J-K govt dedicates 2013 to daughters

"As part of a campaign against female foeticide and to promote the girl child, the state health department will dedicate 2013 to daughters and observe the year as 'save the girl child' year", Minister for Health and Family Welfare Sham Lal Sharma said yesterday.

Seeking society's support to curb female foeticide, Sharma said only government efforts were not sufficient to deal with the menace, but the entire society has to contribute.

He said the government has already sought help from religious and social organisations to maintain a healthy sex ratio and added that a positive response has been received.

Need of the hour is to step up efforts to achieve the desired results, he added.

Expressing concern over the increase in number of eve-teasing and sexual harassment cases, the minister said that an attitudinal change was must to keep a check on such crimes.

He advocated a change in the educational set up and suggested introduction of moral education as a subject in every school from the primary level.

Sharma went on to say that parents and teachers had a greater role to play in this direction and they must instill morals in the children.

He said in the New Year "we all should take a pledge to save the Girl Child and raise our voice against the crimes against the females and to contribute for a healthy and prosperous society".