INTRODUCTION

The Atharvaveda says, “The birth of a daughter, grant it elsewhere, here grant a son”. This saying in the holy scripture sums up the Indian attitude towards female children who are subjected to multifarious travails inflicted by the society on them. The girl children in India have been the most vulnerable for centuries and, are even today, vulnerable to the insults of deprivation as well as discrimination. Whatever the natural biological laws of human reproduction had given mankind for balancing its natural sex ratio, has been taken away by man made laws, customs, traditions, religious beliefs and sophisticated medical technology, resulting in a lower status in society for girls as well as women. For too long have they been left on the back burner, facing discrimination throughout their entire journey from cradle to the grave. In particular, peculiar to South Asia, and certainly to India, tradition, values and customs encrusted over time have resulted in the insatiable desire for sons, with families having totally marginalized the joy and pleasure in giving birth to a baby girl.                                                            

It is agonizing to know that the gender bias and deep-rooted prejudice and discrimination against girl child, which have been there down the centuries, are now found to begin in the womb itself. The girl child in the womb faces the peril of prebirth elimination i.e. female foeticide. The latest advances in modern medical sciences - the tests like amniocentesis and ultrasonography are being abused. The tests which were originally designed for the detection of gender related congenital abnormality of the foetus are now being abused particularly in India and Asian countries primarily to detect the sex of the foetus with the intention of getting it aborted if it happens to be that of a female. Such foetus is considered to be “suffering from the very disease of being a female foetus”. If the female foetus is lucky enough to survive till her birth then she faced the peril of elimination in infancy by female infanticide. (Kolloor 1990) defined it as, “Killing of an entirely dependent girl child under one year of age by mother, parents or others in whose care she is entrusted”. Historically, female infanticide has been in existence since long. Girl infants have been known to be killed by rubbing poison on the mother’s breast, by feeding infants with milk of errukam flower or oleander berries, by using sap of calotropis plant, paddy grains, giving sleeping tablets or by simply burying the girl infants alive. Law banned this heinous practice in 1870, more than a century ago. Yet this abuse of girl child which is violation of her human right to life continues to prevail not only in some parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat but recently has been found in some districts of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra as well (Kumari 1995).

Sex determination tests are seen as providing a ‘reproductive choice’ - a choice to decide to have a boy or a girl. However women do not really enjoy an unfettered choice. Choice cannot exist in the context where women are socialized to subordinate their interests to those of men; where women attain a status only through marriage and by giving birth to children preferably sons; where they largely bear the burden of cooking, collecting firewood, fetching water, bearing and rearing children, tending cattle; eat last and the least, have lesser access to education and health services. Choice is only meaningful if it can be exercised in the context of material, social and gender equity. The availability of sex detection tests creates a situation where women are forced to undergo the test either by external pressure from family members or by internalized social values.

The supporters of sex detection tests argue that on the basis of the theory of demand and supply, an excess of males over females achieved with the reduction of unwanted, and hence, neglected female children would actually raise the status of women. However if mere numbers were to indicate status, then in several states in India, where adverse sex ratio exists, status of women would be high. On the contrary, one observes that incidence of dowry deaths, rape and other atrocities being committed in these states is as high as in other states. Based on anthropological evidence (Dube 1983) it has been observed that societies with adverse female sex ratio have indicated the presence of customs like polyandry and abduction and purchase of women. It is strongly felt, that contrary to raising the status of women, adverse sex ratio would increase the incidence of rape, prostitution and violence against women.

Amniocentesis and other diagnostic techniques are viewed as important ways of arriving at a ‘balanced family’, which in turn, will reduce the birth rate and control population growth. If an equal representation of a male and a female child for a couple can be considered as constituting a ‘balanced family’, the presence of only male children should not be considered as ‘balanced family’. Some argue that female foeticide is a powerful method of lowering the birth rate without coercion. But “Is not female foeticide a coercion?”

