tA lot has been said and written about female infanticide but being a girl provokes me to write and express my concern about it.Some things that I am going to say have already been said but it need to be reiterated time and again as those words fell on deaf ears.
The horrendous crime was initially committed in the form of female infanticide when science was innocuous and ultrasound had not made its way into the infirmary.But when laws made it arduous and technology coupled with acrimony made it cinch for the perpetrators to fulfill their desires it was then when some from the medical fraternity decided to cash the occassion .This was in 1980s. Sonography had made its way in the hospitals and "culprits" received salvation in pathology.
The reasons for this are cited below:
1)Dowry: The insurance paid by the parents to the groom's family to secure a haven for their daughter have culminated into a practice of ending this liability before it could afflict their financial status. After all "Prevention is better than cure".
2)Hum do Hamare do:Since the management decided to curb the population growth in India the notion changed from "HUM DO HAMARE DO" to "HUM DO HAMARE DO LADKE".After all the society desirous of male child would not let a notion mitigate their intent.Hence their discretion was that if their could be just "do" it should be "do ladke" .
Old Age Security: The institution of marriage in countries like India states that the post marriage the better halves should be punctilious towards their in-laws . Such customs imbue people with a desire of male child who could be their support in their last days on earth.
Needless to say this praxis spread like fire in woods.It went unheeded till Maharashtra government took cognizance of the fact and enacted a law the Regulation of the Use of Prenatal Diagnostics Act. Following this, the governments of Punjab, Gujrat and Haryana passed similar laws.Similar efforts at the national level resulted in the enactment of the Central pre-natal diagnostic technique (Regulation and the prevention of misuse) Act 1994.The object of the Act is to prevent the misuse of such techniques for the purpose of pre-natal sex determination leading to female feoticide.In 2001 , a PIL was filed with the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court directed the states to enforce the PNDT Act. It also directed nine companies to provide the details of the ultrasound machines sold to clinics in last five years.It also asked medical associations sich as the Indian Medical Association to furnish the details.
Only in 2002 , eight years after the PNDT act was passed that the Medical Council of India authorised under section 23(2) of the Act to take action against any erring medical practitioner - recognized undertaking sex-determination test with the intent to kill the foetus.Manufacturers of ultrasound machines are now required to sell their products only to registered clinics.
The question is how do you comprehend the intent of the medical practitioners and the perpetrators involved . The medical practitioners are to be penalized for such heinous offences. But to my knowledge there are hardly (or rather no) any cases of de-registration and criminal prosecution. This is being done in packages:ultrasound followed by abortion .It is being done in broad daylight in states like Punjab ,Haryana and Maharashtra.
IIt is not the legislature but the executive that needs to pull its socks up.The quintessence of this is South Korea. Few years back it was in the same social predicament but stricter enforcement of laws , where in 1991 eight physians in Seoul had their liscences suspended ,had a deterrent affect on other physicians. .In the following year the sex ratio fell from 117 to 113 suggesting that punitive measures are effective.
The fallout of this practice are conspicuous in the society in which we subsist:
PROSTITUTION: It will result in the intensification of prostitution. A colossal number of males have reached their reproductive age.The unbalanced sex ratio does not let them do away with their single tag. These legion then embrace this path culminating in expansion of this industry . The after effects are increased women trafficking and coercion.
POLYGAMY:Reduction in the number of females is resulting in the practice of polygamy.States like Haryana where men are in their 30's prefer such practice. Girls from outside the state are purchased and they are forcefully married to male members of the family.They are physically abused by all of them .If their are five male members in the family the girl is assaulted at the hands of all the five members.She commands no respect and she can be abandoned at their will.
Crime against women:The girls that survive have to face challanges throughout their life.They live under the impression that they are weak and they should be obliged to their parents for the life given to them. Even if parents are supportive they have to face the society oustide home.They are an eye-candy for big boys .Eve teasing has become the norm of the day. It has become part and parcel of the society.Passing nasty comments is considered to be a birth right by boys. Rape ,Gang rape, women trafficking are increasing at an alarming rate and surprisingly instead of blaming the customs of the society or the etiquette of the boys we suggest girls to behave like a demure.We live in a society where we teach girls not to get raped instead of teaching boys not to rape . We are slaves of the age old thinking that boys are bound to misbehave which we cannot change.
