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Female Foeticide


As Wikipedia defines, “Female foeticide also known as Sex-selective abortion, son preference or female de-selection) are methods of gendercide which are practiced in areas where male children are valued over female children.”
In India, the sex ratio in some states esp. Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat is lower than others, the figures of female foeticide and infanticide is higher. Reason being, people prefer sons over daughter because the mythologies say that the cremation done by sons leads to Moksha.
Besides, when a daughter is born, she is looked upon as a burden to the family. She doesn’t contribute to the income of the family; rather, the prevalent dowry system makes the parents think that it will be an additional obligation to get her married.
The hypocrisy is that they worship young girls in the days of Navratri, treating them as an Avtaar of Durga and as soon as it is over, they do not hesitate to kill their unborn and even born baby girls in the greed of a son.
The son is thought to be the carrier of family name, but what they don’t understand is that without women the world can’t survive, let alone the family name. The son is thought to be the supporter in the old age, and the daughters are supposed to be the consumers until they get married, and investment in them is taken as useless.
Killing a foetus in the womb in the name of such blind faiths and ages old traditions is agonising. Foeticide is equally criminal activity and killing a life before it comes to the world is even hateful and sinful.
The govt has undoubtedly made gender testing by ultrasound an illegal activity, but still private hospitals and clinics are pursuing these iniquitous activities under cover. People greedy of sons don’t want their daughters to be born and get them aborted by the doctors who sale their conscience for some cash. The whole society is responsible for this immoral system.
We can’t blame only men but the women too are equally involved. The older women of the families who want grandsons instead of granddaughters initiate this which ends up with a life not being born. It is very unfortunate that women sometimes out of pressure of the family or sometimes just because they are unaware have to abort their unborn baby girl. Even women, who are blessed with the boon of bringing life to earth, can’t understand the importance of life and get involved in reprobate acts.
The only remedy is education, specifically of the women folk. The educated women understand that daughters and sons are alike and it is no good eliminating one gender. There is no life possible without the presence of either. All men or all women and the world ends.
- Richa S
More on Social and burning issues of the day at Jagruti.
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tamanna said…
expressed v.beautifully...
June 26, 2009 at 5:24 PM
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