Another intriguing sight was this collection of haphazardly joined cube houses. There were red chilli peppers, herbs and garlic, red pesto, garlic and fenugreek too. Our next stop was Kooijman Souvenirs and Clogs, a wooden shoe workshop where clogs are made and Justin Kooijman took us through the entire process. The castle takes you back to the times of luxury and how the Van Zuylen family lived and treated their guests in the early 20th century.Walking through such beauty, The Netherlands endeared itself to us. So, hop on and enjoy the beautiful surroundings as the Vecht meanders gently.Contrary to hitting a touristy place in spring or summer, for those enamoured by fairy tales of Gothic castles, garden hideouts for goblins, princesses waiting patiently to be rescued atop tall towers and witches hiding in dense forests of white birch or oak, a trip to Netherlands in the winters is enchantment in reality. Rotterdam Rotterdam is different, and reflects the country’s vision of itself in the modern or post-modern era. Vibrant, large images and lots of captions! It also houses graffiti by the first generation European graffiti artist Ces 53 who is now in his 50s, who was inspired by different religions and cultures.Artistic Cuboid houses at RotterdamZaanse Schans, a neighbourhood in Zaandam, near AmsterdamTrue to its word, this wind-mill laden place of the wind-rich country greeted me with its intense moody winds and occasional drizzle. Over centuries, there are more than 1,000, (most in industrial mills), making Zaan district Europe’s largest industrial area. It was time for some cheese tasting too, along with wine at Henri Willig, a maker of Dutch cheese, most well-known for Baby Gouda. Kasteel de Haar, the largest and the most luxurious castle in Holland, is located outside Utrecht, a half-hour drive from Amsterdam. Be wary of the strong wind chill though, or you might be whisked away to a goblin hideout! A walk in HollandPeople of all ages riding cycles in wind, rain or biting cold astounds one.  The best of sights were at the very beginning! Landgoed Duin and Kruidberg is a classic country house with the most beautiful views opening to an English estate garden which embraces age-old trees, lush ponds and magnificent lakes of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. Dressed in rich fabric, wall decorations and authentic furniture, this is a place to unwind. What’s most worthy is how Rotterdam stood up after being almost razed to the ground by WWII bombers. Markthal Rotterdam (a marketplace) gives you a peek into public art. These canals are crowd-pullers as they take one through the historic buildings and bridges. Introduced to his work rather strangely, thanks an inclination to The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and the song Otherside, we were introduced to cubism. A perfect blend of what a new age city dipped in modernism and development should be like. What drew us was the street art, a dominant part of the culture. There are about eight to 10 windmills within walking distance to each other, a few in use even today. And, you’d be lucky to get a garden or lake-facing room for its spectacular views. Their love for cheese is so deeply entrenched in their cuisine.
The best way to enjoy these canals is from the comfort of the canal boats, marvelling at the extensive canal system. Yes! Inside a windmill — an experience that attracts 1,30,000 visitors a year. Enticed, we stood in awe as the sight brought fairy tales alive, and we went back to being eight-year-olds, amazed.  The art of making clogs is demonstrated — how an old ordinary block of wood transforms into a wooden clog, a way of life in these parts. Kasteel de Haar and gardensA Dutch holiday without a castle is not a holiday at all. Such is the beauty of the city with its enigmatic skylines, art, food and bar scenes. The impressive central or main hall witnessed wooden vaulted ceilings, richly decorated with golden leaves, half-Gothic cathedral and half-luxury hotel! Next to it was a romantic chapel and beautiful parks and gardens. It’s delightful to see people resisting technology, cars and scooters for old school bikes. Luckily, the weather was also kind, and the sun shone brightly. A favourite of ours was Escher IN HET PALEIS or The Escher Museum at the Hague. A walk through that age-old estate on a cold windy morning is an experience of a lifetime. After that, I watched Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, influenced by German Expressionist art, elements of Cubism and work by graphic artist MC Escher are also in the video. The millieu sit busy in conversation at cafes, and a loud honk, breaks your reverie as you are greeted with the much used tram. In an hour-long cruise on the Vecht, a Rhine branchlet, we were in the company of peace and romance.
