Diabetes

According to recent studies, India has the second-highest global density of diabetes diagnostic facilities.

Background:-

According to a new analysis titled Diabetes Global Industry Overview 2023, roughly seven million individuals worldwide passed away in 2021 as a result of diabetes, and $970 billion was the estimated global healthcare cost for that year.

Around the world, 537 million adults have diabetes at this time, with three-quarters of them residing in low- and middle-income nations.

The countries with the second-highest concentration of diabetic medical facilities, after the US, are India (58), Canada (51), the UK (42), Japan (29), and Australia (24).

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar (glucose).

Glucose is an important source of energy for the cells that make up the muscles and tissues.

It is a condition that happens when the blood sugar (glucose) is too high.

It develops when your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all, or when the body isn’t responding to the effects of insulin properly.

Diabetes affects people of all ages.

Types of diabetes:-

There are several types of diabetes. The most common forms include:-

Type 2 diabetes: With this type, the body doesn’t make enough insulin, and/or the body’s cells don’t respond normally to the insulin (insulin resistance).

This is the most common type of diabetes.

Prediabetes: The blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be officially diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes: This type is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in your pancreas for unknown reasons.

Gestational diabetes: This type develops in some people during pregnancy.

Symptoms:-

feeling very thirsty

needing to urinate more often than usual

blurred vision

feeling tired

losing weight unintentionally

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act

The Law Commission recently recommended that the government maintain the consent age of 18 in its report on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Background:-

In its Report No. 283 on “Age of Consent under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012” that was submitted to Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and led by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, the Commission has consequently called for some amendments to the Act “to remedy the situation in cases where there is tacit approval in fact though not consent in law on part of the child aged between I6 to l8 years.”

Stating that “it is not advisable to tinker with” the existing age of consent — 18 years — under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to exempt adolescent sexual acts from the purview of the criminal law, the Law Commission of India has instead favoured introducing “guided judicial discretion in the matter of sentencing” in cases involving those in the 16-18 age group.

It says “This will ensure that the law is balanced, thus safeguarding the best interests of the child”.

About the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act:-

Enacted: 2012. (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights)

Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Objectives: to address offenses of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, which were either not specifically defined or adequately penalized.

Historic Background:-

It was enacted as a consequence of India’s ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992.

The POCSO Act was enacted in 2012 to provide a robust legal framework for the protection of children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography while safeguarding the interests of children at every stage of the judicial process.

In 2019, the Act was amended to strengthen the penalties for specified offenses in order to deter abusers and promote a dignified upbringing.

Salient Features:-

The Act defines a child as “any person” under the age of 18. ( Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

The Act recognizes that both girls and boys can be victims of sexual abuse.

Any person in charge of an institution (excluding children) who fails to report the commission of a sexual offense involving a subordinate faces punishment.

A victim may report an offense at any time, even years after the abuse has occurred.

The Act forbids the disclosure of the victim’s identity in any form of media unless authorized by the special courts established by the Act.

The new rules include the provision of mandatory police verification of staff in schools and care homes, procedures to report sexual abuse material (pornography), and imparting age-appropriate child rights education among others.

For a crackdown on child pornography, any person who has received any pornographic material involving a child or any information regarding such pornographic material shall report the contents to the Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) or police, or the cybercrime portal.

Under the rules, the State Governments have been asked to formulate a child protection policy based on the principle of zero-tolerance to violence against children, which shall be adopted by all institutions, organizations, or any other agency working with or coming in contact with children

According to rules, orientation programme and intensive courses may also be organized for police personnel and forensic experts.

Any institution housing children or coming in regular contact with children, including schools, crèches, sports academies, or any other facility for children must ensure a police verification and background check on a periodic basis of every staff.

Challenges:-

Low Representation of Women in the Police Force.

Lapses in the Investigation.

No Conditions to Prove Recent Intercourse.

Global Terrorism Index

A recent report discussed the effects of India’s improved ranking in the Global Terrorism Index.

Background:-

India’s Global Terrorism Index (GTI) score of 7.43 and crime index score of 44.7 indicated a decline in terror and crime incidents since 2016 which can be attributed to strengthened security measures.

The report by Ficci Cascade highlighted the need to curb illicit trade, which threatens national security and has negative impacts on manufacturing, government revenue, public health, and consumer trust.

About Global Terrorism Index:-

Published by: Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

Publication timing: annually.

The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a global think tank.

HQ: Sydney, Australia.

The index is based primarily on the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) collated by the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland, besides other sources.

The index provides a comprehensive summary of the key global trends and patterns in terrorism since 2000.

GTI scores are directly used in the Global Peace Index, the Global Slavery Report.

It is also indirectly used in reports of the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness and Global Competitiveness Indices and compilation of the Safe Cities Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Key Highlights of the report:-

Attacks have become more deadly with the lethality rising by 26%.

Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates remained the world’s deadliest terrorist group in 2022 for the eighth consecutive year, with attacks in 21 countries.

Ideological terrorism continues to be the most prominent and deadliest form of terrorism in the West.

The Sahel is the most impacted region, representing 43% of global terrorism deaths.

Pakistan recorded the second-largest surge in terror-related deaths worldwide in 2022, with the toll increasing significantly to 643.

South Asia remains the region with the worst average GTI score.

India ranks 13th on The Global Terrorism Index (GTI).