She could have been Prime Minister. A Nobel Prize-winning author. A doctor. A lawyer.
But she was murdered. Simply because she was going to be born as a girl.
In the last 20 years, it is estimated that over 10 million girls in India have been lost to female foeticide/selective abortion or infanticide. According to the 2001 census, there were only 865 females for every 1,000 males in Delhi. This shocking statistic is part of a greater trend which shows the sex ratio continuing to decline across India. Female foeticide, selective abortion, and infanticide can all be considered a form of violence against women and they are some of the most serious issues facing the women of India today.
While there are laws in place-- such as the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act of 1994 (PC & PNDT), the declining sex ratio is an indication that the law is not being enforced effectively and that many women are not informed of their rights surrounding this issue. In addition, this is a taboo subject which people are often afraid to discuss with their friends and family.
By signing this petition you can call on Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to bring the PC & PNDT Committee together to evaluate the serious situation of female foeticide in India, as the committee is empowered to do a full investigation into the effectiveness and enforcement of the laws, and set benchmark goals for improving sex ratio numbers across India. Ask the government to take the following actions:
1) Disclose the steps they are taking to ensure the law is being implemented.
2) Disclose how much of the budget is being dedicated to enforcing the law on female foeticide.
3) Disclose how many meetings of the PC & PNDT Committee have taken place, how many monitoring visits have taken place, and what the results of their reports have been.
4) Disclose the list of clinics that have been closed by the government as a result of violating the PC & PNDT Act.
5) Strictly enforce the law which mandates monitoring and restricting of the sale and purchase of portable ultrasound machines.
6) Reconvene the PC & PNDT Committee at least once before the end of 2010, and conduct regular meetings as mandated by the PC & PNDT Act beginning in 2011.
In addition, by adding your voice to this cause and passing it along to your friends and family, you can be a leader for change in your own community. Spread awareness in your community that female foeticide and infanticide are not acceptable and not legal. Female foeticide occurs everywhere-- among rich and poor, educated and uneducated. Tell your community that you will not stand for the death of a girl-child. YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE.
She could have been Prime Minister. A Nobel Prize-winning author. A doctor. A lawyer.
She still can be. You can save her. Sign the petition today.
