PRE-BIRTH ELIMINATION OF FEMALES IN INDIA: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

DR. KANUPRIYA CHATURVEDI

• Sex Ratio - 933 females per 1000 males (Census 2001)• Child Sex Ratio (0-6 years) - 927 females per 1000

males (Census 2001)

SITUATION ANALYSIS

CHILD SEX RATIO: 1991 - 2001

Uttaranchal

Maharashtra

Karnataka

Lakshadweep

Goa

KeralaTamil Nadu

Pondicherry

Andhra Pradesh

Dadra & Nagar Hav eli

Rajasthan

Gujarat

Daman & Diu

Jammu & Kashmir

Uttar Pradesh

Madhy a Pradesh

Hary ana

Punjab

Delhi

Himachal Pradesh

Chandigarh

Jharkhand

Orissa

Chhattisgarh

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Meghalay aBihar

Assam

Sikkim

Manipur

TripuraMizoram

Arunachal Pradesh

Nagaland

West Bengal

Uttaranchal

Maharashtra

Karnataka

Lakshadweep

Goa

KeralaTamil Nadu

Pondicherry

Andhra Pradesh

Dadra & Nagar Hav eli

Rajasthan

Gujarat

Daman & Diu

Jammu & Kashmir

Uttar Pradesh

Madhy a Pradesh

Hary ana

Punjab

Delhi

Himachal Pradesh

Chandigarh

Jharkhand

Orissa

Chhattisgarh

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Meghalay aBihar

Assam

Sikkim

Manipur

TripuraMizoram

Arunachal Pradesh

Nagaland

West Bengal

Child Sex Ratio (0-6)

< = 921

922 - 968

> = 969

Missing data

20011991

• 79% of the total 577 districts in the country registered a decline in CSR between 1991 – 2001

• 204 or about 35% of the districts registered child sex ratios below the national average of 927 females per 1000 males

• 49 districts recorded child sex ratios below 850• Punjab with 82 points decline has the highest reduction in the CSR, followed by

Haryana with 59 points• 754 girls per 1000 boys is the lowest district level CSR recorded - Punjab• Sharper CSR decline in urban areas (32 points in 2001) than in the rural

(14 points)• Urban child sex ratio is 903 females per 1000 males (2001 Census) and rural child

sex ratio is 934 females per 1000 males• Only 4 states (Kerala, Mizoram, Tripura & Sikkim) and 1 union territory

(Lakshadweep) out of the 35 states and UTs, recorded an increase in CSR in 2001• 1036 girls per 1000 boys is the highest district level CSR recorded - Sikkim

DISTRICT LEVEL CHILD SEX RATIO - 2001

States in the frontline of economic progress like Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, etc., have recorded the sharpest decline in child sex ratios.State/UT# Child sex ratio Poverty Ratio (% of population living

(0-6 years females below poverty line) 1999-2000 per 1000 males) * (combined

High Income StatesDelhi # 865 8.23Gujarat 878 14.07Haryana 820 8.74Himachal Pradesh 897 7.63Punjab 793 6.16Maharashtra 917 25.02Low Income StatesSikkim 986 36.55Tripura 975 34.44West Bengal 963 27.02Orissa 950 47.15

Imbalanced sex ratios an indication of deep-rooted gender bias, undermines the right to life of girls

Pre-birth elimination of girls creates scarcity of women, which may result in:• Girls being married at younger age• Increased numbers of child brides further contribute to the poor status of women, as they are less likely to finish school or develop job skills before marriage• Young brides and their children are more likely to suffer from increased morbidity and mortality associated with early childbirth • Increase in acts of violence against girls and women, e.g., rape, abduction, trafficking, due to surplus of menLoss of women likely to have negative consequences on the economy since women are a vital part of India’s labour force

IMPLICATIONS

Government's response continued..

Implementation strategy focuses on:

Advocacy and communication – Mobilising media both print and electronic to create nation-wide publicity and awareness

Capacity building – Ranges from organising training programmes to provisioning of essential reading materials to equip and enhance knowledge base

Promoting, strengthening and working with partners - The GOI works with a range of partners, particularly other departments like the Department of Women and Child Development, the Registrar General’s Office, NGOs, civil society organisations, academic institutions, UN agencies, etc.

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE

•Media advocacy to encourage greater focus on the issue of female foeticide

•Strengthen partnerships and alliances to facilitate the implementation of laws, policies and programmesthat protect the rights of girls

•Support research studies and data analysis

•Support community based initiatives

FUTURE DIRECTIONS...•Promote community based inter sectoral actions to address adverse sex ratios•Improve civil registration system for births, deaths and ante-natal registrations•Support advocacy efforts to ensure the practice of medical ethics and work with State and National Medical Counsels •Develop related indicators to help in monitoring progress•Document and disseminate information •Continue media advocacy and efforts to facilitate the implementation of laws, policies and programmes that protect the rights of girls.