Bearing daughters

Bearing daughters
India could do with more Mitus

Ever so often, women in India succumb to family and societal pressures to abort their female foetuses. That is why the case of Dr Mitu Khurana who resisted pressure and not only gave birth to twin daughters but also had the gumption to take on her in-laws and her husband is worthy of praise. Sadly, today she is fighting a lonely battle. The much-touted Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act under which she has filed a case against her in-laws has not come to her rescue. Even though Section 24 of the Act says that “the court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved, that the pregnant woman has been compelled by her husband or the relative” to undergo PCPNDT, justice continues to elude Mitu.

Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act that became operational in year 1996 was amended and a stronger PCPNDT Act that also bans advertisements of sex selection came into force. Yet, the law has failed to check the widespread practice of female foeticide, rooted in deeply entrenched gender prejudices. While the attitudinal change that will value daughters as much as sons remains a mirage, the implementation of the law is lax. Ironically, while the same law has failed to bring relief to Dr Mitu, it was allegedly used to harass women for undergoing sex selective abortions. All this while, invariably, the doctors, the equally guilty partners walk away scot-free. The mandatory requirement of maintaining form F under the PCPNDT Act is flouted by clinics across the country. Worse still, authorities concerned rarely conduct medical audits.

Indeed, much noise has been made and some action has been taken to address the “missing daughters” phenomenon. Besides individual efforts, the government has launched schemes favouring the girl child. Instances like that of seven villages in Mansa district with a good sex-ratio signify that change is possible. Still, the bias against girl child continues to manifest and in the 21st century her existence is threatened in the womb itself. Until female foeticide is understood and dealt with as a crime in the same continuum as female infanticide or sati, gender imbalance that could rip apart India’s social fabric will continue to grow.