India's Shame

I've been trying to finish up a few writing assignments between this week and last week so I haven't posted as frequently. I did, however, want to end this week on a could be a high note.

A few days ago, the New York Times reported that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India warned against the decline of female children in that country.

I am not an expert on India's culture but I do understand that traditionally boys bring wealth and property while girls are often seen as a drain on family finances because, to marry them off, a family has to provide a large dowry. Also, boys traditionally take care of their parents in their old age so there is a preference for boys.

Fast forward to the 21st century, add widespread ultrasound technology and unscrupulous doctors willing to do sex-selection abortions and you have what some have dubbed "gendercide."

India is working hard to stem the tide but, according to the country's latest census, in 2001 there were 927 girls for every 1000 boys. This lack of balance will cause problems eventually.

In 2006, The Lancet, the British Medical Journal, estimated that in the last 20 years over 10 million female babies had been aborted in India because of the preference for male children.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech addressing this bluntly was a start but more important will be the action he puts to his words. He has called for a crackdown on those doctors using ultrasound for sex-selection abortions. Critics say that it's one thing to preach about the issue it's another to do something to stop it.

India needs to address this issue now if it doesn't want to risk its future.