Introduction
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme, a significant initiative by the Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development, is set to be expanded to all districts. This action comes in response to new guidelines that have outlined the measures needed to drive improvements.
BBBP: A Pan-India Reach
The recent guidelines aim to make comprehensive progress in various areas. The ministry has set a goal to enhance the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 2 points each year and achieve 95% or more institutional deliveries. Besides, there are plans to increase girls’ involvement in sports under the ‘Khelo India’ program, with a focus on finding talent and providing the appropriate connections.
Promoting Health and Hygiene
Among the other important steps included in the guidelines, the promotion of self-defence camps, construction of girls’ toilets, and provision of sanitary napkin vending machines and sanitary pads, particularly in educational institutions, stands out, showing the approach’s holistic nature. There is also an emphasis on spreading awareness about the PC-PNDT (Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act 1994, which intends to ban the use of sex selection techniques before or after conception.
Reducing Advertising Expenditure
There is a move towards zero-budget advertising and encouragement of spending on activities that have tangible on-ground impact. The parliamentary committee has revealed that almost 80 % of the BBBP scheme funds in 2021 was spent on advertising rather than on sectoral interventions like women’s health and education.
Strengthening One-Stop Centres (OSCs)
To help women facing violence, including domestic violence and trafficking, the ministry plans to strengthen One-Stop Centres (OSCs) by adding 300 OSCs in high-crime districts or geographically large areas, preferably in aspirational districts.
BBBP: A Look at the Objectives and Performance
Launched in January 2015, BBBP aims to address sex-selective abortion and the declining child sex ratio, which was noted as 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. The initiative is a joint effort of the ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Human Resource Development.
The primary objectives of BBBP include preventing gender-biased sex-selective elimination, ensuring survival & protection of the girl child, ensuring education and participation of the girl child, and protecting their rights. Since its launch, various markers of progress have been observed, including an improvement in the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by 16 points from 918 (2014-15) to 934 (2019-20), according to the Health Management Information System (HMIS) data.
Progress in Health and Education
In terms of health, there has been an increase in the percentage of 1st Trimester ANC (AnteNatal Care) Registration from 61% in 2014-15 to 71% in 2019-20. Similarly, the proportion of institutional deliveries rose from 87% in 2014-15 to 94% in 2019-20.
Educational metrics also show progress, with the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary level schools improving from 77.45 (2014-15) to 81.32 (2018-19).
Changing Attitudes
The BBBP scheme has successfully redirected the focus towards urgent issues like female infanticide, lack of education among girls, and deprivation of their rights on a life cycle continuum. The celebration of BetiJanmotsav in each district is a significant part of this initiative that highlights the changing attitudes.
Related Initiatives
Other related initiatives include the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, CBSE Udaan Scheme, National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education, National Girl Child Day, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, and Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, all of which contribute to the overall effort to safeguard and empower girls.
