scholarly journals Beti bachao, beti padhao programme: a right initiative to save the girl child

Author(s):  
Ramesh Verma ◽  
Rohit Dhaka ◽  
Ginni Agrawal

In world, almost half of the total population made up of women but they still lag behind men in a lot of areas. The skewed child sex ratio is a prime indicator of women disempowerment, lack of value attached to her and disrespect. Over few years, a significant fraction of number of women has been at the receiving end of discrimination and exploitation. The skewed child sex ratio is because of both gender biased sex selection, and post birth discrimination against girls. The proliferation and abuse of advanced technologies coupled with social factors such as dowry, concerns with family name and looking up to the son as a breadwinner. Female feticide resulting in a decline of the child sex ratio has led to enforcement of Preconception and Prenatal diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) act.  On 22 January 2015 at Panipat in Haryana, Prime Minister of India launched the scheme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save daughters, Educate daughters) programme. The initiative aims to improve the present low child sex ratio and increase the value of girl child by focusing on three pronged strategy for empowerment of girl child.

Author(s):  
Vaishali Waghmare ◽  
Hema Hema

India has a male dominated culture where women are treated like a commodity and slave. Our Indian society gives preference only to the Son not to female because of which girls' child is not heartily welcomed and discrimination against girl child still prevails. Sex selective abortion is one of major issue in recent era in relation to violence against women under which the Ultrasonography machine plays an important role of sex detection. Main  cause for sex selection are Patriarchal system, Dowry system, only son who can performs the last rites, lineage and inheritance runs through the male line, the Small family norms , PARAYADHAN, easy access to the Medical facilities and Technology for Sex Selective Abortion. Low literacy rate, low socio-economic condition of women etc. Sex selection and sex determination causes violence, impact on equilibrium of nature, Polyandry, Imbalance between Male-Female populations etc Maharashtra was first State to enact Maharashtra regulation of use of PNDT Act in 1987.  The PNDT Act was passed in 1994 Hon. Supreme Court passed an Interim judgment in 2001 for more strict implementation of Act based on PIL filed by CEHAT, MASUM and AdvSabu George PNDT Act amended in 2003 to Pre conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Act (PC-PNDT)  Applicable to all Govt/NGO/Private/corporate establishments . Main purpose of Act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques before and after conception and prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostic techniques for sex selective abortion. Every offence under this Act is cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable (Sec 27). Act has made it mandatory to maintain records of every scan done. (Section 29 and Rule 9) Section 5 and Rule 10 (1A).Implementing Authority under the Act is Appropriate Authority (Section 17) has power to search, seize and seal clinics (Section 30). The Act prohibited  communication of sex of the foetus by words, signs or in any other manner (Section 5) , advertising sex determination test in any form are liable for punishment (Section 22) .Offence under this Act punishable with imprisonment of years which extend to 5 years and fine up to 10,000 which extend up to 50,000.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 746-750
Author(s):  
Bijayalaxmi Nanda ◽  
Nupur Ray

The article strives to engage with the notion of gender discrimination at birth. It critically examines the various trends in the Sex Ratio at Birth in order to explore the intensification of its masculinization. Gender- biased sex selection or the practice of sex determination followed by sex-selective abortion in India is considered to be the main reason for this masculinization. Decennial Census since 1991 has shed light on this through its child sex ratio data. Other survey data which capture this include the National Family Health Survey. Scholars, policy-makers, demographers and health practitioners have closely examined this form of discrimination by delving into both qualitative and quantitative analysis. The government of India has unfurled many policies, programmes and laws to counter this imbalance. However, the ratios continue to reveal severe imbalances with passage of time. Apart from the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection Act) 1994 we have the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme which was initiated in 2014. The scheme is a holistic one bringing about a tri ministerial convergence of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Women and Child Development to work on the issue. The approach of the scheme is a community approach falling largely within the rubric of enabling community health practices and participation. The paper draws on both the trends in the Sex Ratio at Birth and other data enriching it by voices from the field from districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where the decline is one of the worst. It contextualizes the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme in this regard in order to arrive at a conclusion of what has improved in terms of numbers as well as attitudes or mindsets. It finally makes suggestions for the way forward in terms of countering gender discrimination at birth and bringing about an egalitarian society by emphasizing on the value of girl-child and women. 