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The various districts of the Punjab state were divided into three categories viz., districts with high, medium and low sex ratio on the basis of statistics of Provinsional census of 2001 One district was selected from each category i.e. Ferozepur with high sex ratio, Bathinda with medium sex ratio and Ludhiana with low sex ratio. Stratified random sampling technique was used to draw a sample for the study. The respondents were divided into farming and nonfarming households equally .Two blocks were selected randomly from each district. From each selected block, two villages were selected randomly. Eighty respondents were selected from each district making a total sample of 240 (120 from farming families and 120 from non-farming families). The respondent was usually the female head of the family. The data regarding the present study was collected by conducting personal interviews as well as buried questionnaire technique.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The attitude of the female respondents towards the practice of female foeticide was drawn out using the buried questionnaire technique.. The reasons for indulgence in this illegal and immoral act were known from the respondents themselves. The following main aspects were investigated and related findings are detailed out below.

1. Attitude towards female foeticide

Female foeticide refers to the elimination of female foetus through abortions. It has been cited as one of the important reasons for declining sex ratio. Table 1. reveals the attitude of respondents towards female foeticide.

Ludhiana is the region with the lowest sex ratio. Here, 67.50 percent of farming respondents and half the sample of non-farming respondents gave a nod to female foeticide. They argued that they could afford only one female child in the family. A woman could not afford to fill her courtyard with female children in such an inflationary environment. In the total sample taken from Ludhiana 27.50 percent expressed their dissent towards female foeticide. According to them, it was a heinous act and should be punished by law.

Bathinda is the region with middle sex ratio. In Bathinda 52.50 percent of the farming families and 47.50 percent of non-farming families approved of female foeticide. In this region many female respondents openly admitted to have undergone female foeticide. Some respondents used the pretext of preferring a male child to give company to their already present male children. So they avoided having daughters but preferred having a son. They confided that if they already had one son, they could afford to have another son but if they had one daughter, they could not afford to have another daughter. They would loose their respect in the society if they had only daughters. In the total sample from Bathinda region, 18.75 percent of the respondents looked down upon this act. They felt that it was a crime, which should be punished by law. They felt that every living being has to undergo 84 lakhs cycles of birth and death. By killing a living being in the womb, we send the girl child one step backward in the cycle of birth and death.

Ferozepur was the region amongst the three districts, which had the highest sex ratio. Majority of the farming and non-farming families expressed an indifferent attitude towards female foeticide. Here, 12.50 percent of the farming respondents and 17.50 percent of non-farming respondents approved of female foeticide. The respondents with this attitude felt one girl was more than sufficient in a family. Girls were meant to be born in the household of rich and big farmers and affluent families who could bear the expenses of rearing female children. Some respondents even went on record to say that female foeticide was a good way to keep girl population in check. They went to the extent of demanding more easy and accessible facilities for sex detection and consequently female foeticide. In Ferozepur 17.50 percent of the sample expressed their dissent towards female foeticide, which according to them was a heinous crime punishable by law.

 

Table 1. Distribution of respondents according to their attitude towards female foeticide

Attitude towards female foeticide	Ludhiana				Bathinda				Ferozepur				Total
	Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	G. Total
Favourable	27 (67.50)	20 (50.00)	47 (58.75)		21 (52.50)	19 (47.50)	40 (50.00)		5 (12.50)	7 (17.50)	12 (15.00)		53 (44.17)	46 (38.33)	99 (41.25)
Indifferent	6 (15.00)	5 (12.50)	11 (13.75)		13 (32.50)	12 (30.00)	25 (31.25)		30 (75.00)	24 (60.00)	64 (80.00)		48 (40.00)	41 (34.16)	89 (37.08)
Unfavourable	7 (17.50)	15 (37.50)	22 (27.50)		6 (15.00)	9 (22.50)	15 (18.75)		5 (12.50)	9 (22.50)	14 (17.50)		18 (15.00)	33 (27.50)	51 (21.25)
Total	40 (100.00)	40 (100.00)	80 (100.00)		40 (100.00)	40 (100.00)	80 (100.00)		40 (100.00)	40 (100.00)	80 (100.00)		120 (100.00)	120 (100.00)	240 (100.00)

Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage

 

Thus Table 1 reveals that 44.17 percent of farming respondents and 38.33 percent of non-farming respondents endorsed the act of female foeticide. A majority of 41.25 percent of the sample approved of this act under one pretext or the other. A considerable 37.08 percent of the respondents in the sample for the study were indifferent towards it. Ludhiana was the district in which 58.75 percent of the respondents expressed a favorable attitude towards female foeticide while in Ferozepur an overwhelming 80 percent of the respondents were indifferent to towards it.

