In 2014, when the Centre for Health, Education, Training and Nutrition Awareness (CHETNA) began its year-long work, supported by the Central government, on saving the girl child and arresting the downward spiral of Ahmedabad’s child sex ratio (CSR), the figures from the various civic wards were abysmal.

According to the Municipal Corporation’s data of live births across hospitals in different wards of the city, Kubernagar had the worst sex ratio — 386 girls to 1,000 boys; Kalupur had 710 to 1,000. In some wards, however, the number of girls had increased. In India Colony, the CSR rose from 686 in 2013, to 791 in 2014; and in Noblenagar, from 641 to 926. Among the wards where girls outnumbered boys, Doodheshwar and Daanilimbada stood out with 1,048 and 1,040 girls, respectively, to 1,000 boys. In Behraampura, it was evenly balanced.

With 30 years of experience in tackling the health and nutrition needs of women and children, the CHETNA team of Indu Capoor, Minaxi Shukla and Pallavi Patel tapped the political will and clout of elected representatives — MPs, MLAs and municipal councillors. Each of them held at least two community meetings in their respective constituency, educating residents on the value of a girl child and the dangers of a skewed sex ratio. Already, in Mehsana and Surat districts, brides were bought from tribal blocks and other states to make up for the shortage of girls.

The five worst districts of Gujarat for child sex ratio in 2011 were Ahmedabad (903 females to 1,000 males), Surat, home to a diamond industry (788), and Kachchh, Gandhinagar and Anand (907, 920 and 921, respectively).

In Ahmedabad, a multi-pronged approach included spreading awareness on the various government schemes and facilities that were in place for the survival and growth of girls, as also the fine imposed on those who go for sex selection. CHETNA reached out to anganwadi and other frontline health workers to spread the word and monitor pregnancies more closely. Rural and urban areas made mass pledges against child sex determination. Even religious leaders were brought in to sensitise the community, and mothers-in-law, in particular, were sensitised to the dangers of an imbalanced sex ratio.

What seemed popular and effective were the ‘Save the girl child’ messages woven into social and cultural events like the Navratri garba dance and the kite flying festival of Makkar Sankranti. Popular singers belted out songs specially composed for this. Hundreds of kites dotted the sky with messages about the need to save the girl child. The annual pilgrimage to Ambaji temple in Banaskantha became yet another occasion for reinforcing the message of girl child survival and the growing clout of an educated girl in the changing world. Several events were held across the region to fete parents with two girls.

Mindsets are slowly changing, says Patel. Terming the preference for the boy child as a social issue, she recounts the story of Leela, a 53-year-old domestic worker. This mother of two daughters works in three homes, earning ₹12,000 a month. She pushed her girls to complete graduation and find better employment prospects. The girls struggled to find husbands in their community as they were considered over-educated and over-aged.

Leela is unable to meet dowry demands. While one daughter has married, the younger is single at 25. Society has to support such women, says Patel. Having educated her daughters, Leela is now putting aside some money for her old age as she has no son to fall back on. No doubt, an irony of sorts.

The writer is a senior journalist based in Delhi

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