Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

  • P Project/Program

A Active

Key Information

In 2015, the Indian government introduced the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme to address concerns of gender discrimination and women empowerment in the country. The name Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao translates to ‘Save the girl child, educate the girl child’. The scheme aims to educate citizens against gender bias and improve efficacy of welfare services for girls. The scheme was launched after the national census results for 2011 revealed detraction in key gender metrics – Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). CSR is defined as the number of girls per 1,000 boys aged 0-6 years. This ratio has showcased a steady decline, from 945 in 1999 to 927 in 2001. This declined further to 918 girls for every 1,000 boys in 2011. Detailed evaluation of the decline showed that SRB was the principal factor. Dip in these ratios is a significant indicator of gender discrimination and women disempowerment, reflecting both pre-birth discrimination through gender-biased, sex selective abortion and post-birth discrimination by neglecting health, nutrition, and educational needs of the girl child. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana aims to achieve the following goals: improve the child sex ratio, ensure gender equality and women empowerment, prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination, ensure survival and protection of the girl child, encourage education and participation of the girl child.


Lead Implementing Government(s)

India

Location(s)

South Asia

India

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2015 -

Partner(s)

Not applicable or unknown

Ministry Affiliation

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Education

Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

COVID-19 Response

Not changed

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Secondary Enrollment

Other

  • Early childhood development

Other skills

  • Rights/empowerment education
  • Social and emotional learning
  • Vocational training

Quality

  • School-related gender-based violence

Skills

  • STEM

Cross-cutting areas

  • Community sensitization
  • Early/child marriage
  • Gender equality
  • Masculinities/boys
  • Menstrual hygiene management
  • Mentorship
  • Other aspects of sexual and reproductive health
  • Other cultural practices
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs
  • Violence (at home, in relationships)

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls (both in school and out of school), Youth

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Some in school

School Level

  • Pre-school
  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary

Other populations reached

  • Brothers
  • Community leaders
  • Fathers
  • Mothers

Participants include

  • N/A

Program Approaches Back to Top

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Community mobilization
  • Technical assistance/capacity building to civil society organizations or governments

Life skills education

  • Sexual and reproductive health (including puberty education)

Water and sanitation

  • Construction/improvement of sex-specific toilets

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Curricula, teaching and learning materials are free of gender-bias and stereotypes
  • Education sector plans, budgets, policies, and data systems are more gender-equitable
  • Improved academic skills (literacy and numeracy)
  • Improved social and emotional learning/skills and mindsets
  • Increased progression to secondary school
  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased years of schooling

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved critical consciousness
  • Improved health - other
  • Improved mental health
  • Improved nutrition
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health
  • Increased agency and empowerment
  • Increased knowledge of rights
  • More equal power in relationships
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Reduced child marriage
  • Reduced school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV)