GURGAON, February 25: The ratio of girl child is going down due to social apathy and malnutrition, particularly in the rural areas of the country, and 54 per cent of the children below the age of five are suffering from malnutrition.This was revealed at a workshop today at a state-level workshop on `Nutrition, health and sanitation' here. Speaking at the workshop, Union Secretary for Women and Child Development Asha Das said the society must ensure that the girl child is not exposed to early marriage and frequent pregnancies.
Addressing the valedictory session of the two-day meet organised at the Haryana Institute of Public Administration here, she stressed the need for adopting a convergent approach and coordination between various agencies foe the successful implementation of women and child development programmes.
The workshop has recommended forming of specific strategies at the state-level and district action plans to combat malnutrition, and implementation of effective communication. The meetemphasised aspects like motivation and accountability among workers, added compilation of manpower, material and financial resources, community-based monitoring, strengthening of school and civic sanitation programme, inclusion of health, nutrition and sanitation issues in all training programmes.Lamenting the lack of participation of NGO in welfare programmes, the Union Secretary said mobilisation of NGOs and the public in making such programmes was the need of the hour.
Haryana Chief Secretary Ram Verma, in his presidential address, said the social habit of considering women as symbols of sacrifice for their families might be a reason for their malnutrition and this needed to be changed by strengthening health and nutrition at the community and family level.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
