The decision of Dogadakedar Rural Municipality in Baitadi to provide allowance of Rs 1,000 to a mother giving birth to a baby girl is expected to contribute more or less to reduce the gender gap in the village.
Any expecting mother will get extra Rs 1,000 from the rural municipality after delivery provided that she gives birth to a daughter, rural municipality vice chair Parbati Karki said.
The government provides Rs 1,000 to a mother delivering a child in the health facility and additional Rs 400 provided that she underwent health checkups four times during the pregnancy period. But, the new mother of a baby girl bags additional allowance. Karki believed that their decision guided by the principle of positive discrimination would help minimize sex/gender-based discrimination between girls and boys.
“Son’s preference is still prevalent in the society which valued male’s presence more significant than of female and our move is to change this notion,” she added.
How have the local women taken the rural municipality’s move? Kunti Bhul who has been enjoying her motherhood said she received Rs 1,000 more for becoming the mother of a daughter. “Though the amount is meager in terms of it monetary value, it is really a very good start."
Shreekot Health Post officiating chief Prem Bahadur Chand said that he was optimistic that the rural municipality’s move would obviously yield positive results contributing to the minimization of discriminations between girls and boys.
The Dogadakedar Rural Municipality is the first local level in Baitadi, the district in the Province no 7, to provide incentive to mothers of baby girls.
In view of rural municipality chair Chakra Karki, the decision taken when reports about growing female foeticide are drawing concerns from stakeholders would obviously send a positive message in society.
