PRELIMS
VANUATU
Why in News: Vanuatu is leading a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking clarity on nations’ legal responsibilities to address climate change.
Location:
- Island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, part of Melanesia.
- Lies east of Australia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands.
Geography:
- Comprises over 80 islands (65 inhabited), arranged in a Y-shape spanning about 400 miles (650 km).
- No land borders; surrounded by a large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Capital:
- Port Vila, located on Efate Island.
Major Islands:
- Espiritu Santo, Malakula, Efate.
Topography:
- Volcanic origin featuring rugged mountains, high plateaus, rolling hills, coastal plains, and coral reefs.
- Active volcanoes: Mount Yasur (one of the world’s most accessible), Manaro, Garet.
- Mount Tabwemasana on Espiritu Santo is the highest peak.
Karnataka New Devadasi Legislation
Why in News: Karnataka is finalising the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Relief and Rehabilitation) Bill to strengthen the 1982 law, focusing on legal rights, rehabilitation, and stricter penalties related to the Devadasi system.
Key Provisions of the Bill:
- Legitimacy & Inheritance: Children born to Devadasis to be deemed “legitimate” with full inheritance rights under Hindu Personal Law.
- Paternity & DNA Testing: Child can seek legal recognition of father; DNA tests may be used with the burden of disproof on alleged father.
- Right to Privacy: Children not forced to name father while applying for IDs (Aadhaar, PAN, passport).
- Right to Maintenance: Male children (until minority) and female children (until marriage) can claim maintenance from the father.
- Stricter Penalties: Minimum jail term increased to 2 years (from none), maximum to 5 years (from 3), plus ₹1 lakh fine for involvement in dedication.
- Rehabilitation Measures: Provision of land, housing, pensions, and health support to Devadasis addressing socio-economic vulnerabilities.
About the Devadasi System:
- Traditionally, young girls dedicated to temples as dancers and caretakers, respected in ancient times (6th–9th century CE).
- Over time, practice degenerated into caste-based bonded sex work, violating human rights.
- Still persists in parts of India despite legal prohibitions.
US Withdraws from UNESCO
Why in News: The United States has announced its decision to withdraw from the UNESCO, citing the agency’s alleged anti-Israel bias and support for “woke and divisive causes.” This marks the third US exit from UNESCO, and the second under the current leadership.
- UNESCO: A specialized agency of the UN promoting peace through education, science, and culture. HQ: Paris.
- Members: 194 Member States and 12 Associate Members.
- US Contribution: The US funded nearly 8% of UNESCO’s total budget.
Impact of Withdrawal:
- Budgetary: Reduced financial support.
- Geopolitical: Opens space for rising influence of nations like China.
- Multilateralism: Weakens global trust in cooperative institutions.
Notable UNESCO Initiatives:
- Global Education Monitoring Report
- World Trends in Freedom of Expression
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.
RBI’s Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) 2025
Why in News: RBI’s FI-Index improved to 67.0 in FY25 from 64.2 in FY24, indicating deeper financial inclusion driven by higher usage and improved quality.
Key Facts:
- Launched: 2021, published annually in July.
- Purpose: Measures the extent of financial inclusion in India.
- Index Range: 0 (exclusion) to 100 (full inclusion).
- No Base Year.
- Sectors Covered: Banking, investments, insurance, postal, and pension.
Parameters:
- Access – 35%
- Usage – 45%
- Quality – 20%
