More than a hundred youth activists, including students, held an awareness rally on declining child sex ratio here on Saturday.
Holding banners and wearing masks reflecting various women issues like dowry, rape, female foeticide, girl trafficking, students from various colleges of three districts, Khordha, Angul and Nayagarh, along with many activists joined the silent rally from Master Canteen Square to the Institution of Engineers via the Ram Mandir.
The rally, organised by the Centre for Action Research and Documentation (CARD), was followed by a State-level convention on the issues.
Chief guest State Social Welfare Board Chairperson Nibedita Nayak said there are many issues relating to women in the State. One of the major issues is female foeticide that contributes to the declining child sex ratio.
“Many laws are there. For everything, we have a law. But the challenge remains on how we get these laws implemented. Besides, mass awareness on the issues and the related laws needs to be created by all the stakeholders,” she said and called upon the youths to take advantage of technology for brining positive changes in the society.
CARD coordinating member Manju Prava Dhal said that despite the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, sex determination tests and sex-selective eliminations continue to prevail in the State. She underscored the need for more and more awareness campaigns against female foeticide and gender discrimination.
Among others, State Child Welfare Council member coordinator laxminarayan Nayak, TDH national coordinator Asish Ghosh, Dr Seva Mohapatra, Gandhian leader Prahlad Sinha and former Director of Doordarshan, Odisha Jayanti Rath were present.