The Netherlands is the bicycle capital of the world and has the highest bicycle density. In no country is the selection this varied. Boat Cruise: Experience the Vecht in a saloon boatThe Utrecht canals with their characteristic wharves are unique in the world. The interiors of the castle lead you to a Roman Catholic Church. Not a surprise that The Netherlands is the world’s largest cheese exporter too. Snow is an intrinsic part of Dutch winters, and no matter how much chaos it causes on the streets, it is definitely a sight to behold. Finally, amidst chaos, we were finally led into an ancient windmill and its intricate functioning. Even for those not into https://www.yuhaomattress.com/product/ fairytales, but equally upbeat about a walk through the woods admiring abundant toadstools or taking in the warmth of a bonfire, the winters in Holland are replete with rich experiences. It’s a delight to see young children riding past with their colourful bikes and windcheaters. Something we can learn from. It enthuses the country’s spirit as they joined hands to rebuild again with a vision. The Dutch see winters as intrinsic to their life..A cruise on the VechtDen Haag or The HagueThis third-largest city, the seat of the government stands elegant and imperial, better than its touristy and bustling cousin Amsterdam.
Many natives believe that the Dutch are born on two wheels. Mauritshuis, home to the best of Dutch art from the Golden Age, the stately museum houses masterpieces such as Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Anatomy Lesson by Dr Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt, The Goldfinch by Fabritius and The Bull by Potter are on permanent display in the intimate rooms of this  17th century monument. These shoes are made from Poplar and Willow. De Haar takes one back to another era with its towers, turrets, moats, gates and suspension bridges. Goat, sheep and organic cheese made from recipes passed down through generations.

And it’s always been the victim who is shamed, and never the perpetrator. The government should be thinking very, very seriously about changes in law regarding women safety, no compromises should be acceptable. Corporate India does have anti-sexual harassment committees but sees a misuse of it, while other industries do not have a formal body for such complaints, or are there merely in name. But blunt and to the point. 
Despite this grim and highly pessimistic scenario, now that the genie is out of the bottle, there is no stopping the juggernaut. Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room, which is that women have had to put up with sexual harassment in the workplace for decades. This abuse, this sense of power, is not only a criminal offence, it is a moral sin. Do you really think we care or notice?" Harsh words. Those who have gutsily called out their tormentors have found themselves isolated and ostracised — even by other women. Unfortunately, opportunists exist in both genders. "One female ass is as good as the other. But a survey by the Indian National Bar Association that was carried out in 2017 revealed that of the 6,047 participants (both men and women), 38 per cent faced harassment at work and of these 69 per cent chose silence.Is there any appropriate punishment in our system for sick beasts like these? There is no doubt whatsover that women of every age in every country have been prey, and victims of sexual predators and those men deserve no sympathy. But being on various Anti-Sexual Harassment committees, I’ve also seen numerous frivolous complaints because of relationships going sour, promotions being delayed, etc. She reveals, "Like in other parts of the world, sexual harassment at work is a serious offence. Pachauri, David Davidar, Phaneesh Murthy, etc, most such claims are either hidden under a veil of silence by the victim, suppressed by organisations or acknowledged for a staggering fee that buys silence." While the West has come a long way in acknowledging such behaviour without fear of recrimination, as in the case of Harvey Weinstein, and Larry Nassar’s victims, each of whom spoke of the abuse in scary detail, the Indian dilemma lies in brushing such issues aside. Shut up and put up.Vishaka guidelines, 1997: The Supreme Court passed the landmark Vishaka judgement that defines sexual harassment at the workplace. The Supreme Court laid down the Vishakha guidelines on sexual harassment in 1997.. That you have to sleep with someone to succeed if you want to get ahead, and that needs to be stopped. and I just hope this movement is not abused by even a few individuals. Women have been made to keep quiet, made to feel ashamed just for being the unwilling victims of unwanted attention just because for centuries men have gotten away with sexual harassment of every kind. Think about this, not all men are rapists or sexual offenders, but all rapists are men — that’s the sad truth. This was apparent