Sunaina Malik
Female foeticide has been a issue of fiery dialogue for past many years. With the invention of sonographic instruments and their easy availability to every nook and corner, this silent terrorism has gained impetus. After assessing the enormity of this grave felony, even our government from time to time have enacted many laws. But in 1994, an edict with more teeth was approved in the Parliment of India. This decree is called as Pre Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Technique (PCPNDT) Act. It is quite manifest that, this ruling was made to impede genocide. But irony over this is that, even in spite of sword of castigation on criminal’s head this atrocious sin is still raising. As per the written records, nearly 70,000 female foetus are been slaughtered every year in Rajasthan. In addition to this, nearly 3 crores unborn girls have been killed since independence. According to census report of the year 1991, there were 947 girls to every 1,000 boys, but even after ten years this ratio is still 927 girls to 1,000 boys. The above mentioned facts show that, one cannot eradicate any customary malevolence from the society unless and until one destroys the root cause of predicament raised.
Societies of Indian sub continent have given undue importance to male baby over female born baby. Birth of a boy is cherished in every family. He is looked as a bread earner and a permanent support for the family. But on the other hand , if a girl child is born, a sort of misery over-shadows the entire family, as if a retribution has been given to them, or a sort of enduring lumber has been encumbered on their shoulders. That naïve is seen as a liability, to be conceded, educated and married. The tension of her wedding starts paining her parents, even when she has not taken her first breath from the air of this cruel world. In count to this, if a woman gives birth to a son, she gets lot of consideration and care from her in-laws side, because she has provided them with the (Chirag) of a family, who will ensure their name to next generations. On the other hand if the unfortunate woman gives birth to daughter, she is left on her fate by the in-laws. Circumstances are more grave in the cases, where women gives birth to only daughters, she faces lot of stress, stain and hate from in-laws side. Some times she is even subjected to annulment or second wedding of her husband. She is being punished for none. A most famous economist Enrico Moretti wrote in his paper (The demands for sons) that parents, who have first born girl are significantly more likely to split. After analysing US census data from 1960-2000, he instituted that not only families with first born son less likely to divorce, but they also less likely to have more kids, showing predilection for male children.
According to science there are two sex chromosomes (XY) in male and(XX) in female. If male X chromosome unite with X of female the foetus would be daughter. If male Y and female X unite the new born will be son. So it is the husband who is accountable for the sex of new born baby, but our so called moderate society always censures a woman for this. The above are the most hideous and heart bleeding faces of women exploitation and the root causes of female foeticide in human societies. All these throbbing circumstances force a mother to slay her daughter, which I think the most excruciating pain for a mother on the back of this planet, otherwise a mother in no circumstances can amputate her own limb.
Following are some most significant measure, to be adopted for the eradication of this weed of genocide from our societies.
(1)Today our daughters are bringing distinction in the field of education, bagging top positions in every result. Sharing a big ratio of competitive selections, they are also at par with males in getting jobs in every profession. So they can also be the bread earner for the family. If a daughter is born to any couple, that innocent must also be considered as support not a liability. Old times have gone when a female were restricted with in the four walls, remain uneducated and dispossessed of any employment, but things are changed now.
(2)The women should have right to property. This will resolve two big tribulations, one it will make a daughter economically autonomous, secondly it will also obliterate the qualms of those parents who bear only daughter, because when a daughter allocate the property, she would also be accountable for the taking care of her old parents during their old age. This would further obliterate the need of only a son for look after during last times.
(3)Government should also ensure 100 per cent safety and security of women, because rise in crimes like rape, molestation, eve teasing is also becoming a cause of female foeticide. As parents in no case want to become the part of that disgrace.
(4)Parents should have full rights on the earning of their daughter even after wedding.
Society as a whole need to amend its attitude towards girl child. The time when society and law enforcing institution join hands this weed will routinely de entrenched from human dwellings. Otherwise day will not be far , when it becomes thorny to seek a choiced girl for matrimony, like Jat boys of Haryana , travelled 3,000km across the country to find bride for themselves(UNICEF India 2007).
