The dream of a developed India can be realised only if there is gender equality, Governor P. Sathasivam has said.
He was inaugurating a folk cultural programme under the aegis of Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, organised by the Song & Drama Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
Mr. Sathasivam said citizens were duty-bound to work towards ensuring gender equality in society as the Constitution allowed equal rights to men and women. Any discrimination, therefore, was undemocratic and unconstitutional.
Discrimination against women began in families even before the birth of a girl child. A girl child who got an opportunity to be born and live was lucky; the less fortunate were denied even the right to be born. Therefore, there was need to sensitise society, especially women, to the need to protect the rights of the girl child. If women were made aware of their rights, they would certainly stand up for the rights of their daughters, he said.
Mr. Sathasivam said discrimination against women had also led to a fall in sex ratio in the country. Kerala, however, had a female-to-male ratio of 1.084, that is 1,084 females for every 1,000 males, as per the last Census. The campaign to improve the ratio had been a good success in Thrissur district where the sex ratio had improved by six points.
He urged the Song & Drama Division to devise a continuing campaign for the benefit of transgenders.
The Governor honoured herbal healer and Padma Shri awardee Lakshmikutty on the occasion. He said her life conveyed a message to girls to empower themselves with knowledge, unmindful of the hurdles. Mr. Sathasivam also administered the New India pledge to all participants.
The one-hour folk cultural programme was an ensemble of dances presented by artists from Kerala and Himachal Pradesh. Mohiniyattom, Himachali Natti, skit on motherhood, Yakshagaanam and so on. The highlight of the programme was a national integration dance by Divyang children of the Centre for Empowerment and Enrichment.
Anurag Misra, Director, Song & Drama Division, and G. Jayakumar, Assistant Director, Song & Drama Division, Bengaluru, were present.
