According to the Census of India, the number of females for every 1000 males has been steadily declining decade after decade since 1901. Sex ratio at birth(SRB) is the relative number of male and female births in a population. In India measures the SRB on a higher denominator, i.e. the number of female births per 1000 male births. The sex ratio for the age group of 0–6 years is called the Child Sex Ratio or juvenile sex ratio. The general sex ratio for the population is the other measurement of long-term changes in the relative number of men and women in a population; this, too, has decreased substantially in India, from 972 in 1901 to 940 in 2011. The sex ratio in India has been historically negative or in other words, unfavourable to females.
Following statement provides recent trends of sex ratio of the total population, sex ratio in the age group 0-6 years and sex ratio of population aged 7 years and above for 2001 and 2011 for all the States and Union Territories.
- The pattern in sex ratio among the States and Union Territories are distinct. The top three States recording the highest value of overall sex ratio are neighbours located in the southern part of India namely Kerala (1084), Tamil Nadu (995), and Andhra Pradesh (992). Among the UTs, the top three are Puducherry (1038), Lakshadweep (946) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (878).
- The lowest sex ratio among the States has been recorded in Haryana (877), Jammu and Kashmir (883) and Sikkim (889). Among the UTs the lowest sex ratio has been returned in Daman and Diu (618), Dadra and Nagar Haveli (775) and Chandigarh (818).
- Only two major States, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir have shown decline in the sex ratio. The other Union Territories registering decline in overall sex ratio include Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep.
- The pattern of Child sex ratio (0-6 years) among the States/UTs in 2011 is provided in above table. The top three States recording the highest value of child sex ratio in the age group 0-6 years are Mizoram (971), Meghalaya (970) and Chhattisgarh (964). Among the UTs, the top three positions are held by Andaman and Nicobar Islands (966) , Puducherry (965) and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (924).
- The lowest Child sex ratio (0-6 years) among the States have been observed in the States of Haryana (830), Punjab (846) and Jammu and Kashmir (859) while among the UTs, Delhi (866), Chandigarh (867) and Lakshadweep (908) occupy the bottom position.
- A Glance at the trend will show that in Census 2011, Child sex ratio (0-6 years) has registered an increasing trend only in six States and two UTs. What gives some cause for cheer is the fact that the States where the child sex ratio had dropped alarmingly in Census 2001 have now shown a slight improvement. This increase in substantial in Punjab (798 to 846-57 points), Haryana (819 to 830-11 points), Himachal Pradesh (896 to 906-10 points), Chandigarh (845 to 867-22 points), Gujarat (883 to 886 – 3 points) and Tamil Nadu (942 to 946-4 points). In addition, Mizoram (964 to 971-7 points) and Andaman & Nicobar Island (957 to 966-9 points) have also shown increasing trend in the child sex ratio during 2001- 2011.
- Telangana is the 29th State of India which was formed on 2 June 2014. The total population of the State is 351.94 lakhs. Out of which 177.04 lakhs are males and 174.90 lakhs are females and sex ratio (female per 1000 males) is 988 and Child sex ratio is 933.
Reasons for Declining Trends
The figures given in above are obviously reflective of strong, deep-rooted discriminatory practices. The reasons for such discrimination are manifold.
- It is doubtless that most communities in India have historically exhibited a strong socio-cultural preference for a son, leading to the brutal practice of female infanticide, and a grave neglect of girls.
- Social customs and religious rituals also underscore the importance of a son over a daughter, shaping societal attitudes in favour of the male child.
- Customs such as the practice of dowry pose financial burdens on the bride‘s family during and after marriage.
- Women bearing male children are treated with respect in the community and a son is considered as a security for old age.
- Approximately 50 million women are ‘missing’ in the Indian population. While female mortality and sex selective infanticide have contributed to skewed sex distribution in the past, the imbalance in the sex ratios today is also attributed to pre-natal sex determination and sex selection. The link between skewed sex ratios and the growing trend of misuse of increasingly sophisticated diagnostic techniques for prenatal sex determination and pre-conception sex selection has been widely documented, researched and evidenced in the past few decades.
Though meant for legitimate medical purposes and aimed at strengthening sexual and reproductive health choices of women, some of these technologies are commonly being used to identify the sex of the foetus, sometimes even before it is conceived or in the second trimester of pregnancy.
