Manipur's Churachandpur host Beti Bachao Beti Padhao workshop Photo: Northeast Now

The trend of bearing of children until a male child is born by the parents has created a socio-economic strain in the families of Churachandpur district of Manipur where there is no medical evidence of female infanticide so far.

The chances of all the girl child getting adequate education and attention for her well-being are affected.

This was observed by Nodal Officer Ms Glory Kim of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative of Churachandpur during a day-long orientation workshop on BBBP for District Level Officers(DLOs) at the Conference Hall of Deputy Commissioner’s office at the district headquarters, about 65 km south of Imphal on Friday.

According to DIPR reports, the Nodal Officer Kim while speaking as the resource person of the orientation workshop, said that the desperation of having at least one male child brings about a negative psychological impact on the daughters as the insistence of the birth of a male child is seen as a social security for the family.

Informing that the child sex ratio in the district has been declined, she said that as per 2001 Census, the Child Sex ratio of the district is 968 female out of 1000 male child. But in 2011 Census, the Child Sex Ratio is recorded at 948 female out of every 1000 male child. This is a cause for concern.

Even though literacy rate is high in the district, education does not necessarily lead to following a serious career, especially, among the young women of Churachandpur. Many girls are dropped out from the education system after 10th standard, several after 12th and few more after their graduation without further pursuing a serious career in the district.

This could be due to lack of proper guidance and encouragement from their teachers, parents and society in general, she observed.

Stressing on the need to encourage girls in all aspects of life such as socio- economic, political, education, sports, arts and other aesthetic pursuit for their holistic growth and to give them a meaningful purpose for their living, she said, they need encouragement adding that they need to be respected and appreciated when they show themselves capable.

Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur Shyam Lal Poonia, Additional DC Lalramsang Fimate; CEO of ADCC T Kammuanlal Simte and most of the District Level Officers of the district attended the orientation workshop.

Sobhapati Samom is Northeast Now Correspondent in Imphal. He can be reached at: [email protected]