a NOW! supplement

04-10 Dec, 2002

MI TINgggggRESTAURANT

TIBET ROAD, GANGTOK

CALL

24101 FOR

HOME DELIVERY

New Delhi, December 2, 2002:The Government has proposed toamend the Indian Evidence Act, 1872to make it more friendly to women.

A proviso to section 146 in theIndian Evidence Act, 1872 is pro-posed to be inserted to the effect thatin a prosecution for rape and attemptto commit rape, it shall not be per-missible to put questions in the cross-examination of the prosecutrix as toher general immoral character. Further,Clause (4) of Section 155, which pro-vides that when a man is prosecutedfor rape or an attempt to ravish, itmay be shown that the prosecutrixwas of generally immoral character isproposed to be omitted.

A Bill on the above lines has al-ready been introduced in the Lok Sabhaon November 28, 2002.

The proposed amendment is inkeeping with the recommendations ofthe Law Commission and the NationalCommission for Women.

This information was given by theUnion Minister of Law and Justice,Shri K. Jana Krishnamurthi in a writ-ten reply to a question from Dr. AbrarAhmed in the Rajya Sabha today.

(PIB)

Is this your first film?It is actually my seventeenth. I’ve beenworking in the Nepal Film industrysince I was 16. I have acted in all kindsof films. Among them are Anjuli,Manmandir and Treveni. RajeshHammal and Sushil Chettri have beensome of my co stars.

How did you join films?I had just come back from the MsWorld Contest in Seychelles, where Irepresented my country. In fact, I wasthe first Nepali girl to do so. I startedgetting many offers. I did one film andthen I completed my studies. But theoffers kept coming in. It started casu-ally but now its my profession. I hadnot planned it but it has happened.

How was the Seychelles experience?It was great. Most of the girls werevery friendly except a few who weresnobbish. There were 85 of us. I wasonly 16 years old at the time. It wasvery thrilling. That was also the yearDiana Hayden from India wascrowned Miss World. So it felt very

Jharna Bajracharya Rashid is the main protagonist of the film “Sanjeevani,” now being

filmed in Sikkim. A former Ms. Nepal and the first girl to represent her country in the 1997

Miss World contest, held in Seychelles, she is perhaps poised for Stardom in Bollywood.

Rajat Mukherjee, Director of “Pyar Tune Kya Kiya” and “Road” has signed her to play the

second lead in his new film tentatively titled “Love in Nepal.” In a break during filming in

Gangtok, she speaks with MITA ZULCA on films, family and future....

good being from a neighbouring coun-try and all that.

Do you enjoy acting?I never used to but now I do. I’m a fulltime actress in Nepal and acting occu-pies me totally. But its very hardwork. There is constant mental andphysical pressure apart form havingto deal with all the attention.You have a distinct American accent,how is that?I come from a very cosmopolitan fam-ily. My father is Muslim and mymother Buddhist. I have lots of cous-ins in America. We are an educatedfamily. May be that’s why.

Do you have a boyfriend?No, none at all. I have some malefriends but no special boyfriend. I amtoo busy and just have no free time togo in for a relatuonship. I also havenot met the right person.

How is your role in “Sanjeevani”?I am the central figure. Sanjeevani isthe name of the female lead. I have

film from the 4th of December. Thismay be my big break.You think you may be the nextManisha Koirala?I certainly hope so. Who wouldn’twant to be.

Any way, Best of Luck.Thank you.

UP CLOSE AN PERSONAL WITH JHARNA BAJRACHARYA RASHID

Bollywood calling

two men who are in love with me soit’s a love triangle. Its an interestingrole and I have lots to do.

How did you find shooting inGangtok?This is my first visit to Gangtok. Therewere huge crowds watching the shoot-ing everywhere. It was quite weird andfunny dancing in front of so manypeople. But I am more used to it now.We are going to be shooting all overSikkim and I look forward to seeingmore of the place.

