Indian activists call for recognition of queer relationships beyond marriage

Trans and queer kinships provide emotional as well as material supports and care, but legalising marriage alone ignores such kinship ties

Can the world emulate Bangladesh’s ‘Community Clinic’ model?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s initiative ‘Community Clinic’ got global recognition on May 17

Pregnancy of India’s first transman: Looking into unaddressed structural issues

Inclusivity, sensitivity needed to overcome socio-structural challenges of parenthood for gender-diverse people

These methods can help in sustainable pasture management

Forming a pasture land development committee at the local level is necessary for the development, protection and maintenance of pastures

WHO: Global health systems have started showing signs of post-pandemic recovery

Most countries have made strides in incorporating COVID-19 services into routine health service delivery

Marriage equality: What good is symbolic recognition of one’s relationships sans rights?

If the central government has not debated marriage in the parliament despite private members’ bills, how likely is that happening …

Why this Maharashtra village is fighting for the long forgotten Gramdan Act?

In a society that is moving towards hyper-individualism, the community here takes a collective approach

Simply Put: Medicinal value of plants

Seven years in, Madhya Pradesh government goes back on its word to not build Basania dam

Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan tells state legislative assembly December 21, 2022 that a company has been notified for construction of the dam

Estimating the potential of community forest rights: What makes implementation challenging

Given the complexity of land and forest settlement in India and the poor quality of land records and maps available, generating an estimate is …

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (March 30, 2023)

Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal    

International Women’s Day: Self-help groups are institutions with bargaining power today; now it is time for the next step

Self-help groups bring about socio-economic empowerment of women by providing access to income-generating opportunities. Focus should now be on …

IFR review: Madhya Pradesh’s Van Mitra portal a tool to re-reject forest right claims, RTI data shows

Official machinery rejects claims without the knowledge of the Gram Sabha or the Forest Rights Committee

500-year-old horn container discovered in South Africa sheds light on pre-colonial Khoisan medicines

For the Khoi and San people, not all medicines were meant to treat physiological illnesses. Healers were specialised individuals whose task was …

Economic Survey 2022-23: Health not a priority? Just over 2% of GDP spent

Out-of-pocket-expenses remained dangerously high till 2019-2020

Dying for ration: Tribal beneficiaries of Jharkhand PDS don’t have salt, surviving on plain boiled rice

Ration cards for many cancelled; Landless villagers migrate to city for work

As told to Parliament (December 22, 2022): Around 60% of India prone to earthquakes

Around 11% of India falls in Zone V, which is the most seismically active 

Mpox, AIDS & COVID-19 show challenges of targeting public health messaging to specific groups without causing stigma

Racial, sexual stigma around monkeypox spurred World Health Organization to rename the disease to mpox

The Himalayas need springs rather than extravagant temples

Mega-reconstruction of Kedarnath Dham raised concerns among scientists, environmentalists and religious experts

When did humans first start to speak? How language evolved in Africa

Ability to produce speech sounds catapulted Homo sapiens into a world in which they would dominate all other species

Can mahua seeds provide Adivasis a reliable livelihood? 

Mahua seed harvesting practices of the tribals are non-invasive & can promote conservation 

Simply Put: Inverted pyramid

Bengal forest department calls Gram Sabha ‘illegal’; files FIR against 11

Villagers from the Gram Sabha gathered near Bamini falls on the eve of Birsa Munda’s birthday 

Chhattisgarh: Adivasis say FRA violated, as forest department marks trees for felling in 3 districts

Villagers now have the legal right to protect, regenerate, conserve and manage these lands

Graduates in forest education ill-equipped to handle sector’s emerging demands: Report

African forest education needs transformation as it is currently based on traditional European education, which focuses more on industrial wood …