Thomas Monteiro and Neha Kamboj: An Assessment of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme. Socio-Economic and Political Relations in Mewat, Haryana, 155–168

Abstract

The BBBP scheme failed to recognize the real cause of the perpetuation of gender discrimination. The quantitative indices targeted by this scheme can be considered as symptoms rather than causes. The real cause of gender discrimination and gender inequality are the Indian patriarchal social, political and economic institutions. It is clear from the field that patriarchal social, economic and political relations maintain unequal gender relations through various beliefs and practices in society. Only the reversal of gender roles like asking sons to do household chores, being as strict on the son’s physical movement as on the daughter’s, willing to enrol daughters in non-traditional professional courses, taking up non-traditional professions, giving more decision-making power as well as greater authority to run the household, equal inheritance of property, greater reservation for women in the political field, etc., will lead to gender empowerment and gender equality. What we need today is true metanoia or a change of heart and political will on the part of the authorities to alter and transform patriarchal institutions which continuously reimpose gender inequality and gender discrimination.

[India, Haryana, gender discrimination, gender inequality, reversal of gender roles, child sex ratio, BBBP scheme]