You have a break in a Bollywoodfilm. How did that come about?I had sent my photos to RajatMukherjee when I heard he wasscouting talent for a new film. Thefilm is called “Love in Nepal.” Butthat is not the final title. I was tryingfor a small modelling role in the film.But after he saw my photos, he calledme and after a couple of meetings heoffered me the second lead in the film.My co-star is Sonu Nigam. I wasthrilled. In fact I am shooting for the

a NOW! pic

Govt proposes

to keep moral

character of

victim out of

rape trials

GANGTOK: The Mahila BharatiyaBhasha and Saksharth Sansthan(Delhi) is holding it’s first seminar cumworkshop in Gangtok. The seminar-cum-workshop is to span three daysbeginning December 3 to December 5.

The Delhi based Sansthan wasfounded in 1987 by Dr. Madhu Baruaand since then it has organised semi-nars throughout the world.

The one single point agenda ofthis organisation is to promote hindiall over the country especially in thenon hindi speaking states. Accord-ing to B. L. Nandwana, Secretary,Hindi is the official language of In-dia and their aim is to promote thecurrency of the language in the

publilc sector for official purposesand to simplify it so as to enable itto take on the mantle of the ‘linklanguage’ of the country.

This, he believes, will go along wayin promoting the concepts of NationalUnity and Integrity.

During the course of the workshop,suggestions will be solicited from par-ticipants who will be largely from thepublic sector.

Some of the more relevant sugges-tions are to be presented before theParliamentary Committee on officiallanguages. The workshop is to be con-ducted with the help of slides and lec-tures with the CM expected to be pre-sented on the final day.

Conference onHindi promotion

9

DEAR DEE

SSSSSusongusongusongusongusongSAYS

BETTER

GROOMING

F A S H I O N

F U N D A S

with

Jyotsna

Periyar

WOMENNOW

ii04-10 Dec, 2002

Acne is the most common skindisorder. More than 60%

adolescents are affected by this.The visible acne whiteheads isclosely associated with hyper ac-tivity of the oil glands and conges-tion of the skin pores. Acne canrange from mild to severe and isoften worsened by many externalfactors like stress, use of wrongcosmetics, hot and humidweather, etc.

There are two aspects of thetreatment. The first is medical andthe second is good daily skincare. Use a medical or antiseptic soap. Apply a medicated or antisep-tic soap. Apply Calamine to which a drop of clove oil and mint oil hasbeen added to all the pimples.

Here are some homemade cosmetics for those with acne.Cleanser: Apply milk of Magnesia leave on for 10 minutes then

rinse off.Moisturizer: A bottle of rose water, ¼ tsp vinegar, 5 drops of glycer-

ine, 2 drops of camphor.Face pack: To 2 tsp of egg white, add 2 pods of crushed garlic and

1 tsp of Calamine, leave on face for 20 minutes, then rinse off.

COMBATING ACNE

There are five things that womenshould never, ever ask a guy, accord-ing to an article in the lastest issue ofSassy magazine. The five questionsare:1) What are you thinking?2) Do you love me?3) Do I look fat?4) Do you think she is prettier thanme?5) What would you do if I died?

What makes these questions sobad is that every one is guaranteed toexplode into a major argument and/ordivorce if the man does not answerproperly, which is to say dishonestly.For example:� “What are you thinking?”The proper answer to this question,of course is, “I’m sorry if I’ve beenpensive, dear. I was just reflecting onwhat a warm, wonderful, caring,thoughtful, intelligent, beautifulwoman you are and what a lucky guyI am to have met you.”

Obviously, this statement bears noresemblance whatsoever to what theguy was really thinking at the time,which was most likely one of fivethings:a. Cricketb. Footballc. How fat you are.d. How much prettier she is than you.e. How he would spend the insurancemoney if you died.

According to the Sassy article, thebest answer to this stupid questioncame from Jerry Seinfeld, of Seinfeld,who was asked it by his girlfriend. “IfI wanted you to know,” Jerry said,“I’d be talking instead of thinking.”

Answers To 5 Of TheToughest Questions

Women AskWe are at it again. Just as the rivals alleged, we have been

browsing. But even that requires skill and taste... Anyways,

here we have found that most elusive saviour of sticky

situations - the Guide to the Right Answer. Read on if you

are a male and in a relationship...

