The alarming slide in child sex ratio in the in the country and in Karnataka prompted the Government of India to declare January 24 as “National Girl Child Day” in 2008 with the objective of raising sensitivity towards the girl child.
Sex ratio in State
In Karnataka, according to the 2011 Census, there are 946 female girl children born for every 1,000 boy children born.
In 2001, the sex ratio stood at 943.
Laws to aid
Though the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, lays stringent guidelines to prevent sex detection and termination of female foetus, there are scores of special schemes aimed at helping girl children get educated and grow up to be independent women.
Welfare schemes
In Karnataka, Bhagyalakshmi Scheme was launched in 2006 with the purpose of correcting the adverse sex ratio.
It is an insurance scheme that guarantees every girl child in a Below Poverty Line education and health benefits until she turns 18.
Implementation
The sex ratio figures, however, indicate two things: that all is not well in the implementation of various girl child-related schemes and legislation and that deep-seated prejudices against girl children in society are very hard to uproot.
Prejudices
The prejudice that begins at birth assumes various dimensions as girl children grow up, which is indicated in the several hurdles they face in being educated and the continued horrors of dowry harassment that claims many lives every day.