with Sheryl Sandberg’s warning, "Calling out men could result in a backlash! For so many years everyone kept quiet, and women faced the brunt as sexual exploitation grew in leaps and bounds and women began to believe men will be men, basically perverts! We began to normalise weird behaviour by not shouting out each time! Even Facebook has begun banning women who call me scum and thrash! This is a battle that needs to be seen to its bitter end if the future belongs to women!We need to make the world a safer place for our girls," she has said (in reports). In the judgment they directed that the guidelines would be in force till parliament enacted a law in this regard. This comes at a time when the "me-too" debate has brought out harsh truths and harassment across the West to put paid to years of silence, abuse, harassment and mental anguish. In my own industry, male models are propositioned and they know if they do not comply, the climb up the ladder will be slow, or none. And it’s happening everywhere, I personally feel that if someone came up and spoke about it, then it will atleast be a start for others to gather strength to speak up. The metoo campaign is good for both men and women. Men in power have told some of these women that they are entirely dispensable."Gajra Kottary, screenplay writer and author‘Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room’A few months ago, much before the Harvey Weinstein issue blew up and blew a few very powerful men apart, I was talking to a very worried senior counsel who told me bluntly his law firm had taken a unanimous decision to stop hiring female interns. He can go to any extreme to fix the victim. It shakes one’s foundation, questions beliefs, makes one hide from the vicious and pernicious gaze of onlookers. So how to strike a balance is a million-dollar question. He can exert an equal amount of coercion. So male employers, in the name of playing safe for their own selves and partly out of bitterness against the female gender that is refusing to dance to their tunes anymore, are now marginalising women in terms of employment. Columnist Shobhaa De has written an honest column for this article (complete column on far right), where she says, "Nobody wants to address the elephant in the room, which is that women have had to put up with sexual harassment in the workplace for decades. Apart from the fear of losing their jobs and a lifelong cursed stigma, there is the looming reality of long winding legal procedures, and in a country where rapists are let loose and ministers and businessmen involved in multi-crore scams go scot free, a woman’s shrill voice is seldom heard or given the respect it deserves.
This is India today, anyone with a conscience would surely cringe. Since more men than even the best of us can imagine are closet sexual predators, there is a fear psychosis among them that their secrets might be out next, with women being encouraged to speak out. A man who gets publicly stripped becomes a highly dangerous foe." A caution that needs to be taken into cognizance. It’s time we put an end to being victimised. "I want to focus my energies on representing my clients to the best of my abilities."Wendell speaks of the glamour quotient to such revelations, concerned about how we view sexual harassment, "Everybody seems to be looking at the story because of the glamour industry involved, but look at the Tarun Tajpal case, and there are many more hidden, sexual harassment instances across the board. Shut up and put up. It is time men realise that No means No!"A senior lawyer who is on the board of various Anti-Sexual Harassment Committees is cautious, "The MeToo campaign is a good movement, and hopefully it would give women the courage to speak up and complain on the right forum. Unfortunately, the judicial system takes too long. If one generation of women is forced to pay the price for their outspokenness, so be it.. Actress Sumalatha Ambareesh comes from an era when the casting couch was a regular phenomenon, and voicing such views was considered sacrilege, and she too is troubled by this lack of responsibility and accountability, and addresses the pernicious nature that lives and breathes in our social fabric, "If you are asking me specifically about men in the movie industry, I would say certain kind of men exist everywhere, in every workplace, wherever they feel powerful enough. Lakhs of working women suffer too, silently. The reality is that it is extremely difficult for a person to come out in the open against an abuser. But if we see a few cases come to the fore, I do personally feel that there will be ripples in India as well, with more proponents of the metoo campaign, and people will come out and have the strength to voice this abuse. Maybe this will keep atleast that section of society which has escaped for too long, and is wary of the notoriety involved, in check. The recent case of Doctor Larry Nassar, the