Editorial: No country for girl child

Though projected as a big initiative, the ‘Beti Padhao’ scheme has not been very effective

The much-touted ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ programme remains an empty slogan as India’s sex ratio at birth — the number of females born per 1,000 males — is showing a worrying decline. This comes at a time when the share of women in the workforce is also going down, resulting in a double whammy. Despite growing literacy, modern education and social campaigns against gender discrimination, the preference for sons is still very prevalent among Indian families. The illegal sex-determination tests leading to female feticide, the deep-rooted patriarchal values and the higher infant mortality rate are some of the factors responsible for the skewed sex ratio. As many as 13 States have witnessed a fall in the sex ratio in the last three years, as per the official figures tabled in Parliament. This is a telling commentary on the deeply ingrained mindset of a society that prefers the male child and considers girls as a burden best avoided. Though projected as a big initiative that celebrates the girl child by providing full assistance for their education, the ‘Beti Padhao’ scheme, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched in 2015 from Panipat in Haryana, has not been very effective with several States failing to utilise the funds allocated under the programme by the Women and Child Development Ministry. Ladakh stands out as the only union territory in the country where the number of girl children is more than boys. It has a sex ratio of 1,023.

Ironically, improving the skewed sex ratio is one of the objectives of the ‘Beti Padhao’ scheme. Though the campaign that involved an aggressive public awareness drive and a clampdown on sex determination centres had in the initial years shown encouragingly positive results as the gap between the genders at birth was seen to be steadily closing, the latest trend has undone the gains. The government scheme has suffered a setback also because the perpetrators of female foeticide have been a step ahead of the law enforcement system. Among other things, they have been using tiny ultrasound devices, which are difficult to detect, to determine the sex of the unborn child. Despite being illegal, sex determination tests are rampant in the country. The girls suffer disproportionately from disease, neglect and inadequate nutrition. It is time society got rid of this cultural bias against the girl child. Unfortunately, deep-rooted gender bias and patriarchal upbringing have become part of our cultural narrative right from the birth of a girl child. Economic and cultural reasons such as property passing on to sons rather than daughters, dowry burden and daughters being treated as “property” of their in-laws post-marriage are some of the factors that contribute to the preference for boys. A massive public awareness initiative is needed to change the mindset if India has to become a modern society that celebrates gender equality in every sphere.

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