Ridhhi Behal, 47, started her business in 2007 when a close relative was forced to terminate her pregnancy by her in-laws after they discovered the unborn child was a girl (representative image)
Ridhhi Behal and a team of volunteers go to villages in the district every weekend to conduct small awareness campaigns on female feticide for women
A computer teacher at a private school here has become the torchbearer of community action to protect girls and end the illegal practice of female foeticide.
Every weekend, Ridhhi Behal and a group of volunteers visit villages in the district and set up small awareness camps for women against female foeticide.
“We are trying to bring in pregnant and newlywed women and educate them about the illegal practice of female foeticide. We also inform them about various government schemes for girls,” Behal said.
In the awareness camps, famous women leaders like President Droupadi Murmu, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and sports stars like Saina Nehwal are used as examples to encourage the women.
“Women, especially in rural areas, are made to believe that girls are a risk. This leads to incidents of female foeticide. Even when the girl child is born, she is denied equal opportunities compared to her male siblings,” Behal said.
“We are trying to teach these women not to do this,” she added.
Behal, 47, started her business in 2007 when a close relative was forced to terminate her pregnancy by her in-laws after they discovered the unborn child was a girl. “The incident shook me to the core and I decided to do something about it,” she recalls.
While she started alone, more and more people and organizations have joined her and supported her work over the years.
Dr. Deepa Saxena, a doctor accompanying Behal, said at times: “What Behal does is an essential service to society. We need more efforts like this to ensure an equal society where girls have equal opportunities to grow as their male counterparts.” According to the Health Ministry data, Uttar Pradesh’s sex ratio stands at 912, less than the national average of 940.
Amarjeet Bawa, mother of four daughters, said she is proud of all her children. “At first I realized that I am somehow incomplete because I could not give birth to a son. Ridhhi Behal changed my mindset and realized that being a mother of four daughters is actually a blessing,” said Bawa, who is involved in Behal’s mission.
“I’m helping her make sure that other women who are in the same mental state as me come out,” she added.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. RK Gautam told PTI that Behal’s initiative has the full support of the government. “We are trying to provide her with all possible help in spreading awareness among women about girl child, contraception etc,” he said.
The CMO added that his department is also campaigning against female feticide, with the support of ultrasound clinics in the district.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)