former USA gymnastics team doctor whose years of sexual abuse was hidden until the brave and agonising testimonies of 160 victims who overcame the shame and repercussions of disclosure and spoke up, sent shock waves across the globe. The shame does not go away unless there is a legal mechanism that sees justice prevail, and a society that apologises. However, very unfortunately and horrifically, we still don’t have solutions for the thousands of rapists, paedophiles and hardcore criminals who rape and kill even children, and get away with it. Let me begin with how I started my day, by reading about a teenage actress being molested on a flight, and coming across the terrible news of three girls under six years in different villages raped and one also killed in an unspeakable perverted manner. They have done so out of fear. The fact that sexual harassment is happening, not just in the glamour and fashion industry but across corporate, finance and media, needs to be brought out. We are in grave danger of losing faith, credibility and truth-seeking as the metoo campaign has not awakened those silent voices to action as calling out perpetrators in our country is faint at best, and non-existent as a rule. But women have been victimised forever, so this would be an unfortunate fallout and though it’s not ideal, it can’t be helped either. But they accurately describe the widespread contempt and loathing women endure, while trying to make a life for themselves."But voices that have the fortitude to come out need the support of the judiciary, and therein lies the paradox which Supreme Court lawyer Saurabh Kirpal has succinctly addressed,  "Sexual harassment has not been a priority for us."Saurabh Kirpal, Supreme Court lawyerThe Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act was a landmark judgement. In rare cases, it’s also true that women are getting even due to personal enmity and crying foul when they haven’t actually been sexually harassed — that’s happening in media and entertainment in India quite a bit. It is another to expect change. I think it’s high time, and rightly so, that sexual offenders are named and shamed finally. Fear of losing their jobs, their livelihoods, their dignity. That is more debilitating for our souls and our identities than a temporary backlash from the men! Above all, we should learn to be the truly fair (as in just) sex, even when the men are not and we have to win the war even if we lose a few battles along the way. From a harmless office flirtation, they concoct a rape narrative! And we get screwed — without actually screwing them!" Crude. Designer Wendell Rodricks believes that it is prevalent in all industries, he feels, "If anyone finds the courage to speak up, the legal system wrings out any sense of justice because of the long drawn battle. But it took parliament 16 years to finally enact a law in 2013. I tell you, today’s women are like sharks! They wait for an opportunity and go for your jugular. But if we pause, and understand the issue for what it is in India, it’s terribly grave. In April 2013, a reaction to the Nirbhaya rape, where the Parliament passed India’s first law against sexual harassment at the workplace giving the above guidelines a legislative brief and also extended the definition beyond the Vishaka guidelines to "the presence or occurrence of circumstances of implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in employment, threat of detrimental treatment in employment, threat about present or future employment, interference with work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment, or humiliating treatment likely to affect the lady employee’s health or safety could also amount to sexual harassment". But we have to live and fight all this too, for the solution is certainly not to brush things under the carpet.
It’s only the famous names which draw attention.Shame has a tormenting nature. But for how long?Harvey WeinsteinWhile Harvey Weinstein and men like him deserve all the backlash and outrage according to actress Sumalatha, she hopes that innocent men are not targetted in this wave, voicing concerns about such campaigns, "There is always another side to this. It is happening in my industry, and some male models strongly believe that if you do not succumb to this power struggle you are at a loss. This delay is a symptom of the fact that true workplace equality, even though it is embodied in the Directive Principles of State Police in our Constitution, is not a matter of urgency or priority for the authorities. For Gajra Kottary, award-winning screenplay writer and author of Girls Don’t Cry, the ramifications of not acknowledging sexual abuse or harassment can be far reaching. It is the interim that’s going to cost women a great deal. It is only when men start losing their jobs and suffering financial loss that attitudes will realign."Designer Wendell Rodricks with a modelSexual harassment in India