Beti Bachai Beti Padhao scheme complete details – Objective, Implementation, selected districts, awareness programs, implementation agencies.
Table Of Content
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
“The development of a community is measured by the position of the women in that community.”
-SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
INTRODUCTION:
In a patriarchal society,the gender roles are predefined according to the traditional laws and convectional spirits of the society.And generally such laws were biased against the women hampering the growth of an inclusive and equitable society.It has been a common phenomenon where the birth of a male child is celebrated where as the birth of a female child is generally unwelcomed and seen as bad omen.There have been pre as well as post birth gender inequality in various spheres of life whether it is education or sports or health etc. Women or girl child had to face evil practices such as female infanticides, foeticide(abortion of the foetus),child marriage, practice of SATI ,JOUHAR etc .
According to census data, the Child Sex Ratio(CSR) (0-6 years) in India was 927 girls per 1,000 boys in 2001, which dropped drastically to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. A 2012 UNICEF report has ranked India 41st among 195 countries.
The sharp decline as pointed by Census 2011 data is a call for urgent action, as it highlights that the girl child is increasingly being excluded from life itself.Government of India has introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra D. Modi from Panipat in Haryana (one of the lowest Child Sex Ratio in country which stands at 879 girls per 1,000 boys as against the national child sex ratio of 918 girls per 1000 boys)on 22nd January,2015 for survival, protection & education of the girl child. It aims to address the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) through a mass campaign across the country targeted at changing societal mindsets & creating awareness about the criticality of the issue. The Scheme will have focused intervention & multi-sectoral action in 100 districts with low Child Sex Ratio.
Discrimination against females:
Female foeticide has led to a sharp drop in the ratio of girls born in contrast to boy infants in some states in India. Ultrasound technology has made it possible for pregnant women and their families to learn the gender of a foetus early in a pregnancy. Discrimination against girl infants, for several reasons, has combined with the technology to result in a rise in abortions of foetus identified as female during ultrasonic testing.
The trend was first noticed when results of the 1991 national census were released, and it was confirmed to be a worsening problem when results of the 2001 national census were released. The reduction in the female population of certain Indian states continues to worsen, as results of the 2011 national census have shown. It has been observed that the trend is most pronounced in relatively prosperous regions of India. The dowry system in India is often blamed; the expectation that a large dowry must be provided for daughters in order for them to marry is frequently cited as a major cause for the problem. Pressure for parents to provide large dowries for their daughters is most intense in prosperous states where high standards of living, and modern consumerism, are more prevalent in Indian society.
Details About Scheme
The scheme is being implemented as a tri-ministerial, convergent effort of Union Ministries of Women and Child Development (WCD), Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Human Resource Development (HRD). The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) is nodal ministry for programme at the central level.While, the centre has provided initial corpus of 100 crore rupees for it.
The focus of BBBP is on awareness and advocacy campaign, multi-sectoral action enabling girls’ education and effective enforcement of Pre-Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act.
The specific objectives of the scheme are
- preventing gender biased sex selective elimination,
- ensuring survival and protection of the girl child and
- ensuring education and participation of the girl child.
In this regard, union government will try to ensure access and availability of essential requirements related to nutrition, health-care, education, protection and elimination of discrimination of girl child.This scheme will also generate awareness and improve the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women.
The criteria for selecting districts are:
The criteria/norms for selection/identification of 100 districts under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program are as under:-
- 87 Districts have been selected from 23 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio below the National average of 918.
- 8 Districts have been selected from 8 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio above National average of 918 but showing declining trend
- 5 Districts have been selected from 5 States/UTs having Child Sex Ratio above National average of 918 and showing improving trend so that other parts of country can learn from them.
Scheme focus on Advocacy, Community mobilization & Awareness Generation
- Community Mobilization and Outreach through interactive initiatives like Naari ki Chaupal, Beti Janmotsav, Mann ki Baat, etc. may be initiated to spread the message of BetiBachao,BetiPadhao.
- National Girl Child Day may be celebrated on 24th January every year by all stakeholders including local opinion makers, PRI Members, MLAs, MPs etc. at District levels, led by the District Administrations of the 100 gender critical districts.
- International Women’s Day may be celebrated in order to send out a strong message highlighting the importance of gender equality and need of empowering women and girls. Further, celebration of this Day can be used to highlight the contribution of empowered mothers to the BBBP Scheme.
- Pledge for protection, safety, value and education of the girl child may be adopted by Govt. of India and the same may be taken on the occasion of National Girl Child Day by DC/DM along with other government functionaries. The Pledge shall be in Hindi and English and States/UTs may get the translation of the same done in regional languages for dissemination in the Districts.
- Encouraging reversal of son centric rituals and customs.
- Positive Reinforcements of Daughters need be done as providers of old age security. It needs to be highlighted that daughters look after parents in their old age as much as sons do and sometimes even more .
- Promotion of Equal Property Rights for daughters& sons may be done in the community through community mobilization initiatives
- Encouraging Effective Use of Social Media: A variety of social media platforms may be used for pushing positive messages out.
Schemes talks about reward:
- If a Village uses “innovative” methods to improve sex-ratio, it’ll be given Rs.1 crore.
- District collectors/DM, campaign ambassadors, grass root workers will also be given suitable reward.School Management Committees will be rewarded if 100% girl children enrolled, and pass in each class.
The core strategies of BBBP include evolving a sustained social mobilization and communication campaign to change societal norms, to create equal value for the girl child, positioning improvement in the CSR as a lead development indicator for good governance, Focusing on very low CSR or gender critical districts and cities for accelerated impact.
FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT: http://www.wcd.nic.in/bbbp-schemes
CONCLUSION:
Owing to the popularity of the scheme the government had decided to expand it. The expansion of scheme was approved based on its successful implementation in 161 districts. The expansion includes multi sectoral intervention in 244 districts in addition to existing 161 districts. 235 districts will be covered through alert district media, advocacy and outreach, thus covering all 640 districts of the country.
As the overview hints, the scheme is directed towards the upliftment of CSR, creating an environment in which women may live with pride and honour, girl child may receive her rights equally heading towards GENDER EQUALITY which is also one of the SDGs. Thus,
THE HAPPINESS OF A NATION LIES IN THE DIGNITY OF A GIRL!
