Million signature campaign against sex selection

Mumbai: A campaign to collect a million signatures will be aimed at getting committed individuals to voice their objection to the practice of sex selection.

Laadli, the girl child campaign of Population First, which works towards projecting a positive image of girls, "aims to harness people's power to push the government into enforcing the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act effectively and stopping the heinous practice of sex selection", says A L Sharada, director, Population First, a non-governmental organisation involved with women's social development.

The million signatures collected in the next six weeks would be presented to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh so that necessary action is carried on an urgent footing.

Appealing to all right-minded citizens, Sharada said: "We want to enlist your support to the Million Signatures for the Million Girls Missing campaign. We have to stop this inhuman practice of female foeticide. Take a stand. Join the movement."

In India, every year a million female foetuses are eliminated because of the preference for sons. In spite of 2.7 million crimes related to illegal sex determination committed annually, barely 500 cases are registered across the country with just 10 convictions having taken place so far.