The other questions also haveonly one right answer but many wronganswers:� “Do you love me?” The correctanswer to this question is, “Yes.” Forthose guys who feel the need to bemore elaborate, you may answer,“Yes, dear.” Wrong answers include:a. I suppose so.b. Would it make you feel better if Isaid yes.c. That depends on what you meanby “love”.d. Does it matter?e. Who, me?

� “Do I look fat?” The correct maleresponse to this question is to confi-dently and emphatically state, “No,of course not” and then quickly leavethe room. Wrong answers include:a. I wouldn’t call you fat, but Iwouldn’t call you thin either.b. Compared to what?c. A little extra weight looks good onyou.d. I’ve seen fatter.e. Could you repeat the question? Iwas thinking about your insurancepolicy.

� “Do you think she’s prettier thanme?” The “she” in the question couldbe an ex-girlfriend, a passer-by youwere starring at so hard thay you al-most cause a traffic accident, or anactress in a movie you just saw. Inany case, the correct response is, “No,you are much prettier.” Wrong an-swers include:a. Not prettier, just pretty in a differ-ent way.b. I don’t know how one goes about

rating such things.c. Yes, but I bet you have a betterpersonality.d. Only in the sense that she’s youngerand thinner.e. Could you repeat the question? Iwas thinking about your insurancepolicy.

� “What would you do if I died?”Correct answer: “Dearest love, in theevent of your untimely demise, lifewould cease to have meaning for meand I would perforce hurl myself un-der the front tyres of the first Armytruck that came my way.” This mightbe the stupidest question of the lot,as is illustrated by the following stu-pid joke:

“Dear,” said the wife. “Whatwould you do if I died?” “Why, dear, Iwould be extremely upset,” said thehusband. “Why do you ask such aquestion?” “Would you remarry?”persevered the wife. “No, of couse not,dear” said the husband. “Don’t youlike being married?” said the wife. “Ofcourse I do, dear” he said. “Then whywouldn’t you remarry?” “Alright,”said the husband, “I’d remarry.” “Youwould?” said the wife, looking vaguelyhurt. “Yes” said the husband. “Wouldyou sleep with her in our bed?” saidthe wife after a long pause. “Well yes,I suppose I would.” replied the hus-band. “I see,” said the wifeindignantly.”And would you let herwear my old clothes? “I suppose, ifshe wanted to” said the husband. “Re-ally,” said the wife icily. “And wouldyou take down the pictures of me andreplace them with pictures of her?”“Yes. I think that would be the correctthing to do.” “Is that so?” said thewife, leaping to her feet. “And I sup-pose you’d let her play with my golfclubs, too.” “Of course not, dear,”said the husband. “She’s left- handed.”

�

Dear Dee,

We all know that water is integral to our

existence but I had not realized how life

threatening it could be till I shifted to my new

place of abode. These days water or the lack of

it permeates my very being. I wake up in panic

every morning, sure I have missed the measly

trickle my landlord allows me. I rush home every

evening, spending a fortune on taxis to catch

the few remaining drops in the pipes. I have

invested a major portion of my salary in buying

a bucket big enough for me and the kids to live

in (incase we’re ever homeless), but haven’t yet

been able to fill even half of it. Soon I’ll be

quarreling with the neighbours, shouting things

like “Ani malai pani chaindaina”?! or standing

outside public taps with colourful plastic buckets

the way they do in South India, my hair in oily

plaits. I’ll be walking in town with a dazed look

murmuring pani, pani…people will pass me by

saying “Poor woman, she has gone mad. No

water you see”.

Is this all a bad dream? Will I wake up and find

all my buckets full? Should I take up Phurba’s

offer of living in Munguthan? Will there be water

there??

Yours full of questions,

Mia

ARE YOU BIGGER ON THE HIPS?Well, here are a few tips to flatter your figure. Forinstance, skirts or pants paired with a long coatare great for elongating the figure. Jackets withstrong shoulders and a men’s wear style or aloose fit draws attention away from hips. Wearsomething fitted on the bottom like a sleek skirtwith a layered top, you’ll create the illusion closeto ideal proportions.

10

WOMENNOW

iii04-10 Dec, 2002etc.

