Female infanticide Essay

Imagine a world with no women. There are no wives, no sisters, no daughters, and no mothers. Unfortunately, this world is on the brink of becoming a scary reality for Asian countries such as China and India. Due to attempts to control population and the low value associated with females in these societies historically and culturally, both China and India are now facing a serious gender imbalance. Female infanticide and sex-selective abortion are responsible for this gender imbalance. Due to the high occurrence of foeticides, infanticides, including new born neglect and abandonment, he world is currently deprived of over 100 million women. China and India alone are responsible for 80 million missing females. CHINA: In 1978 China introduced the one-child policy. The Chinese population was growing too fast and already was enormous. The government introduced this policy to slow down the growth of the population of China. This encouraged female infanticide even more. Before the introduction of the one-child policy female infanticide already existed. According to a report, an interview with 40 women over age 50, who claimed to have given birth to 183 sons and 175 daughters, of whom 126 sons but only 53 aughters survived to age 10. By their account, the women had destroyed 78 of their daughters. To Chinese families the son is the most important child. They believe that the son can work, carry the family name and look after elderly parents. Only after the desire of having a son or two has been met, do Chinese families prefer having a girl. INDIA: In the global arena, India is indeed fast developing and is gradually becoming a force to reckon with and this makes us extremely proud. However, there are certain home truths we aren’t aware of or chose to turn a deaf ear to. Female infanticide is one of them. India as a country is steeped in patriarchal values and thereby continues to talk about the importance of raising a male child. The idea of the male child enwraps an image of future security, protection, wealth and prosperity. Only can a male child grow up to look after his family. Only can a male child protect his family. Women are simply viewed as commodities and properties belonging to men. Women are perceived to be a burden on the family. From the time she is born, the only way her physical being/existence is given meaning is by virtue of marriage. In the institution of marriage lies the salvation of the woman. In looking after her husband and bearing children lies her attainment of Nirvana. And with marriage comes the social evil of ‘dowry (giving away lump sums of money and gifts during marriage) which continues to haunt families. A large population of India continues to struggle on a daily basis for its survival. In a situation like this, the additional appendage of giving dowry to the groom’s family increases the misery of an already devastated financial situation of the average Indian family. female infanticide.