HT Correspondent
SILCHAR, Feb 14: An insightful awareness programme on the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act was organised at the AMSA Hall, Civil Hospital, Silchar as part of the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP).
The event, spearheaded by SANKALP: District Hub for Empowerment of Women, department of women & child development, Cachar, was conducted in collaboration with the health department, Assam Rural Livelihood Mission (ARLM), and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).
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The programme aimed to spread awareness about the prevention of female foeticide and the importance of gender equality. It witnessed active participation from ASHA workers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), and members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), who play a critical role in community healthcare and social welfare.
Addressing the gathering, advocate Arunima Purkayastha, Legal Aid Counsel from DLSA, delivered a compelling talk on the legal provisions and strict enforcement of the PC & PNDT Act. She emphasised that gender-biased sex selection is not just a legal offence but a deep-rooted social issue that threatens the demographic balance and dignity of women.
“We must work collectively to ensure the birth of every girl child is celebrated, not prevented. The PC & PNDT Act is our legal safeguard against the evil of female foeticide, and community awareness is the first step towards its success,” said advocate Purkayastha during her address.
The session also highlighted the multi-dimensional efforts of BBBP over the last decade in promoting girls’ education, health, and rights. The participants engaged in interactive discussions, sharing grassroots experiences and strategies for effective community mobilization.
As a symbolic gesture of hope and commitment to the cause, saplings were planted in the hospital campus in the name of the girl child, reflecting the collective resolve to nurture gender equality and social justice.
The event concluded with a resounding message: Empowering women begins with protecting the girl child, and the PC & PNDT Act remains a vital tool in achieving this societal transformation.
