More and more childless couples are seen coming forward to adopt but she continues to be abandoned.The society in the past decade has undergone a distinctive change in the issue of acceptance of the girl child. More and more childless couples are seen coming forward to adopt girl child. However, this doesn't mean that their abandonment rate has decreased.
Thanks to the efforts made by the state government, NGOs and social workers to improve the skewed sex ratio in many districts of the state, ratio has improved. However, awareness seems to be working only in matters of adoption and not for the infant girl who is still abandoned mercilessly.
When DNA checked some of the orphanages of the state, ratio of the girl child abandonment is persistent and higher than that of the boys. According to the data available from the Adoption Co-ordinating Agency (ACA), Gujarat, the nodal agency handling issue of adoption in state, 1,493 girls were abandoned at various orphanage homes in the state. The ratio is 55% and high, more than 10% when compared to the 1,183 boys registered during the same period.
According to the ACA figures, in adoption boys top the figure list between 2001 and 2005, but after 2006, couples have started adopting more orphaned girls. In last five years from 2006, couples adopted 363 girl children as against 288 boys.
"Looking at the data, abandonment is persistent but at the same time girls are being adopted more as against boys, surely hinting at a change of attitude in society, and definitely a positive sign. This hints at the fact that our awareness programmes and campaigns are effective," said Poonam Gandhi-Moiranthem, assistant professor, department of sociology of MS University of Vadodara.
However, Prof Gandhi said, "We have to figure out people belonging to which class of the society are involved in abandonment of the girl child and adoption. As far as I think, the educated and upper class people have no problem with the adoption of girls. Whereas effective awareness programmes have to be carved out for the marginalised class of the society."
Another social thinker Gaurang Jani, said, "The figure shows there is a lack of awareness in the society regarding girl child. Society's mindset has not changed despite intense campaigning on the same."
Another social thinker Gaurang Jani, said, "The figure shows there is a lack of awareness in the society regarding girl child. Society's mindset has not changed despite intense campaigning on the same."
Speaking on the trend of adoption of girl child, Natu Patel, ACA secretary said, "The attitude of people has changed. Couples now believe that girls are doing well in every sector of the society and at the same time are able to help their parents more than boys during their sunset years." Patel added that couples have no problem now and in fact they are more than happy to raise a girl child.
However, authorities of orphanages are more concerned about the ratio of abandonment, which is higher than that of boys. Vijay Pandit, superintendent of the Mahipatram Roopram Ashram, said, that occupancy of baby girl is higher in the ashram. Another orphanage home in Rajkot, Kathiawadi, Nirashrit Balashram has more number of girls than boys.
“It is because many a times, illiterate parents abandon girls at public places, and police ask us to take her to our orphanage. However, now couples come forward willingly to adopt girl child," said Jyotsana Jugadiya, superintendent of Balashram.
Source : http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report-the-state-of-the-girl-child-in-gujarat-1660228
No comments:
Post a Comment