Female Foeticide: Implications for India

1. Dr. Vibhuti Patel, Director, PGSR Prof. & HOD, University Department of Economics, SNDT Women’s University, Smt. Nathibai Thakersey Road, Churchgate, Mumbai-400020 Phone-26770227®, Mobile-9321040048 E mail: vibhuti.np@gmail.com Female Foeticide: Implications for India

2. Declining Sex Ratio Demographic ProfilePopulation of India 102.7 croresMales 53.1 croresFemales 49.6 croresDeficit of women 3.5 croresSex ratio 933 Women/1000 Men Child Sex Ratio 927 girls for 1000 boys Source: Census of India, 2001. Reasons: • Selective abortion of female foetuses after identifying sex of foetuses with the help of ultrasound techniques. • Selective fertilisation of male embryo with the help of pre-conception sex selective technologies and IVF.

3. Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 & PCPNDT Act, 2002 • To stop the abuse of advanced scientific techniques for selective elimination of female foetuses through sex -determination, the government of India passed the PNDT Act in 1994. But the techno-docs and the parents desirous of begetting only sons had subverted the act. • The Pre-conception & Pre-natal Diagnostics Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Act, 2002 received the assent of the President of India on 17-1-03. Conviction for the culprit: 3-year imprisonment, Fine:Rs. 50000/-

4. Son Preference and Neglect of Daughters • Educated families : small family norm • The propertied classes do not desire daughter/ daughters because after marriage of the daughter, the son-in-law may demand share in property. The most skewed sex ratio • The property-less classes 1.dispose off daughters to avoid dowry harassment. But they don’t mind accepting dowry for their sons. 2.Birth of a son is perceived as an opportunity for upward mobility while birth of a daughter is believed to result in downward economic mobility. 3.Son as Social Security for old age

5. Female foeticide/ infanticide • In several states of India- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Tamilnadu sex-selective abortions of female foetuses have increased among those who want small families of 1 or 2 or maximum 3 children. • Communities, which were practicing female infanticide, started using sex-selective abortions. • As per 2001 census: 60 lakh Missing Girls

6. Declining sex ratio and Status of women The neo-classical logic of Law of Demand and Supply does not apply to the complex social forces where patriarchy controls sexuality, fertility and labour of women without any respect to her bodily integrity. We can’t apply law of DD & SS. In fact, shortage of women in Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and the BIMARU states have escalated forced abduction and kidnap of girls, sex slavery, cruel flesh market, bride bazaars, forced polyandry (Panchali system, Modern Draupadis), swap marriages, sale of wives, gang rape and child-prostitution.

7. Juvenile Sex Ratio in Kerala, 2001 • The overall sex ratio is favourable to women is Kerala. But, in Kerala also, in the 0-6 age group, the sex ratio was 963, as per 2001 census. Total 0-6 age-group population of Kerala was 36.5 lakhs. Out of this 18.6 lakhs were male babies and infants and 17.9 lakhs were female babies and infants. Thus, 79760 female babies and infants were missing in 2001 in Kerala.

8. Increasing Female Literacy & Declining Sex Ratio In a micro-study of Kolkata, the Census Report observes, “ Out of 141 municipal wards, the percentage of child population has declined in 134 wards since 1991. More importantly, the child sex ratio has declined sharply, from a high of 1011 females per 1000 male children in 1951 to abysmal 923 in 2001. This is the lowest child sex ratio for Kolkata in the last 50 years. A major cause for the decline is ‘sex selective foeticide’”. Rates of female foeticide have increased along with the increase in female literacy rates in West Bengal.

9. Sex Ratio among the States with Widespread Use of Sex Determination Tests (O-6 yr. age gp.) WIDENED GENDER GAPFROM BIMARU TO DEMARU: Prosperity Effect Source: Census of India, 2001

10. Do Women Have A CHOICE ? An argument that prenatal diagnostic tests give women a choice to select a child of desired sex is also unacceptable as women's "Choices" are made within the patriarchal compulsions to produce sons. Women are not taking decision autonomously. Threat of desertion, divorce and ill treatment force them to opt for sex-determination and sex-pre-selection tests.

