There is no exaggeration when we say womanhood in India is synonymous with suffering and denial of her rights. The patriarchal norms prevailed in our society have always labeled her as a lesser gender. In every sphere of our society women have tasted the effects of this discrimination, as evident in different developmental and health indices that is in almost all cases skewed against her. The fate of girl child in India is no better. She is discriminated against in many ways – fewer months of breast feeding, less of nurturing and play, lesser medical treatment if falls ill, lesser school enrollment etc. Today this discrimination begins even before her birth. Pre-determination of the sex of the foetus and the selective abortion of the girl foetus is very rampant in most parts of India. Now the Pre-natal diagnostic tests have become the most potent weapon that is detrimental to the very existence of the girl child in India.
What happens to our girl children?
The National censes 2001 has revealed a shocking picture of the child sex ratio [number of female children per 1000 male children] in India. The comparison of the census figures for child sex ratio [0-6 years] during 1991 and 2001 bear the testimony of the gravity of situation. While the overall sex ratio [number of females per 1000 males] has improved over the past decade from 927 to 933 in 2001, child sex-ratio in 2001 has gone down to 927 females for 1000 males from 945 for 1000 males in 1991. The situation is found to be worse in affluent areas like Punjab [793], Haryana [820], Chandigarh [845], Delhi [865], Gujarat [878] and Himachal Pradesh [897]. Even progressive states with better socio-economic indicators like Karnataka, have shown a dip in the child sex ratio – from 960 in 1991 to 949 in 2001.
The sharp decline in the sex ratio is a matter of serious concern as it is expected to lead to serious demographic imbalances in the future. There is no doubt that this practice if continued will shackle the very social fabric of our nation.
Why we do not need baby girls?
The reason for unequal access to life of girls in India has roots in economic, religious and cultural dynamics. There are many cultural and socio-economic reasons that can be attributed to this practice. The culturally prescribed power and prestige associated with having male children form the basis on ‘son preference’ of our community. In patriarchal and male-centered kinship structures, a very high value is ascribed to a son, who is seen as a source of social and political power. The birth of a son is considered as the success of the mother in her reproductive role. Some religious compulsions highlight the role of male kinship in fulfilling the earthly task, has also been cited as a reason. It has always been suggested that the economic pressures over the families and poverty are the reasons for this gender discrimination.
The economic argument that female foeticide is poverty-driven can very well be questioned since some of the very well affluent districts and states in our country are notorious for these practices. The states of Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh are few of the most affluent parts of our country and yet are having the worst child sex ratios. It could be out of the fact that larger the assets like land holdings greater the need to have sons to inherit the properties.
How are they getting eliminated?
Improvements in the medical technology have made it possible to determine the sex of the child even before their birth. The misuse of medical technologies like amenocentesis, chorion villous biopsies and ultrasonography to determine the sex of the foetus and selective abortion, if the foetus is found female, is increasing. Out of these three, ultrasound is the safest and the easiest method available to determine the sex of the foetus. Thereby, it is the most misused technique for sex determination. Added to our worries, the new advances in the reproductive medical technologies like pre-conception or during conception sex selection methods that have high potential for gross misuse for discriminating female sex have also been started emerging in our country.
Since the practice is a criminal act, it is very difficult to get the actual data on sex selective abortions. But the data on ultrasound machines reveals that there is real proliferation of the machines even in the rural areas of India, which is really not proportional to the rational use of ultrasound machines. The studies have revealed the sinister nexus between some doctors, sex determination clinics and abortion centers. Now there are even mobile ultrasound diagnostic facilities are available in states like Gujarat that provide services to rural areas extending the States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Though few, some of the medical professionals who engage in this activities have a high opinion of the ‘noble work’ they are doing. They see the sex determination tests as the best way for the ‘population control’.
The Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse)
Act 1994
There had been attempts to raise voice against and counter these practices for long in India. One major breakthrough was when the Government of Maharastra passed a state level legislation in 1988. It took another 6 more years to pass the central legislation. The Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act 1994 was enacted in the Parliament. The Act came into existence from 1st of January 1996. Rules have also been framed under the Act. The Act prohibits determination and disclosure of the sex of the foetus. It also prohibits any advertisements relating to Pre-natal determination of sex and prescribes punishments for its contravention. The person who contravenes the provisions of this Act is punishable with imprisonment upto five years and fine upto Rs.50,000. As per the Act pre-natal diagnostic techniques can be performed only by facilities and clinics registered under the Act. The use of these techniques is permissible solely for the detection of some abnormalities subject to some specified conditions.
Despite the Act being around for the last six years, sex selective abortions were on the rise. Implementation has been a total failure, resulting in the continuation of rampant malpractice in most areas. The failure of the Act was very visible as there were open advertisements through media, failure to charge a single case under the law etc. until the Judiciary intervened. Thanks to the Public Interest Litigation in Supreme Court filed by the activist Dr. Sabu George and NGOs, CEHET and MASUM. The Supreme Court in its order instructed the central and state governments to adopt strategies to implement the act effectively. The court has also asked the government to look at amendments to the Act keeping in view the emerging reproductive technology. Finally our policy makers were on their toes and an Amendment was drafted and it is cleared by the cabinet.
What can we do as Christians?
Considering an enactment to abolish the practice of female foeticide in our country as the only solution to the problem is farfetched. Finding only legislative solutions to various social evils without attempting any kind of social movement may the peculiarity of only India. This is evident by the plurality of various enactments against ‘sathi’, dowry etc. Having a stringent law to curtail the practice of sex determination may be the first step against female foeticide. However, unless various community-targeted programmes supplement it, a law in isolation is unlikely to make any visible changes to the present scenario. These community targeted programmes can be awareness building, keeping a constant vigil against the practice of female foeticide etc. Again much of these depend on uplifting the status of women in our society.
Womanhood is a precious gift of God. As Christians we do see a definite reason for action in the present context, because we believe that all children created either as girls or boys are equal in the site of God and have equal right to live. We believe that as Christians we do have a religious and social obligation to act against this heinous act of sex selection. We reject all forms of foeticide as they are anti life and reject all cultural, historical, religious, economic justification of this. A healthy society is a inclusive one, which recognises the role and potential of women and commits itself to promoting all that which contribute to the improved conditions, status in the society, health and total well-being of women of all ages.
Now time has come to articulate our social obligations. We know the enthusiasm among the policy makers is reactionary to the Supreme Court directives. The need of the hour is continuous pressure from the civil society. Let us use our own resources to act now. We need to adopt ways to effectively strategise our future actions to counter this social evil.
