DISAPPEARING GIRLS

BY VANISHA KUDUMURI 150 million –– that’s how many girls will mysteriously “disappear” by 2035. Despite high rates of sex-selective abortion, female infanticide remains alarmingly prevalent in countries such as China and India, with annual death tolls of more than three million girls per year. Rectifying such a widespread yet overlooked issue demands that people consciously acknowledge the systemic roots of son preference. We must actively work towards educating ourselves about the ramifications of this genocide and institutionally prevent it from occurring.

India, in particular, poses an interesting case study. While it boasts a general population of over 1.3 billion people, a 2011 nationwide census reveals a drastically skewed ratio of 933 females for every 1000 males. This imbalanced sex ratio can be attributed to cultural attitudes that have developed over centuries of patriarchal customs and traditions, making sons more economically, socially, religiously, and emotionally advantageous for the household.

These societal values influence parents’ decisions regarding sex preferences for their children. Sons provide financial and emotional support for their parents in old age, perform important religious and death rituals, and defend the family. On the other hand, daughters financially deplete the household with dowries, discontinue the lineage by marrying into other families, and are generally perceived as a burden. Additionally, male relatives inherit accumulated property or wealth from their fathers, reinforcing a patrilineal society.

Other factors such as the mother’s education and exposure to media also significantly contribute to the degree of son preference. Women with higher levels of schooling adopt more egalitarian views on the sex of their children, and the general education level of the community accelerates this effect. Similarly, mothers who regularly watch modern television or listen to the radio exhibit weaker son preference. On the other hand, factors such as wealth and economic development have little to no influence on desire for male children.

Technological innovation also drives prenatal sex-selection by making sex detection and abortion more accessible. Not only has ultrasound technology improved dramatically, but blood tests can accurately predict a fetus’ sex as early as seven weeks of gestation. Abortion, particularly for the middle and upper classes, grows increasingly affordable and safe. Thus, sex-selective abortion has never been easier.

As a result of these societal biases and individual circumstances, India now has 50 million more men than women. This male surplus could have destabilizing effects on society, particularly in terms of violence. Communities with a significantly higher proportion of men also display higher rates of rape, child marriage, domestic violence, and sexual harassment. This only exacerbates the disadvantages of a daughter: parents in these risky communities must invest resources in protecting them, thereby making daughters further liabilities and skewing the sex ratio further.

Current institutional efforts to address this issue fail to do so sufficiently. In 1994, a law prohibiting medical professionals from revealing the future sex of the baby to the pregnant mother was passed with the intention of discouraging sex-selective abortion. However, the government inconsistently enforces this law, and the black market offers widespread illegal ultrasound operators and sex detection tests. The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 also attempted to alleviate some of the financial burden of a daughter, but dowries have become so entrenched in society that families are expected to provide a dowry regardless of the law. This dissonance between progressive governmental reforms and traditional societal norms complicate potential institutional solutions to sex selection and female infanticide.

Rather than punishing households for son preference, another angle of government policy tackles financially incentivizing households to have daughters via conditional cash transfer programs. A conditional cash transfer program requires beneficiaries to meet certain conditions in order to receive payments. The Dhanalakshmi Scheme, implemented in 2008, aimed to reduce sex selection and female infanticide by providing predetermined payments when daughters reach certain milestones in their life. Parents receive payments at birth registration, childhood immunizations, the completion of schooling, and if the girl remains unmarried until eighteen. The Modi administration launched a similar scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, focusing primarily on the educational aspects. These programs succeeded in terms of improving female immunization and education rates, but lack of knowledge regarding these schemes in rural areas has limited effectiveness.

Ultimately, the optimal solution to limit sex selection and female infanticide in India requires a radical cultural shift towards valuing daughters. To uproot years of systemic patriarchy, the government must stress educating women, whether it be educating mothers regarding the benefits of having a daughter or educating daughters to join the workforce and contribute financially to their families. Encouraging social, political, and economic equality of women proves crucial to resolving inherent biases, but inevitably, such comprehensive reforms will take time to implement and accept.

These shifting attitudes are already visible: while nationwide sex ratios indicate otherwise, daughters still remain desirable. 87.2 percent of women want at least one daughter, and 51.5 percent of women want equal numbers of sons and daughters or have no preference. In general, families still prefer sons over daughters, but this ideological transition indicates the slow decline of traditional values and norms. It is important to acknowledge that progress is occurring in order to properly adjust discourse and potential solutions.

Sex-selection and female infanticide finds its roots in patriarchy, which manifests itself internationally in different ways. While the United States has a relatively balanced sex ratio, women still experience sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, and a lack of political representation. Because this issue exists globally, international cooperation to foster social equality for women is the next step to dismantling patriarchy.

If current trends continue, India still has a long way to go in terms of rebalancing the skewed sex ratio. Societal traditions and customs stubbornly resist institutional reform, even as the government imposes punitive measures and financial incentives to reduce sex-selective abortion and female infanticide. However, persistently improving access to education is sowing the seeds for a cultural shift. Perhaps one day well into the future, girls will no longer just “disappear.”