Dowry,security concerns lead to female infanticide: study

Dowry and security concerns for girls are among key reasons for parents preferring sons,demographers at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics,who have been analying the Census data and correlating the findings,have discovered.

Dowry and security concerns for girls are among key reasons for parents preferring sons,demographers at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE),who have been analying the Census data and correlating the findings,have discovered.

Analysis of child sex ratio figures from Census 2011 and 2001 by GIPE and the State Family Welfare Bureau has thrown up several disturbing facts. Dr Suresh Gupta,Additional Director of the Family Welfare Bureau told Newsline that data analysis on child sex ratio indicated that the trend was not confined to well-to-do groups but was widespread among lower socio-economic groups,too,especially in Marathwada region. Problems like dowry,security for girls and easy availability of sex selection tests have led to people getting rid of the girl child in the womb,he said.

Female foeticide for as low as Rs 500 is evident mainly in Marathwada region,the study has found.

To create awareness on these issues,the State Family Welfare Bureau will give Rs 1 lakh to each district and launch a helpline on July 11 coinciding with the World Population Day. The toll-free number,18002334475,will be activated at the Punes Family Welfare Bureau office on July 11,Dr Gupta told Newsline.

In their study,GIPE demographers R Nagarajan and Sanjeevani Mulay tried to understand the role of ultrasound sonography centres in the declining child sex ratio in Maharashtra. It had fallen by 33 points from 946 girls/1000 boys to 913 girls per 1000 boys in 2001. Analysis of the Census data of 2011 showed a further decline by 30 points as child sex ratio dipped to 883 girls per 1000 boys.

Two years ago,we studied the impact of ultrasound sonography centres and found a need to regulate their proliferation and functioning, says Nagarajan. According to Mulay,the 2001 Census data indicates a further spread of sonography centres contributing to a reduction in child sex ratio. The dip was evident mainly in Western Maharashtra sugar belt where it was surmised that well-to-do families relied mainly on ultrasound to abort female foetus,says Mulay. Dr Anjali Radkar,another GIPE demographer has planned an in-depth analysis of the dip in child sex ratio.

The worst affected district was Beed,where child sex ratio in 2011 is 801 girls per 1000 boys from 894 girls per 1000 boys in 2001. In Jalgaon,it dipped from 880 girls per 1000 boys in 2001 to 829 in 2011. In Ahmednagar,the dip was from 884 girls/1000 boys to 839/1000 and in Aurangabad from 890/1000 to 848/1000. In Jalna the ratio was 903/1000 in 2001 whih fell to 847/1000 in 2011.

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