By Davood Peer
Female foeticide is the process of finding out the sex of the foetus and undergoing abortion if it is a girl. Although it is illegal, many people continue to practice it. Besides this, there are some communities which practice female infanticide – the practice of killing the girl child once she is born. This fact is highlighted by the findings of census 2001 which show that there are only 933 women in this country for every 1000 men. This practice needs to be stopped as both girls and boys have an equal right to live. In order to do this, it is necessary to protect their rights by prohibiting practices like dowry, female unemployment, child marriage and caste discrimination.
Female foeticide has become a major problem in India. Killing the girls in the wombs of their mothers has become a common practice in some of the parts of the country. It is ironical that a country where everything from trees to stones is worshiped, girls are killed so mercilessly. But it seems that this thought is limited to the scriptures only. In reality, girls have become the burden on the families. Parents don’t want to give birth to the girls in the fear that they will have to give dowry at the time of their marriages. There are the news reports regarding rapes, bride-burning, molestation etc. Such news reports are also discouraging the parents to give birth to the female children .There is another orthodox reason also responsible for the girls’ prenatal deaths. And that is the longing for a son. Most of the illiterate people think that only sons can carry their family names forward. If there are daughters, their family name will die with their marriages. The sons will also look after them in their old age. But they don’t know that time has changed.
Female foeticide is a result of a gender bias social construction that discriminates against women and believes them to be less valuable than men. In this patriarchal society, sons are preferred over daughters for many different reasons. Be it economically or socially, women and girls are seen as weak and are less prized than men. When it comes to money, girls can be more costly in this society because women are expected to be married off to another family. A social custom in India is that the woman is supposed to marry into a family of higher social status. So, if her parents want that to happen, they have to be able to give a large (expensive) dowry to secure that marriage. A dowry can consist of land, property or a certain amount of money. Female foeticide is a huge problem in this world as many girls are denied the right to live based on the fact that they are simply a girl. As some societies change over time, as more and more women get the chance to be CEO’s, obtain management positions, and even run for presidency – we must remember that not everywhere is as forward moving as other places. Through advocating for more education, women empowerment and spreading awareness of these issues around the world, we can improve the lives of these women and promote gender equality all over the world. Another important evil practice, which is very much prevalent even today in many parts of India is that giving dowry to a groom from girl’s side is the biggest problem for poor families and also it is an idiotic practice. As a result, daughters are considered to be an economic liability. The dowry system is more rigid in the northern states of India, and now slowly spread across even in some South Indian cities, town and villages. Women have little control over economic resources and the best way for a young Indian bride to gain domestic power mainly comes from their ability to produce children, in particular, sons. Most often in south Indian communities, marriages are not exogamous (but often consanguineous), and married daughters usually stay close socially and geographically to their original family.
Various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are already taking an active lead in this area. It must be emphasized that the involvement of community leaders, as well as influential persons, would go a long way in assuring success in such campaigns. Need to remove the myth that girl child is a burden from the minds of those who practice it even today and also bring in the awareness that it is against law. Need to show the proof that even women too can achieve in various fields by giving examples like Sarojini Naidu who was an Indian independence activist, poet and politician. A renowned orator and accomplished poet, she is often known by the moniker ‘The Nightingale of India’. Weak law enforcement and easy access to ultrasonography fail to curb this practice. The government need to keep an eye on all sex determination centres and abortion clinics, who leaving what purpose for what they are meant, instead to make a quick buck keep using the centres for illegal purposes in unethical ways. In a bid to encourage families to have girl children, prevent female foeticide and educate the girl child, the government launched Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in January 2015. It also launched several conditional cash transfer schemes such as Balika Samriddhi Yojana and Dhanalakshmi Scheme. Finally, whether it is a girl child or boy child, all God’s gift, God’s creation. Accept what He gives, what He blesses with. Never ever ‘destroy’ at the formation level itself. Because she might become one day another Mother Teresa or Sarojini Devi Naidu or Kalpana Chawla or any other woman leader.
The related social malaises such as dowry, poverty, women’s unemployment and exploitation, lack of proper education to girl child and their dropouts early marriage etc. are to be dealt with sternly by enacting proper laws and implementing them in true spirit. Affirmative action on part of the government and the corporate sector by providing security for parents and granting financial aid to the girl child can help in changing the mindset of the society of treating the girl as a burden. Awareness programmes should be launched to make the woman aware about their rights and about the ill effects of abortions. Women should know their rights regarding adoption, maintenance, marriage, property, employment, education etc. In order to make the females independent, women should be imparted skill and training through various vocational programmes. Free and compulsory education should be provided to female children so that they can support themselves during exigency. Also it would remove the attitude that investing in girls is unnecessary. As most of the decisions are made by men in the families, they need to be sensitized about the practice of female foeticide and consequences thereof. The education curriculum should be made gender sensitive, leading to gradual formation of a changed value system in coming generation. All abortions must be registered. In cases where a healthy female foetus is aborted, both the doctor and the family should be brought to book. By doing all these things we can combat the evil of female foeticide in our society.
Writer is a student Activist and can be reached at davoodpeer134@gmail.com