There are several studies on the alarming nature of the trend in the sex ratio and its longterm demographic impact on communities and society. United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) conducted a study on the issue of fertility decline and female foeticide in Haryana and Punjab and this study highlighted that there is inter-linkages between the two. This study stated that it may be possible to consider sex selective abortions as a subset of total induced abortions since it is likely that illegal induced abortions could be sex selective in intent. This study also illustrated that since sex selective abortions are conducted illegally, it is near impossible to get the actual figures for such abortions conducted in India. Quoted in a recent article in ‘The Economist’, Nick berstadt, a demographer at the American Enterprise Institute, has said that this global trend of sex discrimination is the fateful collision between overweening son preference, the use of rapidly spreading prenatal sex determination technology and declining fertility.
There are also positive linkages between abnormal sex ratio and better socio-economic status and literacy. This contradicts any hypotheses that may suggest that sex selection is an archaic practice which takes place among uneducated and poor sections of the society. These realities – together as a body of gender discriminatory practices – have kept women disempowered, leading to skewed sex ratios over the years in many parts of the country.
Government Strategy to check declining Sex Ratio
Coordinated and convergent efforts are needed to ensure survival, protection and education of a girl child. Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy entailing schemes and programmes and awareness generation/advocacy measures to build a positive environment for the girl child through gender sensitive policies, provisions and legislation. The details of the major actions being taken by the Government is given below:
- The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, . The Act prohibits determination and disclosure of the sex of foetus . It also prohibits any advertisements relating to pre-natal determination of sex and prescribes punishment for its contravention. The person who contravenes the provisions of this Act is punishable with imprisonment and fine.
- National Campaign “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” was launched in 100 gender critical districts in partnership with the Ministry of Woman and Child Development and the Ministry of Human Resourse Development . The Overall Goal of the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP)” Scheme is to celebrate the girl child and enable her education. The objectives of the Scheme are to Prevent gender biased sex selective elimination; Ensure survival & protection of the girl child; Ensure education of the girl child.
- The Schemes under the NHM like the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), Janani Sishu Surakasha Yojana (JSSK), 108 ambulance service, 104 health helpline, weekly iron and folic acid supplementation (WIFS) programme, etc. are really notable initiatives which would improve the health status of the women and children in the State compared to what it was 10 years back. But to attain this and to make a sustainable improvement, a coordinated effort with good convergence with all line departments would be required.
- National Girl Child Day: January 24 has been declared “National Girl Child Day” since To mark the occasion, the Ministry of Women and Child Development advocating the importance of three ‘A’s, i.e. Advocacy, Awareness and Affirmative action were underlined by the participants.
- Sectoral Innovation Council on Child Sex Ratio: The Ministry has set up a Sectoral Innovation Council to look at the entire gamut of issues connected with the declining child sex ratio, identifying interventions which have worked and also to suggest innovative strategies, approaches and methods of intervention to address the declining in CSR problem.
- Community sensitization and awareness generation activities are being undertaken, notably, ‘Beti Janmohotsava’, which is an initiative under Mission Poorna Shakti in Pali, Rajasthan for promoting the value of girl child amongst the community. Recognising the importance of the trends emphasized in the Census 2001 data, the Planning Commission of India incorporated gender equity as an integral part of the broader strategy. Despite the efforts of the government, civil society organizations, NGOs, UN agencies and the media to keep the issue of female foeticide high on the public and policy agenda, little or no desired results have been forthcoming.
- As a part of the awareness campaign, religious and spiritual leaders have been approached to speak against sex selection, video spots on girl child and sex selection aired on national and private television networks. Brand ambassadors have been used for the Government’s ‘Save the Girl Child’ campaign. ‘Atmaja’, a serial on the plight of the girl child has been telecast on the National Network
Conclusion
Monitorable Targets of the 12th Plan for children is to improve the child sex ration from 914 in 2011 to 950 by 2017. Creating awareness about the illegality of sex election, and urging communities to question outdated rituals and social behaviour are a critical component of this struggle. The issue is being highlighted – through the media, through studies and interventions.
“The government and the civil society must go beyond policy-making and must quickly identify specific behaviours, cultural attributes, practices, media representations, mindsets and notions that propagate discrimination against daughters and consequently help sex determination testing flourish despite its illegality