We are a part of the male dominated society and we cannot expect justice from males . If we want justice and respect we have to bring ourselves in a position that we can demand justice . Respect is to be earned not begged.We talk of women empowerment but time has come when we need to act upon the belief of which we have so strongly spoken .
SOLUTION:
EDUCATION:Education is to women what moksha is to seer.Just like a seer that spends his life looking for a window that will take him to the divine world where there is no fear women of this generation need that window of education which will take them in a world where there is no humiliation.This grave step will release all the female souls that are yet to arrive in this temporal world of the derogatory position they hold now.
SELF DEFENCE: An aphorism that we read as toddlers says"God love those who love themselves".But as it is said that all that is achieved easily is taken for granted so is the quote.In Mahabharata when Draupadi stressed her vocal chords and echoed "Krishna" God himself came as a savior but this strategy will not work now.We cannot depend on omnipotent omnipresent almighty to save us from the perils of the society.We need to stand up for our own rights . Enough has been said about the physical power of the girls.We might not be as strong as boys but we can make ourselves capable by learning sum martial arts. This will boost our confidence.
There is no sure shot method but there is definitely a hope that someday this will change.
The fallout of this practice are conspicuous in the society in which we subsist:
PROSTITUTION: It will result in the intensification of prostitution. A colossal number of males have reached their reproductive age.The unbalanced sex ratio does not let them do away with their single tag. These legion then embrace this path culminating in expansion of this industry . The after effects are increased women trafficking and coercion.
POLYGAMY:Reduction in the number of females is resulting in the practice of polygamy.States like Haryana where men are in their 30's prefer such practice. Girls from outside the state are purchased and they are forcefully married to male members of the family.They are physically abused by all of them .If their are five male members in the family the girl is assaulted at the hands of all the five members.She commands no respect and she can be abandoned at their will.
Crime against women:The girls that survive have to face challanges throughout their life.They live under the impression that they are weak and they should be obliged to their parents for the life given to them. Even if parents are supportive they have to face the society oustide home.They are an eye-candy for big boys .Eve teasing has become the norm of the day. It has become part and parcel of the society.Passing nasty comments is considered to be a birth right by boys. Rape ,Gang rape, women trafficking are increasing at an alarming rate and surprisingly instead of blaming the customs of the society or the etiquette of the boys we suggest girls to behave like a demure.We live in a society where we teach girls not to get raped instead of teaching boys not to rape . We are slaves of the age old thinking that boys are bound to misbehave which we cannot change.
We are a part of the male dominated society and we cannot expect justice from males . If we want justice and respect we have to bring ourselves in a position that we can demand justice . Respect is to be earned not begged.We talk of women empowerment but time has come when we need to act upon the belief of which we have so strongly spoken .
SOLUTION:
EDUCATION:Education is to women what moksha is to seer.Just like a seer that spends his life looking for a window that will take him to the divine world where there is no fear women of this generation need that window of education which will take them in a world where there is no humiliation.This grave step will release all the female souls that are yet to arrive in this temporal world of the derogatory position they hold now.
SELF DEFENCE: An aphorism that we read as toddlers says"God love those who love themselves".But as it is said that all that is achieved easily is taken for granted so is the quote.In Mahabharata when Draupadi stressed her vocal chords and echoed "Krishna" God himself came as a savior but this strategy will not work now.We cannot depend on omnipotent omnipresent almighty to save us from the perils of the society.We need to stand up for our own rights . Enough has been said about the physical power of the girls.We might not be as strong as boys but we can make ourselves capable by learning sum martial arts. This will boost our confidence.
There is no sure shot method but there is definitely a hope that someday this will change.
Lets not this praxis tarnish our culture which always respected women revered them worshiped them not only as deities but also in the form of a mother .Lets not put a full stop to a mother in making by ending her life in the womb .Lets give her a chance to be someone's sister someone's better half someone's friend . Can you imagine a world without women??? How it would be ? How would a painting look like it it is filled with just one colour ?Let all the colours mix, that gives them a purpose ,that gives the painting a meaning .
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