dahiyars
January 1st, 2005, 07:11 PM
Victimising the Victim
The declining juvenile sex ratio is the most distressing factor reflecting low premium accorded to a girl child in India and Haryana in particular. As per the census of India, juvenile sex ratios were 971, 945 and 927 for 1981, 1991 and 2001 respectively. In 2001, India had 158 million infants and children, of which 82 million were males and 76 million were females. there was a deficit of 6 million female infants and girls. This is a result of the widespread use of sex determination and sex pre- selection tests throuout the country.
We need to counter those who believe that it is better to kill a female foetus than to give birth to an unwanted female child. Their logic eliminates the victim of male chauvinism, does not empower her. The techno-docs donot challenge anti- women practices such as dowry, instead display an advertisement, “Better Rs.5000 now than Rs 5 lakh later.” ie better spend Rs 5000 for female foeticide than Rs. 5 lakh as dowry for a grown up daughter. By this logic, it is better to kill poor people or third world masses rather than let them suffer in poverty and deprivation. This logic also persumes that social evils like dowry are God-given and that we cannot do anything about them. hence victimise the victim.Investing in daughter’s education, health and dignified life to make her self dependent are far more humane and realistic ways than brutalising pregnant mother and her would be daughter.Hence Eliminate Inequality, not Women.
Dr. R. S.Dahiya
The declining juvenile sex ratio is the most distressing factor reflecting low premium accorded to a girl child in India and Haryana in particular. As per the census of India, juvenile sex ratios were 971, 945 and 927 for 1981, 1991 and 2001 respectively. In 2001, India had 158 million infants and children, of which 82 million were males and 76 million were females. there was a deficit of 6 million female infants and girls. This is a result of the widespread use of sex determination and sex pre- selection tests throuout the country.
We need to counter those who believe that it is better to kill a female foetus than to give birth to an unwanted female child. Their logic eliminates the victim of male chauvinism, does not empower her. The techno-docs donot challenge anti- women practices such as dowry, instead display an advertisement, “Better Rs.5000 now than Rs 5 lakh later.” ie better spend Rs 5000 for female foeticide than Rs. 5 lakh as dowry for a grown up daughter. By this logic, it is better to kill poor people or third world masses rather than let them suffer in poverty and deprivation. This logic also persumes that social evils like dowry are God-given and that we cannot do anything about them. hence victimise the victim.Investing in daughter’s education, health and dignified life to make her self dependent are far more humane and realistic ways than brutalising pregnant mother and her would be daughter.Hence Eliminate Inequality, not Women.
Dr. R. S.Dahiya