Ministry of Women & Child Development - Year End Review, 2017 - Part II

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

• Objective - Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is one of the flagship programmes of the Government of India.

• It was launched to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) (0-6 years) and address other related issues of disempowerment of women.

• It is a tri-ministerial, convergent effort of

1. Ministry of Women and Child Development
2. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare 
3. Ministry of Human Resource Development

• The programme focusses on

1. awareness and advocacy campaign
2. multi-sectoral action in selected 161 districts (low on Child Sex Ratio)
3. effective enforcement of Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act
4. enabling girls' education

• Outcome - Nearing completion of 3 years, the programme has been successful in establishing improvement in CSR as a National Agenda.
• Positive outcomes in the selected 161 BBBP districts are evident from -

1. improving trend in Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB)
2. progress in first trimester registration as against the reported Anti Natal Care registrations
3. improvement in institutional deliveries
4. increase in girl’s enrolment in secondary education
5. construction of girl’s toilets in every school in selected districts

• Expansion - The Cabinet has recently approved the Pan-India expansion of BBBP Scheme, from 2017-18 to 2019-20, to be funded 100% by the Central Government.
• It would now include multi-sectoral intervention in 244 districts in addition to the existing 161 districts.
• The physical implementation of the scheme will happen under the leadership of Collector.
• Another 235 districts are to be covered through Alert District Media, Advocacy and Outreach.
• BBBP would thus cover all the 640 districts (as per census 2011) of the Country, to have a deeper positive impact on Child Sex Ratio. 

Cradle Baby Reception Center

• The Ministry has stressed upon the need to place cradles at important locations such as hospitals, Primary Health Centres, etc.
• This is aimed at saving the lives of uncared new born babies.
• And placing them in the adoption net managed by CARA (Central Adoption Resource Authority), to rehabilitate them in the familial care.

Integrated Child Development Scheme

• Supplementary Nutrition (under Integrated Child Development Services Scheme) Rules, 2017 has been notified.
• This is to regulate the entitlement specified under provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.
• This would be applicable for every pregnant woman and lactating mother till 6 months after child birth.
• And every child in the age group of 6 months to 6 years (including those suffering from malnutrition) for 300 days in a year.
• The Government has also revised the cost norms for supplementary nutrition with annual indexation under the Anganwadi Services.
• Direct Benefit Transfer - Transfer of benefits/services under ICDS using Aadhaar as the primary identifier has been planned.
• Accordingly, two components of ICDS Scheme have been identified:

1. payment of honorarium to Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helpers
2. providing supplementary nutrition to pregnant women & lactating mothers and children in the age group of six months to six years

• Anganwadi Centre - Construction of Anganwadi Centre (AWC) buildings would be taken up under the MGNREGS in convergence with Anganwadi Services under the Umbrella ICDS Scheme.
• Besides, cleanliness drive and toilet constructions were taken up in AWCs as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission initiatives.

Integrated Child Protection Scheme

• The Ministry is executing an Integrated Child Protection Scheme for ensuring implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act.
• The scheme has recently been brought under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Scheme as its sub-scheme.

Universal Scheme for Adolescent Girls

• This is aimed at providing nutrition support and vocational /skill training for out of school girls in the age group of 11-14 years.
• The scheme has been extended to around 300 districts in addition to the existing nearly 200 districts across the country.
• The fund released so far has benefitted around 80 lakh out-of-school adolescent girls.

Child Marriage

• An amendment has been proposed by the Ministry to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
• The changes aim at making child marriages henceforth invalid in law so as to deter the still prevalent practice.
• The Ministry also took up the issue for dichotomy between IPC Section 375 (rape) and the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012.
• Accordingly, the Supreme Court has recently criminalized sex between a man and his underage wife (below 18 years).
• The Ministry is also working to prosecute Panchayat members for promoting or permitting solemnization of child marriages at village level.

Trafficking

• The Ministry has conceptualized a comprehensive Bill on Trafficking, which is under consideration.
• It clearly outlines and differentiates between Regulatory and Rehabilitation aspects.
• Railway CHILDLINE is an initiative currently operating at 33 identified railway stations that serve as ‘source’ and ‘destination’ centres for child trafficking.
• Rescue services have been started in these stations by the WCD ministry, in collaboration with Ministry of Railways.
• Proposal for extending the service in 55 more new railway stations have been approved by the Ministry.

Online content

• An Inter-Ministerial Committee was constituted by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with membership of MWCD.
• It has issued an advisory to all Internet Service Providers within the country.
• This is to prevent the distribution and transmission of child sexual abuse material/imagery.
• Fast track mechanisms are planned to complain and enable swift and speedy removal/blockage of online content offensive to women and children.
• A Public Grievance Cell is also active in the Ministry, which gives women and children a way to send their grievances directly to the government.

Hausala 2017

• Hausla 2017 is the child rights week celebrated by the WCD Ministry, by hosting an inter-Child Care Institution festival.
• Children from child care institutions across the country participated in various events and competitions.

Missing Children

• Khoya-Paya Portal is a citizen friendly web portal for Khoya Paya (Lost and Found).
• The portal was launched in 2015 for reporting and searching missing children.

Source: PIB