Articles by Doel Jaikishen

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), like other places across the world, was forced to hit pause in late-March 2020 with the onset of COVID-19, putting a complete halt to life as it was. The lockdown caught people off-guard, with no food or income to fall back on for millions of the region’s poorest. With governmental support kicking in only weeks later and still leaving many people outside its ambit, uncertainty was high.  Looking back at those weeks, what stands out is how the city came together to support its own. While the pandemic unleashed a massive humanitarian crisis, it also…

This is the fourth story in a multi-part series on the pandemic and its impact on people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, YUVA, a non-profit organisation, attempts to understand the challenges they face in accessing relief and assesses the rights-based approach to benefits. Rajit, a 57-year-old construction worker is finding it hard to make ends meet after the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown hit. "I have not been able to work for a day since the March lockdown," he says. The official figures on the number of construction workers in Mumbai are pegged to around 6 lakhs, making them 2%…

This is the third story in a multi-part series on the pandemic and its impact on people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, YUVA, a non-profit organisation, attempts to understand the challenges they face in accessing relief and assesses the rights-based approach to benefits. The COVID-19-induced lockdown disproportionately impacted the lives of women and other minority genders. In a pre-pandemic world these communities were already disadvantaged, with lesser space for expression, deeper struggles in accessing jobs, more vulnerability to abuse and often shouldering a larger burden of household duties and care needs.  The pandemic deepened these schisms.  Nazar is a trans-woman…

This is the first story in a multi-part series on the pandemic and its impact on people in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, YUVA, a non-profit organisation, attempts to understand the challenges they face in accessing relief and assesses the rights-based approach to benefits. Savitri Tai is a migrant worker living in the Vashi Naka rehabilitation and resettlement colony. “Our work has stopped, we have no food. The government should either provide us food or let us resume work,” she said. Her vulnerabilities are echoed by almost every informal sector worker, continuing to fight everyday battles not just with the coronavirus…

Co-authored by Doel Jaikishen and Sachin Nachnekar A few years ago, a World Bank blog mentioned how two demographic patterns stand out globally, especially in developing nations—‘rapid urbanization and large youth populations’. In India in particular, which has the world’s largest youth population, it is important to consider how this demographic impacts and is impacted by urbanisation. The broad effects are clearly visible. While increasing urbanisation has brought about rapid infrastructure growth, greater connectivity and economic progress, it has also led to growing levels of inequality, exclusion and unequal access to basic services and universal human rights.  It is generally…

Co-authored by Doel Jaikishen and Sachin Nachnekar A few years ago, a World Bank blog mentioned how two demographic patterns stand out globally, especially in developing nations—‘rapid urbanization and large youth populations’. In India in particular, which has the world’s largest youth population, it is important to consider how this demographic impacts and is impacted by urbanisation. The broad effects are clearly visible. While increasing urbanisation has brought about rapid infrastructure growth, greater connectivity and economic progress, it has also led to growing levels of inequality, exclusion and unequal access to basic services and universal human rights.  It is generally…

Co-authored by Doel Jaikishen and Vindhya Jyoti Disillusionment, divide and doubt. That is the distressing picture media paints of almost every Indian city. People are fighting for their basic rights—a secure home, to pursue livelihoods with dignity, to practice their religion, to access basic health, sanitation and education amenities….the list is endless! In the struggle to just get by each day, the power to rebuild and restore the city through a better understanding of each other’s position and challenges—both individually and collectively—is often the last priority. Justice, equity and dignity continues to elude us, most affecting those who are poor…

Co-authored by Doel Jaikishen and Vindhya Jyoti Disillusionment, divide and doubt. That is the distressing picture media paints of almost every Indian city. People are fighting for their basic rights—a secure home, to pursue livelihoods with dignity, to practice their religion, to access basic health, sanitation and education amenities….the list is endless! In the struggle to just get by each day, the power to rebuild and restore the city through a better understanding of each other’s position and challenges—both individually and collectively—is often the last priority. Justice, equity and dignity continues to elude us, most affecting those who are poor…