7THEWEEKAHEAD

BabyBabytalktalk

Dr. HK Chettrion paediatric concerns

Readers are invited to send in their queries related to child care which wouldbe answered by Dr. HK Chettri, child specialist.

Home remedies, kitchen tips, beauty makeovers, recycling advice..... just about anything that makeslife easier for the housewife... Send in your tips and if adjudged the most useful tip of the week, you willwin a Gift coupon worth Rs. 250/- sponsored by Curtina, MG Marg.Send in your entries to: NOW! NearAyurvedic Clinic, Gairi Gaon, Tadong, East Sikkim. Or email us at sikkimnow@rediffmail.com

CBEST TIPS

Contesturtina

the

WINNERS ARE REQUESTED TO COLLECT

THEIR COUPONS FROM NOW! OFFICE AT

GAIRI GAON, TADONG MANMAYA SHARMA, TADONG

� To remove hair dye stains from clothes, dipthem in water and apply a little warm glycer-ine. Scrub with a brush and wash. The stainsare gone.

� Potatoes pricked slightly and boiled in saltwater will take less time to boil and will notcrack

ARIES : If you’re in school now, you’re lucky. It’s sooo easy to buckle

down and study for exams. Your mind is like a steel trap. Your ability to

concentrate is fabulous. You suddenly love the study of law, philosophy,

religion and any subject that deals with high level thought. You wish you’d read the

textbook for the course because it’s so fascinating. Now it’s too late. Unfortunately, or

fortunately — depending on how you look at it — the Jupiter spin completely counteracts

your study focus. (Yikes!) It encourages romance, love affairs, and mucho partying.

TAURUS : This is definitely a period of intense mental activity for you.

Your mind is like a buzz saw. You have a strong desire to get to the bottom of

things. You’ll research, investigate, and leave no stone unturned. You can

solve any mystery; answer any question. Your laser like mind can swing real estate

deals, focus on fund-raising techniques, figure out how to get financial backing, and sort out

shared responsibilities and the joint ownership of things.

GEMINI : Unusual conversations take place with lovers, partners, close

friends, siblings, relatives and daily contacts. A number of things can happen.

You might be unusually persuasive, and able to talk anybody into doing

anything. Or, someone might come on very heavy with you to the point where

you feel victimized. (Ouch) Mental power struggles might take place; or just intense

discussions where secrets are shared. It’s hard to say. Life is difficult because it is non-

linear.

CANCER : This is definitely the time to talk turkey when it comes to

money, earnings and your job. Luck and wealth bless you now. And on top of

this, you have a determination - perhaps obsession — to make improvements

even if it means tearing something down and starting all over again. There’s a ruthless

element present, and yet this will bring you money. Ah ha! You’ve been sitting on the fence

about joint property issues for a long time. Now you can make great headway. Keep in

mind that everything you’re giving up is meant to go.

LEO : Your creative abilities are in overdrive now. Great ideas pour forth.

You want to write, teach, explain, illustrate, draw, dance — whatever. Your

desire to communicate creatively is both spectacular and personally

overwhelming. You might find it exhausting. Of course, in the end, you come out smelling

like a rose. “It’s time for your close-up, Miss Garbo.” A word of caution: Don’t be heavy-

handed dealing with children. Remember that although instruction does much,

encouragement does more.

VIRGO : Because Mercury is your ruler, you feel these connections (See

All Signs) this week. It’s hard to know which way to turn. One moment you’re

swept away with religious optimism, and the next moment, you’re either the

perpetrator or the victim of a nasty conversation with a family member. You swing

between wanting to encourage others with the power of positive thinking, and suddenly

becoming the Voice from Hell telling everyone exactly what you think of them and their

taste in music, clothes and partners. Advice: avoid family arguments.

LIBRA : You’ve been spending money like it’s going out of style (and it

obviously is: have you noticed how little there is of it anymore?) However,

your ability to influence, propagandize, sell, and persuade is sensational.

Basically, you’re a lawyer whether you went to law school or not. You’ve got the lingo and

the reasoning power. You know that politics is the art of the possible. And you’re definitely

going for whatever is possible right now. Nothing holds you back.

