Female Foeticide Essay
Female foeticide is still in practice in India from the 1 time of advent of technological advancements in medical field like prenatal sex determination in the 1990s. However, earlier to this, female child was killed after the birth in many regions of the country.
In the Indian society, female children are considered as social and economic burden to their parents, so they understand that it is better to kill them before birth. No one understands its negative aspects in the future. The female sex ratio in comparison to the males is reduced to a great extent (8 males per one female). It is not easy to compensate the sex ratio even if we stop female foeticide completely in the next few years.
With the development of ultrasound technique sex determination tests were made in the early 1990’s. The couple in the Indian society continue to plan a child until they get baby boy killing all baby girls born earlier to the baby boy.
In order to control the population and stop female foeticide, the Government of India has made various rules and regulations against female foeticide and trend of abortions after sex determination tests. Killing of a baby girl through abortion has been an offence all through the country.
Female foeticides have been in practice for centuries especially for the families who prefer only male child. There are various religious, social, financial and emotional reasons behind the killing of female child. Time has changed now to a great extent but this tendency of killing daughter is still prevalent in India.
Some key reasons of female foeticide are:
Generally, parents avoid baby girl because they have to pay a big amount (more than their strength) as a dowry at daughter’s marriage. There is a belief that girls are always consumer and boys are producer. Parents understand that a son earns money for them whole life and care their parents however girls will get married a day and go away.
There is a myth that son will carry the name of family in future whereas girls have to carry husband’s family. Parents and grandparents feel proud while having a baby boy in the family whereas the shame having daughter. There is a pressure on new bride of the family to give birth to a male child; thus she is forced to go for sex determination and abortion if the baby is girl.
Daughters are given less respect and priority than sons in the Indian society from ancient time. They did not have same access like boys in the areas of education, healthcare, nutrition, play, etc. In order to combat with sex-selective abortions, there should be high level awareness among common public.
Satyamev Jayate, a most famous programme run by the Aamir Khan on TV has done great to raise awareness among common public through its first episode of “Daughters Are Precious”. Cultural interventions regarding this issue are needed to be addressed through awareness programmes. Recent awareness programmes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, or Save girls campaign, etc. have been made regarding girl’s rights.
Female infanticide or female feticide is mainly because of the sex determination. There should be legal step to get control over it. Every citizen of India must abide by the law. And one should be surely punished if found guilty for this cruel practice. Licences of hospitals must be cancelled permanently and doctors should be punished if found guilty.
Marketing of medical equipments especially for illegal sex determination and abortion should be stopped. Parents should be penalized, who want to kill their baby girl. Campaigns and seminars should be regularly organized to aware young couples. Women should be empowered so that they can be more attentive to their rights.
Female Foeticide Essay PDF
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