Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

Introduction 

The Indian government started the social movement Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) in 2015 to empower girls and solve the country's dropping child sex ratio. The campaign aims to increase awareness of the value of educating girls and put an end to the practises of female foeticide and infanticide.

The campaign was started on January 22, 2015, in Haryana by Shri Narendra Modi, the country's prime minister at the time, and has subsequently been carried out in a number of Indian states. The three goals of the campaign are to stop gender-based sex-selective elimination, ensure the survival and protection of girls, and ensure their participation in school.

How Important the Campaign Is

India is a nation where having a male kid has traditionally been highly valued. Female foeticide and infanticide have become common practises as a result, which has affected the kid sex ratio. The child sex ratio in India was 918 girls for every 1,000 boys, according to the 2011 census. This is a blatant example of Indian society's preference for male offspring.

In addition to violating a female child's right to life, the diminishing child sex ratio is a serious societal problem that demands attention. In addition to altering the gender ratio, female foeticide and infanticide have long-term social and economic repercussions. The nation is deprived of its priceless human resources, and gender injustice is sustained.

The campaign's goals

Three primary goals underlie the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign:

Prevention of Gender-Biased Sex-Selective Elimination

The campaign's goal is to stop gender-biased sex-selective elimination by raising awareness of the problem and upholding the legislation against infanticide and female foeticide. Along with ensuring strict adherence to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, the campaign also aims to increase access to healthcare services.

Ensuring Survival and Protection of the Girl Child

The campaign's goal is to increase access to nourishment, healthcare, and sanitary facilities in order to ensure the survival and protection of the female child. Additionally, the initiative seeks to increase the application of laws that safeguard girls' rights and forbid child marriage and human trafficking.

Ensuring Education and Participation of the Girl Child

The campaign seeks to provide every girl child in India with access to education and encouragement to engage in all aspects of life. The initiative also intends to encourage females' entrepreneurship and skill-building.

The Campaign's implementation

In India, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao movement is being implemented gradually. The programme is being carried out in coordination with several governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations, and neighborhood-based groups.

The campaign employs a multi-sectoral strategy and incorporates the participation of several stakeholders, including public servants, members of civil society, spiritual leaders, journalists, and celebrities. The campaign reaches out to the public through a range of media outlets, including print, electronic, and social media.

The campaign was successful in raising awareness of the problem of the diminishing child sex ratio and has strengthened the application of the PCPNDT Act. Numerous medical practitioners who practised female foeticide have been found and prosecuted as a result of the effort.

A number of restrooms have been built in schools to enhance sanitary facilities for females as a result of the initiative, which has also been beneficial in enhancing access to healthcare services. A number of programmes for the welfare of girls have also been created as a result of the campaign, including the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and the Balika Samriddhi Yojana, which offer financial aid for girls' education and marriage.

Impact

On the situation of females in India, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao movement has made a big difference. The programme has increased understanding of the significance of girls' welfare and education. Girls are now enrolling and staying in school at higher rates thanks to government programmes. In several states, the sex ratio has also improved.

The effort has increased the sex ratio in 104 districts, according to the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Several incidences of female foeticide and infanticide have also been discovered as a result of the programme. The harsh measures the government took against the criminals worked as a deterrence.

The government's programmes to encourage female entrepreneurs have also proved effective. Government assistance has helped a number of female business owners launch and operate prosperous enterprises. The Mahila E-Haat platform has also given female businesses a place to advertise their goods and expand their customer base.

Challenges the Campaign Has to Face

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign has had some success, but there are still a number of issues that need to be resolved. The deeply ingrained patriarchal attitude that permeates Indian society and devalues girls is one of the main obstacles.

Rural communities also have limited access to healthcare and educational resources, which makes it difficult to carry out the campaign there. In many areas of the country, there is also a lack of knowledge regarding the issue of the dropping child sex ratio and the need of educating girls.

Conclusion

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign has been effective in raising awareness of the problem of the dropping child sex ratio and the value of educating girls. As a result of the campaign, laws and policies intended to safeguard the rights of girls are now being implemented with more vigour.

The campaign's goals must still be attained, though, and there is still a long way to go. The ingrained patriarchal attitude that permeates Indian society must be addressed, and it is imperative to guarantee that all Indian female children have access to both healthcare and educational opportunities.

It's important to continue the efforts to empower the girl child and insure that every girl in India has the opportunity to achieve her full potential. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign is a step in the right direction, and it's important to sustain the momentum to insure a better future for the girl child in India