SCORPIO : Your super Scorpio powers are turned on now. Your x-ray

vision is in operation mode. On the other hand (the one with different rings)

there’s likelihood that you’ll become obsessed about buying something. You

want it, and you want it yesterday! You’re fixated on a certain idea; you just can’t shake

it loose. (I think there are groups you can join for this sort of thing.) Instead of spending

money, think about how you can improve your earnings.

SAGITTARIUS : You’re in top form now. The Sun, Mercury and Pluto

are in your sign. And Mercury is making plans with moneybags Jupiter, and

Jupiter is your ruler. Don’t you love it? Bottom line: you’re unusually forceful

and vigorous in asserting your rights and expressing what you want. You’re a powerhouse.

Be careful you don’t ride roughshod over others. (If you have to step on people, wear

slippers.)

CAPRICORN : Be careful of accidents. Guard your bones and teeth.

This month the Sun and Mercury oppose Saturn (your ruler.) Take extra care

of yourself. Meanwhile, back in the crypt, this week’s dealings with Pluto,

Mercury and Jupiter could boost your wealth in some way. Gifts come to you from others.

Money back from the government, perks from large organizations, or an increase to your

partner’s wealth are all possibilities. Back room deals can pay off. (It’s all quiet money.)

AQUARIUS : “Now hear this! Now hear this!” You’re shouting to the

troops with a megaphone. Powerful exchanges with groups, friends and

members of the public take place. Either you’re bossing people around, or

someone is riding you. People are downright pushy with their ideas. (Including

you.) You have the energy and the ability to solve mysteries and come up with solutions.

You’re particularly successful at dealing with groups and significant relationships now. No

one can resist you.

PISCES : You either score stunning successes or have intense mental

conflicts at work now. Actually, both may occur. You might be the one who

lays it on the line, especially with superiors. Conversely, your boss might

lean on you. You certainly have the ability to get to the bottom of things now. You can make

reforms or come up with better ways of doing things on the job. Since your job is

improving so much this year, you’re likely be the one doing the talking. If you’re in the

wrong job - you’re doing the talking because you’ll soon be doing the walking.

A very large number of reputedpharma companies, includingMulti National Companies

(MNCs), are getting their brandedproducts manufactured from contractproducers. An example is the Pfizer’sBecosules by Omni-Protec.

Here is a documented story thatwill make you sick and tired. Acontract manufacturer is making ananti-diabetic brand for a large, reputedmanufacturer. A sample was pickedup in one state, say Maharashtra, andanalysis found that active ingredientwas between 25 to 33%. As per law,the manufacturer has the right of re-

test at one of the two centralgovernment-run testing labs - atBombay or Calcutta. A deal was cutwith the Calcutta lab and re-test foundthat the drug was fine. Since it takesweeks, if not months, to do the re-test, all stocks in the distributionchain got exhausted in the meantime.If the law had taken an honest course,50 batches of 100,000 strips each (5crore tablets) would have been recalledand destroyed. The manufacturerswill face prison sentence becausemanufacturing sub-standard drugs isa criminal act (not a civil offence) andminimum penalty is 2 years behind

bars. The factory will loose licensefor at least 6 months and in thisparticular case would have got closeddown for good. Nothing of that sorthappened.

The next time you buy a medicinemake sure that its license is notfollowed by “A” such as 1632A. “A”means it is manufactured by a contractmanufacturer. You never know whatit contains.

Dr. Chandra M. GulatiEditor, Monthly Index of Medical

Specialities, India Monday,December 02, 2002

Sub-standard drugs in India

Homeopathy is a gentle and effective medicinal science which assures good health fast and

conveniently. This 200 year old system along with the abundance of medicinal plants found in

Sikkim and their use was the theme of a seminar organized by the All Sikkim Homeopathic

Association. The seminar was inaugurated by Mr. Girishchandra Rai, Minister, Rural

Development and attended by more than a hundred practioners and experts in related fields.

