The land of former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi is killing its daughters by the millions. Economically resurgent India is witnessing a rapid unfolding of a female genocide in the making across all castes and classes, including the upper caste rich and the educated. The situation is particularly alarming among upper-caste Hindus in some of the urban areas of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, specially in parts of Punjab, where there are only 300 girls for every 1,000 boys, according to Laura Turquet, ActionAid's women's rights policy official.
ActionAid collaborated with Canada's International Development Research Center (IDRC) to conduct research and produced a report called "Disappearing Daughters".
The report cites findings from sites across five states in north and northwest India reveal that the sex ratio of girls to boys has not only worsened but is accelerating compared to the last national census in 2001. One of the reasons for this accelerated rate of female feticide is the abuse of ultrasound technology to determine the gender of the unborn. The purveyors of the ultrasound business in every city, town and village of India entice parents by telling them to "spend 500 rupees now and save 50,000 rupees later.” The cost of the ultrasound scan is Rs. 500 and the required dowry for marrying daughters off exceeds Rs. 50,000.00.
And everywhere else, with the exception of Rajasthan, already low figures are continuing to slide. Even in Rajasthan, the proportion of girls is well below what should be the norm of around 950 girls born for every 1000 boys.
ActionAid has also found that girls are more likely to be born but less likely to survive in areas with more limited access to public health services and modern ultrasound technology. In rural Morena and Dhaulpur, deliberate neglect of girls, including allowing the umbilical cord to become infected, is used as a way to dispose of unwanted daughters.
Such neglect ensures fewer surviving daughters, with the best chances of being born and surviving as a girl depending on the birth order in your family.
All survey sites showed a decline in the proportion of girls among second-born children. And in three of the survey sites, for every 1000 third-born boys, there were fewer than 750 girls.
The problem of female infanticide is not just limited to the states in Northern India. In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, female infanticide is so frequent that all second daughters are known as "the girl born for the burial pit", according to a documentary produced by ABC Australia.
The Indian diaspora is not immune from the cultural bias against female children, either. The male-female ratios of British Indians are also getting increasingly skewed in favor of male children. Since the 1970s, the at-birth male-female ratio of British Indians has dramatically change from 103:100 to 114.4:100, excluding the birth of the first or the second child. 
Here are the latest statistics from the CIA's The World Factbook on male-female ratios at-birth in India, Pakistan and selected nations:
India at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
China at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Pakistan at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
United Kingdom
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
United States
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
The at-birth male-female ratios in Pakistan are comparable to most of the rest of the world, including the West, but the Indian ratios are the worst in the world. In spite of China's one child policy, the ratios in China are better than India's.
India Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh, who has three daughters, has recognized the accelerating horror of female genocide in India. In response, he has launched the “Save the Girl Child” campaign. He has said that no nation could claim to be part of a civilized world if it condoned female feticide. An estimated 50 million girls have been sacrificed because of son preference.
"Census figures illustrate that in some of the richer states the problem is most acute. These states include Punjab which had only 798 girls (per 1,000 boys), Haryana 819, Delhi 868 and Gujarat 883 girls in the 2001 Census. Growing economic prosperity and education levels have not led to a corresponding mitigation in this acute problem," he said.
"Female illiteracy, obscurantist social practices like child marriage or early marriage, dowry, poor nutritional entitlements, taboos on women in public places make Indian women vulnerable. The patriarchal mindset and preference for male children is compounded by unethical conduct on the part of some medical practitioners," Mr. Singh said.
When the facts of this tragedy are brought up, many defensive Indians offer the examples of famous Indian women like Indra Nooyi, Kalpana Chawla, Saina Nehwal, Kalpana Morparia, Sunita Williams and Naina Lal, and ask how India is still able to produce such women of accomplishment with growing female infanticides. Instead of looking at the accomplished middle-aged Indian women, Indians should compare the at-birth male-female ratios and worry about the fact that India is now killing future Indra Nooyis.
If this female genocide continues unabated, India's male-female ratio will be so badly skewed in a decade or two that girls' families will start demanding dowry to marry off their daughters, representing a fundamental shift in the balance of power. And the contributions of the well-educated and economically string girls will earn new respect by the male-dominated Indian society.
The first step toward correcting a problem is to acknowledge it, as India's prime minister has done. But legislation alone will not help. As early as 1795, female infanticide was declared murder by the initiative of John Duncan, the British East India Company's resident in Benares, according to Dharma Kumar. But the enforcement has been extremely difficult. The key is to couple stricter enforcement with grassroots education effort to change Indian society.
