SPEECH / DECLAMATION:

 DECLINING SEX RATIO IN INDIA

What wrong did i do- To meet my death?

Even before I could take my first breath.

To be murdered by my own beloved mother,

Except for me being a girl child and not the other.

This is the whimper- A silent cry that we can hear from every that womb which is a carrier of a burden- A Female Child.

Yes, Friends, Atrocities against women in various forms have been an integral part of the civilization since ages. However, India has unabashedly been home to some of the most barbaric acts against the "gentler" breed of humanity, starting from dowry deaths and sati, going up to female infanticide and foeticide.

In the late eighteenth century, A significantly abnormal sex ratio of 940 females against 1000 males prompted the British to pass the infanticide act in 1870, Making it illegal. How disheartening it is that the census of 2011 showed this ratio as 914 to 1000. And it is so skewed in some states that men can't even find brides. I would like to ask a very simple question to all my dear friends present here. If all the girls are eliminated from the society, Would you marry your brother? Definitely Not!

What are the reasons behind such disaffection for daughters? Well, The reasons are all socio-economic: The belief that son extends the family lineage, enlarges the family tree, provides protection, safety and security to the family and according to many, A man cannot attain moksha unless he has a son to light his funeral pyre. In India where women are worshiped as goddesses, they face the most brutal form of killing.They are murdered even before they have the opportunity to be born. The justification given is- why spend 5 lakhs later when one can get rid of the problem before it arises just in five hundred. How heartless and shameful it is that mothers are encouraged to abort their female fetuses in order to save the future cost of dowry? Thanks to technological advancements. Today sex determination clinics have reached the remotest of villages unchecked, adding fuel to the already existing fire of female foeticide and thus, aggravating the menace. 

 In societies with high preference for sons, the adoption of a small family norm often leads to couples stopping child bearing as soon as they beget one or two male children.

However, The implications are very tragic to contemplate. The insensitivity of this issue has reached its zenith and the parents do not hesitate to throw away their newly born daughters in jungles, dustbins, riversides, railway tracks implying that there may be many more cases which do not come into notice even.

In the low sex ratio areas, Inhuman practices are common like polyandry, gang rape, dowry murders etc. Moreover, Repeated abortions cause adverse effects on the health of women. They also face the mental trauma as they are blamed for their inability to produce sons.

A series of govt. circulars banned sex determination tests by acts and laws such as MTP 1971, PNDT act 1994 etc etc. But they are merely pieces of paper until they're strictly enforced. The objects of the law gets defeated due to gap in the law and lack of proper implementation. This apathetic attitude of administration couple with the inefficient legislative implementation further adds to the woes of the girl child in India, facing discrimination in their very right to live. Save our daughters from their journey from womb to tomb, or we shall land into a "no girl zone".

My friends, What is required is an attitudinal change. One must understand that inspiring acceptance, reconciliation and respect for the girl child in India is not just the responsibility of the political class but each one of us is a partner in this cause and it is our collective responsibility to raise awareness towards this silent emergency.

I would like to leave you with a story. A little girl was holding two apples. Her father came in and asked his little daughter with a smile:" My sweetie, could you give your Dad one of your two apples?". The girl looked up at her Dad for some seconds, then suddenly she took a quick bite on one apple and then quickly on the other. He tried hard not to reveal his disappointment. Then the little girl handed one of her bitten apples to her Dad, and said," Dad, here you are.This is the sweeter one."such is the love of daughter just give her a chance to prove her worth.

                                                              -Prateek Goyal