Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” is a flagship initiative launched by the Government of India aimed at addressing the issue of declining child sex ratio and promoting the education of girls. Translating to “Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter” in English, this campaign was introduced on January 22, 2015, with a three-fold objective:

1. Save the Girl Child: The primary focus of the initiative is to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the girl child and preventing gender-based discrimination and female infanticide. It seeks to address the cultural biases and social norms that contribute to the preference for male children over female ones.
2. Educate the Girl Child: Another key objective of the campaign is to promote girls’ education and encourage families to prioritize their daughters’ schooling. By providing access to quality education and creating a conducive learning environment, the initiative aims to empower girls with knowledge and skills that will enable them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
3. Empowerment of Women: In addition to safeguarding and educating girls, “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” also emphasizes the need to empower women by promoting gender equality and creating opportunities for their socio-economic advancement. Through various welfare schemes and initiatives, the government strives to enhance women’s participation in decision-making processes and ensure their overall well-being.

The campaign employs a multi-sectoral approach involving the active participation of government agencies, civil society organisations, community leaders, and other stakeholders. It utilises various strategies such as mass media campaigns, advocacy programs, awareness workshops, and financial incentives to achieve its objectives.

Over the years, “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” has made significant progress in raising awareness about gender issues, improving access to education for girls, and advocating for gender equality. While challenges remain, the initiative continues to play a crucial role in promoting the rights and welfare of girls and women across India.

In 2015, the Indian government launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address the pressing concerns of gender discrimination and women empowerment in the country. Translating to ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’ in English, this initiative was introduced to combat gender bias and enhance the effectiveness of welfare services for girls. Initially funded with Rs. 100 crore (US$ 13.5 million), the scheme aimed to raise awareness among citizens about gender equality and empower girls through education.

The need for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana became evident with the release of the national census results for 2011, which revealed alarming trends in key gender metrics – the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). The CSR denotes the number of girls per 1,000 boys aged 0-6 years. Over the years, this ratio had exhibited a steady decline, dropping from 945 in 1999 to 927 in 2001, and further declining to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. A detailed analysis revealed that the primary factor contributing to this decline was the SRB.

The dip in these ratios served as a significant indicator of gender discrimination and the disempowerment of women, highlighting both pre-birth discrimination through gender-biased, sex-selective abortion and post-birth discrimination by neglecting the health, nutrition, and educational needs of the girl child. Extensive research indicated that deep-rooted socio-cultural and religious preferences for boys were at the heart of the problem, underscoring the urgent need for intervention through initiatives like the BBBP.

The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative was thus launched with the aim of addressing these challenges and bringing about positive change in societal attitudes towards the girl child. By advocating for gender equality, promoting girls’ education, and providing support to marginalised communities, the scheme sought to empower girls and ensure their rightful place in society. Through targeted awareness campaigns, policy interventions, and community engagement, the BBBP Yojana aimed to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for girls to thrive and succeed.

“Let us celebrate the birth of the girl child. We should be equally proud of our daughters. I urge you to sow five plants when your daughter is born to celebrate the occasion.” -PM Narendra Modi to citizens of his adopted village Jayapur.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) was launched by the Prime Minister on 22nd January, 2015 at Panipat, Haryana. BBBP addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum. It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.

The key elements of the scheme include Enforcement of PC & PNDT Act, nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral action in select 100 districts (low on CSR) in the first phase. There is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitization, awareness raising and community mobilization on ground.

The NDA Government is trying to bring about a transformational shift in the way our society looks at the girl child. PM Modi in his Mann Ki Baat lauded the Sarpanch from Bibipur in Haryana who started a ‘Selfie With Daughter’ initiative. PM also urged people to share their selfies with daughters and it soon became a world-wide hit. People from across India and the world shared their selfies with daughters and this became a proud occasion for all those who have daughters.

Since the launch of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao , the multi-sectoral District Action Plans have been operationalized in almost all states. Capacity-buiding programmes and Trainings have been imparted to Trainers to further strengthen capacities of district level officials and frontline workers. Nine set of such trainings have been organized covering all States/UTs the Ministry of Women & Child Development from April-October, 2015.

Some Local Initiatives

Under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, Pithoragarh district has taken various steps towards protecting the girl child and enabling her education. The District Task Force and Block Task Force have been constituted. Meetings of these forums have organized & clear road maps have been developed and relating to Child Sex Ratio. To reach out the community at a large, awareness generation activities have been being carried out for wider dissemination of the Scheme. Various Rallies have been organized with core participation from various schools, Army schools, Employees of Government Departments, etc

In order to increase awareness about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, street plays are also being organized in Pithoragarh. These street plays are not only organized at the villages, but also in markets to generate awareness among a larger audience. Through story visualization, people are getting sensitized towards the problems of sex-selective abortion. Issues related to the girl child and the series of the difficulties she faces through her lifespan are very well portrayed through these street plays. Through a Signature Campaign, Pledge and Oath Ceremony, message of BBBP has reached out to 700 students from  PG colleges and several Army Personnel.

Mansa district in Punjab has launched an initiative to inspire its girls to be educated. Under its ‘Udaan – Sapneya Di Duniya De Rubaru (Udaan- Live your Dream For One Day)’ scheme, the Mansa administration invites proposals from girls belonging to classes VI-XII. These girls have the opportunity to spend one day with a professional they aspire to be — doctor, police official, engineer, IAS and PPS officers, among others.

The initiative has received great response, and more than 70 students have already got a chance to spend one day with a professional, to see them function in a professional environment, helping them make better decisions about their future career choice.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Yojana, launched in 2015 by the Indian government, stands as a beacon of hope in the realm of gender equality and women empowerment. This transformative initiative, translating to ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’, was introduced to combat gender bias and enhance the effectiveness of welfare services for girls across the nation. With an initial funding of Rs. 100 crore (US$ 13.5 million), the BBBP scheme aimed to raise awareness about gender equality and empower girls through education.

Objectives of BBBP Yojana:

1. Improve the child sex ratio.
2. Ensure gender equality and women empowerment.
3. Prevent gender-biased, sex-selective elimination.
4. Ensure survival and protection of the girl child.
5. Encourage education and participation of the girl child.

Governing Bodies and Roles: The BBBP Yojana operates under the joint purview of the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW), and Ministry of Human Resources Development (MoHRD). Each ministry shoulders distinct responsibilities to ensure the effective implementation of the scheme, ranging from advocacy campaigns to multi-sectoral interventions and financial incentives.

Scheme Details: The BBBP scheme is structured into three components:

1. Advocacy campaigns: Aimed at raising awareness and destigmatizing the birth of female children.
2. Multi-sectoral interventions: Implemented in gender-critical districts to incentivize improvements in the Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB).
3. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana Scheme (SSY): A financial incentive-linked scheme encouraging parents to build a fund for female children.

Key Developments and Progress:

• The National SRB Index has shown an upward trend, improving by 16 points from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20).
• 422 out of 640 districts covered under BBBP have witnessed improvement in SRB from 2014-15 to 2018-19.
• The National Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary schools increased from 77.45 (2014-15) to 81.32 (2018-19).
• Several district-level initiatives have been undertaken to build awareness and empower the girl child.

To further enhance the success of the BBBP scheme, the government plans to conduct a detailed district-level survey to evaluate progress and address implementation challenges. This survey, conducted in collaboration with Niti Aayog, aims to strengthen the execution of the scheme in low-performing states and ensure the holistic empowerment of the girl child.

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana stands as a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and women empowerment, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future for generations to come.