My sincere hope is that men of honor and goodwill such as Manmohan Singh will step up their national campaign to stop this ongoing female genocide in India before it's too late.
Here are a couple of video clips about India's female genocide:
Related Links:
Status of Women in Pakistan
A Woman Speaker: Another Token or Real Change
"Disappearing Daughters"
The World Factbook
India's Save a Girl Child Campaign
Photo Quiz: What is this guy doing?
7 hours ago
11 comments:
Nice article. it is true that in the rural areas and trading communities the girls are shun away.
Education is the only way to solve this evil and nothing else. However the statistics given by you of NRI is also alarming as they are supposed to be decently educated to be outside the country.
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.) -india
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)- pakistan
I think pakistan is also catching up with india as close neighbour.
Further analysis of population :
total: 65.14 deaths/1,000 live births - [ India 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births ]
male: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births [ india 34.61 deaths/1,000 live births ]
female: 65.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) [25.17 deaths/1,000 live births ]
Inspite of the concerns raised about the female child killing the infant mortality rate of india is 50% compared to pakistan.
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (2009 est.)
[ india 2.72 children born/woman ]
This further shows the effectiveness of indian family planning program and the efforts and result of the government in reducing the denominator to the GDP.
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.49 years - [iNDIA 69.89 years]
country comparison to the world: 167 [ INDIA 145 ]
male: 63.4 years India 67.46
female: 65.64 years (2009 est.)
India 72.61
This indicate the health of people and chances for surviving for a longer duration.
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 49.9% - India 61%
male: 63% India. 73.4%
female: 36% (2005 est.) India 47.8%
Probably india is a democratic country to raise issues and the press has time to do. India government does not have the problem of catching its own tail [ taliban for pakistan ]
However good these issues are raised and the government needs to be pass strict law against female child killing
Anon:
There is no point denying, distorting and obfuscating the reality on the ground in India.
Please note the all-important at-birth ratios to see what is going on now.
Here are the latest statistics from the CIA's The World Factbook on male-female ratios in India, Pakistan and China:
India at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Pakistan at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
China at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
The at-birth male-female ratios in Pakistan are comparable to most of the rest of the world, including the West, but the Indian ratios are the worst in the world. In spite of China's one child policy, the ratios in China are better than India's.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2018.html
If the trend continues there will come a time when girls will be in short supply to a degree where grooms have to pay to the bride's father to get married, the way it is in Pathan communities in Pakistan. With this practice in place, besides marrying off, girls are sold to brothels also under the legal garb of dummy marriages; Pathan girls form the bulk of red light district prostitutes. Thus the demand for daughters increases and corrects the balance.
This shows that human societies work on principles of economics rather than on morality.
Riazbhai thank you for post. Women is doing better in Pakistan than any where else. They have the respect - they can wear burqa and niqaab and hijaab with no problem. They do not have to do work of man like in America and other place. They can lead easy life and bring up the children. These clever Indian guys trying to hide truth. You did great job taking the mask off.
"If this female genocide continues unabated, India's male-female ratio will be so badly skewed in a decade or two that girls' families will start demanding dowry to marry off their daughters, representing a fundamental shift in the balance of power. And the contributions of the well-educated and economically string girls will earn new respect by the male-dominated Indian society."
This is fallacious reasoning. The only thing a distorted sex-ratio can lead to is social instability and even more suppression of women. I think one good way for Indians to combat this menace is to not marry their girls to families that have a bad sex-ratio themselves.
very well and truthfully written...we are trying our best...check it out.
http://unwantedgirlchild.blogspot.com/
Riaz
I came across the interesting article about the practice of respect to woman by islam. Hope you appreicate.
http://www.karuthu.com/forum/printer_friendly_posts.asp?TID=4275
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In a startling disclosure, a serving member of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s loyal militia, has revealed how his duty required him to temporarily marry and rape young Iranian girls before executing them.
“In Iran, it is illegal to execute a young woman, if she is a virgin,” he explained. “Therefore a wedding ceremony is conducted the night before the execution, and the young girl is forced to have sexual intercourse with a prison guard,” he said.
“I regret that, even though the marriages were legal. Because I could tell that the girls were more afraid of their ‘wedding’ night than of the execution that awaited them in the morning. By morning the girls would have an empty expression; it seemed like they were ready or wanted to die,” The Jerusalem Post quoted him, as saying.
