Violence is a state, of exploitation, discrimination, upholding of unequal economic and social structures, the creation of an atmosphere of terror, threat or reprisal and forms of religio-cultural and political violence. It can be perpetrated by those in power against the powerless or by the powerless in retaliation against coercion by others. Gender violence is deeply entrenched in almost all cultures. Its forms are: different, unequal and discriminatory treatment by the family as well as the state, such as discrimination in health care, education, access to food, right to resources, gender division of labor, gender discriminatory values against women, etc. Extreme forms of gender discrimination are female infanticide and foeticide, and the selection of sex before conception.

Pre-natal Diagnostic tests: a deadly weapon against females?

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.

Reduction in the number of girl children in India

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.

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.

Increasing female foeticide: a case of misuse of medical technology

0Improvements 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 and 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 Law provides the tool for action against female foeticide: The Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act 1994