Save the girl child - Ladli

MIL/TOI/TNN, Apr 29, 2008

New Delhi: APril 29, 2008 - It was a plea not from the prime minister of India but from a proud father of three daughters — save the girl child.

Launching the country's biggest ever campaign against the "inhuman and uncivilised practice" of female foeticide, PM Manmohan Singh on Monday said no nation, society or community could hold its head high and claim to be part of a civilised world if it condoned the practice of discriminating against women.

Hitting out at progressive, wealthy and educated states like Gujarat, Punjab and Delhi for their dwindling sex ratio, Singh said it indicated that growing economic prosperity and education levels had not led to a corresponding mitigation as far as reducing female foeticide was concerned.

The 2001 census figures showed Punjab had only 798 girls (per 1,000 boys), Haryana 819, Delhi 868 and Gujarat 883.

According to Singh, child sex ratio statistics in the 0-6 age group for the past four decades had been showing a continuous decline.

The decline in number of girls per 1,000 boys from 962 in 1981 to 927 in the year 2001 was alarming, he said. "I urge every citizen to step forward and help in empowering the girl child. The action must begin at home, in our families. I do not say this as the prime minister of India. I say this as the proud father of three daughters. I wish for every girl in our country what I wish for my own daughters," Singh said.

"Societal discrimination against women begins in our homes and even before the girl child is born. One of the most inhuman, uncivilised and reprehensible practices is the practice of female foeticide. The patriarchal mindset and preference for male children is compounded by unethical conduct on the part of some medical practitioners who illegally offer sex determination services. We must overcome this great problem through social awareness and strict enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act," he added.

Pointing to social ills like female illiteracy, obscurantist social practices like child marriage or early marriage, dowry, poor nutritional entitlements and taboos on women in public places making the Indian women and especially the Indian girl child extremely vulnerable, Singh said the National Literacy Mission should be reoriented to improve female literacy and challenge the adverse sex ratio in the country.

with thanks : source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

                                                                                                  Chandigarh, August 24: It's a unique message: save the girl child, save the environment. And it’s originating from the holiest Sikh shrine, in a state with one of the lowest sex ratios in the country.

Beginning August 27, all women devotees at Amritsar’s Golden Temple will be given a sapling free of cost to be planted back home. Called Nanhi Chaanh (small shade), the ingenious scheme will put the force of faith behind the need to spread sensitivity towards the girl child and environment. The last Census in 2001 put Punjab’s sex ratio at 874:1000.

Under the scheme, to be made a permanent feature during the months of February and August which are plantation months, all the estimated 30,000 women devotees visiting the Golden Temple daily shall be given a sapling of one of the varieties of trees mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Guru Nanak Dev was quoted as having said in 1499 that “It is a woman who keeps the race going and we should not consider her condemned or cursed, when from woman are born leaders and rulers.”

The scheme, which is a joint initiative of the Punjab Government, SGPC and Impact Group of companies, aims to spread this message, as well as underline that both the girl child and environment need nurture and care. The saplings would be dispersed in special boxes designed to allow in light and air.

The Punjab Forest Department would provide the saplings, and already 50,000 have been procured. This year saplings of neem tree would be given, subsequently more varieties would be distributed.

Explaining the rationale behind the scheme, Harpal Singh, Chairman of the Ranbaxy Group and Impact Group of Companies, said: “Mothers and trees are givers. They provide us so many things without expecting anything in return.”

He said that in the first year they would would spend Rs 25 lakh on the programme. They have proposed to the SGPC to extend it to other gurdwaras as well. “This scheme is also being launched by us at several other religious places, including Ajmer Sharif.”

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, who described female foeticide “a major cause of concern”, said other gurdwaras could be roped in. “Earlier too a hukumnama was issued by the Akal Takht which condemned this hideous and reprehensible practice,” he pointed out.

with thanks : source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

SIKHS  INDIA

SPREADING  AWARENESS