The variety of medicinal plants available in Sikkim gives it a natural advantage in the development

of Homeopathy and Ayurvedic medicines. The need for systematic growth and commercial

production of these medicinal plants was stressed by the speakers. As also the need to form an

organization that will spread awareness. The ASHA has requested the state Government to

institute a Homeopathic council or board in Sikkim, which would register qualified practitioners,

create employment and regulate the use of this form of treatment. This would also enable it to

avail of central government funds kept aside for this purpose.HOMEOPATHY

My daughter is two years old. She is very irritable and cries a lot. Nothing

seems to make her happy. What should I do?

Crying suggests that the child is having some problems. Sharp sudden crying with

finger pointing towards stomach would suggest a stomach problem. Similar crying

with finger pointing to the ears and throat would suggest some problem towards that

region. Check if your child is having fever also. If the child has irritation associated with

anal itching it could suggest threadworms. The child might be suffering from stress

associated with parental problems. Stuffiness of the nose may be due to a developing

cold. Maybe your child likes to be cuddled a lot. Maybe she does not like the wet

nappies. There could be a whole lot of possibilities and this can only be solved by a visit

to your doctor.

Could you suggest an instant home remedy for stomach aches?

Roasted ajwain ground into powder mixed with boiled extract of pudina leaves with a

dash of lemon and honey, some methi powder, haldi powder and a pinch of kala

namak followed with warm water.

“ My baby cries a lot”

15

WOMENNOW

iv04-10 Dec, 2002FOCUS

Of late in Sikkim, there has beena remarkable increase in wom-en’s participation in the job-

market. Given the acute shortage ofhuman resource in the State, the in-creased presence of women in thework-force serves to strengthen theeconomy since they constitute morethan half of the population. Since mostof the jobs in Sikkim are created by theState machinery itself, it is only nor-mal that the number of women on theState exchequer’s payroll is substan-tially high. That women are coming for-ward and opting for independent ca-reers is borne out by the fact that theirnumbers are higher than that of men inthe recent set of Under Secretaries ap-pointed by the State Government.

It is also accepted that mostwomen work to provide basic neces-sities for her family and herself. Herreasons are no different from those ofthe men who aspire for steady jobs.Unfortunately, common attitudes inthe work-place denigrate a woman’swork as a “hobby”, thereby denyingwomen dignity and equality in theiremployment. This attitude towardworking women has contributed to theproblem of sexual harassment in thework-place.

When women in the work-placeexperience sexual harassment somecomplain, some retaliate and manyendure. Sexual harassment is a viola-tion of the right to work in a secure,healthy and respectful work environ-ment. It is a significant obstacle toequality and development. Sexual har-assment is a serious problem that mustnot be ignored. It is a form of dis-crimination, it is against the law, andit is a violation of workers’ rights.Sexual harassment often occurs in situ-ations where the harasser has morepower or control than the victim.Sexual harassment can happen to any-one. Young women, older women, andeven men can be victims. Simply put,it constitutes discrimination on thebasis of sex.

Sexual harassment has serious con-sequences for victims. It affects aworker’ job performance, physical andemotional health, and career. A per-petrator of sexual harassment might

SEXUALSEXUALATAT

harassmentharassment

THETHE

all forms of employment.However, there is very little re-

porting of the crime because womenwho complain are at risk of being la-belled as immoral and suffering brutalcriticism. In addition, women whodepend on the income from their jobdo not want to risk losing their jobsby complaining. Thus, many chooseto endure the harassment.

Underlying this fear of reportingsexual harassment is the fact that thereis virtually no awareness of sexualharassment in Sikkim. The concept isnot commonly understood, eventhough the problem is serious, existsand pervasive in the country as in ourState. The most common forms ofsexual harassment are verbal andphysical harassment.

Although Sikkim has a relativelygood track-record of gender equality towhich the present Government hascontributed by committing to givedaughters the legal right to inherit thefather’s property, sexual harassmenthas more to do with societal trends thangovernment controls. Not only doesthe problem need to be identified anddocumented in detail, the victims haveto be provided effective remedies.

Awareness programmes would bethe first step towards this goal alongwith the realisation that eliminatingsexual harassment is a collective re-sponsibility that must be addressedin a comprehensive manner.

