Research Question : How to stop female foeticide in India?
Methodology: To answer my research question I will use scholarly articles on female foeticide,
Indian government reports and UN reports.
Literature Review
Female foeticide is the worst form of gender-based discrimination against women. For many
decades, women in the India are considered as a curse for their families and society. Social
discrimination and the preference for sons have given rise to prenatal sex determination which
has further led to female foeticide and skewed sex ratio.
Female foeticide is driven by many factors. Low status of women coupled with traditional
gender bias is the most important factor for decreasing child sex ratio (Garg & Nath, 2008). The
authors argue that increased availability of advanced technologies, especially ultrasonography
(USG) and the evil practice of dowry have aggravated the problem of female foeticide. Garg &
Nath (2008) fail to consider cultural factors like Vanshodharak (act of performing last rites in
Hindus) to signify the prevalence of gender-bias in the male-dominated society of India. Ahmad
(2010) and Garg & Nath (2008) highlight that in a patriarchal society like the Indian society,
daughters are considered to be an economic liability and sons are looked upon as assets who
fetch dowry.
Ahmad (2010) argues that the only reason female foeticide does not cause outrage is because it
is achieved through abortion (as compared with infanticide), which is legal in India. Therefore,
he emphasizes on the effective implementation of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act.
Garg & Nath (2008) suggest creating awareness among common people and medical students
regarding the adverse sex ratio while stressing upon the ethical issues involved in female feticide
will help in reducing female foeticide. Although assessing the role of awareness campaigns,
women empowerment and enforcement of PNDT act, Ahmad (2010) and Garg & Nath (2008)
overlook the fact that overall attitude change of the Indian society in general is important to end
female foeticide. Hence, this paper will closely examine the ways in which change attitude of the
Indian society can be achieved.
References
Garg, S., & Nath, A. (2008, October-December). Female feticide in India: Issues and concerns.
Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 54(4), 276.
Ahmad, N. (2010, Summer). Female feticide in India. Issues in Law & Medicine, 26(1), 13+.