‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’! World Girl Child Day held by District Admin & DK Zilla Panchayat

‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’! World Girl Child Day held by District Admin & DK Zilla Panchayat

• ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’! ( Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) International Girl Child Day organized by District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, Women & Child Welfare Department, and District Legal Services Authority, on Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 10 am at ‘Nethravati Auditorium’ -DK Zilla Panchayat

Mangaluru: “If you educate a boy, you educate an individual, but if you educate a girl, you educate a family, a society”! .’Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) is a campaign of the Government of India that aims to generate awareness and improve the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls in India. The scheme was launched with an initial funding of Rs100 crore. The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme was launched on 22 January 2015 by PM Narendra Modi. It aims to address the issue of the declining child sex ratio image (CSR) and is a national initiative jointly run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Education. It initially focused multi-sector action in 100 districts throughout the country where there was a low CSR.

The trend of decline in the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), defined as number of girls per 1000 of boys between 0-6 years of age, has been unabated since 1961, and is alarming with the present numbers. The decline in the CSR is a major indicator of women dis empowerment. CSR reflects both, pre-birth discrimination manifested through gender biased sex selection, and post birth discrimination against girls. Social construct discriminating against girls on the one hand, easy availability, affordability and subsequent misuse of diagnostic tools on the other hand, have been critical in increasing Sex Selective Elimination of girls leading to low Child Sex Ratio. Since coordinated and convergent efforts are needed to ensure survival, protection and empowerment of the girl child, the Government has announced the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ initiative.

This is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development. The objectives of this initiative are: Prevention of gender biased sex selective elimination; Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child; and Ensuring education and participation of the girl child

Speaking on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child in 2014, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had called for the eradication of female foeticide and invited suggestions from the citizens of India via the MyGov.in portal. International Girl Child Day 2020, with a theme “‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” was organized District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, Women & Child Welfare Department, and District Legal Services Authority, on Tuesday, 20 October 2020 at 10 am at ‘Nethravati Auditorium’ -DK Zilla Panchayat. The chief guest was Mrs Meenakshi Shanthigodu-President of DK Zilla Panchayat, with guests of honor, namely- Dr Y Bharath Shetty-MLA Mangaluru North Constituency; Diwakar Pandeshwatr- MCC Mayor; Dayanand Kathalsar- President, Karnataka Tulu Academy; Mrs Kasturi Panja- Vice President, DK Zilla Panchayat; Dr Selvamani R-CEO of DK Zilla Panchayat; Zilla Panchayat member Mrs Mamatha Gatti , among others,

The Proud Parents! B N Ravindra and Mrs Shaila with their Daughter Shravya, who scored 620 out of 625 in SSLC

The programme was inaugurated by lighting the lamp by MLA Dr Bharath Shetty, joined by other dignitaries on the dais. In his inaugural address MLA Dr Bharath Shetty said, “Protecting a girl child is everyone’s “social, national and human responsibility”, and we need to play an important role in preventing female foeticides. Discriminatory mentality towards a girl child needs to change. A lot needs to be done in the country towards ‘beti bachao, beti padhao’ (save and educate girl child) project launched by PM Narendra Modi. We should have no cases of female foeticide. Through awareness programmes we need to spread the word and achieve success. Against every 1,000 men, there are 800, 850, 900 women (in different states). If such an imbalance is created in society, how will it progress? It is society’s responsibility, in changing the social mindset”

“Women leaders can probably be more successful in protecting girl child and foetus. Women have proven their capability. They have turned divine whatever opportunity they have got. Therefore, ‘beti bachao’ should be our social, national, human responsibility. The discriminatory mentality has to be fought and changed with determination. Change is happening. Indian girls have won Olympic gold medals and made us proud. In Board exams, girls are seen on top of the list, like we see the 17 top scorers in SSLC exams here in the audience. We need to ensure that girls in their respective villages are sent to school. This does not need a budget. Government has made schools, and a village has to make no special allocation. One only has to see who all have not sent their girls to schools. We also need to raise our voices and fight against rape, assaults, harassment, murder etc on young women, this has to stop immediately. And we can do it, if everyone unites and fights for the good cause” added MLA Dr Shetty.

17 girls who scored the highest score in the recent SSLC exams were honored, and also the 17 headmasters of the schools they belonged to, were also felicitated. Five Best Panchayat heads along with staff were also felicitated. Govt. Model Higher Primary School Belthangady was judged as the Best School for the concern shown towards the girls and their achievement- and the headmistress of that school, Mrs Jain was felicitated. Dr Durgaprasad – RMO at District Wenlock Hospital gave an elaborate talk for an hour on girl health issues etc. The welcome address was delivered by Mrs Meenakshi Shanthigodu, and the programme was compered by Mrs Shobha -the Child Development Project Officer, Mangaluru

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