Scheme to Resurrect Women Pride
- Part 1 -

Dr HR Keshavamurthy *

Campaign to stop discrimination against girl child launched in Chandel District in October 2013 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

"Educate a man, you educate one person; educate a woman, you educate a complete family"- is one of the saner concepts we have come across in our life time. But why only family, she can educate and empower the entire country and humanity, feels the Government. No wonder it has translated into one of the flagship programs of union Government under the name, 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' which if implemented as envisaged can really make India a modern democracy.

Save Girl Child

But before we think of educating girl child we need to address a critical issue in this country. That is the decline in Child Sex Ratio (CSR).As per the Census, 2011 the child sex ratio (0-6 years) has shown a decline from 927 females per thousand males in 2001 to 919 females per thousand males in 2011.

Even developed states like Maharashtra , Punjab, Haryana, NCT Delhi, Gujarat are far behind the national average compared to NER states and under developed states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, though the overall trend is quite concerning.

Some of the reasons for neglect of girl child and low child sex ratio are son preference and the belief that it is only the son who can perform the last rites, that lineage and inheritance runs through the male line, sons will look after parents in old age, men are the bread winners etc. Exorbitant dowry demand is another reason for female foeticide/infanticide.

Small family norm coupled with easy availability of sex determination tests adds to the declining child sex ratio, further facilitated by easy availability of Pre-conception sex selection facilities inspite of strict rules against such tests.

Female Foeticide

The practice of aborting female foetus has become more rampant with the availability of modern diagnostic tools for sex determination of the unborn. With the social biases favouring the male child on the presumptions of economic advantages and labelling the girl child as more of a liability, the sex ratio in the country has been skewed.

The process of elimination continues even after birth in various forms of discrimination in matters of health, nutritional and educational needs of the girl child. This shows that women's disempowerment begins even before birth. On the contrary, empowerment of women leads to all-round progress and emancipation from absurd beliefs and unscientific practices in the society.

The Lancet', a medical journal published a report pertaining to the prevalence of sex selective abortions in rich and educated Indian families in 2011. According to the report which is based on review of data of three rounds of the nationally representative surveys (National Family Health Survey – 1, 2&3) carried out during the years 1990 to 2005, it was found that the conditional sex ratio for second-order births when the firstborn was a girl child, fell from 906 per 1000 boys in 1990 to 836 in 2005. But there was no significant decline in the sex ratio for second-order births if the firstborn was a boy child, or for firstborns.

Government Initiatives

The Government is implementing a comprehensive legislation; the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 for prohibition of sex selection before or after conception, regulation of Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques and prevention of their misuse for sex determination leading to female foeticide.

Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy devising schemes, programmes and awareness generation/advocacy measures to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation.

The measures include the following:-

o Intensified effective implementation of the said Act and amended various provisions of the Rules relating to sealing, seizure and confiscation of unregistered machines and punishment against unregistered clinics. Regulation of use of portable ultrasound equipment only within the registered premises has been notified. Restriction on medical practitioners to conduct ultrasonography at maximum of two ultrasound facilities within a district has been placed. Registration fees have been enhanced. Rules have been amended to provide for advance intimation in change of employees, place, address or equipment.

o The Prime Minister has urged the Chief Ministers of all States to provide personal leadership to reverse the declining trend in Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and address the neglect of the girl child through focus on education and empowerment.

o The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has been requested to block sex selection advertisements on websites.

o The Government is extending financial support to the States and UTs for operationalization of PNDT Cells, capacity building, orientation& sensitization workshops, Information, Education and Communication campaigns and for strengthening structures for the implementation of the Act under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

o States have been advised to focus on Districts/Blocks/Villages with low Child Sex Ratio to ascertain the causes, plan appropriate behaviour change communication campaigns and effectively implement provisions of the PC & PNDT Act.

o Religious leaders, women achievers etc. are also being involved in the campaign against skewed child sex ratio and discrimination of the girl child.

To be continued...