The transformation of girls’ education, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India has seen a significant transformation in girls' education in the past decade, driven by policy and mindset shifts.
• The Kanya Kelavani campaign in Gujarat, launched in 2003, increased the female literacy rate to 70% and reduced the school dropout rate by 90% in targeted districts.
• The nationwide Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative, launched in 2015, improved India’s sex ratio at birth from 919 girls per 1,000 boys (2015-16) to 929 (2019-21).
• India's Total Fertility Rate has dropped to 2.0, closely tied to rising female education and workforce participation.

Detailed Insights:

• The Gujarat model demonstrated that addressing female foeticide and girls’ illiteracy requires a multi-pronged approach involving public perception shifts, infrastructure, and incentives.
• BBBP brought together multiple ministries to prevent female foeticide and promote girls' education, initially focusing on 100 gender-critical districts.
• Educated women tend to marry later, have fewer children, and are more likely to seek institutional deliveries and prenatal care, leading to a decline in the Infant Mortality Rate.
• Educated girls grow into educated mothers, positively impacting their children's education and health outcomes, creating a positive feedback cycle that enhances communities.
• Surveys in Madhya Pradesh indicate increased awareness of BBBP, encouraging families to send their daughters to school and support delaying early marriage.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Female Foeticide: The abortion of a female fetus, often due to a preference for male children.
• Total Fertility Rate: The average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime.
• Infant Mortality Rate: The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births.
• Sex Ratio at Birth: The number of female births for every 1,000 male births in a population.