Water Is My Life
In India today a lot of attention is given to the plight of girl children and the position of women in Indian society. At the heart of this problem is the practice of female foeticide, the unnaturally low ratio of girls to boys, and the 54% literacy level for women in India as a whole. In April 2008 PM Manmohan Singh launched the country's biggest ever campaign against the practice of female foeticide at the National Meeting on “Save the Girl Child”, and his commendable speech is printed below. It underlines the fundamental importance of educating girls in India, as this is the surest and most effective way to bring about the changes in mindset which must urgently take place. April 28, 2008
“I would like to compliment the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for taking this very important initiative to focus public attention on a very major societal and developmental issue of our times - the neglect of girl children in our country.
India has a mixed record in action designed for the advancement of our women. On the one hand we are one of the few countries of the world that gave women political power through universal adult suffrage soon after Independence. We also reposed faith in the potential of women in our public life. Today our local bodies have over a million women representatives. This is more than the number of elected women representatives in the entire rest of the world put together.
But, this momentous action for political empowerment has not been carried over into many other spheres of our nation’s life. Our record in female literacy is far from satisfactory as the last Census recording only 54% female literacy in the country. The last Census again showed a declining child sex ratio. Multiple deprivations all with roots in the oppressive structure of patriarchy have resulted in a bias against girls and against women. This is a national shame and we must face this challenge squarely here and now.
No nation, no society, no community
“I would like to compliment the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for taking this very important initiative to focus public attention on a very major societal and developmental issue of our times - the neglect of girl children in our country.
India has a mixed record in action designed for the advancement of our women. On the one hand we are one of the few countries of the world that gave women political power through universal adult suffrage soon after Independence. We also reposed faith in the potential of women in our public life. Today our local bodies have over a million women representatives. This is more than the number of elected women representatives in the entire rest of the world put together.
But, this momentous action for political empowerment has not been carried over into many other spheres of our nation’s life. Our record in female literacy is far from satisfactory as the last Census recording only 54% female literacy in the country. The last Census again showed a declining child sex ratio. Multiple deprivations all with roots in the oppressive structure of patriarchy have resulted in a bias against girls and against women. This is a national shame and we must face this challenge squarely here and now.
No nation, no society, no community