India is failing to end the practice of female child abortions. The latest UN data are that for every thousand boys born in the country, there are only 918 girls. These statistics go against the natural balance, affecting the whole of society and putting the country in an “emergency situation”.
In recent years, the government has tried several measures to avoid selective abortions, such as banning portable ultrasound machines so parents will not find out the sex of the baby, or restrict scans to cases that are medically necessary. Young girls born to families with limited financial means also suffer more neglect, they are taken less to the doctor and they are fed less than their male siblings.
What gives rise to this situation is the widespread view that girls are a burden to the family. This is the mindset that needs to be changed. Parents prefer to have a son because when he marries, his wife will become part of the family, while daughters leave. Also, paying a girl’s dowry can be a significant economic burden.
These factors represent a great obstacle to a change in this trend, but we wish to face this challenge intelligently on the way towards a more equitable society in which girls and boys will have the same worth in the eyes of their parents and a privileged place in their hearts.
Source: elpais.com
