Skewed Ratio

India is happening now. The Sensex is soaring..reaching new heights. India is the hot destination be it investments, tourism or Business Outsourcing. Our music, movies, art and culture are being embraced worldwide.Our economy is doing well. People have much more disposable income in their hands. Indians are spending a lot of money.

So is India really shining? I do not think so...Unless the women are treated on par with men in the society, the society has a lot of catching up to do before we can say India shines.India has a dismal sex ratio. The more appalling fact here is that the sex ratio has gone down from 972 to 1000 in 1901 to 941 in 1961 to 933 in 2001. It is sad that this downward trend is taking place in light of all the development and progress in the country.

Recently a movie depicted society with scarcity of women. Some might write off the movie saying it is too unbelievable. But that could be a possibility if we do not stop girl infanticide and foeticideMind you, this does not happen only in the rural areas. It is as rampant among the 'Educated' urbanites.The government has come up with a lot of initiatives in terms of women and girl child development programmes. Many corporate groups have also initiated programmes to elevate the status of the girl child and for empowerment of rural women. But unless there is an awakening among the general public, these programmes will not have the desired effect.
Is education the answer? I am not very sure. Female foeticde is rampant in the metros all over the country. Obviously these people have some level of education. How much can you educate people?? People have to realize from within that she is not a 'curse'. They have to realize that it is a crime to indulge in such cruel activities. There has to be an integrated social awakening to the fact that injustice is meted out to the girl child and that it has to be stopped.
We should change our mindset towards women.

Next time, let us not frown at the birth of a girl in our family (near or far).
Let all the parents give the girl children the same love and affection and take care of her needs just as they would take care of the son.
Let us encourage her to get an education and seek financial independence.
Let us not treat the girl as a burden that has to be passed on in marriage for dowry and marriage expenses.
When a girl is getting married into our family, let us not expect nor accept gifts in cash and kind. These things are definitely not rocket science and can be carried out by all.
But I guess human greed and evil in the garb of tradition ingrained in the society for a long time thwarts the awakening.