Locals, children agitate against female foeticide in northern India

Locals, children agitate against female foeticide in northern India

VARANASI MAY 12, 2012 ANI 

                                  By Girish Kumar Dubey 

Scores of locals and children held a peaceful agitation in the Varanasi city of India's northern Uttar Pradesh state on Saturday (May 12) to spread awareness on the burning issue of female foeticide.

The campaign was held a day ahead of Mothers Day, an occasion that is marked with fervour and gusto across the world.

Indian activists say decades of aborting female babies in a deeply patriarchal culture has led to a decline in the population of women in many parts of India, which in turn has resulted in rising incidents of rape and human trafficking.

Incidentally, and ironically, this blatant and irrational discrimination against girls is not merely confined to rural families, but is also a common occurrence in upmarket, high profile, rich and educated households in urban cities, including New Delhi.

Raising the issue through the highly charged protest, protesting locals and children urged masses to change their mentalities and attitudes that perceive girl child as a 'burden.'

"Tomorrow is Mothers Day, and the whole world is ready to celebrate the occasion with fervour. However, the question is that if there are no girls due to foeticides, how will we celebrate Mothers Day in the future? Tomorrow we would be commemorating Mothers Day, but we have taken out this campaign today to create awareness on the urgent need to protect the girl child," said Ram Prasad, one of the protestors.

Despite laws making pre-natal gender tests illegal, India's 2011 census indicated that efforts to curb female foeticide have been futile.

Sons, in traditionally male-dominated regions, are viewed as assets - breadwinners who will take care of the family, continue the family name, and perform the last rites of the parents, an important ritual in many faiths.

On the other hand, daughters are seen as a liability, for whom families have to pay substantial wedding dowries.

Women's rights activists say breaking down these deep-rooted, age-old beliefs is a major challenge to protect the girl child.

Intro

Highlighting the need to protect the girl child, scores of locals and children hold a peaceful agitation to spread awareness on the burning issue of female foeticide in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Shotlist

VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (MAY 12, 2012) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. CHILDREN STANDING WITH PROTEST PLACARDS

2. CHILDREN CHANTING SLOGANS AGAINST FEMALE FOETICIDE

3. A GIRL HOLDING UP A PLACARD

4. CHIDLREN SHOUTING SLOGANS

5. CHILDREN PROTESTING

6. A PROTEST PLACARD

7. CHILDREN PROTESTING

8. LOCALS HOLDING A PROTEST MARCH WITH CHILDREN

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) ONE OF THE PROTESTORS, RAM PRASAD, SAYING:

"Tomorrow is Mothers Day, and the whole world is ready to celebrate the occasion with fervour. However, the question is that if there are no girls due to foeticides, how will we celebrate Mothers Day in the future? Tomorrow we would be commemorating Mothers Day, but we have taken out this campaign today to create awareness on the urgent need to protect the girl child."

10. CHILDREN PROTESTING

11. PROTESTING LOCALS HOLDING PLACARDS

12. A CHILD SHOUTING SLOGANS

13. LOCALS PROTESTING