DELHI'S SEX RATIO GETS WORSE

{source: article by Rumu Banerjee; TOI, 4 sept,2008}

Delhi doesn't want girls to be born in its families. Seems too strong a statement, but unfortunately this is explicit from the recent studies on female foeticide. With a sex ratio of 762 girls to 1000 boys {lancet research,2007} Delhi's declining acceptance to girl child is indicative to the city's inability to get rid of old mindsets.

'Meri shakti meri beti' , a study on female foeticide conducted by Centre for Social Research (CSR) for the ministry of health and family welfare and ministry of women and child development have found out some soul stirring facts. The three localities selected for study Punjabi Bagh, Narela and Najafgarh have the lowest sex ratio in the city {842, 828, 841 girls per 1000 boys respectively}.

Incidents or knowledge of sex selective abortions or female foeticide going by the responcesis a high 69.9% in Narela, 55% in Punjabi Bagh and 11.5% in Najafgarh.
A healthy 18.3% of people in Najafgarh and 26% in Narela even take medication to ensure that a son is born.
57.8% people in Punjabi Bagh are willing to observe religious ceremonies to get a male child.

India has lost over 10 million girls to female foeticide in the last 20 years.
the 2001 census figure for Delhi is 886 girls per 1000 boys. The national figure is 927/1000.

The study with a sample size of 1200 respondents and 55 medical units comprising ultrasound clinics and MTP clinics, showcased findings that are similar across both class and social standing. Whether its the lower classes or the rich, neither want a girl child. 38% in Punjabi Bagh, 71% in Narela and 13.5% in Najafgarh say old customs and family traditions are main reasons for male child preference. Economic compulsions like dowry, education, and lack of support in old age from girls as well as last rites being a boy's prerogative were also cited.

Majority of sex selective abortions are performed by doctors/nurses of private clinics and informal rural practitioners or quacks. though clinics have denied incidents, community people have named 2-3 clinics and nursing homes in each area.

People are aware of female foeticide being an illegal activity but not aware of Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act. Some are even unaware of the anti-sex determination act.
There is only one recorded complaint against sex determination that CSR claims has been made till date.

ACTIVITY

Name : Kalpana Mondol

Sex : female

Age : 26years

Occupation: domestic help

Education: not educated

Common ailments suffered from: headache, back ache, stomach pain/infection

Treatment: goes to a private clinic nearby

Cost of treatment: rs40-50

Marital Status: married

Children : daughter: 4years , son: 6years

Ailments children suffer from: cold, cough, fever

Treatment: from the same private clinic

Education of children: not educated

Does she want her children to be educated: yes, Kalpana wants her children to study and had also tried to get them enrolled in a school ,but, the schools, she complains, are all Hindi medium, a language neither she nor her relatives know. moreover she is a Bangladeshi immigrant and does not hold a ration card which makes it even more difficult.

Knowledge about the fee structure: has no idea about the fees.