17 Feb

Sex Ratio

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Content

• Introduction
• Bad Situation of Sex Ratio in the past
• Factors which led to poor sex Ratio
• Negative Social Impact
• Steps taken to improve Child Sex Ratio
• Way forward

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Introduction

• Gender Equality is a cornerstone of comprehensive socio-economic development. It reflects a society’s commitment to fairness and inclusivity. The sex ratio of a country serves as a crucial yardstick to measure gender equality. It directly mirrors the status and well-being of women, serving as a barometer of societal attitudes towards women.

Bad Situation of Sex Ratio in the past:

• As per the 2011 census, India’s sex ratio was 940 females for every 1,000 males.
• Child Sex Ratio (CSR) was even more alarming at 914 (or 111 males for every 100 females) in 2011.
  • At least 9 million female births went “missing” between 2000 and 2019 because of female selecting abortions (as per a Pew analysis of various NFHS data and census data)

Factors which led to poor sex Ratio:

• Social Factors: Patriarchal Social Norms – Son Preference (& Son-Meta Preference)
  1. Patrilocality (women having to move to husband’s house after marriage)
  2. Patrilineality (property passing on to sons rather than daughters)
  3. Dowry (which leads to extra cost of having girls)
  4. Old age support from sons
  5. Various rituals performed by sons like last rites (lighting the funeral pyre and scattering their ashes).
• Technological Advancements:
  • Beginning of use of pre-natal diagnostic tests and introduction of ultrasound technology in 1980s made it easy to determine sex of an unborn child.
  • Legalization of abortion (MTP Act, 1971 ) made situation worse.
• Administrative failure – Poor implementation of laws/schemes/programs
• Lack of political will – Flagship initiatives like BBBP were either missing or enough resources for the same were not allocated.

Negative Social Impact:

• Societies with high rates of sex-selective abortions typically suffer within a couple of decades from a shortage of marriageable women, and a surplus of men seeking brides. This “marriage squeeze” can trigger a variety of social problems, such as increase in sex related violence, trafficking of women etc.

Steps taken to improve Child Sex Ratio:

• About Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)
  • Launched in 2015, it is a comprehensive program to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues to empowerment of women over a life-cycle continuum.
• Sukanya Samruddhi Account Scheme
  • Under these accounts of girls could be opened from the time of their birth till their attaining the age of 10. The account can be opened with an amount of Rs 1000 and in a financial year, a sum of up to Rs. 1.5 Lakh can be deposited in it. Investments made under the scheme will also be eligible for exemption under 80C of Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Observation of National Girl Child Day on 24th Jan since 2008 by MoW&CD. It focuses on increasing awareness; ensuring human rights for girls; increasing awareness about gender inequality; and addressing girl child issues.
• Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 prohibits sex selective practices.
• Improvement in Situation:
  • As per the NFHS-5 (2019-21) the CSR at Birth is at 929 (or 108 males for every 100 females). It is a glimmer of hope and suggests that Indian families are less likely to use abortions to ensure birth of sons rather than daughters.
• But this isn’t good enough:
  • The Child Ratio at Birth (CRB), at 929 as per NFHS-5, is below the WHO’s natural ratio at birth (952). This indicates that despite advancements, India is yet to reach the desired gender parity.

Way Forward:

• Improving Implementation of Schemes BBBP:
  • As per the Parliamentary Committee led by Heena Vijaykumar Gavit:
    • Around 80% money spent on BBBP have been spent on media campaigns and advocacy alone.
      • Huge spending on national level media campaigns for th scheme was a clear violation of the INR 50 lakh provision earmarked for each district under the scheme for six different components consisting of innovation and awareness building, intersectoral consultation and capacity building, monitoring evaluation, and interventions of health and education.
    • Over all utilization of funds was below par. Only 25% of the allocated budget was utilized.
  • A 2017 CAG report also highlighted various issues with BBBP including infrequent meetings, underutilization of funds and non-compliance with the guidelines.
  • Beti Padhao component is also facing challenges due to dual burden of care responsibilities; unavailability of clean functioning toilets; lack of commuting options etc.
• Comprehensive Strategies for gender equality should encompass a multifaceted approach:
  • Focus on districts and prioritize cities with low sex ratios.
  • Promoting Awareness – through discussion, conference, and debates
  • Engage Local Communities in the development and growth of girl children – it will foster a sense of collective responsibility and action.
  • Empower local governing bodies and community groups to act as catalyst for social change at the grassroot level ensuring sustainable progress, as they can tailor strategies to their community’s unique needs, making the efforts more effective and relevant.
• Focus on comprehensive women empowerment:
  • Legal Reforms – Ensuring gender sensitive legislations, promoting economic empowerment, and ensuring property and inheritance rights for women.
  • Educational Reforms – Implementing gender sensitive education policies. This includes curricula that challenges stereotypes, fosters safe and inclusive school environments, and providing scholarships and incentives to encourage girls’ participation in education.
  • Creating Public Awareness and cultural change: Regulating media and advertising, engaging communities to challenge harmful practices and involving men and boys as allies in the fight for gender equality can drive societal change.

Conclusion1:

• The above initiatives are integral to broader national efforts to promote gender equality and empower women and girls, setting a course for a more inclusive and equitable society where all genders have equal opportunities and rights.

Concluson2:

• Pursuing gender equality in India is an ongoing journey marked by progress and persistent challenges that need to be continuously addressed.