Female Foeticide: An age old curse to the womanhood!!
As we are celebrating the women’s day today, there is something which I cannot take off my mind from. I recently read news in leading dailies that COPs have found 19 aborted fetuses near Sangli stream in Maharashtra. It caused me a grave disappointment to note that at times when we claim of bringing gender equality, when we are striving to become a developed country, when the science and technology is about to reach the zenith, in such an era, we have a sociological fear of another woman born in society. Birth of a woman is still considered as a burden and disrespect to this ‘Man dominated land’. Though, determination of prenatal sex is a criminal offence in India, there has been some unauthorized clinics and unethical medical professionals who are involved in such a filthy activity.
It is an open truth that the sex ratio imbalance is increasing in most of the states in India. In State of Haryana, there are only 879 woman over every 1000 males(approx.). The condition in the Union Territories is further more deplorable with a sex ratio of as low as 618 in Daman and Diu(approx.). Such narrow minded approach of society towards woman would put the whole ecosystem in peril.
Why the birth of a female is not preferred?
The birth of a woman in Indian Society is not just a single event, it is a chain of impending debts for the parents of a girl child. Upbringing a girl child in an unsafe atmosphere is itself a task. Further, the marriage of the girl and arrangement of dowry is another cause of burden for the parents. In some of the villages of India, it is seen as a prestige issue and the number of sons is considered equal to the physical power. There is another myth that the son will take the clan forward that is why a son is preferred over a daughter.
Whenever I come across a pregnant women, the only thing that comes to mind is as to how can someone be so cruel to take a decision to kill the supreme creation of nature which is about to be born. From Kalpana Chawla in space to Kiran Mazumdar Shah of Biocon International and Indira Nooyi of Pepsico in enterprenuership, woman have made substantial contribution in the development in society. Today’s woman is not only an entertainer for a male or a household commodity in society, but has a larger role to play. Woman of today is conquering the world. One must not miss the names of power woman in the world of politics from Sushma Swaraj to Smriti Irani to Sonia Gandhi to Michelle Bachlete of Argentina to Angela Merkel of Germany. Sunita Williams holds the record for having the longest walk in space. What would have happened if the conservatism of society had led to abortion of the fetuses through which they were born. Kindly give a thought to it. #iamflypped
