
*Avoid construction areas, fields, grounds.
*Soil and plants are the areas that abound with fungi. Hence better to avoid working with soil, gardening. If unavoidable, masks, rubber gloves, and boots are a must.

The key take-home messages are opportunistic fungal infections are occurring in COVID-19 patients, awareness among health care providers and the public is important, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment are paramount for improving outcomes in an otherwise dismal disease, together we can definitely win this battle against COVID 19 and mucormycosis

INTRODUCTION

• The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.
• The Cabinet has also approved the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to the Ministry of Education.
• The NEP cleared by the Cabinet is only the third major revamp of the framework of education in India since independence.
  • The two earlier education policies were brought in 1968 and 1986

KEY POINTS

• School Education:
  • Universalization of education from preschool to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030.
  • To bring 2 crore out of school children back into the mainstream through an open schooling system.
  • It will bring the uncovered age group of 3-6 years under school curriculum, which has been recognized globally as the crucial stage for development of mental faculties of a child.
• It will also have 12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre schooling.
• Class 10 and 12 board examinations to be made easier, to test core competencies rather than memorised facts, with all students allowed to take the exam twice.
• School governance is set to change, with a new accreditation framework and an independent authority to regulate both public and private schools.
• Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, no rigid separation between academic streams, extracurricular, vocational streams in schools.
• Vocational Education to start from Class 6 with Internships.
• Teaching up to at least Grade 5 to be in mother tongue/regional language. No language will be imposed on any student.
• Assessment reforms with 360 degree Holistic Progress Card, tracking Student Progress for achieving Learning Outcomes
• A new and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (NCFTE) 2021, will be formulated by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) in consultation with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
• By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.

EDUCATION IN INDIA

• Constitutional Provisions:
  • Part IV of Indian Constitution, Article 45 and Article 39 (f) of Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), has a provision for state-funded as well as equitable and accessible education.
  • The 42^nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1976 moved education from the State to the Concurrent List.
    • The education policies by the Central government provides a broad direction and state governments are expected to follow it. But it is not mandatory, for instance Tamil Nadu does not follow the three-language formula prescribed by the first education policy in 1968.
  • The 86^th Amendment in 2002 made education an enforceable right under Article 21-A.
  • Related Laws:
  • Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009 aims to provide primary education to all children aged 6 to 14 years and enforces education as a Fundamental Right.
  • It also mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged sections of the society where disadvantaged groups
  • Government Initiatives:
  • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid Day Meal Scheme, Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS schools), Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV schools) and use of IT in education are a result of the NEP of 1986.

WAY FORWARD

• A New Education Policy aims to facilitate an inclusive, participatory and holistic approach, which takes into consideration field experiences, empirical research, stakeholder feedback, as well as lessons learned from best practices.
• It is a progressive shift towards a more scientific approach to education. The prescribed structure will help to cater the ability of the child – stages of cognitive development as well as social and physical awareness. If implemented in its true vision, the new structure can bring India at par with the leading countries of the world.

A PEEK INTO THE HARAPPAN CIVILISATION

Indus valley civilization or Harappan civilization is the earliest known urban culture of the Indian subcontinent. A major hallmark of the Harrapan civilisation was the advanced and well-planned drainage system in place. Main street drains were covered with bricks and stones, and there were tertiary drains. Second storeys had drains built inside walls that ended just above the street drains. There were man-holes and soak pits with covers for removing solid waste.

Harappan era houses were of different sizes; had many rooms for different purposes; a courtyard; were sometimes double storeyed with staircases leading to the second floor; the floors were either tiled, or plastered, or covered with clay and sand. The Harappans had provisions for a separate bathroom and toilet in each house. Sometimes  a group of houses would have a separate common bathroom. Bathrooms had bathing platforms with sloping floors to drain off the water into the drain. Toilets in Harappan sites would generally be a hole over a cesspit. 

Harappan sites show an elaborate system of water management for collection and distribution of potable and bathing water.  There were separate channels for freshwaters, rainwater collection, and wastewater drainage. They also had systems for collecting/harvesting rain waters as evident from the numerous reservoirs, cisterns, and wells.

THE ANCIENT INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL TEXTS

In the Indian context, the term architecture is included within the realms of Silpasastra; a treatise. Indian architecture, known as Vastu Sastra, is seen as a part of a subdivision of the Silpasastras. Vastu-sastra would include, besides the basic architecture, all kinds of buildings being built it would also cover laying of parks and gardens; town planning; marketplace designing; digging drains, sewers, wells, and tanks; building dams, bathing ghats, walls and embankments.

