Introduction

Initiatives..

Stories

Report

• To disseminate information regarding status of child sex ratio in Uttranchal particularly in district Rudraprayag, Pauri and Uttarkashi.
• To sensitized participants about women health problems after abortion.
• To explain PPNDT and MTP act.
• To know the community's perception responsible for FF.
• Difference between Foeticide and Infanticide.

• The preference for boy in patriarchal society is so strong that many women choose to abort rather than give birth to a girl.
• Modern technology has helped a kill unwanted baby girls while still in the womb.
• There is also religious faith that parents want a son. Because only male children can perform the last rights for their parents.
• Women are forced to abort their female fetus owing to family pressure and the practice of dowry is responsible for this.
• Physical insecurity of women.
• Lack of education and awareness.

• There is need of scientific research to investigate factors responsible for female Foeticide in Uttaranchal.
• A transformation of our gender society is necessary for the elimination of female feticide.
• Volunteers have to be actively mobilized to monitor the registration and the functioning of the sex-determination clinics in the district.
• Effective alliances with ethical doctors have to be made from the local levels.
• Lobbying with political parties to put this issue on their agenda is imperative. In this regard the chief guest of the workshop has said that if required I will put forward peoples recommendation related to act to the government.
• Some participants have said that law or act can not change the attitude of the society. There is urgent need to initiate a vibrant, effective awareness campaign at various levels. District women and child development officer shared that we have vast network of Aganbadis, certainly issues related to female feticide shall be discuss in the monthly meetings.
• This issue should also be discussed in the monthly meetings of Anganwari.
• This issue should be discussed in BDC, Gram Panchayat
• More aware and responsible member should be included in PPNDT committee. Their regular meetings should be organized.
• A lesson on gender equity should be included in school curriculum.
• Organizations and individuals with different priorities and ideological beliefs have to rally together to battle the powerful patriarchal forces operating within the institutions of the family, government and civil society.

• The criminilezation of medical practice
• The play also gave information about the PPNDT act
• Social aspect were also shown and how society is responsible for the state of the sex ratio not just the legal aspects of female Foeticide

• Rapport building, discussion and negotiation was done with district administration, CMOs, Chief secretary, Health secretary, DG Health, Sate advisory committee members and state women commission of Uttaranchal. Liaison and Networking with the Health Department
• Female foeticide kits were shared with district NGOs, journalists, electronic media and other NGOs working in the selected areas. Permission was also obtained from Garhwal Jal Sansthan for wall painting in their water tanks in Uttranchal. Mr. R.N. Jhingan the founder president of KJDS was invited to Canada for advocating the issue of female foeticide.
• After viewing he video of "Aatmaja" some other NGOs like Mahila Samakhya, APIL and Garhwal Vikas Kendra, Nainbag (NGO working in Yamuna Valley) approached SBMA to support on the issue.
• Information and material was sent to all the 13 children secretariat of the Mountain Children Forum. The State Women Commission in response to letter sent by SBMA also agreed to support this mission and instructed the commission members to publicize the same in their respected districts.
  

Liasoning with other NGOs:

In the month of November 2004, a state level partner NGOs experience sharing meeting was held in Anjanisain. The main objective of this meeting was to make the partners meet each other, share what they had accomplished, their successes and failures and also to get a deeper understanding of what the program was all about and where it was headed.

Analysing KOPAL's initiatives

• The organization has been able to bring diverse players in Society like the members of the PNDT, Important members of society, Education and Lawyers on one platform to discuss the issue.
• The organization have been accepted as a member on the PNDT committee and the organization has been able to ensure the PNDT sit for its meetings in accordance with the stipulations laid down.
• The organization has been able to take this very important issue right down top the people.
• The organization feels that it's greatest achievement is being able to capture the attention of the community on the issue of female foeticide using various approaches through this program.
• The district health office and Panchayat Raj members have been sensitized towards this issue.
• Close watch is being kept on the Ultrasound centers that exist in the district and reports are being sent to the Chief Medical Officer.
• In some cases the organizations have appealed that registration for Ultrasound centers should only be given to reputed members of the medical profession.
• The media has been sensitized on the issue and carries out regular reports to keep the issue alive in the minds of the people.
• In Tehri, 2 ultrasound centers have been sealed and 1 in Uttarkashi in Rudraprayag, The mobile ultrasound is not making its rounds anymore.
  

District level Capacity Building workshop

Each partner NGO conducted CBO meeting and couple meetings in their working area. Pamphlets related to the subject were also distributed to each couple. In these three months Uttaranchal Vikas Jyoti, Haridwar, Kanya Jeevan Dayani Samiti, Dehradun and Gramin Khetra Vikas Samiti (RADS), Ranichauri, Tehri Garhwal organized District Level Capacity Building Workshop in their respective District HQs.

Objectives of the workshop:

• The sensitize the target group i.e. PRI member, Community leaders, Media persons and SHG members about the sex selection and pre birth elimination of females.
• To generate awareness about PPNDT Act and its proper implications.
• Information sharing regarding MTP Act. and PPNDT Act 1996
• To generate awareness about disastrous demographic and social consequences of pre birth elimination of females.
• To know the community's perception responsible for female foeticide.

During discussion following reasons were identified as being responsible for increasing divide female foeticide, female infanticide, high infant morality rate, the need of a male heir differentiation between girls and boys and the dowry system that has made inroads into the mountain communities and social systems.

CBO meeting and Couple Meetings

CBO and couple meetings were held by all partners some of which have been highlighted below:

• A CBO and couple meeting were held at the District level by our partner in Tehri. It took place in New Tehri on the 15th of February 2005. The CMO inaugurated the meeting. There were at least 50 couples and 100 other interested people who participated. Apart from the couples, the Zila Adhyaksh, politicians, workers from THDC (Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) and Jouranlists were present as well. This couple meet was covered by Sahara Samay, ETV on the 16th and local cable network on the 15th itself. The book Aadha Sansar was released in the district Tehri on the 15th as well.
• During the meeting the couples came forward and discussed the issue at great length. One group took a pledge swearing that they would not let anyone in their group be a party to diagnosing the gender of the feotus or participating in female Foeticide.
• CBO meeting took place in Pauri as well on the 2nd of February and 16th of February in the Swaranjayantoi Hall in Srinagar 38 couples and 30 people from different CBOs.
• CBO meeting took place in Haridwar in the panchayat resource center on the 23rd of February.
• 90 students of MKP College Dehradun collected data from 1500 couples. Data was collected from well to do couples, couples who lived in villages, Employed couples, couples with only girl children. This data collected was shared at the couple meet. Our partner then asked all present to take an oath that they would never be a party to diagnosing the gender of the fetus or participating in female foeticide.
• There were 76 women of the Mahila Mangal Dals and Panchayati Members. The women got to hear the gender disbalance of the district. Our partners explained the importance of the data of the 0-6 data that was alarming. Some comments from the gathered women were:
• In the CBO and couples meeting at Bhadrabad with 14 men and 19 girls and 19 couples the entire concept of the program was explained. There was a discussion on how doctors mal-practices on female foeticide could be stopped.

• What is UBR
  • The need for UBR
    • Who needs to be registered
      • How can births and deaths be registered.
        • How does getting registration done impact on the community and its development.