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 208-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan L. Johnson ◽  
Heather C. Proctor

The effect of predator presence on the adult sex ratio of a spider mite (Panonychus ulmi) was examined in a field experiment. Phytoseiid predators (chiefly Typhlodromus occidentalis) were removed from 32 trees harboring P. ulmi populations, and allowed to remain at natural levels on 32 other trees. Both total population density and proportion of males in the prey population were significantly higher in predator-free trees. Mechanisms that could explain the increase in the proportion of males are examined. The most probable is that greater male activity results in a higher encounter rate between predator and prey, and that subsequent higher male mortality when predators are present exaggerates the female-biased sex ratio. The theoretical effects of sex-biased predation on diplo-diploid and haplo-diploid organisms are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing Li ◽  
M. W. Luke Chan ◽  
Byron G. Spencer ◽  
Wei Yang

Author(s):  
S Suresh ◽  
Deepika Deka ◽  
Prashant Acharya ◽  
Prathima Radhakirshnan

Author(s):  
Ravinder Kaur

China and India together account for over one-third of the world’s population and both countries have considerably fewer women than men.. With long histories of skewed sex ratios and gender discrimination, these two countries have experienced a sharp decline in the birth of girls since the late 20th century. The unfolding and intimate relationship between gendered social structures, son preference, fertility decline, and new sex determination technologies has had serious demographic and social consequences, resulting in millions of “missing” girls, surplus males, bride shortages, and possibly, rising levels of gender violence. Even as women’s socio-economic indicators such as life expectancy, literacy, education, and fertility have improved, families continue to show a preference for sons raising questions between the tenuous relationship between development and gender equality. The advantages of raising sons over daughters, supported by traditional kinship, family, and marriage systems, appear to have got further entrenched in the era of neoliberal economies. Family planning policies of both nations, advocating small families, and the advent of pre-natal sex selection technologies further set the stage for the prevention of birth of daughters. Governments in both countries have since banned sex determination and launched policies and schemes to redress the gender imbalance and improve the value of the girl child. While these policies have not been highly successful, other social forces such as urbanization and rising educational levels are beginning to transform the way girls are perceived. A kernel of hope seems to be emerging at the beginning of the 21st century, as some improvement is visible in the sex ratio at birth in some of the worst affected regions in the two countries.


2008 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
LC. Sanchez ◽  
M. Busch

Size distribution, sex ratio and use of burrows of the burrowing toad Rhinella fernandezae were studied in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. Two sites separated by approximately 300 m were studied: one was a road next to a swamp, and the other a garden of a country house located further from the swamp. We identified toad burrows, and individuals were sexed, measured and given an individual mark. Burrows were examined in subsequent months after the first sampling to assess the presence of toads. We found significant differences in the size distribution between areas, being the proportion of juveniles greater at the site next to the swamp where the reproduction of the species was observed. This result may suggest that the site located near to the swamp functions as a source habitat of individuals that migrate to the other site, where recruitment would be very scarce. Sex proportion of adults did not differ from 1:1 in neither the total population nor in each site, suggesting that there was not differential mortality by sex. Some toads changed burrows throughout the study period, but there were not differences in the frequency of change between adults and juveniles.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
SIMON P. MAHOOD ◽  
CHAMNAN HONG ◽  
SON VIRAK ◽  
PHEARUN SUM ◽  
STEPHEN T. GARNETT

SummaryIn 2013 a prediction was made that the South-East Asian subspecies of Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis blandini would be extinct within 10 years. In 2018 we conducted a survey in the Tonle Sap floodplain, Cambodia, of the last population of Bengal Florican in South-East Asia. We found that the rate of decline in displaying males was 55% over five years, a decline comparable to that recorded between 2005–2007 and 2012. The estimated number of displaying males in 2018 was 104 (95% CI: 89–117), down from 216 (156–275) in 2012. We also conducted surveys by flushing birds in the non-breeding season, which indicated that the sex ratio of males to females is 3:1. We therefore estimate that the total population of adult Bengal Floricans in Cambodia in 2018 was 138 (119–156), making H. b. blandini the most threatened bustard taxon. The number of sites that support displaying male Bengal Floricans was reduced from 10 to four between 2012 and 2018. Between 2012 and 2018 we monitored numbers of displaying males in most years at the sites that support 80% of the total population. The only site where numbers of birds are stable is Stoung-Chikraeng Bengal Florican Conservation Area, where there were 44 (25–63) displaying males in 2018. This is the only site that has an ongoing NGO-government conservation programme. Our data indicate that Bengal Floricans are lost from sites when the area of grassland falls below 25 km2. We found evidence that displaying male Bengal Floricans abandon display territories when grassland is lost, this also creates hope that they may disperse and could colonise newly created habitat. All remaining sites that support Bengal Floricans in Cambodia are imperilled and we outline what must be done to reduce the possibility that H. b. blandini will be extinct by 2023.


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