Context:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, commemorating a decade of efforts dedicated to protecting, educating, and empowering the girl child in India. The celebrations, spanning until International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, will feature a range of activities, including rallies, cultural events, felicitation ceremonies, and awareness campaigns organized at state and district levels.

About the Scheme:
Launched on January 22, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Panipat, Haryana, the BBBP scheme was designed to tackle the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR), prevent gender-biased sex-selective practices, and promote the survival, protection, and education of the girl child.

Key Objectives:
The BBBP scheme is guided by the following primary objectives:

• Improve the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) by at least two points annually.
• Sustain institutional deliveries at 95% or higher.
• Increase first trimester antenatal care (ANC) registrations by 1% per year.
• Promote the enrollment and retention of girls in secondary education and skill development programs.
• Enhance awareness about safe Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM).
• Reduce dropout rates among girls at secondary and higher secondary levels.

Key Achievements:
Over the past decade, the BBBP scheme has led to significant progress across multiple fronts:

• Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB): Improved from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24.
• Girls’ Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at Secondary Level: Increased from 75.51% in 2014-15 to 78% in 2023-24.
• Institutional Deliveries: Increased from 61% to 97.3%, reflecting better healthcare access for women.
• Antenatal Care Registrations: First-trimester ANC registrations rose from 61% to 80.5%.

Contributions to Women’s Empowerment:
BBBP has been instrumental in advancing the empowerment of women and girls through:

• Raising awareness about gender equality and the protection of the girl child.
• Promoting education and skill development opportunities for girls and women.
• Facilitating economic participation by enabling skill-building and employment prospects.
• Ensuring improved healthcare access through increased institutional deliveries and timely antenatal care.

The BBBP scheme stands as a testament to India’s commitment to fostering gender equality and building a society where girls can thrive. By focusing on education, healthcare, and skill development, the program has laid a strong foundation for empowering women and transforming societal attitudes toward the girl child.