is very much a living and breathing entity that hides behind the lack of justice. He was also thinking of firing a few female full-timers from his prestigious office, because, as he put it, "The risk is simply not worth it!" I asked, "What risk?" And he surprised me by being totally upfront. Deep under https://www.yuhaomattress.com/ the pain and humiliation lies an irrevocable realisation that courageous voices are squashed due to recrimination and a society that is quick to ostracise. There are cases of sexual harassment that have come to the fore, but leave alone a few high profile cases like that of Tarun Tejpal, R. She says, "The warning is real. It’s one thing to publicly admit you have suffered exploitation, indignity and worse. Many employers are taking this route because it is easier. Fear of losing their jobs, their livelihoods, their dignity.. the only downside is the chance of misusing a trend to unleash maybe manipulation/blackmail/vendetta that might also occur, especially if it comes to a high-profile person. They have done so out of fear. That’s where I have a few issues with the global #metoo campaign. For him or her, it means living with the shame for decades (especially in the Indian context)."The reality percolates through a desi sensibility that is wrought with self-doubt, escapism and ignorance (what you don’t know cannot hurt you). And believe me, in India it’s happening as much if not more in corporate offices too.K. Of course, change will come! I have no doubt about that. Among the diktat is "Physical contact and advances; a demand or request for sexual favours; sexually coloured remarks; showing pornography; and any other unwelcome physical verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature. In the longer run, it will lead to a far more transparent system of working as equals, without having to constantly watch where those eyes and hands and words are travelling. Those who have gutsily called out their tormentors have found themselves isolated and ostracised — even by other women. A man does not have to be as loathsome as Weinstein.
I don’t want to be stressed out thinking about some girl who imagines I am making a pass at her. Every major transition encounters roadblocks that appear insurmountable. Sadly, sometimes, I have seen families collude when someone has the fortitude and strength to bring it out in the open, comments like ‘are you sure’, ‘is it an exaggeration’, which said to an individual who has had the resolve to come clean makes it even more difficult and anguishing." Sreemoyee Piu KunduA staunch women’s activist and bestselling author, Sreemoyee Piu Kundu has seen abuse and harassment closely with her new book Status Single, where she interviewed 3,000 women. However vocal and vociferous the debate may be, Indian hubris still shirks from the pain of revelation, ducking behind a cloak of apprehension, fear and rebuke. In India, this will take longer still. He is not alone. When fashion photographers Mario Testino and Bruce Weber were accused by male models of sexual exploitation, it just reiterated the fact that it is prevalent in all industries.

Thus, they too are expected to shoulder social responsibilities. Even as annual CSR spend is on the rise, the impact on the ground and effective deployment of funds remain a matter of debate.
They are involved in a wide variety of community development projects related to, education, health, skills training, entrepreneurship, women empowerment, food security, livelihoods and supporting services for the differently-abled. The corporation should be able to maintain a proper balance between business objectives and social obligations. This idea has now been corporatised under the appellation, "corporate social responsibility’ (CSR).India has a unique law — the Companies Act 2013, and the Corporate Social Responsibility Rules, which came into effect on April 1, 2014. The steel tycoon and one of the greatest philanthropists, Andrew Carnegie, whose business ethos was "to do well in order to do good" was one of the early advocates and steward of the CSR. They will be embarrassingly large. It’s one of the biggest buzzes in corporate business, signalling that a company cares, and that it allies profit with principle. However, CSR could be more socially relevant when it is a voluntary exercise driven by altruistic motives rather than a mandated policy that prods businesses to use creative means to camouflage business promotion activities as socially driven programmes.
There are marked aberrations in the CSR agenda and they need a course correction.Despite all the hyperbole, economist Milton Friedman argued in 1970 that "the doctrine of social responsibility is frequently a cloak for actions that are justified on other grounds rather than a reason for those actions". Laws only set minimum standards, but do not create an impetus for charitable action. This applied to the employees as well.
