The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : AIDWA to launch ‘Save Girl Children’ campaign

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Thursday, Jun 21, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

AIDWA to launch ‘Save Girl Children’ campaign

R. Ilangovan

‘Sex selective abortions in State rampant’

SALEM: Perturbed over the persistent falling sex ratio at birth of 0-6 years (SRB), an indicator that points towards the obnoxious practice of sex selective abortions in Tamil Nadu, the State unit of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) has decided to launch ‘Save Girl Children’ campaign in all rural habitations.

AIDWA said the SRB in the State was highly disturbing and was worse particularly in the rural pockets of four districts such as Salem, Dharmapuri, Namakkal and Theni, where it was a dismal sub-900 girls for 1,000 male children. Salem rural district had recorded the lowest birth ratio of a mere 763 female babies for 1,000 males while it was 869 in Dharmapuri, 882 in Namakkal and 873 in Theni district, the association said.

Of the total 201 taluks, 28 have recorded a SRB of less than 900. While 10 taluks have registered less than 850, six taluks have less than 800. Of the total 577 districts in the country, 456 have started showing the falling trend in the SRB since 2001. They suggested the prevalence of the sly practice of female foeticide, said its State general secretary U. Vasuki.

War against foeticide

After attending the state office-bearers’ meeting on Tuesday, which also endorsed AIDWA’s decision to wage a war against foeticide, Ms. Vasuki told the The Hindu that AIDWA had sought the support from non-governmental or ganisations such as Campaign Against Sex Selective Abortion (CASSA) and Campaign Against Female Infanticide (CAFI), which had been in the forefront of the battle against the twin evils of female foeticide and infanticide for long. “We have decided to launch a series of awareness programmes in these districts. We will insist on the government to regularise the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), which is being misused to prefer and facilitate women to deliver only male babies.

The enforcement of Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act has to be strict. Enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection), (PCPNDT), Act 2002 and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, has to be strict.

We will ask the Government to treat the SRB and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and IMR below the age of five to be treated as health indicators.

All deaths and births should be registered,” said Ms.Vasuki. She demanded that all abortions be monitored. If necessary AIDWA would lead a group of activists to make a representation to the Chief Minister himself, she said.

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