Daily Current Affairs : 25-October-2023

Shanti Raghavan, the esteemed recipient of the Business Line Changemakers Award in 2020, stands at the forefront of a transformative movement within the realms of economic development. As the leader of EnAble India, she champions the cause of disability inclusion and expanded job opportunities, steering towards the realization of a ‘purple economy.’ This essay delves into the concept of the purple economy, its significance, and the pioneering efforts led by Shanti Raghavan in this arena.

Understanding the Care Economy:

The care economy encompasses a wide array of economic activities dedicated to providing essential care and support services. These services span healthcare, childcare, elderly care, and other domains that enhance people’s overall well-being. This sector comprises both paid and unpaid care work, constituting a fundamental pillar of social and economic progress.

Defining the Purple Economy:

The purple economy emerges as a groundbreaking economic model, focusing on the sustainability of caring labor. It operates in harmony with the green economy, emphasizing the importance of organized care systems, especially regarding women’s unpaid and underpaid labor. The purple economy, with its multifaceted approach, strives to achieve several key objectives:

  1. Sustainability of Caring Labor: The purple economy advocates for organizing economic systems that sustain and value caring labor, acknowledging its pivotal role in societal well-being.
  2. Addressing Gender Inequality: By rectifying the disparities arising from the disproportionate reliance on women’s unpaid and underpaid labor, the purple economy fosters gender equality within economic activities.
  3. Promoting Cultural Potential: Through the promotion of goods and services catering to the care economy, the purple economy enhances cultural diversity and promotes sustainable development. This focus on cultural potential adds a unique dimension to economic growth.
EnAble India’s Role in the Purple Economy:

Under the inspiring leadership of Shanti Raghavan, EnAble India has become a beacon of change in the realm of disability inclusion. The organization actively participates in the purple economy by:

  • Providing Skill Development: EnAble India equips individuals with disabilities with essential skills, making them active contributors to the care economy.
  • Facilitating Job Opportunities: By forging partnerships with businesses, EnAble India creates job opportunities, ensuring that individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment within the care sector.
  • Advocating for Policy Changes: The organization engages in advocacy efforts, pressing for policies that enhance the inclusion of disabled individuals in the workforce, thereby furthering the goals of the purple economy.

Important Points:

  • The Care Economy:
    • Encompasses activities providing healthcare, childcare, and elderly care.
    • Includes both paid and unpaid care work, vital for social and economic development.
  • The Purple Economy:
    • Focuses on sustainability of caring labor, complementing the green economy.
    • Objectives:
      • Organizes economic systems around caring labor sustainability.
      • Addresses gender inequalities arising from women’s unpaid and underpaid labor.
      • Promotes cultural potential in goods and services, enhancing diversity.
  • EnAble India’s Role:
    • Provides skill development for individuals with disabilities, enabling participation in the care economy.
    • Facilitates job opportunities through partnerships with businesses.
    • Advocates for policy changes to enhance disabled individuals’ inclusion in the workforce.
  • Significance of Purple Economy:
    • Promotes inclusivity and values caring labor.
    • Addresses gender disparities in economic activities.
    • Enhances cultural diversity and sustainable development.
Why In News

Shanti Raghavan, the recipient of the Business Line Changemakers Award in 2020, leads the organization EnAble India. They are working on creating a ‘purple economy,’ which promotes disability inclusion and job opportunities on a large scale, fostering a society where everyone, regardless of their abilities, can contribute meaningfully to the workforce and society.

MCQs about The Purple Economy Revolution

  1. What does the Purple Economy focus on?
    A. Environmental Conservation
    B. Sustainability of Caring Labor
    C. Industrial Expansion
    D. Political Reform
    Correct Answer: B. Sustainability of Caring Labor
    Explanation: The Purple Economy emphasizes the sustainability of caring labor, complementing the green economy’s focus on environmental conservation.
  2. What is a key objective of the Purple Economy?
    A. Maximizing Profits
    B. Addressing Gender Inequality
    C. Reducing Cultural Diversity
    D. Ignoring Unpaid Labor
    Correct Answer: B. Addressing Gender Inequality
    Explanation: One of the key objectives of the Purple Economy is to address gender inequalities arising from women’s unpaid and underpaid labor.
  3. How does EnAble India contribute to the Purple Economy?
    A. By Selling Cultural Goods
    B. By Advocating for Gender Equality
    C. By Providing Skill Development and Job Opportunities
    D. By Focusing on Political Activism
    Correct Answer: C. By Providing Skill Development and Job Opportunities
    Explanation: EnAble India contributes to the Purple Economy by providing skill development to individuals with disabilities and creating job opportunities in the care sector.
  4. What does the Care Economy encompass?
    A. Only Paid Care Work
    B. Activities Related to Providing Care and Support Services
    C. Only Unpaid Care Work
    D. Activities Related to Industrial Production
    Correct Answer: B. Activities Related to Providing Care and Support Services
    Explanation: The Care Economy includes a wide range of economic activities dedicated to providing essential care and support services, both paid and unpaid, such as healthcare, childcare, and elderly care.

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