2. Reasons cited for female foeticide

The respondents who expressed a favorable attitude towards female foeticide cited various reasons for it. Table 2.gives an insight into these reasons.

In Ludhiana district about 59 percent of the sample derived from the region expressed the reasons why they underwent or would undergo female foeticide. Out of this, an overwhelming majority of 82.97 percent cited dowry as the main cause for female foeticide. For them marriage had become an expensive affair. The rise in the cost of living had compelled them think seriously about having daughters. They had to pay a huge dowry to their son-in-laws so that they would keep their daughters happy. The greater the number of daughters, more was the economic burden on the parents. About 86 percent of those who gave a nod to female foeticide stated that girls failed to provide any kind of social security to parents. Parents could not expect their daughters to earn and feed them in old age. A negligible 3 percent of respondents even felt that female foeticide was a good way to check the growth of female population.

In Bathinda district about half of the total sample taken endorsed the act of female foeticide. An overwhelming majority of 80 percent of them cited dowry as the cause. The farming families argued that they had to first raise a daughter and then spend Rs 15 lakh on her wedding. Nowadays they did not get this kind of income from their land. It was a great monetary loss to the family. They reported the slogans given by doctors. “Better to spend Rs. 1000 now and save Rs. 10 lakh later”. In Bathinda a majority of 75 percent of those who approved of female foeticide expressed that girls were an unnecessary investment. They repeated, “Bringing up a daughter is like watering a neighbourer’s plant”. They felt that parents brought up daughters, gave them the best of clothing and facilities only to he taken over by her in laws. Even if a girl was earning, the parents had no right to that earning. It was shared by her in-laws. A considerable 60 percent of the respondents cited post marital problems faced by the girl, lack of social security provided by female children and denial of property to the girl child as the reason for approving female foeticide. They even categorically took the name of the doctor who indulged in eliminating female fetuses.

In Ferozepur, which had comparatively the highest sex ratio in three districts, dowry again came out to be the major reason for approving female foeticide, although only 15 percent of the sample taken from Ferozepur showed a favorable attitude towards it. The respondents argued that they could not afford to have three to four daughters and worry about marrying them off and giving them dowry. They would virtually become paupers if they did so. Girls took dowry from their parents while sons brought huge amount of dowry for their parents. Secondly, half of the sample who approved of female foeticide confided that they had to bear a large amount of pressure from their family members particularly mother-in-law so as not to beget daughters. “The mother in-law did not want her courtyard to be filled by daughters”, stated some of the respondents. A significant 41.67 percent of interviewees also considered girls as second-class citizens as they provided no social security to parents in old age. They were considered an unnecessary investment.

 

Table 2. Distribution of respondents according to the reasons cited by them for female foeticide

	Ludhiana				Bathinda				Ferozepur				Total
Reasons	Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	G. Total
Dowry	24 (88.88)	15 (75.00)	39 (82.97)		17 (80.95)	15 (78.94)	32 (80.00)		3 (60.00)	5 (71.42)	8 (66.66)		44 (83.01)	35 (76.08)	79 (79.79)
Post marital problems	15 (55.55)	11 (55.00)	26 (55.31)		11 (52.38)	13 (68.42)	24 (60.00)		1 (20.00)	3 (42.85)	4 (33.33)		27 (50.94)	27 (58.69)	54 (54.54)
Unnecessary investment	19 (70.37)	13 (65.00)	32 (68.08)		15 (71.42)	15 (78.94)	30 (75.00)		2 (40.00)	3 (42.85)	5 (41.67)		36 (67.92)	31 (67.39)	67 (67.67)
No social security	23 (85.18)	17 (85.00)	40 (85.10)		11 (52.38)	13 (68.42)	24 (60.00)		2 (40.00)	3 (42.85)	5 (41.67)		36 (67.92)	33 (71.73)	69 (69.69)
Denial of property	-	2 (10.00)	2 (4.25)		8 (38.09)	16 (84.21)	24 (60.00)		1 (20.00)	2 (28.57)	3 (25.00)		9 (16.98)	20 (43.47)	29 (29.29)
Insistence of family members	9 (33.33)	5 (25.00)	14 (29.75)		7 (33.33)	5 (26.31)	12 (30.00)		3 (60.00)	3 (42.85)	6 (50.00)		19 (35.84)	13 (28.26)	32 (32.32)
Any other	-	1 (5.00)	1 (2.12)		-	-	-		2 (40.00)	-	2 (16.67)		2 (3.77)	1 (2.17)	3 (3.03)

Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage

 

Thus Table 2.reveals the major reasons cited by the respondents having a favorable attitude towards female foeticide. An overwhelming majority of 79.79 percent of the female respondents cited dowry as the main cause for eliminating the female foetus. They stated that with rising costs and increase in consumerism, they were unable to meet the escalating costs of giving dowry to daughters. A considerable 69.69 percent of interviewees opined that daughters could not provide social security to parents. They were an unnecessary investment for the parents. Parents invested in the food, education, clothing and other expenses of the girl children but their in-laws took the fruits. A minimal 3.03 percent stated that female foeticide was a good way to keep girl child population in check. Moreover with increase in the immorality in the world, girl children had to be brought up with extreme caution and care lest they should be victimized by various evils, which endangered the female sex in the human society.

3. Future implications of declining sex ratio

The decline in the number of females can have serious repercussions for the future. The respondents were asked about the possible consequences and their responses were categorized in Table3.

 

Table 3. Distribution of respondents according to the future implications cited by them of declining sex ratio

Future implications	Ludhiana				Bathinda				Ferozepur				Total
	Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	G. Total
Difficulty in finding match for boy	37 (92.50)	33 (82.50)	70 (87.50)		40 (100.00)	38 (95.00)	78 (97.50)		40 (100.00)	35 (87.50)	75 (93.75)		117 (97.50)	106 (88.34)	223 (92.92)
Decline in the practice of dowry	8 (20.00)	6 (15.00)	14 (17.50)		11 (27.50)	7 (5.83)	18 (22.50)		15 (37.50)	14 (35.00)	29 (36.25)		34 (28.33)	27 (22.50)	61 (25.41)
Bride price will start	7 (5.83)	3 (7.50)	10 (12.50)		9 (22.50)	4 (10.00)	13. (16.25)		-	3 (7.50)	3 (3.75)		16 (13.34)	10 (8.33)	26 (10.83)
Increase in the status of women	25 (62.50)	16 (40.00)	41 (51.25)		31 (77.50)	13 (32.50)	44 (55.00)		17 (42.50)	14 (35.00)	31 (38.75)		73 (60.83)	43 (35.83)	116 (48.33)
Degradation in society	26 (65.00)	21 (52.50)	47 (58.75)		11 (27.50)	24 (20.00)	35 (43.75)		16 (40.00)	13 (32.50)	29 (36.25)		53 (44.16)	58 (48.33)	111 (46.25)
Degradation of moral values	23 (57.50)	22 (58.00)	45 (56.25)		7 (5.83)	17 (42.50)	24 (30.00)		12 (30.00)	8 (20.00)	21 (26.25)		43 (35.83)	47 (39.16)	90 (37.50)
Lead to all male families	30 (75.00)	35 (43.75)	65 (81.25)		35 (87.50)	32 (80.00)	67 (83.75)		24 (60.00)	11 (27.50)	35 (43.75)		89 (74.17)	78 (65.00)	167 (69.58)
Any other	3 (7.50)	1 (2.50)	4 (5.00)		1 (2.50)	-	1 (1.25)		-	-	-		4 (3.33)	1 (0.83)	5 (2.08)

Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage

 

In Ludhiana district an overwhelming majority of 87.50 percent of the respondents feared that they would face difficulty in finding match for their male children. Supporting their earlier view, they apprehended that it would lead to families where there would be only males. The respondents from Bathinda district were unanimous with the their Ludhiana counterparts regarding the repercussions of the declining sex ratio. A considerable 77.50 percent of farming respondents of Bathinda were slightly optimistic about the future state of affairs. They predicted that it might lead to increase in the status of women. In both Ludhiana and Bathinda a negligible percentage of respondents felt that decline in sex ratio would lead to decline in the practice of giving dowry and on the contrary the practice of bride price may start. For them it seemed to be a utopia.

