At the India launch of its “State of the World’s Children 2007” report in December 2006, UNICEF said 7000 fewer girls are born in India each day than the global average would suggest.
The findings were based on an analysis of Indian census data and a study published by the British medical journal, Lancet. The journal conducted a national survey of 1.1 million Indian households in 1998 and estimated that 10 million female foetuses had been aborted in 20 years.
Out of the 71000 children born every day in India, just 31000 are girls. This gives a sex ratio of 882 girls to 1000 boys. But the global sex ratio, which is 954 girls to 1000 boys, suggests that 38000 girls should be born in India every day. In 14 districts across Haryana and Punjab, there are even fewer than 800 girls per 1000 boys.
Related articles:
- Female foeticide in India (part 1): Murder in the womb
- Female foeticide/infanticide in India-2: traditional methods of killing babies
- Female foeticide in India (3): swatting them like flies…
- Female foeticide in India (4): Are mothers killers?
ENDLESSLY GREEN 