18th Apr 2019 10:04:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

As per last census figure, which was conducted in 2011, gender ratio of children in  age group of  0 to 6 years in the country was 918 girls per 1,000 boys. In 2001, it was 927 and the 1991 figure was 945. It’s a tale of steadily progressing backwards which narrates not only a sordid story of pre-birth discrimination manifested through gender biased sex selection, but also numerous post birth discriminations which the girls of this country have to encounter. It’s a great paradox of a country which is personified as mother goddess, and a great sorrow since it has been accepted as near normal.
Although making up almost half of  population, women in this country have continued to remain at the receiving end, subjected to endless discrimination and exploitation. The harrowing saga begins with the killing tools of female infanticide, a practice in the country since centuries and  the recently evolved  sex-selective abortion. While the first one is the deliberate killing of a newborn female child, the latter is an equally heinous method of terminating a pregnancy, based upon  predicted female sex of  infant with aid of modern diagnostic tools. Both are criminal offences under  laws of  land and that they are continuing unabated is starkly visible from the more deteriorating gender ratios. And for many of those who are fortunate enough to see this world, a bouquet of discriminations await them in form of denial of education, teenage marriage, dowry deaths and so on. If the country is earning kudos for its great achievements in science & technology, it’s always been the moments of shame whenever there are releases of UNICEF figures, portraying  these social evils.
Various studies conducted by the best social scientists and economists have unanimously come to the conclusion that no nation can progress in any field without integrating its female populace, for which education is the most effective & proven tool. This is most relevant for India, since they make nearly half of the population. The benefits of educating girl children permeates the entire family who pass on the knowledge to the siblings, triggering far-reaching positive impacts within the entire society.
Current schemes and laws addressing the pertinent issues of girl child discrimination and guaranteeing elementary education for all children have no doubt hit the bottom of the problems. But it’s a huge heap of evils built over centuries and without mass participation & awakening it would be wrong to expect any major betterment overnight.
With the gesture of standing by an impoverished girl child & her siblings and by making a clarion call to the well-heeled for repeating the same, Governor  of the state had perhaps tried to point out this reality. 


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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