As far as Ferozepur was concerned, all the respondents from the farming families and 87.50 percent of the non-farming respondents expressed their concern over the probability of finding a suitable match for their male children. However only 27.50 percent of non-farming respondents as compared to 60 percent of farming respondents from Ferozepur district believed that in future they would have all male families. This may be due to the fact that the non-farming families were usually illiterate or very little educated. They could not foresee such a long-term consequence whereas farming interviewees could. A considerable 26.25 and 36.25 percent of the sample from Ferozepur felt that the continuous decline in the number of female children would lead to degradation of moral values and hence degradation in society. It might lead to an increased incidence of rape, violence against women, immorality, red traffic, prostitution and polyandry.

Thus Table3. reveals that an overwhelming majority of 97.50 percent of the respondents from farming as well as 88.34 percent of the respondents from the non-farming families in all the three districts expressed their apphrensions about finding a suitable match for their male children if the sex ratio continued to decline in future. They felt it might lead to a society where there would be “all male families”.

4. Suggestions for improvement

The respondents were asked to give suggestions for dealing with the problem of declining sex ratio in the country. Their responses have been categorized as shown in Table 4.

In Ludhiana an overwhelming majority of 80 percent of the respondents from the farming families and 62.50 percent of non-farming families felt that the legislative measures should be stringently implemented to prevent female foeticide and female infanticide. The doctors and nurses who are found guilty should be brought to book. They wanted that laws should also be strictly enforced regarding giving and taking of dowry. A considerable 68.75 percent of the sample from Ludhiana wanted that free and compulsory education should be provided to female children so that they could support themselves during exigencies. The non-farming respondents gave lesser impetus to this as compared to the farming respondents as they were mostly poor and did not realize the importance of education in the life of a girl child.

In Bathinda district a majority of 78.75 percent of the respondents agreed with views expressed by respondents of Ludhiana district. However 12.50 percent of farming respondents and 45 percent of non-farming respondents wanted that women should be imparted skills and training through various vocational programmes. The non-farming interviewees gave more impetus to this suggestion as they felt that if a girl child had some skill she could also augment the income of their poor family. The farming respondents wanted their daughters to stay at home and not to work outside.

 

Table 4. Suggestions for improvement of declining sex ratio as given by the respondents

Suggestions for improvement	Ludhiana				Bathinda						Ferozepur						Total
	Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming		Total			Farming	Non farming	Total		Farming	Non farming	G. Total
Strict enactment of legislative measures	32 (80.00)	25 (62.50)	57 (71.25)		29 (72.50)	34 (85.00)		63 (78.75)			37 (92.50)	26 (65.00)	63 (78.75)		98 (81.67)	85 (70.83)	183 (76.25)
Media to highlight the importance of girl child	5 (12.50)	12 (30.00)	17 (21.25)		6 (15.00)	9 (22.50)		15 (18.75)			24 (60.00)	21 (52.50)	45 (56.25)		35 (29.16)	42 (35.00)	77 (32.08)
Skill and training to be imparted to women	11 (27.50)	13 (32.50)	24 (30.00)		5 (12.50)	18 (45.00)		23 (28.75)			24 (60.00)	16 (40.00)	40 (50.00)		40 (33.33)	47 (39.17)	87 (36.25)
Education to be made compulsory for women	31 (77.50)	24 (60.00)	55 (68.75)		28 (70.00)	33 (82.50)		61 (76.25)			35 (87.50)	27 (67.50)	62 (77.50)		94 (78.33)	84 (70.00)	178 (74.17)
Economic schemes can be started for women	14 (35.00)	3 (32.50)	27 (33.75)		22 (55.00)	19 (47.50)		41 (51.25)			10 (25.00)	18 (45.00)	28 (35.00)		46 (38.33)	50 (41.67)	96 (40.00)
Girls to be given share in the property	4 (10.00)	8 (20.00)	12 (15.00)		7 (17.50)	2 (5.00)		9 (11.25)			5 (12.50)	3 (7.50)	8 (10.00)		16 (13.33)	13 (10.83)	29 (12.08)
Any other	-	-	-		2 (5.00)	-		2 (2.50)			-	-	-		2 (1.67)	-	2 (0.83)

