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National

Launch movement against female foeticide: Sonia

Special Correspondent

“Every citizen must ensure that laws to protect children are used properly”

40 children awarded for exceptional achievements
Postal stamp to commemorate Girl Child Day

NEW DELHI: United Progressive Alliance chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday called for launching a national movement against female foeticide and atrocities committed on children. “Unfortunately, we are still plagued by social problems of child labour, child marriage and female foeticide, despite being in the 21st century. We need to create awareness to fight these social evils and protect the rights of our children,” she said at a “National Child Awards for Exceptional Achievement” event.

“It is shameful that children are being tortured in India. It is a sad situation that despite having laws to prevent child rights, we still see children being tortured and being deprived of their basic rights of good food and education. It is the responsibility of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) as well as of every citizen to ensure that laws to protect children are used properly,” she added.

Referring to India as the “youngest nation,” Ms. Gandhi said that with over 40 crore children, India had the largest pool of talent in the world. Stating that the Congress-led UPA government had been carrying out various programmes for the welfare of women and children, Ms. Gandhi said: “We want to empower women. We have expanded the integrated child development service [ICDS] scheme and increased honorarium for Anganwadi workers. We are also supporting women’s self-help groups in a big way. We will further strengthen such welfare initiatives.”

Ms. Gandhi awarded 40 children for their exceptional achievements in the fields of academics, arts, culture and sports. She presented the ‘National Award for Child Welfare’ to 10 organisations and three individuals for their valuable services for the welfare of children. Three well-known personalities — Azariah Korabandi (Andhra Pradesh), Meena K. Jain (Karnataka) and Maheshbhai S. Kothari (Gujarat — were given the Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for their outstanding contribution towards service to children.

Ms. Gandhi released a postal stamp to commemorate the ‘National Girl Child Day’ observed on January 24. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury and Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja were present on the occasion.

Ms. Chowdhury appealed to citizens to ensure that female foetuses were not killed. “Even now we practice female foeticide. If we keep on killing girls then how can we have colour in our society,” she added.

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