Dr. Kavita Suri
Aamir Khan’s new blockbuster ‘Dangal’ might be setting new records in Bollywood but the real life story of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phokat and his four daughters who broke so many societal taboos, has inspired the District administration of Kathua district in Jammu province so much that it is being shown as part of a special drive to the girl students of higher secondary schools in that region. Rightly so because not only Kathua has one of the lowest sex ratios in Jammu and Kashmir, but its neighbouring Samba district too is one of the worst performing districts in the country as far as child sex ratio is concerned. Samba infact stands 2nd among first 20 districts having lowest child sex ratio in the country and thus is among those districts of the country whose progress is being personally monitored by the Prime Minister of India.
One of the newly created districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Samba district has emerged as a major district of concern among all the 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir due to its declining sex ratio both for the J&K Government and also the Ministry for Women and Child Development. Samba has shown a steep decline in sex ratio in the past one decade. It has the lowest girl-child ratio in the state at an alarming 787. Infact, entire J&K witnessed a sharp decline in the child sex ratio in Census 2011 as the child sex ratio declined to 859 in 2011 from 941 in 2001. J&K was once hailed by UNICEF in its 1994-96 study as a place where no female foeticide took place but now it has suddenly become averse to the fairer sex.
Jammu and Kashmir’s sex ratio of 859 in comparison to national child sex ratio of 914 as per Census 2011 makes it third worst state after Haryana (830) and Punjab (846). The Census 2011 figures show that the child sex ratio has improved in the two neighbouring states unlike Jammu and Kashmir where it has dipped. This is a direct pointer toward the inadequacies of existing laws in J&K besides a complete social and official denial to the enormously alarming situation. Decline in the female sex ratio is worse in the urban areas of the Jammu and Kashmir than the rural counterparts. This is also a clear indication of the fact that the practice of sex determination is more common in the civilized areas of the state. Peoples generally link the low sex ratio with the illiteracy. But even educated people in urban areas form the majority of people who indulge in sex determination tests.
The decline in sex ratio in Samba, a newly created district carved out of the boundaries of the district Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur, is indeed a matter of concern. With the majority of the people of Samba are Rajputs mainly Sambyals. Muslims make up just under 6% of total population according to 2001 India census. There is also a considerable population of scheduled castes in the district.
There have been many reasons for the decline in sex ratio in Samba district which include patriarchal structure of society, preference of son, inferior status of girl child and sex selective abortions which has actually led to many societal problems like rape, sexual harassment, abduction, bride selling and forced marriages.
As Samba has a significant population of Rajputs and the district is touching neighbouring Kathua, both the districts have the history of female infanticide. Traditionally, people had been using methods like putting paddy into the mouth or choking the nose of the infant or live burial in a pit in an earthen pot in both the districts. Though the practice has been discontinued with the introduction of new techniques like ultrasound and sex detection methods, easily accessible and affordable procedures for sex-determinations during pregnancy etc. the society still is biased towards girl child. The girl child is not preferred in the family and there is an obsession to have a son; discrimination against girl child is quite visible and socio-economic and physical insecurity of women and stigma is also adding to the increase in decline sex ratio in Samba.
Though the GoI has started projects in Samba and other districts to arrest the problem of declining sex ratio, there has to be strict enforcement of PNDT Act. The district has also been chosen under a pilot project entitled, ‘Thematic Convergence Project on Declining Child Sex Ratio” being implemented in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India. Though the Government has also started Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign in Samba to contain declining sex ratio in the district and people are being apprised about survival, protection and education of girl child through presentations, lectures, plays and songs, mass communication campaign, celebration of birth of girl child, strict implementation of PC/PNDT Act and monthly monitoring of sex ratio, the community in Samba has to be involved in a big way. Prominent people including the religious leaders have to be roped in to check the problem. Mothers have a very important role to play in the education and awareness of their children and family members towards female child. Women need to take interest in decision making process in property, landownership, equal rights, laws etc and organization of awareness programmes among different stakeholders and community at large to minimize its negative impact on the society.
Though the Samba district is progressing in education, yet more attention needs to be given to girls’ education, especially in some pockets in the district where some more efforts are required for the education of girls. Some Zones of the district such as Purmandal and Vijaypur, where ST population especially Gujjars and Bakerwals reside, girls’ education needs some more attention. Some areas of newly created district Samba are educationally advanced but it has educationally backward areas in the district. Education can play a big role in changing the mindset of the people towards girl child.
There is a need to change the mindset of doctors and clients, create a socio-cultural milieu that is conducive for girl child’s survival and monitor the activities of commercial minded techno-docs thriving on sexist prejudices. Then only we will be able to halt the process of declining sex ratio resulting into deficit of girls/women. The need of the hour is to start a rigorous campaign against female foeticide so that people desist from such harmful activities.
(The author is Director and Head, Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu and Member, J&K State Commission for Women)
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