With the aim of preventing gender biased sex selective elimination, ensure survival and protection of the girl child and to ensure education and participation of the girl child, chief minister T.R Zeliang launched ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ Scheme (Save the Girl Child, Educate Her- BBBP) at the CM’s official residence Tuesday afternoon.
In his address Zeliang maintained that when the world recently observed International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, it was to recognise girl rights and the unique challenges and a move towards a more equitable and inclusive society which Nagaland cannot afford to be left behind.
He said BBBP was a significant step towards reinforcing sense of responsibility towards girls by seeking to address gender imbalance and discrimination against the girl child. Further, he stated that BBBP aimed at encouraging the birth of girls and to tackle the low Child Sex Ratio (CSR). Zeliang pointed out that in 2011 census of India the CSR for the country as a whole was 914 whereas the CSR in Nagaland was 944.
He asserted that Nagaland like most of the patriarchal society, also has a tradition of preferring boys over girls for education. However, with the change of time, Zeliang expressed happiness to note that this old traditional concept was gradually dying as natural death since Naga households today gave equal importance to the education of both boys and girls although the traditional bias against female existed in some measure in remote and rural areas.
In this regard, Zeliang stressed on focus for BBBP campaign in such areas. He also said that in Nagaland although a patriarchal society, there was no practise of deliberate mechanical or medical intervention to prevent birth of female child.
Zeliang said he had not come across anyone amongst the Nagas who would go to the external of terminating a pregnancy on the ground that the child was female child.
Despite this , he said the sex ratio in Nagaland was still below the desired level and in this regard, asked whether the state’s doctors need to apply their minds and do research to find the reason.
He cited the census report of 2011 of Longleng district, where the sex ratio recorded very low CSR of 558 against the CSR of 964 in 2001. He directed the department of H & FW to immediately carry out an independent survey to find out if there has been a mistake in the census report on the drastic fall in the CSR.
The chief minister described BBBP as a noble programme which would depend on implementation and therefore, urged state and district task forces to coordinate and plan carefully and work towards proper implementation of the scheme through judicious fund management in order to accomplish the task.
Zeliang reminded that the objective of BBBP was to improve Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB), better nutritional status, increased enrolment in school and secondary education, better health facilities and a safer environment.
He expressed optimism that the project Management Unit (PMU) would be able to effectively implement the scheme with the help of the state and district task force and all other stakeholders of the BBBP.
In his keynote address, minister of social welfare Kiyanilie Peseyie said SRCW, which was appointed as the PMU for the BBBP Nagaland chapter, would be converging with the department of social welfare, H&FW and the Department of School Education to effectively implement the BBBP and urged all the departments to cooperate and give their best effort to ensure effective implementation of the scheme.
Kiyanilie also pointed out that Longleng has drawn the attention of the Centre over CSR and the state in general needed to carefully strategize and ensure that there were substantial quality change in implementation of BBBP.
He said its successful implementation would not only elevate the status of a girl in the state but would also become an example of resilience and concreted triumph.
Further Peseyie appealed to the state and district administration to form linkages in implementing the scheme for convergence action as a policy and programmatic interventions and training and capacity building and communication. He also encouraged the local NGOs, CBOs, civil society groups, women organizations and educational institutions to take the programme as an opportunity to work together, give their best to the cause since the implied poor status of girls had caught the centre’s attention and needs to be dealt with.
Kiyanilie also expressed the hope that CSR would see marked improvement, decreased gender differentials, improved nutritional status of girls, increased girl enrolment in secondary education, a safer and nurturing environment for our girls to grow to their fullest potential with the implementation of the BBBP.
Giving an overview, secretary SRCW Daisy Mezhur informed that the SRCW has appointed ambassadors in the state for girl child education in three categories- the state Governor’s team chief minster’s team and chief secretary’s team – which would be first in the country where ambassadors for girl’s child education has been formed.
The programme was organized by State Resource Centre for Women Project Management Unit (BBBP) in collaboration. Among those who attended included – minister school education & SCERT Yitachu, commissioner & secretary school education F.P Solo, officials from social welfare and H&FW.
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