The Hindu : New Delhi News : Highlighting the problem of female foeticide

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Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
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Highlighting the problem of female foeticide

Staff Reporter

Government urged to check medical establishments illegally involved in sex determination

— PHOTO: Sandeep Saxena

ON A MISSION: Mountaineer Santosh Yadav (second from left) along with her daughter and several others taking part in a march to India Gate organised by the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Delhi on Tuesday to focus on the immediate need to protect the girl child.

NEW DELHI: Doctors, nurses and members of various social organisations took out a march at India Gate here on Tuesday to create public awareness about the increase in the number of cases involving female foeticide in the country.

The march was organised by the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Delhi to focus on the girl child and the immediate need to protect her.

‘Girl Child Day’

Expressing solidarity with the women of India, the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) has also declared July 1 as “FOGSI Girl Child Day”.

Waving placards, the marchers demanded that the Government check medical establishments that are illegally involved in sex determination and abortion of female foetuses.

“India’s sex ratio with an average of 933 females recorded for every 1,000 males in the 2001 census is worryingly skewed. We want to highlight the fact that female foeticide is a real problem in the country and that work needs to be done to stop the trend,” said president of Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Delhi Indrani Ganguli.

Pledge taken

During the march, which saw participation from both public and private sectors, a pledge was taken to re-initiate concrete action to eradicate bias, ill-feeling and neglect towards the girl child from all corners of the country.

“The gender ratio in India is not in favour of the women. Over the years we have seen that we are being blamed for this thing. We are here to express our solidarity towards the cause.

‘A social necessity’

“Saving the girl child is a social necessity and the worrying sex ratio is not a fault of the medical fraternity. People have to be made aware of the fact that saving the girl child is the need of the hour,” said FOGSI president Narendra Malhotra.

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