Campaign against Sex Selective Abortions

Concerned with the dramatic drop in sex ratios from 976 in 1961 to 945 in 1991 and 927 in 2001 the Campaign Against Sex Selective Abortion was initiated in 2001, through which it was sought to contexualise our understanding of the issue in relation to the violence of our times. Our 
specific concern is with the misuse of new reproductive technologies by the unethical practices of sections of the medical profession that is directly contributing to this genocide. The campaign is primarily focused in the district of Mandya where some of the towns have among the lowest sex ratios in the country. Some attempts are also being made in Bangalore city.

The Context 

The violence against women has acquired yet another face with the practice of sex selective abortions where the female child is killed either before or after she is born, merely on account of the fact that she is female. While this bias against the female is rooted in a complex set of religious, economical, social and cultural factors, modern technology through the development of new reproductive technologies has exploited this bias, strengthened patriarchal attitudes and institutions and become an active participant in this gendricide/femicide.

Based on the principle of selection and elimination, these prenatal diagnostic technologies such as amniocentesis that was first developed to discover genetic abnormalities in foetuses carry within them sexist and racist biases. Diagnosing genetic abnormalities quietly became the 
legitimate cover under which the tests are done to actually determine the sex of the child leading to sex selective abortions. This logic of selection and elimination also had a definite economic base as one witnessed the number of private clinics that mushroomed across the country. In Bombay alone 258 private centres for amniocentesis sprung up in a short period and 160 Government supported clinics provided the service as well. It was estimated that between 1978-82 there were over 78000 cases of amniocentesis followed by abortions. And in Karnataka, ultrasonogram became a booming business where inBangalore alone there were more than 600 ultrasound clinics.

Yet another technological advancement and a sophisticated method to determine the sex of the child has been the pre-conception sex-selection technology where the male bearing sperm (the Y chromosomes) are separated and injected into the women who undergo in-vitro fertilisation. And couples who have a preference for a male child are ready to spend lakhs of rupees on this technology. 

A major impact of these technologies has been on the declining child sex ratio in the age group of 0-6 years where it declined from 976 in 1961 to 945 in 1991 and 927 in 2001. And the decline in the proportion of the female child population was far sharper than compared to that of the male population. The proportion of female child population decreased from 18.1% in 1991 to 15.4% in 2001 and that of male child population from 17.9% to 15.5% during the same period.

If this trend continues unchecked the female kind will become an endangered species posing a serious threat to the survival of our society itself. 

Concerned with the implications of this femicide, Vimochana, as an extension of the work it has been doing with violence against women over the past twenty years, initiated the Campaign against Sex Selective Abortions in 2001, which through its interventions at various levels seeks to evolve more relevant responses to the violence of sex selection, foeticide and female infanticide even while deepening our understanding of the issue in relation to the violence of our times.

We began the campaign by systematically collecting published data, facts, case-studies on the practise of female foeticide as also made a detailed study of the existing Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act. Simultaneously we began to link ourselves to the ongoing national campaign initiated by CEHAT and Masum, health action forums in Pune and Bombay. These groups through a PIL sought directives to the Central and State Governments to implement the PNDT Act by appointing Appropriate Authorities and Advisory Committees at the State and District levels. The Supreme Court in its order, recognising the non implementation of the Act by the States, directed the Central and State Appropriate Authority to prosecute all unregistered clinics and stop extending the date of registration for otherwise it would amount to sanctioning their illegal activities.

Our initial study revealed that

· female foeticide which was predominantly a phenomena of urban culture aided by modern technology was rapidly making inroads into the rural areas

· this technology was supported and exploited by the medical establishment which glaringly revealed the lack of ethics in the medical profession

· the census of 2001 indicated an overall drop in the male-female ratios and unless steps are taken to reverse this trend it would portenddisastrous consequence for the entire society 

· the apathy of the State agencies to put an end to this practice despite the directives by the Supreme Court following a PIL to monitor the implementation of the PNDT Act

Our Interventions so far:

With the focus on the district of Mandya which has among the lowest sex ratios in the country, as also some work in the city of Bangalore, our interventions have revolved around:

- holding workshops with media professionals and doctors on the issue of ethics in relation to medical practice, law and the media

- lobbying with the State Appropriate Authority which is the relevant Authority directly responsible to oversee the implementation of the PNDT (Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act to take action against anyone found violating the Act and stepping up pressure on them to regulate and monitor the genetic clinics.

- interfacing with the member-secretary of the State Women’s Commission strongly urging them to address the issue of indiscreet mushrooming of scan centres which in the name of providing diagnostic services have become centres of abuse as an unrestrained scanning of pregnant women advised by doctors provide an opportunity for sex selection and termination.

- creating a network of groups and activists working with issues of violence against women, children and human rights who will take the initiative to start the campaign in their respective states and lobby against it at the national level.

- lobbying with the Members of Parliament to bring about relevant changes in the Act as and when needed.

- conducting random checks and decoy programmes in those centres where we believe sex selection is practiced and campaigning for the cancellation of licenses of such unregistered and illegal centres. Due to our constant pressure and efforts we have been made a member of the State Appropriate Authority that is empowered to conduct such random checks and investigations.

- Bringing out a comprehensive report on the practice of sex selective abortions in Mandya focusing on the specific political economy of the district that is among the richest districts in the state of Karnataka having been one of the beneficiaries of the Green Revolution in agriculture.

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