It addresses many areas such as, corporate governance, human rights health and safety, environmental effects, working conditions and contribution to economic development. Gandhi’s theory of trusteeship intended to avoid the evils and combine the benefits of capitalism and communism, to socialise property without nationalising it, to influence private ownership with socialist content. Many businesses are using these opportunities for enhancing their social profile and in the process expanding their business markets. These CSR projects are now the fulcrum of aggressive brand building exercises and are being leveraged to their fullest mileage. Charity leaders have a geographic bias with corporations funding projects closer to their headquarters. It is very difficult to legislate moral obligations. CSR activities should be relevant to local, national and global contexts, keep disadvantaged communities as the focus, be based on sustainable development principles and implemented in partnership with NGOs, governments and other relevant stakeholders. India is the first country to require companies to expend resources on CSR programmes. There can be a subtle use of CSR to brush off bad reputation as well as camouflaging of the dark acts in marketing. Gandhi derided the voracious greed for profits of investors. A popular CSR activity is contributing to natural disaster relief funds, which is probably directed at scoring favourable points with the political party in power.The CSR movement began as a response to advocacy that they should play a role in ameliorating social problems due https://www.yuhaomattress.com/product/functional-fabric/mattress-ticking-fabric-rldl-135.html to their economic power and overarching presence in daily life. As a trustee, he was, first and foremost, expected to:Work just like any other employeeLook upon his employees as members of his family who would be jointly responsible for management decisionsTo take no more than what he needed for a moderately comfortable life. Politics can skew priorities, with some companies looking to gain goodwill by backing government-led projects rather than initiating independent initiatives. Gandhi’s theory of trusteeship conceived this idea a long time ago. The overarching goal of CSR is to drive change towards sustainability. Businesses are powerful constituents of society and the most respected businesses feel oriented to do much more than making money; they exist to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
It is not a new concept. The push for legalisation came because voluntary CSR encouraged practices such as free-riding (companies taking advantage of benefits without actually spending), greenwashing posing as CSR, and false disclosures.Provide healthy working conditions and welfare schemes for workers and their familiesAim to make a moderate profit, part of which would be devoted to the welfare of community and the rest to the improvement of the industryRegard themselves as trustees of consumers and take care not to produce shoddy goods or charge exorbitant prices.CSR is rooted in the knowledge that businesses have a duty to enable all living beings to get a fair share of the planet’s resources. Hence, a great deal of money has been flowing into the social sector.Pass on the industry to his children or whoever he liked only if they agreed to run it in the spirit of trusteeshipGoing against the laissez-faire philosophy, which emphasises maximisation of profit and growth as the sole objective of corporations, there is a strong school of thought that believes that the role of a business corporation must extend to looking after the needs of society. It is not necessarily always transparent and mission oriented and there may be strings attached terms that dictate exactly where and how it must be used. Consider a man owning an industry.com.A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business— Henry FordThe recent years have seen a growing realisation among societies that businesses should play an active role in community development.CSR is critical to integrating ethical, social and environmental principles into the core business, thereby enhancing long-term stakeholder value and touching the lives of over a quarter of the world’s population.
Corporate social responsibility often masks and smokescreens corporate irresponsibility aid conditionality and treaty commitments have significantly constrained policymaking. It is a business approach that enjoins managing a business in a way that it contributes to sustainable development by delivering social, economic and environmental benefits for all stakeholders. Apart from the socialist countries, which consider this philosophy a core element of their policies and programmes, the capitalist countries also feel that business corporations should commit a part of their time, talent and resources for the welfare of society as they draw their sustenance from it. Reporting requirements are onerous and often impose huge administrative burdens for organisations which must devote the scarce skills of educated, English-speaking personnel for writing reports for donors rather than running programmes.CSR has been peripheral in most organisations and is not woven into the fabric of the business. Business corporations are rooted in a social environment and hence it is imperative for businesses to be sensitive to societal demands."The writer is a well-known banker, author and Islamic researcher. Like individual citizens, who have moral and social responsibilities, businesses are perceived as corporate citizens.It is wise to remind ourselves again of the advice of Henry Ford: "A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. Consequently, more remote regions where development aid is acutely needed are being bypassed and deprived of this new social revolution. Sometimes, it is driven by a need to improve brand reputation and even worse, CSR could be a moral counter-balance for practices that have had direct negative impacts on the poor. He can be reached at moinqazi123@gmail.CSR is the umbrella term for how business relates to the broader cultural, economic and political environment in which it operates.