Anganwadi, which was started by the Indian government in 1975 as a part of Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition, is once again in news for its valiant efforts in reducing the pre-birth sex determination and abortion of a girl child.
This time the news has come from a small village in Rajasthan. Between Nov, 2012 and Apr, 2013, 29 boys and 38 girls were born, not a single girl aborted. Actually, it isn't a news at all. Similar stories are not hard to find in other parts of country were Anganwadi is working for Let Girls Be Born (LGBB) project in close co-ordination with the ASHA (Accredited Social Health activists) workers. Anganwadi leaders are striving hard for discouraging sex selection. Panchayats of several villages have come forward for help too by offering free education for the girl child, issue of Samman Patra, etc. Some villages are celebrating Kanya Lohri to honor parents of a newborn girl.
Around 13 lakh Anganwadi and mini-Anganwadi Centres (AWCs/ mini-AWCs) are operational as on 31.01.2013. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has laid down certain guidelines as to what are the responsibilities of Anganwadi Workers (AWW). Some of them are:
- Showing community support
- Conduct regular quick surveys of all families
- Organize pre-school activities
- Provide health and nutritional education to families especially pregnant women
- Motivating families to adopt family planning
The change is evident. Traditionally families here sound a thali or brass plate to welcome the birth of baby boys. Today, the happy resonance of the thali is heard in hospitals, roadsides, and homes when girls are born.
References:
Wiki
The Hindu
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