NEW DELHI, May 1: Deeply concerned over incentive- based population policies framed by some State Governments, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is mulling to frame guidelines and has sought details from states.
The NHRC has written letters to all states earlier this month seeking details of their population policies by May 31.
“The Commission has been deeply concerned about population policies framed by the State Governments. It has been observed that some of the State Governments have adopted the method of incentives/disincentives for adopting small family norms…,” the letter said.
The letter written by J S Kochher, Joint Secretary (Training) in NHRC, noted that small family norms were a “gross violation of human rights, particularly women’s reproductive rights.
It is mandatory for India to abandon targets and come up with programme that moved away from incentives and disincentives as New Delhi is a signatory to International Conference on Population and Development in 1994.
“We want to collect some details from the states. We will study it. Then we will make some policy,” NHRC Chairperson K G Balakrishnan told.
The Supreme Court had earlier this month sought the stands of the Centre and various state governments on a plea alleging sterilisation surgeries on women under torchlight, in various places, specially in Bihar, in gross violation of the medical and ethical norms.
A controversy had also broken out in Madhya Pradesh last month when an unmarried youth was subjected to vasectomy during a public camp held in Rewa district.
Balakrishnan also said the 2011 Census has thrown out alarming information about declining sex ratio. “There are widespread allegations of female foeticide.This is a very unfortunate situation. These things are done in a clandestine manner.
“It is very startling that the economically weaker sections are into such things. The most affluent sections of society are also into such things. It is not that the child could not be reared. So very sad situation. We should change the mindset,” he said.
To examine the population policy and chalk out a better strategy keeping in human rights, the NHRC had in 2007 constituted a Working Group which devised a reporting format to collect information from all states.
“In the meantime, the new Census has been carried out, which reveals that the child sex ratio has decreased from 927/1000 in 2001 to 914/2011 in 2011 which is a matter of great concern.
“Besides, during a span of more than four years, a number of developments might have taken place related to population issues in the states,” the letter said pointing out the need for the exercise to find out the existing policies adopted by various states. (PTI)
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