
There’s a saying in Haryana, “Beti nahi bachaaoge, toh bahu kahaan se laaoge (If you don’t save daughters, from where will you bring daughters-in-law)?” Although it’s inappropriate to assume all daughters are brides-in-waiting, this remains a powerful slogan that continues to raise awareness against the serious negative consequences of sex-selective abortions in a state that has been facing a ‘daughter deficit’ for decades.
Despite decreasing poverty, increasing education and improvements in girls’ health, child sex ratios, especially the sex ratio at birth (SRB), continue to be low in India. It profoundly reflects the paradox of gender development in the country. To address this problem, on January 22, 2015, the central government launched the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign, which is now marking its tenth year. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved and ask what the way forward should be.
BBBP was launched to combat declining child sex ratios by improving survival, protection, and education of the girl child. Since independence, governments at the national and state levels have introduced several such programmes to augment women’s empowerment. While there have been signs of progress, the targets are still far from being met.
BBBP was launched with the dual objectives of curbing gender-biased sex selection and improving girls’ status, especially to raise the age of marriage and education level. The programme has been lauded for raising awareness about protecting and educating daughters. However, the progress towards gender development and equity has been a blend of triumphs and trials.
States like Haryana, once infamous for skewed sex ratios, have shown noticeable improvement. According to recent state reports, Haryana’s SRB rose from 876 girls per 1,000 boys in 2015 to 916 in 2023. The progress can be attributed to awareness campaigns, strict enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act 1994, and financial incentives like Ladli and Aapki Beti Hamari Beti (Your Daughter is Our Daughter) scheme, especially post BBBP campaigning.
However, BBBP’s effect on improving the SRB is not observed in states other than Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, which have been traditionally known for low SRBs. Delhi, surrounded by these three states, continues to experience a decline in the SRB. The count has also declined in 10 states, and most of are in the south and east of the country, regions traditionally known for better sex ratios.
Among gender development indicators counted in successive rounds of the National Family Health Survey (1992 to 2021), significant progress has been made in narrowing the gaps in educational and health outcomes between genders, and this has pushed the age at marriage upwards. NFHS data also suggests that the child survival outcome for girls is now better than boys’, although young girls have not yet achieved their full biological advantage in child survival. Literacy rates among young women are nearly at par with those of young men, and more girls are delaying marriage as a result of increasing educational opportunities and rising aspiration for decent jobs.
However, the trend in education and health has failed to contribute meaningfully to more autonomy and agency for women. The picture is particularly despairing when it comes to parity in employment opportunities, wages and financial autonomy. The female labour force participation rate remains dismally low. This inability to raise women’s employment rate and wage has become a serious concern for a growing number of economists. It’s reflected in the recent Global Gender Gap report for 2024, which showed that women in India, on an average, earned only Rs 39.8 for every Rs 100 earned by men, ranking 127th worldwide on gender pay parity.
While awareness campaigns have been crucial in spotlighting disparities, they must be complemented by systemic reforms addressing the patriarchal roots of gender discrimination to sustain and amplify their impact. SRBs are more skewed towards males among upper castes and richer economic groups, thus indicating that incentives promised under Ladli and Aapki Beti Hamari Beti schemes have minimal influence on these groups.
So the policy needs to reach them in a different manner. It’s time to work towards eliminating age-old notions such as ‘bringing up a daughter is like watering the neighbour’s garden’. One of the most effective ways to change this mindset would be to reduce gender gaps in wages and financial autonomy. BBBP must promote the positive standpoint that daughters are just as capable as their male siblings in providing social and economic security for parents in their older ages.
Deep-rooted cultural attitudes often undermine the implementation of women’s empowerment policies—such as women’s right to property—necessitating community engagement led by local leaders and influencers to challenge and transform the unequal norms rooted in patriarchy.
The BBBP scheme has undoubtedly been a step in the right direction, but it demands more nuanced efforts beyond sloganeering and conditional cash incentives. Bargaining for gender equity within the premise of patriarchal norms may not help the cause. Slowly but steadily, we need to change the mindset.
Srinivas Goli
Associate Professor, International Institute for Population Sciences
Pankaj Kumar Patel
PhD student, International Institute for Population Sciences
(Views are personal)