The SAARC technical committee on women & development has declared the period 1991-year 2000 as the SAARC decade of the girl child and has emphasised the need for special efforts by the South Asian countries to reduce the gaps that exist in the growth and development between girls and boys. It stresses the need to recognize "Girl Child Mother Cycle" and calls for action to improve the lot of the girl child as the latter cannot be de-linked from issues related to the status and condition of women.