The world population has a sex ratio of 990 females per 1000 males

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• The world population has a sex ratio of 990
  females per 1000 males
• Sex ratio
• Japan 1041
• USA 1029
• Indonesia 1004
• Bangladesh 953
• China 944
• India 933
• India has one of the lowest sex ratios in the
  world

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On a national level the sex ratio in the age
group 0-6 has declined drastically
1991 945 2001 927
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Mumbai City has only 898 girls per 1000 boys in
the age group 0-6 years.
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Mumbais performance on other indicators is
impressive
India Maharashtra Mumbai
Girls age 6-12 attending school 76.5 89.5 91.9
Boys age 6-12 attending school 84.7 92.0 94.0
Institutional deliveries 50.7 52.6 85.3
Total fertility rate 3.39 2.52 2.13
Childhood mortality 67.6 44.0 24.5
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Why is the Sex ratio so low?
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A certain percent of under-enumeration of girls
is observed However it cannot account for such
large differences Childhood mortality among
girls and female infanticide also lead to skewed
sex ratio Mostly the low sex ratio in Mumbai is
due to sex selective abortions!
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In Mumbai, 1986, before implementation of the
PNDT act 7999 out of 8000 abortions carried out
after sex determination tests were female
foetuses. Feminist discourse on sex screening
and selective abortion of female fetuses By
Farhat Moazam, Bioethics, Volume 18 Issue 3June
2004
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Abortion is the right of the woman and legalized
in India under the Medical Termination of
Pregnancy Act However having an abortion based
only on the gender of the foetus is
illegal. ..and a horrible form of gender
discrimination
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Evidence suggests that the PNDT act has not had
the intended effect. The declining sex ratio in
the age group 0-6 exemplifies the failure of the
PNDT act. This is supported by the sex ratio at
birth 131 boys per 100 girls Rapid household
survey in Greater Mumbai
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17.3 women in Mumbai want more boys than girls,
while only 2.8 want more girls than boys
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There is almost no difference between the sex
preference in Mumbais slum and non-slum areas.
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The adverse sex ratio creates shortage of
women and has severe long-term implications
.
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The shortage of women does not lead to their
increased value, but to greater restrictions and
control placed over them.
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There are reports of increasing numbers of women
being trafficked and sold for marriage in
Rajasthan and Gujarat
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Would you like to see women achievers in the
future?
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Dont deny the girl child the right to be born.
Welcome her into your life.
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Support
Make a difference!
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Sources Status of Women in India. Advocacy
Internet Vol 5 issue no.04 July-Aug. 2003.
Published by NCAS. The Shame of Mumbai.
Declining Sex Ratio Is a Cause For Concern,
Population First Newsletter, August Issue
15.08.2004 The practice of sex selective
abortion in India may you be the Mother of a
hundred sons by Rita Patel M.D. Abortion vs.
selective conceiving. Heading towards an
imbalanced society by Puneet Kaur. New Delhi.
07.04.2002. http//www.boloji.com/women/02725.htm
Women in India. How free? How equal? By Kalyani
Menin-Sen and A K Shiva Kumar. United Nations
Resident Coordinator. 2001. Review of
initiatives to combat child trafficking by
members of the save the children alliance 2003
Doctors what about your duty? Indianest.com by
Anjali Deshpande. 04.06.2002. http//www.boloji.co
m/wfs/wfs044.htm Natioal Family Health Survey
India 1998-99. NFHS-2 Maharashtra. International
Institute for Population Issues. Girl shortage
causes wife buying in India. Futurepundit.
05.02.2003. Feminist discourse on sex screening
and selective abortion of female fetuses By
Farhat Moazam, Bioethics, Volume 18 Issue 3June
2004 Prepared by Lone Søndergaard Population
First