Figures in parentheses indicate the percentage

 

As far as Ferozepur was concerned 78.75 percent of the sample gave emphasis on legislative measures while 77.50 percent accentuated the role of education for improving the sex ratio in the state and the country. One quarter of the farming and 45 percent of the non-farming respondents from Ferozepur wanted that government should start various schemes by which economic benefits could be accrued to those families who had daughters. The economic factor was more alluring to the non-farming respondents as compared to farming respondents because of their low level of income. They gave the example of ‘Shagan scheme’, which was launched by the Punjab Government and involved giving Rs. 5001/- as shagan wherever a female child was getting married off by her parents. A minimal 10 percent of the respondents wanted that girls should be given a share in the property.

Thus table 4. reveals that majority of the respondents from all the three districts wanted government to effectively implement laws against female foeticide and dowry. Most of them also emphasized the role of education to improve the situation.

Conclusion and Policy suggestions

It can be concluded from the present study that majority of the respondents approved of female foeticide under one pretext or the other. Dowry was cited as the main reason behind it. Daughters were unable to provide social security to their parents in old age and thus were considered an unnecessary investment. At the same time, respondents were apprehensive of finding a suitable match for their male children The following suggestive measures flew out from the study.

1. Laws have been passed declaring female foeticide as illegal. Advertising for prenatal prediction of sex has also been declared illegal. Efforts should be made to implement these laws effectively. Strict punishment should be given to the defaulters.

2. The trend of taking and giving of dowry which takes place mostly in educated and upper class homes can not be discouraged by laws alone. It is entrenched in the mindset of India’s people and no amount of preaching would stop it. However efforts should continue to be made at the individual as well as at the government level. Stringent and effective laws should be supported by speedy trials, dowry giving and taking cases should be tried by a special court and short stay homes should be set up for battered women.

3. Efforts and provisions should be made to provide social security to parents who are above 65 years of age and have only daughters. They should be provided with old age pension if they do not have a son. Most of the respondents in the study who had daughters feared for their social security especially in old age.

4. Girl children should be provided free and compulsory education up to higher secondary level. This would decrease the so-called “unnecessary investment on girl children” made by the parents on their daughters. They would stop taking their daughters as a liability, which many respondents taken for the study did grumble about.

5. Certain schemes should be started for providing economic provisions for the female children. For this purpose, government should start various employment schemes for females where 100% reservation could be made for women in occupations like teaching, nursing, as telephone operators etc.

6. Women’s right to own and inherit property and the social obligation of daughters to support parents in the same way as sons, can be spread by policy intervention to inculcate these new values in households as well as legal support to implement these values should be provided.

7. The Ministry of Women and Child Welfare should dispatch congratulatory greetings to couples who attain parenthood with the birth of a girl child. Many respondents in the study felt shame and embarrassment about having many daughters. The government by dispatching such greetings could spread awareness that the birth of a girl is a joyous occasion and would instill confidence in the mother who usually finds herself at the receiving end whenever a girl child is born.

8. Religious education can play a role by preaching against female foeticide, dowry and discrimination against the girl children.

9. Moral education should be imparted in schools. Children should be taught to uphold morals and refrain from practices of dowry, female foeticide, gender bias. The vulnerable minds of the children should be so influenced that they grow up as adults who consider practicing dowry and female foeticide as immoral.

10. Various monetary benefits should be provided to parents having daughters. Only the state of Tamil Nadu has offered a savings bond of Rs. 2000/- to families that accept sterilization after bearing two daughters and no son. It has also started a scheme whereby, girls from scheduled castes who after completing grade VIII could receive a bonus of Rs. 5000/-

11. Women should also be socialized from early childhood to consider themselves as equal to men. They should be encouraged to assume all those responsibilities, which are normally considered to be belonging to the male domain. This would be a positive influence on the coming generations as today’s girl child would be tomorrow’s mother as well as mother in-law.

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Puri N (1998) The girl child in India. The Journal of Family Welfare 44 (3): 1-8.

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