FEMALE FOETICIDE

 FEMALE FOETICIDE

By Parichita Basak

Female foeticide is the removal of healthy female foetus after 18 weeks of gestation from the mother uterus just because the child is female. Parents and society consider a girl child burden over them and understand that girls are consumers whereas boys are producers. There are lots of myths in the Indian society about girls from the ancient time that girls always take and boys always give. This wrong practice of female foeticide is coming from years because of many reasons. However, can be removed by regular practice of following points:

• There should be strong ethical code for the doctors.
• Everyone should be in the favor of removal of sex discrimination and away from the traditional teachings against girls in the society.
• Women should be empowered to deal with discriminatory practices in the society like dowry system, etc.
• There should be immediate complaint registration system for all women.
• Female foeticide awareness program should be run to aware common public.
• Assessment of the status of women (regarding female mortality, sex ratio, literacy and economic participation) should be done on regular interval of time.

Since the ancient time, women in the Indian society are considered as a curse for their family and society. Due to these reasons, female foeticide has been in practice for many years in the India from the time of technological advancement. Few years ago, almost all the couple was used of the sex determination tests to know the sex of the infant before birth. And abortion was sure in case of girl baby.

Development of ultrasound technique was the origin of sex determination tests in the early 1990’s. People in the Indian society are used to of giving birth to the child continuously until they get boy baby by killing all the girl baby earlier to the boy. In order to control the population and stop female foeticide, Government of India 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. Doctors found performing sex determination tests and abortions especially for killing girl baby would be guilty and lose their license. Awareness about the importance of girl child in the society is major weapon to get relief from the female foeticide.

Female foeticide have been in practice for centuries especially for the families who prefer only male child. Various religious, social, financial and emotional reasons are also there. Time has been changed now to a great extent however, various reasons and beliefs are continuing in some families. Some key reasons of female foeticide are:

• Generally parents avoid girl baby because they have to pay a big amount (more than their strength) as a dowry at daughter’s marriage.
• There is a believe that girls are always consumer and boys are producer. Parents understand that son earn 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 name of family in future whereas girl have to carry husband’s family.
• Parents and grandparents understand their honor while having boy baby in the family whereas 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 girl baby.
• Illiteracy, insecurity and poverty of people in society are main reasons of girl baby burden.
• Technological advancement in the science and utilities has made this very easy for parents.

Daughters are given less respect and priority than sons in Indian society from the 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 need 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.

As we all know that female foeticide is a crime and social disaster for the future of women. We should notice the reasons for female foeticide in the Indian society and try to solve one by one on regular basis. Female infanticide or female feticide is mainly because of the sex determination. There should be legal stoppage to get control over it. All the laws should be strictly followed by the every citizens of India. And one should be surely punished if found guilty for this cruel practice. Permanent termination of license should be done if found practicing this. Marketing of medical equipments especially for illegal sex determination and abortion should be stopped. Parents should be penalized who want to kill their girl baby. 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.