11. Can we allow Indian women to be an Endangered Species ? NO. We will have to change the mindset of doctors and clients, create a socio-cultural milieu that is conducive for girl child’s survival and monitor the activities of commercial minded techno-docs thriving on sexist prejudices. Then only we will be able to halt the process of declining sex ratio resulting into deficit of girls/women.

12. Advertisement of SD test is Banned • Any institution or agency whose advertisement or displayed promotional poster or television serial is suggestive of any inviting gestures involving/supporting sex determination. • MASUM, Pune made a complain to the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission against Balaji Telefilms because its top rated television serial’s episode telecast during February 2002 showed a young couple checking the sex of their unborn baby.

13. The PNDT Rules tighten the Screws • All bodies under PNDT Act namely Genetic Counselling Centre, Genetic Laboratories or Genetic Clinic cannot function unless registered. They have to maintain records and send a complete report in respect of all pre-conception or pregnancy related procedures/ techniques/ tests by 5th of the following month to the appropriate authorities. Vigilance Committees- Raids • Record of the clinics, sonography machines, public education thro’ mass media, training programme, poster- campaign by the state.

14. Government Initiatives • Cradle baby scheme • PCPNDT Cell by the Central Government • Sting operations and raids • Media publicity • Registration of scan centers & action against unregistered prenatal diagnostic centers • Constitution of State and District level Appropriate Authorities

15. Action Plan-Preventive • Changing the mindset of doctors, anganvadi workers, mid-wives, Village health workers, Gram sevikas, SHGs, PRIs who say ”All intelligent people get ultrasound done.” • Proactive role of FOGSY, MCI, IMA • Strict conviction of doctors caught for blatant violation of PCPNDT Act, 2002. • Stringent punishment to traffickers of girls and women from Karnataka to Gujarat, Bengal to Punjab, Orissa-Assam-Bihar-Jharkhand to Haryana and U.P. • Public education in local languages thro’ community radios, T.V., posters

16. Action Plan-Promotive • Lessons with positive portrayal of girl children in curriculum at primary, secondary, high school, college and university levels • Publicity of best practices-Khothran in Navashehar, Fiscal bonds to parents with only girls given by Patels of Kheda District • Implementation of women’s right to property • Assured schooling, healthcare, employment and legal equality to daughters

17. Incentivise Girl Child Parenthood- Gold Card Citizens • Tamper-proof identity card should be issued to each parent of a girl child, carrying the necessary data. The possession of such a card must give the parents of the girl child every economic advantage that the government can bestow.

18. Advantages for ‘Girl Child Gold Card’ holders • Eligibility for 50 per cent of allotments of housing plots in housing schemes, telephone and gas connections, petrol pumps, gas agencies, ration shops, industrial plots, municipal permits for shops and other facilities, RTO licenses for auto rickshaws, taxis, bus services and transport vehicles and all types of industrial licensing. • In rural areas, birth of a girl child should entitle the parents to a housing plot — in the joint names of the parents and the daughter.

19. Economic Incentives for parents of Girls • Extra sugar and kerosene rations must be given for a year to a family having a ration card, on the birth of a girl child. • All employees should also be entitled to a special increment on the birth of a girl child, which should continue every year until the child turns 18. • The payment of this financial incentive should be a tax-deductible expenditure for the employer. • Other fiscal incentives could also be explored — such as a special 0.25 per cent rebate on sales tax on the production of the Girl Child Gold Card. • All the allotments and licenses should be in the name of the girl child as owner/allottee, with the parent-guardian as user.

20. THANK YOU Campaign against Sex Selective Abortions • DOWN WITH DISCRIMINATION • SAY “NO” to FEMALE EXTERMINATION • Eliminate Inequality, not Women”. • “Destroy Dowry, not Daughters”. • Daughters are not for slaughter. • Say “NO” to Sex Determination • Say “YES” to Gender Justice