Save Girl Child

Save girls, save the girl child
is a campaign in
India to end the gender-selective abortion of
female foetuses, which has skewed the
population towards a significant under-
representation of girls in some Indian states.
The "Beti Bachao" campaign is supported by
human rights groups, non-governmental
organizations, and state and local government
in India.

Female foeticide

Further information: Female foeticide in India
Sex-selective abortion or female foeticide has
led to a sharp drop in the ratio of girls born in
contrast to boy infants in some states in India.
Ultrasound technology has made it possible for
pregnant women and their families to learn the
gender of a foetus early in a pregnancy.
Discrimination against girl infants, for several
reasons, has combined with the technology to
result in a rise in abortions of foetuses
identified as female during ultrasound testing.
The trend was first noticed when results of the
1991 national census were released, and it
was confirmed to be a worsening problem
when results of the 2001 national census were
released. The reduction in the female
population of certain Indian states continues
to worsen, as results of the 2011 national
census have shown. It has been observed that
the trend is most pronounced in relatively
prosperous regions of India. [1] The dowry
system in India is often blamed; the
expectation that a large dowry must be
provided for daughters in order for them to
marry is frequently cited as a major cause for
the problem. [2] Pressure for parents to provide
large dowries for their daughters is most
intense in prosperous states where high
standards of living, and modern consumerism,
are more prevalent in Indian society.
Rates of female foeticide in Madhya Pradesh
are increasing; the rate of live births was 932
girls per 1000 boys in 2001, which dropped to
912 by 2011. It is expected that if this trend
continues, by 2021 the number of girls will
drop below 900 per 1000 boys. [3]
Beti Bachao awareness
campaign
Beti Bachao activities include large rallies, po
campaigns, wall paintings, billboards, and
television commercials and short animations
and video films. Celebrities such as video
director Jagmeet Bal , and Bollywood actress
Priyanka Chopra, have become involved in
"Save the girl child".

National support

The Beti Bachao campaign is supported by
numerous medical organizations in India,
including the Indian Medical Association.
Government support at the state level has
provided funding for Beti Bachao publicity
activities in particular. The expenditures
related to the campaign have been a source of
political controversy in Madhya Pradesh, which
launched its official Beti Bachao Abhiyan
campaign in 2012.

Effectiveness

The campaign has reported some success in
parts of India. In 2009, it was reported that in
Gujarat , rates of female births increased from
802 to 882 for every 1000 male births. Beti
Bachao activities were credited with this
improvement.