Dr. Charu WaliKhanna Member NCW, was Chief Guest at legal awareness camp on “Reproductive Health Rights, Foeticide, Infanticide, PC & PNDT Act, 1994, and The Medical Termination of Pregnancy ACT”. The two day legal awareness programme was held on 21st & 22nd September, 2012 at palm extension, Dwarka and organized by Social Development Welfare Society, New Delhi.

Releasing the legal awareness manual developed by the NGO for the occasion Dr.Charu WaliKhanna, said that it was most unfortunate that in the 21st century women are still considered a liability as a result of which sex determination tests are taking place for selective abortion of the girl child. Sharing her views with the participants on above mentioned subjects, she asked the reasons as to “why women do not want to girl child ?” All the participants gave a single reason - the Expense of a Girl on her Wedding. They said the duty of a Indian father is to get the daughter married which means an additional financial burden on the girl's parents. It was also said that nowadays persons don't just ask for dowry but also specify the brand of goods being demanded.

Dr.Charu WaliKhanna complimented the NGO, Social Development Welfare Society on their initiatives to eliminate the scourge of dowry and requested the youth to come forward and SAY NO TO DOWRY. The NGO has also developed a pamphlet which clearly exhorted youth NOT to fleece parents of the bride by taking large amounts in the name of dowry and other customary practices including shagun etc. They were asked to avoid large baraats and unnecessary expenses purely to showing off one's social status. Member NCW said that what was important is the happiness of the girl and her qualities, not how much money she brought. She stressed marriage was a sacred union and not a financial transaction in which the girl is commodified.

The participants included both male and female from different age groups and generations. Among those who attended the programme on 21.09.2012 included Sh. Zile Singh, ACP Delhi Police (PG Cell) , Distt. S/W, Delhi, Mr.Muzaffar Imtiaz Saheb, Supdt. Of BHAGIDARI, Govt. of NCT, Delhi, Sh.Suman Push Karna, SHO, Dwarka Sector-9 Police Station, New Delhi, Sh.C.S.Yadav, Nodal Officer, Education, Distt. South West, Sh.Netrapal, Principal, GNSS School, Village Shahabal, Dr.K.S.Bhati, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Smt.Proma Bhattacharya, Sr. Correspondent (Dainik Jagran Media).

On 22.09.2012 speakers included Ch.Kishan Solanki, Pradhan-360, Village Leader, Palam Village, Ch. Kuldip Singh Solanki, Secretary -360, Village Leader, Palam, Smt.Proma Bhattacharya, Sr. Correspondent (Dainik Jagran Media) and Advocate Rashmi, Dwarka Court, New Delhi

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