State accorded high priority in ensuring gender equity: CM

BHUBANESWAR: “The State has accorded high priority in ensuring gender equity in education, political participation as well as in economic and employment opportunities,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while inaugurating the colloquium for district collectors on strengthening implementation of Pre Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 organised by the Odisha State Legal Services Authority (OSLSA) in association with State Health and Family Welfare Department and UNFPA here on Wednesday.

Patnaik said the patriarchal social framework and a value system based on preference for a son have resulted in discrimination and neglect of the girl child. Further, proliferation and abuse of advanced technologies coupled with social factors such as dowry, concerns with family name and looking upto the son as a bread winner has led to an alarming rise in the practice of female foeticide, he added.

“The practice of sex selection is artificially altering the demographic landscape in our country. The imbalance in the child sex ratio has implications not only for gender justice and gender inequality, but will also result in social violence, thereby impacting human development,” said Patnaik.

The Chief Minister said the status of women in society is a major cause of concern that influences biases against women. To increase the status of women and to make them self-reliant, literate and empower, the State Government has taken initiatives like 50 percent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies, 33 percent reservation in Government jobs and special incentives to girls for taking up education, he informed the house, adding, the Mission Shakti programme has been a major success in rural Odisha in the socio-economic empowerment of women.

Patnaik appreciating the rise in female literacy rate said the number of out-of-school girls which was 2.61 lakh in 2006-07, has reduced to 35 thousand in 2010-11. For the past nine years, on an average, more than one thousand schools were added per year at both primary and upper primary levels, he added.

“We have a strong PCPNDT Act and I expect the District Magistrates to accord high priority for implementing this Act with a strict vigil on the misuse of technology,” Patnaik said, adding, “The medical colleges and professional bodies have a vital role in sensitising medical students who are the doctors of tomorrow.”

Patnaik said that a convergent action plan needs to be in place wherein the departments of Health, Women and Child Development, Panchayati Raj and others engage PRIs, Self Help Groups, ASHAs, Anganwadi Workers and youth to jointly work in the pursuit of promoting the value of the girl child. The long-term solution to this problem lies in creating the right environment where sons and daughters are equally valued, he ended.

Gracing the occasion, Odisha High Court Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda said the sex determination trend is prevalent in the urban areas. He advised the district collectors that they should try to achieve and bring change in the attitude of the people towards the issue and that would be achieved by continues practice.

Attending the function, Health and Family Welfare Department Minister Damodar Rout expressed concern about the declining of child sex ratio in the State. “We have committed to eliminate illegal child sex determination from our State,” Rout said.

It may be noted that the State has witnessed a marked decline in child sex ratio from 953 in 2001 to 934 in 2011. The child sex ratio is in alarming state in Nayagarh district having only 851 per 1000 boys in 2011. The Annual Health Survey 2010-11 reports a further alarming picture with more than one third of the districts of the State having sex ratio at birth of less than 900.

The State so far has only 27 cases registered under the PCPNDT Act and three doctors convicted for violators. But in the last one year monitoring has been strengthened and 21 ultrasound units sealed and 10 cases filed in the court of law in the State.

Among others, Judge of Odisha High Court and Executive Chairman of OSLSA Justice BP Das, UNFPA India Representative Frederika Maijer, Health Secretary Pradeep Mahapatra and district collectors were present.