Date:25/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/25/stories/2008092553250500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Onus is on women to put a stop to female foeticide’

Staff Reporter

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Women power: Students holding aloft a symbol signifying the campaign against female foeticide in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: A campaign against sex determination was launched here in 110 colleges on Wednesday by volunteers from the Akhila Bharata Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane, National Service Scheme (NSS) of Bangalore University and students from Maharani Arts and Science College, to mark the “International Day of the Girl Child”.

Inaugurating the campaign at the Maharani Science College, Chairman of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority V. Gopala Gowda, stressed the need for empowerment of women in society. Urging the students to work to uplift the girl child, Mr. Gowda said women alone could ensure that their rights are protected. “Female foeticide is a heinous crime and there is an urgent need to stop this,” he said.

Karnataka High Court Judge Manjula Chellur expressed displeasure that although foetal sex determination and sex selection is a criminal offence in India, the practice is still rampant. “Female foeticide is the most extreme form of violence against women and women alone can stop this,” she said.

In a similar function held at Maharani’s Arts College, former MLC and Kannada cine actor Umashree, said it was appropriate to launch the campaign from the Maharani’s Arts College, as it is a girl’s college. “Don’t kill your daughter when you grow up to be mothers. You [girls] should protest against discrimination of the girl child in any form and ensure that your rights are protected,” she said. K.S. Vimala, Vice-President of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane, said aversion to daughters had become a trend these days. “There is a need to take up immediate measures to check the alarming rise in female foeticide,” she said.

“Today, a girl is several times more likely to be eliminated before birth than die of various causes in the first year.

Foeticide is also one of the most common causes of maternal mortality and daughters are considered an economic liability,” she added.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Gopal B. Hosur and Kananda cine actor Karibasaiah were among those present.

Led by the sangathane, the students later took out a jatha from Maharani’s Arts College to Government Arts College on Nrupthunga Road.