Growing prosperity but falling sex ratio - Reasons
Growing prosperity but falling sex ratio - Reasons
Question:- Though states like Haryana and Madhya Pradesh has a strong GDP of Rs 2,60,621 and Rs 2,63,396 respectively, they lack behind in social issues like low child sex ratio. Explain the causes for the low child sex ratio.
The falling child sex ratio in India portrays the increasing gender discrimination and gender partiality. The child sex ratio in India has gone down from 976 in 1961 to 918 in 2011. The situation is alarming at certain prosperous regions like Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi is among the top five states or Union Territories with a low child sex ratio. Haryana tops the list with a ratio of 830 girls per 1000 boys. The changes in Child Sex Ratio reflects the socio-economic and cultural patterns of the society, especially its attitude towards the girl child.
Causes for the falling Child Sex ratio
- Male preference Trend – It was noted that in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, the concept of preferring a son was strong among the affluent income groups. Sons are considered to be the important part of family welfare as they are the only bread earners and continue the family lineage. The families in the prosperous areas of Haryana, Maharashtra still follow the patriarchal mindset.
- Weaker Sex – In most of the low child sex ratio states, women are considered to be the weaker sex. They are looked upon as a mere object. A daughter is considered to be a double loss as she leaves her family after marriage and becomes an asset to her new family. She is also regarded as a source of marriage expenses as the dowry tradition is followed. The women are given less privileges as compared to her brother. Ultimately health and education are neglected
- Sex determination practices – Though the practice of sex selection is illegal in India, it is carried out in most parts of the urban areas. Most of the times, the process of sex determination is practiced after the birth of one girl child. Due to male domination pattern in Indian families, women cannot raise their voice against ex determination or abortion.
- Improper implementation of MTP Act - India has passed the first law related to abortion called the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. It was passed on April 1, 1972 and was amended in 1975 and 2002. The act made abortion legal for the women who suffered risk during pregnancy and for the rape victims. But today, the people are misusing the law as many women had to undergo the process of abortion more than once due to prenatal sex determination.
- Misuse of technology – Most of the low child sex ratio states in India are very well developed in the field of technology. The hospitals in the urban cities are well equipped with the latest technology and instruments such as ultrasound scanning etc. These facilities can help to determine the sex of the child during the prenatal care. Due to high literacy rate and economic prosperity, people tend to misuse the technology most of the times. The failure of the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act against sex selection was one of the main reason for the sex decline. Delhi reported the largest number of violations, in which 69 cases were of non registration of birth. 361 ultrasound scanning centers were issued notices for non compliance under this act.
Facts and Figures
- The child sex ratio in India has gone down from 976 in 1961 to 918 in 2011
- Haryana has 78% of low child sex ratio followed by Delhi which has 65% of low child sex ratio.
- Kerala with 15% is the lowest in declining child sex ratio states.
- India has passed the first law related to abortion called the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The Act was passed on April 1, 1972.
- The Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act was enacted by the Parliament of India on 20 September, 1990. It was aimed to ban the prenatal sex determination.
- According to the UN population fund(India), the practice of sex selection has resulted in a loss of approximately 5.7 lakh girls.
- The child sex ratio has declined in 461 districts.
