The girl child is the most vulnerable & neglected member society in Madhya Pradesh. The life chart of a disadvantaged girl child reflects the strong element of discrimination at every step of her life. It is clearly visible in the latest state specific report of NFHS -3 Madhya Pradesh through light on the poor status of girl child.

Girl child is deserted even on the part of the government entitled to protect the right of every citizen without discrimination on any grounds. Gender insensitivity of the government is reflected in child mortality indicators of state reports of NFHS-2 & NFHS-3, Madhya Pradesh. Between the time periods of NFHS-2 in 1998-99 & NFHS-3 survey in 2005-06, the male child mortality has declined very steeply with resulting into positive changes in the health indicators but on the other hand female mortality indicators have changed at a very slow pace. Against 14.6 % decline in neonatal morality from NFHS-2 to NFHS-3   female neonatal mortality has declined only by 1.6 percent. Similarly there is 11.6% difference in the declining proportion of infant mortality among male child & girl child.

Analyses of underlying causes illustrates that young girls are more anemic & malnourished in proportion to boys. According to NFHS-3, 76% girls are having anemia & 60.6% girl child are malnourished in comparison to 72.4 % boys found malnourished & 59.5 % malnourished. Further most glaring fact is that while anemia in boys has decreased by 1.8% from 1998-99 to 2005-06 & contrary to this anemia among girls has increased by 0.1%.

Gender discrimination by the family is not addressed by our laws unless it is a case of gross violence. Girl child after birth receives first discrimination during breast feeding while 16.3% boys are breastfed within an hour but it is unfortunate that only 15.3% girls received the same. Similar biasness is faced even in vaccination. Total 6.3 percentages of young girls under 2years given no vaccination & 3.8% boys falls in this category.  With regards to the proportion of children under two receiving full vaccination, still the percentage of boys (44.3%) in comparison to girls (35.5%) is on elevated side.
 
Discrimination in the provision of adequate and timely nutrition and health inputs to the girl child is a persisting problem as result of which these groups suffer from various problems like under weight, malnutrition, anaemia, micro nutrient deficiencies, stunted growth etc. But it is appalling that she even do not diverse the right to care when falls ill. While during fever 72.2% male child under 5 for whom treatment was sought from health facility/provider but more than 30% girl child are not taken to any health provider. 50.4% young girls with diarrhea are not given any medical aid although 63.9% were taken to heath facility.

There are laws for girl children but are not accessible enough and have plenty of loopholes in them. Keeping in view the vulnerability constraints of girl child special schemes and programmes needs to formulate for addressing the nutritional needs for girl child in an integrated manner.

- Seema Jain