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| THT Online |
Kathmandu, November 1
Prenatal son selection in several Asian countries, including Nepal, is likely to have severe social consequences in coming years, according to a new series of studies commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Released on Monday, the study says it could become harder for many girls and women outnumbered by males, as pressure to conform and comply increases. A growing number of men will be unable to find wives, which may lead to a rise in sexual violence and trafficking in women.
India and China, with the most dramatic imbalance between births of boys and girls, are stepping up efforts to address the issue. But authors of the reports say more concerted measures to promote gender equality are urgently needed.
Vietnam and Nepal are poised to endure the same scenario unless action is taken, the research clearly shows.
Son preference is deeply rooted in many Asian countries, for both cultural and economic reasons. Daughters may be seen as a liability, especially where dowries must be paid. With family sizes falling, Asians have increasingly used ultrasound or amniocentesis to determine the sex of foetuses and aborted unwanted females.
The resulting skewed sex ratios at birth (SRBs) have been noticeable in China for over 15 years, rising to 120 males for every 100 females born in 2005 (the natural ratio is around 105 to 100) and as high as 130 in several provinces.
Sex ratios among later births are much higher than for firstborn children, reflecting the greater pressure on women to have a son after bearing only daughters. Up to now, there has been scant research on the likelihood that SRBs will increase in Nepal and Vietnam, which have social conditions and values similar to those in parts of India and China, respectively.
The research in southern Nepal, for instance, found that most people knew they could find ultrasound clinics and abortion providers in India willing to flout regulations prohibiting sex selection.
Renowned social scientists have analysed the son selection trends and their implications. French demographer Christophe Guilmoto, author of the India and regional reports, warned that future deficits of adult women will affect "the stability of the entire marriage system".
The authors also reviewed the most promising approaches being taken to reduce son preference and prenatal sex-selection, which is prohibited in all four countries studied. In India, civil society groups, including medical professionals, have raised public awareness on the issue.
"Sex ratio imbalances only lead to far-reaching imbalances in the society at large," UNFPA executive director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid told the Hyderabad conference in a statement delivered by deputy executive director Purnima Mane. "And in response, we must carry forward the message that every human being is born equal in dignity, worth and human rights" a statement quoted Obaid as saying.
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Sources: thehimalayantimes.com
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