Furthermore, it would also be a part of designing furniture suitable for the houses built. Besides these, Vastu Sastra also includes designing of clothing and accessories, such as headgear and various ornaments. Carving of sculptures of deities and famous people are also a part of Vastu Sastra. Even basics, such as selecting a site, testing the soil of the site, and ascertaining the cardinal directions of the site are all part of this ancient science of architecture better known as Vastu Sastra. Vastu Vidya or Vastu Sastra is so comprehensive and broad in its discourses that it is almost co-extensive with the Silpasastras. 

ARCHITECTURE IN BUDDHIST TEXTS

In Buddhist literature, there are plenty of references to high walls, ramparts and buttresses, gates, watchtowers and moats alluding to the fortification of towns and cities. Mentions are made of houses opening directly to the streets, thus hinting at a lack of enclosed spaces like gardens in front. These mostly talk of a large group of houses clumped together around narrow lanes, of sacred groves, and vast expanses of rice fields beyond.  The Jataka talks of individual houses that remain separate from villages and towns.

There are detailed descriptions of arama griha (rest houses) for people who liked to lead a quiet life and stay a little away from the hustle-bustle of the towns. As per the books, such houses should be located not too far or too close to the towns, the compounds are to be surrounded by three types of walls (stone, brick, and wooden fencing), and further surrounded by bamboo fences, thorn hedges, and moat-like ditches.

Houses should have living rooms, resting rooms, storerooms, halls for services, halls attached to bathrooms, closet rooms, cloisters, open-faced mandapas, and ponds. The inner chambers are to be divided into three parts:  square halls (Sivika garbha), rectangular halls (Nalika garbha) and dining halls (Harmya garbha). Verandas or alindas were essential for these houses, and were also present in prasada or storeyed houses, which were referred to as a veranda supported on pillars with elephant heads (Chullavagga, VI). Details of doors, windows, stairs, rooms and jaalis on them, and seven storeyed buildings (satta-bhumika-prasada) are frequently found in various Buddhist texts. There is another very interesting structure mentioned in the Vinaya texts.

These are the hot-air baths, which are described in great details; structures similar to the later period Turkish baths. Digha Niyaka also speaks of ornamented open-air bathing tanks. Such ancient baths have been found in fairly preserved conditions among the Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) ruins.

ARCHITECTURE IN EPICS AND PURANAS

The Epics abound in the descriptions of cities, large palatial mansions, storeyed buildings, verandas, porches, victory arches, tanks with masonry stairs, prakara or walls, and various other structures which are all indicative of a well developed and flourishing architecture. The city plan of Ayodhya as given in the Ramayana, is found to be similar to the town-plan guidelines as laid down in the Manasara, which included beautiful devayatana (temples), gardens, alms-houses, assembly halls, and mansions. 

Ramayana also gives a detailed description of the beautiful city of Lanka in its Lanka-kanda. Mahabharata provides us with short but vivid descriptions of the cities of Mithila, Indraprastha, Dwaraka, among many others. Sabha-parvan provides us with a detailed description of different assembly halls, using examples of Indra sabha, and halls of  Varuna, Kubera, Yama, and the Pandavas. In both the epics there are details of lofty buildings (mostly painted in white) and large balconies; windows with lattices; comfortable rooms; king’s palaces; separate mansions for princes, ministers, army officers, and chief priests; smaller houses for common people; assembly halls; courts; and shops.

The Puranas deal with the topic of architecture in a more serious manner than the casual descriptions as found in the epics. Matsyapurana has 8 chapters with detailed discussion on architecture and sculptures.  Skanda purana has three extensive chapters that discuss the planning of laying of a large city. 

The other Puranas that extensively talk on architectural science are the GarudaPurana, Agnipurana, NaradaPaurna, VayuPurana, and BhavisyaPurana. Brihat-samhita composed by Varahamihira also devotes 5 chapters to architecture and sculpture and gives the subject a thorough and masterly treatment. From a definition of the science of architecture to choosing sites, soil testing, plan of buildings, to elaborate and comparative measurements of storeys and doors, carvings. etc., all are dealt with great details in this treatise.  Kautilya Artha-sastra has 7 chapters on the science of architecture, with a focus on structural details. Interestingly, this book gives detailed descriptions of forts and fortified cities, palaces with underground tunnels or surang, military and residential buildings within the scope of town planning.