A Special Beginning to ‘Stop Female Foeticide’

Conceivably it is implausible for several people however scrutinizing figures of India’s census with vigilance do not only furnish astonishing facts but also alarm with colossal disquiet. Where the world’s concern today is women empowerment and gender equity, these surveys report sharp decline in the number of girls in India. Ever-increasing rate of “Female Foeticide” is one of the key causes of this data reflecting the effect of far lower number of girls with respect to boys in this country. Continuous rapid development of this country for more than last one decade looks as if it has commenced the retreat of girls. In this race of development we are getting aware of controlling population of India but when it comes to family planning then girls in mother’s wombs happen to be the victim of “Foeticide”. A recent survey of National Family Health flashes 90% families want only two children but these two children must be sons. Most of families did not talk about girl child. Aspiration of having sons kills baby girl before she sees this world. Incessant dwindling in the number of girls in India proves, where there is advocacy for the development of girls, there is continuous occurrence of higher dissimilarity in sex ratio in so called developed states like Punjab and Hariyana. Data declare that there are 798, 816 and 883 girls per 1000 boys in Punjab, Hariyana and Gujrat respectively and in capital Delhi this ratio is 868 girls/1000 boys. Researches affirm that medical science plays a key role in increasing this crime. Ultrasound technology is rather used in knowing the sex of foetus than its health. Although valuable acts are made in Indian Law to prevent “Female Foeticide”, avarice of doctors and weaknesses of law have augmented the courage of people to commit this inhuman activity.

In India, girls are perceived as descent (Avataar) of goddess. Often people touch the feet of daughters in many houses but when it comes to give birth to daughters, their beliefs err. They cross any limit for doing female foeticide and overlook, they are killing a shape of their adored goddess and faith.

In last October, a campaign was launched by members of “IFPIAN” and “Voice of Children” in goddess temples in Varanasi. Do we really respect the girl child in our family? Do we really posses the right to offer puja (worship) to the goddess? These were some of the questions asked on the first day of Sharadiya Navratra that was marked by a special drive by “Voice of Children” and “IFPIAN” to stop female foeticide. While devotees turned up in the large numbers to offer puja on the auspicious occasion at the famous Durga temple, they were left surprised when members handed them pamphlets and asked for introspection and stopping female foeticide. It was different experience for devotees who thronged in large numbers to the temples that day when they saw this activity with posters and banners pasted in temple premises. Many people were held back by the questions asked by members and many of them even took the pledge to stop “Female Foeticide” on the occasion. In this 3 hours campaign, members of organizations conversed with more than four thousand devotees and encouraged them to pledge to ‘Stop Female Foeticide’. This is also being followed by an appeal to ultrasound centres of the city to stop diagnostic tests that determine the sex of the foetus.

Indeed, India is a country of faith, customs and practices. If these values are venerated with sensation of trust to solve social problems, it undeniably impels and heightens awareness in society. This is what this campaign initiated in Durga temple proved and communicates that if these kinds of activities are conducted at national level, these forms of tribulations can be cracked. It develops the feeling of how can someone develop after committing “Female Foeticide”. How can a nation develop without gender equity? Census of 2001 depicts number of girls are lesser by 6100000 than boys in India in 0-6 years children. In effect this imbalance sex ratio has already instigated polyandrous marriages and women trafficking that attacks women’s rights and push women to live the life of slaves. In Buland Shahar, Merut of Uttar Pradesh, number of girls is too low that girls are procured from other places and compelled to be the wife of all brothers of family.
These sorts of problems are not rare now that need to be stopped for development of nation.

In traditional and customary country like India, developing relation of values and beliefs en route for social problems is certainly an imperative task. If this relation is developed truly and successfully, these kinds of problems can be solved. As for example very often people do not cut Peepal trees which is very much related to faith. If we study epics we observe all kinds of trees and plants are symbols of a kind of faith thus are prohibited to destroy. If people become aware of this, it will certainly assist in protecting environment. Same like, if we relate female foetus with our faith like Durga, gender equity and rights of women in India will unquestionably be higher.