Killing of Female Fetuses Killing of Female Fetuses The greatest threats to our contemporary The greatest threats to our contemporary

civilizationcivilization

Sex-selective abortionSex-selective abortion

is the practice of terminatingis the practice of terminating

pregnancy based upon the predicted sex ofpregnancy based upon the predicted sex of

a girl babya girl baby

OROR

Killing of Female FetusesKilling of Female Fetuses

The selective abortion of femaleThe selective abortion of female

fetuses is most common in areasfetuses is most common in areas

where cultural norms value malewhere cultural norms value male

children over female children,children over female children,

especially in western part ofespecially in western part of

Rajasthan. Sex-selective infanticide isRajasthan. Sex-selective infanticide is

killing a child based on the child's sexkilling a child based on the child's sex

Sex-selective abortion has beenSex-selective abortion has been

seen as worsening the sex ratioseen as worsening the sex ratio

In Rajasthan, affecting genderIn Rajasthan, affecting gender

Issues related to sexIssues related to sex

compositions of Rajasthanicompositions of Rajasthani

householdshouseholds

The use of ultrasound and abortionThe use of ultrasound and abortion

for sex selection has been bannedfor sex selection has been banned

since 1994 in India, however, there is since 1994 in India, however, there is evidence that such bans are rarely evidence that such bans are rarely enforced, and numerous dedicatedenforced, and numerous dedicated

Sex selection clinics operate in Sex selection clinics operate in many regions of Rajasthanmany regions of Rajasthan

Reasons for sex-selective abortionReasons for sex-selective abortion

A son is often preferred as an 'asset' since he A son is often preferred as an 'asset' since he can earn and support the familycan earn and support the family

A daughter is a 'liability' since she will be married A daughter is a 'liability' since she will be married off to another family, and so will not contribute off to another family, and so will not contribute financially to her parentsfinancially to her parents

The burden of raising dowry for a daughter's The burden of raising dowry for a daughter's marriagemarriage

Sex-selective abortion is thought to be most Sex-selective abortion is thought to be most common in most of parts in Rajasthancommon in most of parts in Rajasthan

Gender bias can broadly impact the society, and Gender bias can broadly impact the society, and it is estimated that by 2020 there could be more it is estimated that by 2020 there could be more than 25 million young "surplus males" in the than 25 million young "surplus males" in the countrycountry

In the society with an artificial shortage of In the society with an artificial shortage of women, a combination of surplus of males and women, a combination of surplus of males and increased upward mobility of females results in increased upward mobility of females results in accumulation of unmarried, lower-class males, accumulation of unmarried, lower-class males, who tend to be violence-pronewho tend to be violence-prone

Social EffectsSocial Effects

Shortage of females has the effect of driving Shortage of females has the effect of driving human trafficking and mail-order bride human trafficking and mail-order bride phenomenaphenomena

There are reports of women from some There are reports of women from some backward communities of Rajasthan backward communities of Rajasthan systematically trafficked to other parts and sold systematically trafficked to other parts and sold into forced marriagesinto forced marriages

Researchers have expressed concern that Researchers have expressed concern that prenatal sex selection may reduce the number of prenatal sex selection may reduce the number of families in the next generationfamilies in the next generation

Social EffectsSocial Effects

Prevention & creating awarenessPrevention & creating awareness

against killing of female fetusesagainst killing of female fetuses

is the prime concernis the prime concern

Needs to be curb immediately by an strong Needs to be curb immediately by an strong and well designed awareness strategy for and well designed awareness strategy for

Preventing Killing of Female FetusesPreventing Killing of Female Fetuses

Think…Think…

Prevent…Killing of Female FetusesPrevent…Killing of Female Fetuses

Awareness at wider levelAwareness at wider level Mobilization & sensitization at community levelMobilization & sensitization at community level Counseling at household levelCounseling at household level Vision building with indicators for reducing killing Vision building with indicators for reducing killing

of female fetusesof female fetuses Strategy formation for the empowerment of Strategy formation for the empowerment of

women and a strengthening of women’s rights women and a strengthening of women’s rights through campaigning against practices such as through campaigning against practices such as dowry, and ensuring strict implementation of dowry, and ensuring strict implementation of existing legislation existing legislation

Inculcating a strong ethical code of conduct Inculcating a strong ethical code of conduct among medical professionalsamong medical professionals

Simple methods of complaint registration, Simple methods of complaint registration, accessible to the poorest and most vulnerable accessible to the poorest and most vulnerable womenwomen

Wide polarization in the media of the scale and Wide polarization in the media of the scale and seriousness of the practiceseriousness of the practice

Monitoring and resource mobilization strategyMonitoring and resource mobilization strategy Sensitization mechanism strong remedies to Sensitization mechanism strong remedies to

control killing of female fetusescontrol killing of female fetuses

Prevent…Killing of Female FetusesPrevent…Killing of Female Fetuses

Regular assessment of indicators of status of Regular assessment of indicators of status of women in society, such as sex ratio, and female women in society, such as sex ratio, and female mortality, literacy, and economic participationmortality, literacy, and economic participation

&&

Toll free service will be developed to ensure Toll free service will be developed to ensure prompt support to the needy population for prompt support to the needy population for counseling and motivationcounseling and motivation

Prevent…Killing of Female FetusesPrevent…Killing of Female Fetuses

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