The Basiji member who joined the militia at the age of 16 says that the screams of young women still haunt him. “I remember hearing them cry and scream after [the rape] was over,” he said.
I will never forget how this one girl clawed at her own face and neck with her finger nails afterwards. She had deep scratches all over her,” he said. Founded by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 as a people’s militia, the volunteer Basiji force is subordinate to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and intensely loyal to Khomeini’s successor, Khamenei.
Here's a WEF assessment of gender gap in South Asia and Islamic world as among the worst:
Despite government’s efforts at empowering women and some of them occupying top positions in various sectors, India stood at a dismally low position of 53 among 58 countries for "gender gap," according to a survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The survey showed that India was just above Korea, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt which occupied the last five positions in that order but below Bangladesh which got the 39th slot. Sri Lanka and Nepal were not included in the countries surveyed.
However, Indian women got high rating for political empowerment, where they were rated at 24th position, health and well-being (34) and economic opportunity (35).
What dragged them down was educational attainment where they got a low ranking -- 57th position -- and economic participation in which they occupied 54th position.
The survey took into consideration economic participation, economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment and health and well-being.
The top five positions were occupied by Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Finland followed by New Zealand, Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia. The United States occupied 17th position but got low rating in providing economic opportunity to women (46th).
Despite being among the richest countries, it scored the 42nd position for health and well-being of women. However, in education attainment it was placed at 8th position and for economic participation at 19th.
Overall, the survey gave India a score of 3.27 points on a scale of 1-7 where seven represented the top score.
Bangladesh, with just an overall score of 3.74, got the 39th position as it had done well in economic participation (18th rank), educational attainment and health (37) and well-being (37). Its ranking, however, dropped to 53 for economic opportunity and 42 for political empowerment.
China occupied 33rd position with an overall ranking of 4.01 points. Economic participation of women was its strongest point for which it occupied 9th position but for economic opportunity, its position dropped down to 23.
The ranking further went down for political empowerment (40) and educational attainment (46). But was slightly better for health and well-being at 36.
Out of the seven predominantly Muslim nations covered by the study, Bangladesh (39) and Malaysia (40) outperformed Indonesia (46), while Jordan (55), Pakistan (56), Turkey (57) and Egypt (58) occupied the bottom four ranks.
Traditional and deeply conservative attitudes regarding the role of women had made their integration into the world of public decision-making extremely difficult, the survey alleged.
Here are some interesting revelations about Gandhi's attitude toward women, as published in the Guardian newspaper:
During Gandhi's time as a dissident in South Africa, he discovered a male youth had been harassing two of his female followers. Gandhi responded by personally cutting the girls' hair off, to ensure the "sinner's eye" was "sterilised". Gandhi boasted of the incident in his writings, pushing the message to all Indians that women should carry responsibility for sexual attacks upon them. Such a legacy still lingers. In the summer of 2009, colleges in north India reacted to a spate of sexual harassment cases by banning women from wearing jeans, as western-style dress was too "provocative" for the males on campus.
Gandhi believed Indian women who were raped lost their value as human beings. He argued that fathers could be justified in killing daughters who had been sexually assaulted for the sake of family and community honour. He moderated his views towards the end of his life. But the damage was done, and the legacy lingers in every present-day Indian press report of a rape victim who commits suicide out of "shame". Gandhi also waged a war against contraceptives, labelling Indian women who used them as whores.
Like all men who wage a doomed war with their own sexual desires, Gandhi's behaviour around females would eventually become very, very odd. He took to sleeping with naked young women, including his own great-niece, in order to "test" his commitment to celibacy. The habit caused shock and outrage among his supporters. God knows how his wife felt.
Gandhi cemented, for another generation, the attitude that women were simply creatures that could bring either pride or shame to the men who owned them. Again, the legacy lingers. India today, according to the World Economic Forum, finds itself towards the very bottom of the gender equality index. Indian social campaigners battle heroically against such patriarchy. They battle dowry deaths. They battle the honour killings of teenage lovers. They battle Aids. They battle female foeticide and the abandonment of new-born girls.
The 50 Million Missing Campaign is an initiative to fight female genocide in India. Please visit our website at www.50millionmissing.in and sign the petition there. The only way towards change specially when the crises is this monstrous and out of control, is implementation of laws. So please sign the petition. And join us on facebook and twitter!
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