| How do we know whether there are lesser girls in a community |
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| As per nature’s own balance, 940-950 girls are born per 1000 boys. By finding out the number of girls actually born per 1000 boys, we can calculate the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). Similarly, by finding out the number of girls per 1000 boys in the 0-6 years age group, we get to know the Child Sex Ratio (CSR). SRB provides a more accurate indication of the extent to which sex selection occurs in a community. |
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| The 2001 census provides CSR data at the national, state and district levels. The Sample Registration System (SRS) provides data on SRB at the national and state levels. |
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| As per the 2001 census, the CSR of India was 927 girls to 1000 boys in the 0-6 years age group. For Rajasthan it was 909, with the districts of Alwar, Jhunjunu, Sikar and Jaipur recording less than 900 girls for 1000 boys. |
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| As per the more recent SRS data, the Sex ratio at Birth in Rajasthan for 2006-2008 was 870 girls born to 1000 boys. This clearly indicates that Sex Selection is being practiced in Rajasthan. |
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| Is Sex Selection against the law? |
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| The Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT Act) 1994 prohibits sex selection, before or after conception. Its purpose is to prevent misuse of technologies, such as ultrasound, in situations where information on sex of the foetus is found out for the specific purpose of eliminating girls. It is illegal to test the sex of the foetus for non-medical reasons. The law provides for imprisonment, which may be extended to 3 years and fine up to Rs.10,000 for the first conviction. The law suffers from the bottlenecks of implementation, and there have been few convictions so far. The major difficulty relates to proving that an offence has occurred, since it takes place behind closed doors, with connivance between the medical service provider and parents. |
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| But abortion is legal, is it not? |
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| In India, abortion is legal under certain circumstances as defined by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971. These circumstances are, for example, danger to mother’s life, foetal abnormality, rape or contraceptive failure. However, the law does not permit abortion for the reason of sex selection. |
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