December 9 to be celebrated as 'National Girl Child Day'

New Delhi, Mar 28 (UNI) December 9 will be celebrated as the 'National Girl Child Day,' Minister of State for Woman and Child Development Renuka Chowdhary announced here today.

Expressing regret over the increasing gender bias and discrimination against women, she said, ''The gender bias is not very positive, in the past 20 years about one crore cases of female foeticide has been reported. Unfortunately, the educated community also indulged in such activities.'' Inaugurating the healthcare centre for women 'Fortis La Femme', she urged the pharmaceutical company to generate awareness among women about the various health problems and educate people to stop female foeticide.

She also added the companies should maintain a data for various diseases to detect the loopholes in the health sector.

Besides, the Minister emphasised that the rising infant mortality rate was the consequence of late marriages, fashionable fasting and the like in urban areas while in villages it was because of early marriages and malnutrition among other factors.

''By 2020, India will have the largest chunk of younger population, but with the country leading in diabetic patients and the rising number of tuberculosis and HIV/Aids cases being reported are posing a threat.'' Ms Chowdhury also stressed that women should take care of their health, to prevent osteoporosis after 40 and should make it mandatory to go in for regular check ups.

''About 30 per cent of women are already osteoropenic, that is initial stages of osteoroposis,'' she added.

The Minister maintained that to strengthen the position of women, the 33 per cent Women Reservation Bill pending in Parliament would have to be passed. To prevent women harrassment, another bill on 'Sexual Harrassment in Work Place' was also being placed.

UNI