‘Anyway, it’s a girl’ — 45 years later, it still rankles, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2024 data indicates an improvement in India's sex ratio at birth (SRB) to 918 girls per 1,000 boys for the period 2022-24.
• This marks an increase from the low of 896 girls per 1,000 boys recorded in 2015-17, though still below the World Health Organisation's (WHO) biologically expected level.
• India's SRB has historically declined from 952 female births per 1,000 male deliveries in 1947.
• The article highlights the continued misuse of modern technology, such as portable sonography, for illegal sex determination and female foeticide.
• The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao drive, launched in 2015, is mentioned as a key government initiative aimed at protecting the girl child.

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Detailed Insights:

• Societal attitudes in India have historically shown a preference for male children, often leading to a lack of celebration for the birth of a girl.
• The "Hum Do Hamare Do" family planning campaign, which once promoted a balanced family with a boy and a girl, has largely faded from public discourse.
• The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11, drawing global attention to the rights and challenges faced by girls.
• Despite advancements in medical technology increasing the average lifespan in India from 32 years in 1947 to 72 in 2022, this technology is also exploited for illegal practices.
• Data suggests that urban areas exhibit a slightly better sex ratio at birth compared to rural regions, implying a potential correlation between education and improved gender attitudes.
• There is a call for leaders across religious, political, and social spheres to intensify efforts to ensure the Viksit Bharat initiative promotes balanced development and gender equality.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB): The number of female births per 1,000 male births in a given population.
• Female Foeticide: The illegal practice of aborting a female fetus after its sex has been determined.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: A government scheme launched in 2015 to address the declining child sex ratio and promote the education of girls.
• Sample Registration System (SRS): A large-scale demographic survey in India that provides estimates of fertility, mortality, and other demographic indicators.
• Viksit Bharat: A national vision for India to become a developed nation by 2047, encompassing various aspects of socio-economic progress.