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| Relizious preachers to campaign for 'Save the Girl Child' | | | Pankhuri Aggarwal
Jammu, Mar 2: After the recent Census report indicated a decline in the child sex ratio in the state, the authorities concerned have decided to engage preachers of all religions in the 'Save the Girl Child campaign', which has been stepped up in the state to check female feticides.
Though the system of tracking pregnant mothers and their babies is already in place, the state Health Ministry has decided to make it more effective so as to ensure a total check on female feticide. The child sex ratio (0-6 years) is the most realistic indicator of the trend of female feticide and continuing discrimination against the girl child. Jammu has witnessed a steep fall in the sex ratio during the last one decade, especially the child sex ratio. In the year 2010, the child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 859, down from 941 in the year 2009, indicating a variation of 82. The national average of the child sex ratio is 914. "We have already started the process of involving religious preachers in our campaign against female feticides. A letter in this regard has already been sent to the Deputy Commissioners concerned to identify preachers, who have a mass following," Minister for Health and Family Welfare told Early Times, "Female feticide is not only a crime, but also a sin, so we have decided to involve religious leaders to educate the masses against this inhuman act".
A majority of women are the followers of one or the other religious Gurus and if the women folk stand up against female feticide, the crime can be checked in the state. The religious leaders would also be urged to undertake "padyatras" to enlighten people on the need for a change in the mindsets on girl child.
"Though the state has implemented the Jammu and Kashmir Preconception and Prenatal Sex Selection/Determination Act, female feticide goes on silently in some private nursing homes and clinics," said a senior gynecologist at SMGS hospital. She said, "On the false pretext of congenital abnormality in foetus, expecting women in connivance with some gynecologists' abort their pregnancies in private nursing homes." "In 12 to 14 week-old pregnancies, a radiologist with a simple sonography test can easily determine the sex of the baby and aborting a girl child is not an uphill task", she added. She said, "The malpractice has been going on clandestinely and such gynecologists' charge anything between Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 to get the job done."
A recent government survey made a startling revelation that out of seven newly born children, one girl was being aborted.
Furthermore, the state government has also decided to introduce a software "e-mamta" from next year to track the pregnant mothers. A unique ID would be given to all pregnant mothers. |
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