More concrete steps should betaken by the government, employees’associations and NGOs to address thisform of violence and discrimination.Awareness campaigns, gender sensitiv-ity-training for male and female work-ers and mechanisms for handling com-plaints are imperative for addressingsexual harassment in the work-place.

It is the responsibility of the em-ployer to ensure a work-place envi-ronment that is free from sexual har-assment for all workers. Since the gov-ernment is the largest employer in Sik-kim, the State administration shouldcome out with its policy guaranteeinga sexual harassment free work-placeand get all private organisations tofollow it. Then we would have made abeginning...

�

work-placework-place

Women are referred to as the weaker sex. This labelling has created societal prejudices which has seen moreand women being subjected to some sort of abuse or the other. With the world economies coming togetherunder the WTO, many third world countries have been forced to rethink their labour laws. Sexual harassmentat the work-place is one such ill which has been brought under the scanner and efforts are now afoot to containit. Sikkim too has woken up to the issue and measures have been put into motion to address it...

a NOW! FEATURE

offer a sexual proposition to a womanin return for higher pay, work ben-efits, promotion, retention, etc. Therejection of such a proposition canresult in oppressive work conditions,a tarnished work record and dismissal.Sexual harassment does not harm thevictim alone. It affects the employerthrough the loss of productivity andprofitability, reputation and a skilledhuman resource, as well as increasingrecruitment and training costs.

Sexual harassment in the work-place involves unwelcome sexual con-duct that creates a hostile work envi-ronment and affects the victim’s abil-

ity to do her job. Sexual harassmentharms the self-respect and dignity ofthe victim. It is coercive and is accom-panied often by threats, promise orabuse. Sexual harassment includes un-wanted touching, fondling, staring,sexual jokes and gestures and display-ing or circulating posters, signs or pho-tographs that are sexual in nature. Nega-tive-gender based comments also con-stitute sexual harassment. Consensualbehaviour or friendship between twopeople is not sexual harassment. Sexualharassment should not be confused withflirtation, which is generally based onmutual consent and attraction.

Sexual harassment in the work-place is an age-old problem, yet it isonly now that some efforts are beingmade to document and contain it inSikkim. It would be foolish to sug-gest that it does not exist in Sikkim.Given the societal prejudices towardsworking women, it is highly unlikelythat women are not subjected to someform of sexual harassment. It goeswithout saying that sexual harassmentis prevalent in the work-place acrossthe spectrum, from government de-partments to private businesses. Theymight be more amplified in certainservices, but they do exist in almost

WASHINGTON - As people around the globe marked World

AIDS Day on Sunday, the race to create the world's first

effective AIDS vaccine is coming down to the wire.

The situation is critical: Every day in 2002, an estimated

14,000 people worldwide are infected with HIV, the virus that

causes AIDS, according to the World Health Organization

and National Institutes of Health. About 2,000 of them are

children under age 15, the organizations say.

"We're in a situation where, unless we can really sharply

cut down on the transmissibility, the toll of HIV/AIDS is going

to go well beyond what anyone could have imagined a few

years ago," said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes

of Health. Many experts say they believe the best way to

stop the spread of AIDS is with a vaccine, but so far there is

none. However, that may change soon.

Dr. Don Francis with the California-based company

VaxGen is leading the way in developing a vaccine. After

seven years of testing, Francis plans to finish the final stage of

human testing for Food and Drug Administration approval in

January.

No vaccine is 100 percent effective, but Francis said he

would be pleased with a success rate far lower than that

figure. "There's certainly very good data out there in compu-

ter models that a 30 percent effective vaccine will ultimately

drive the epidemic into the ground," Francis said.

Assuming the final stages of human testing are successful

and the FDA approves the vaccine, the next hurdle would be

getting it licensed and manufactured, which Francis said would

take "another couple of years."

During that time, researchers may concentrate on making

different versions of the vaccine to treat different strains of HIV.

"It'll take us a year and a half, two years to do that, and

think about how many infections are going to occur in that

year and a half, two years while we're developing this Afri-

can vaccine," Francis said.

If everything stays on schedule and the current vaccine

proves successful, it will be ready for use in the United States

by about 2005.

First AIDS vaccine in final testing stages

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