India paying cash to stem abortions of females
Thu, 2008-03-06 11:02
#1
India paying cash to stem abortions of females
Thu, 2008-03-06 11:02
#2
I came across [url=http://www.thespec.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/335408]this story[/url] today:
quote:
India has launched a dramatic initiative to stop the widespread practice of poor families aborting female fetuses by offering cash incentives for them to give birth to the girls and then bring them up.Families can expect to earn about 200,000 rupees (about $5,000) per girl under a government scheme announced this week.
In many parts of India, especially in remote and rural areas, male babies have long been the preferred child of expectant parents. Such is the perceived cost of marrying off a daughter and the contrasting anticipated benefits of having a male child that millions of daughters are often killed before they are born.
The most recent national census suggests the country's gender ratio is 933 females to 1,000 males, but in some villages in states such as Uttar Pradesh, the difference is far greater. A recent study published in The Lancet medical journal estimated that around 10 million female fetuses may have been aborted in India over the past 20 years. The new government scheme is designed to end such practices.
Notwithstanding some of the questionable wording used in the article, what do babblers think of this initiative? I have read that this is happening here in Canada in some Indo and Chinese-Canadians communities.
Fri, 2008-03-07 04:29
#3
*bump*
Fri, 2008-03-07 05:43
#4
This might be a good start but it really doesn't address the real issue.
The real issue behind wanting sons and not daughters is misogyny and patriarchy. And that's not going to be solved by giving families a few bucks to bear female children.
If I were living in a family that treated girls like second class citizens in comparison to boys (and perhaps had the experience of being brought up that way in my own family before marrying), I would want the option of learning the sex of the fetus I was carrying and having an abortion if I felt that I would be bringing a female child into a life of misogyny too.
I guess what I'm saying is, unless you address the social issues that cause women to abort female fetuses, then the problem will persist. My opinion is that women know what is best when it comes to deciding whether or not to have an abortion.
Fri, 2008-03-07 06:08
#5
I agree that this measure will not be able to address the misogyny and devalueing of women that occurs in Indian culture.
I also agree that it is ultimately the woman's choice. (one thing I do worry about is that some women may be told by male partners that they need to have male children or that they feel pressured by societal influences, so the choice may not be entirely their own.) Some of the wording in the article though, ie referring to "killing daughters" - sounded a little pro-life.
However, if individual women decide that they only want male children and use abortion to this end, that is their right (or vice versa - maybe the patriarchy could withstand a few less males). In most provinces, women are able to do this here as well (ie if you are pregnant with a female fetus and already have 3 girls you can terminate and try again for a boy).
[ 07 March 2008: Message edited by: Ghislaine ]
Fri, 2008-03-07 08:11
#6
Your opening sentence is not a good paraphrase of my position. In fact, I didn't make any generalizations specifically about Indian culture. Just to make that clear.
I'm saying that if in your FAMILY women are devalued and treated badly, then you as a woman should have at least the basic right to choose whether or not to bring female children into that environment. And if in your society, there is a trend toward a lot of women making that choice (or even a lot of women's families making that choice for them), then it shows that a lot of women are making use of this basic defence mechanism available to them, and that there is an underlying systemic problem that needs to be addressed - not just the symptom of the problem (which in this case is the aborting of female fetuses).
This payment is perhaps a positive first step towards changing attitudes toward having female babies. But if female babies are still undervalued by their families, but allowed to be born by the parents simply to get the $5,000, then this still doesn't address the fact that girls whose families would otherwise not want them to be born are going to lead a pretty miserable life, and so will the mother who has to watch her daughter grow up unvalued. And the one option a woman might have to protect herself from such a fate will be undermined by the payment, unless there is, along with this money, a major shift in attitude towards women and girls.
[ 07 March 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Fri, 2008-03-07 08:21
#7
quote:
Originally posted by Michelle:
[b]Your opening sentence is not a good paraphrase of my position. In fact, I didn't make any generalizations specifically about Indian culture. Just to make that clear.I'm saying that if in your FAMILY women are devalued and treated badly, then you as a woman should have at least the basic right to choose whether or not to bring female children into that environment. And if in your society, there is a trend toward a lot of women making that choice (or even a lot of women's families making that choice for them), then it shows that a lot of women are making use of this basic defence mechanism available to them, and that there is an underlying systemic problem that needs to be addressed - not just the symptom of the problem (which in this case is the aborting of female fetuses).
This payment is perhaps a positive first step towards changing attitudes toward having female babies. But if female babies are still undervalued by their families, but allowed to be born by the parents simply to get the $5,000, then this still doesn't address the fact that girls whose families would otherwise not want them to be born are going to lead a pretty miserable life, and so will the mother who has to watch her daughter grow up unvalued. And the one option a woman might have to protect herself from such a fate will be undermined by the payment, unless there is, along with this money, a major shift in attitude towards women and girls.
[ 07 March 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ][/b]
Sorry Michelle, I didn't mean to mis-paraphrase your post.
I re-state that that is my personal opinion based on various things I have read (including the article linked to in the OP) that women in India are devalued.
However - would you really call the aborting of female fetuses a sympton of the problem? It seems that the problem is misogyny, but I dont want to risk stigmatizing anyone choosing an abortion.
Fri, 2008-03-07 09:33
#8
quote:
However - would you really call the aborting of female fetuses a sympton of the problem? It seems that the problem is misogyny, but I dont want to risk stigmatizing anyone choosing an abortion.
The aborting of a female fetus is an individuals response to the Patriarchal society and this is simply addressing a symptom, but given the extent of the patriarchy, this could be a step in the right direction. I agree with the want to not stigmatize the individual for their choice.
Not exactly sure what their measurements of success for this would be... Though it would appear to be a long time-line project:
quote:
The scheme announced by the Indian authorities will carry a number of requirements if families are to receive the money. The lump sum will be paid once the daughter reaches the age of 18 and can prove that she has been to school. Her nutrition and health will also be checked and, for the family to receive the money, the young woman must not be married.
Can't find any mention as to when she was born to be covered by this scheme... I wonder how much faith the people have in their gov't holding the program open for the 18 years of their daughters life. Appears to be aimed at promoting health and education, good condition to have attached to ensure it's not simply men trying to cash in on their daughters.
I'd like to find the opinions of some women from India on this and their thoughts as to it's validity... I'll post the links if I find anything.
Just to add... I wonder what the intended affect of 'not married until 18' is?
[ 07 March 2008: Message edited by: Noise ]