Turning towards faith to find missing daughters
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Now religious and spiritual leaders would be brought together to focus on the alarming fall in the child sex ratio in Rajasthan. Agencies working in the field planned to involve religious and spiritual leaders of Jains, Jats, Sikhs, Rajputs, Gurjars and Muslim community as they attain a powerful hold in their community and bestow upon the community a voice and the presence in the larger societal framework.
Declining sex ratio in Rajasthan is a major cause of concern. According to the Census 2001, there were only 927 women for every 1000 men in state. The situation is becoming worst in the age group of 0-6. In this group, this ratio has declined sharply from 916 girls to 1000 boys in 1991 Census to 909 girls in the 2001 edition. Rajasthan is on number seven in India having adverse child sex ratio. Ganganagar district has the worst ratio at only 850 girls to 1000 boys. Other districts having girls below 900 are Dholpur, Jhunjhunu, Jaisalmer, Hanumangarh, Karauli, Bharatpur, Sikar, Alwar and Jaipur. These missing girls are clearly linked to their killing through sex selection. Conducting sex determination test and ending the life of a daughter even before she is born, abandoning a female child on birth or killing her are the most gruesome and heinous crimes imaginable. And yet, these continue to take place day in and day out, more often than anyone cares to admit, said Dr Meeta Singh, a gender specialist and consultant with IFES, an agency working on the Dignity of Girl Child Project in Rajasthan. IFES has been endeavouring to get the support and patronage of spiritual leaders in ending the practice of killing female children, either in the womb or soon after birth. These leaders would be called for a daylong dialogue in their respected districts and would be facilitated and convinced on the issue for the further dissemination in general public. Stiff legal punishment can only curb the appalling practice somewhat, not stop it. For that, the whole society will have to own up responsibility and make a concerted effort, said the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Alka Kala. WCD is running a Women’s Development Programmes in each villages for social awakening through its Anganbari networks and spreading awareness among people about the implications of the declining numbers of girls, she added. It is also important to look into the health and societal implications of adverse child sex ratio. If this ratio continues to fall like this, it would increase the number of unmarried men would grow. There are villages in Rajasthan who don’t have a single woman in their villages. It would encourage evils like bride buying, trafficking, early marriages and polyandry practices. This would also increase the risk of having HIV infections while having multi partner sex, added Singh. Districts in Rajasthan having adverse child sex ratio Ganganagar 850 Dholpur 859 Jaisalmer and Jhunjhunu 867 Hanumanagar and Karauli 873 |
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