IN 2007, the MSMB project was implemented in the three lowest sex-ratio areas of Delhi namely Najafgarh, Narela and Punjabi Bagh. From the month of February 2012, it is being implemented in Vasant Kunj, Mahipalpur, Dabri, Dwarka, Vasant Vihar and R.K. Puram.

The project aims at curbing the incidents of pre-natal sex selection in South West Delhi which according to the recent census data hasn’t shown very encouraging results. According to the census data, the sex ratio in South West Delhi which stood at 846 among children in the 0-6 age bracket in the year 2001 further witnessed a 10 point decline to 836 in 2011.

In New Delhi, the sex ratio further slipped from 898 in 2001 to an abysmal 883 in 2011. Hence, the goal of the project is to generate understanding and awareness regarding the implementation and impact of the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act 1994 and prepare local stakeholders and community members for deeper engagement in efforts to end pre-natal sex selection.

Since the issue needs to be addressed through a multi-pronged approach, the sensitisation of community members and general public will be done through various “walks against female foeticide”, silent demonstrations, signature campaigns, and media workshops. The district administration and the PC/PNDT officials have also been contacted through the networking effort. A medical and social audit will also be conducted and its findings will be submitted to the bodies of the Government of India dealing with the issue of decreasing sex ratio.

Community Watch Groups (CWG) have been formed to create a body at the local community level to keep a vigil over their immediate society to curb declining sex ratio; generate citizen participation in proper project implementation, generate awareness at the grassroots level about the negative consequences of female foeticide; and to increase awareness about the PCPNDT Act.

The aim is to ensure long term sustainability of the project, even after its completion. CWGs have also been formed in the Dabri project area, among the residents of Vasant Gaon, and in a community living in Mahipalpur. All the CWGs have been formed with a vision that a local body constituting of the community members can act as a monitoring body and can keep a check on the incidences of female foeticide in their community.

Speaking about the MSMB-II project, Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director, Centre for Social Research, said: “We are very hopeful and confident that the Meri Shakti Meri Beti project and the newly formed CWGs will keep a constant vigil over the immediate community and check further incidences of female foeticide.”

The following table is a compilation of Census data, and provides a snapshot of the sex ratio figures from 1991 to 2011. In addition to the overall sex ratio, the following table also provides figures for the 0-6 age bracket, which will enable further understanding of the present situation.

 

	1991	2001		2011
	Sex ratio	Sex ratio	Sex ratio (0-6)	Sex ratio	Sex ratio (0-6)
Delhi NCT State Average	827	821	868	866	866
North Delhi	819	826	886	871	872
South Delhi	807	799	888	859	878
East Delhi	846	843	865	883	870
West Delhi	848	830	859	876	867
Central Delhi	872	842	903	892	902
New Delhi	793	792	898	811	883
North East Delhi	837	849	875	886	875
North West Delhi	822	820	857	862	863
South West Delhi	795	784	846	836	836

The MSMB project is also witnessing the formation of Committees Against Female Foeticide (CAFFs) in the elite pockets of Delhi- Vasant Kunj, Dwarka, and Vasant Vihar to fight the sex-selective activities taking place among the rich.