Tinotenda Muchenje Brandord Final Paper 5/23/14 Female Infanticide in India Q: What do you get when you combine inadequate government control, gender bias and the oleander plant? A: Dead female infants. Not only does the oleander plant bear an effulgent, congenial and vibrant flower, but it also produces a milky sap that if ingested, can be a rather pernicious toxin. It is one of the many methods that families in India utilize to rid themselves of the social and economic encumbrance that comes with birthing a female infant. However, the killing of females solely based on their sex is not an infrequent phenomenon. Female Infanticide- the systematic homicide of female infants can be seen evident in both indigenous and sophisticated cultures around the world. Be that as it may, in India a most brutal form of killing females takes place regularly, even before they have the opportunity to be born. This practice can be recognized Feticide- the selective abortion of female fetuses. Adding onto the to the dexterous disposals undergone in order to disencumber themselves from female infants shortly after birth, disdain and bigotry leading to death and sex-selective abortion are other ways by which many female children die each year. These circumstances are most predominant in patriarchal social orders in which females are devalued and a predilection for boys is incorporated within the developmental social ideologies. India is undergoing a female genocide. The primary cause as to why this occurrence does not jostle or provoke global advertence is because it is accomplished through abortion in oppose to killing the females post birth. In India, abortion in itself is a completely legal procedure and the latitudinarian a... ... middle of paper ... ...wer ratio among women tended to have a higher literacy rate. Unfortunately, if the government does not take more action, it is possible that a population collapse may occur. With a fewer percentage of females, men will begin competing for women leading to acts of violence and those left without brides may be driven to suicidal tendencies. Given time, newer technologies will be made that will reveal more and more detailed information about the fetus that could in fact just be, that infants greatest demise. Because of the future advancements in technology to come, it is a moral obligation to put an end to the injustices of the silenced genocide of females in India. In order to do so, the government must implement laws that not only respect traditional values of the Indians, but also solve their economic and financial problems to end bias towards boys.
Dena Davis in the 5th chapter of “Genetic Dilemmas: Reproductive Technology, Parental Choices, and Children’s Futures” explores the global attitudes, policies, and morality towards determination of sex. She begins with presenting empirical evidence of some preferences held in countries such as India or China where there is a clear desire for male children. This inclination is so deeply held that mothers can be socially and physically harmed when, by pure biological chance, they fail to produce a male child. Davis and others allow sex selection in these cases, purely in the interest of harm reduction of mothers and their daughters born into such a situation. This example is contrasted with so-called “western” societies, where the preference
Narayan’s article raises many questions about third world issues are perceived by western bodies. In her article, Dislocating Cultures: Identities, Traditions, and Third World Feminism, she looks at the “‘effects’ that national contexts have on the construction of feminist issues and the ways in which understandings of issues are then affected by border crossings across national boundaries” and how culture is invoked in explaining the forms of violence that stem from these issues (p.213). She explains this phenomenon by focusing on dowry murder in India. Dowry murder has caused a large outcry and shock, even on the path of the author. But there is a certain shock that stems from western individuals, which tends to ‘exoticize’ and reinforce the notion of the other regarding Indian culture. She refers to Elisabeth Bumiller’s novel, May You be the Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey among the Women of India, and she narrows her focus down to chapter three “Flames: A Bride Burning and a Sati.” The author provides a context for understanding her story, in which she mentions a brief account of the mythological Goddess Sita, who threw
In 1990, the article published by Amartya Sen entitled "More than 100 million women are missing", referring to the absence of women in Asia caused by infanticide and female feticide, captured public attention and since then the issue has been studied by many authors. In this article, two cases will briefly discuss, India and China.
In countries such as India and China there is an increase of anti-female bias (BBC Ethics Guide, 2014). Female infanticide is the deliberate killing of female babies mainly due to an imbalance of the sexes in these countries. Economically males are more valuable females. Males earn more than women and they are more employable, thus they are less likely to be killed. In many countries parents depend on their children to care for the in their old age. However, if a girl marries there is no way she can care for her parents, whereas men is seen as a gain for parents in their old age. Girls are thus seen as an economical waste especially in large families with low incomes. Dowries are the transfer of parental property when a girl gets married. By killing baby girls parents do not have to worry about dowries (BBC Ethics Guide,
Abortion is the process of removing the unwanted contents of conception, which will develop into a human being, from a mother’s body. It has been a controversial topic for years and undoubtedly will continue as one until the end of time, with valid arguments being made from members on both sides of the isle. Many of the argument and issues pointed out are ethical, scientific, and moral in nature. When do these contents of conception actually become a person? Should abortion remain legal? If made illegal will women’s health suffer as back alley abortions are performed? These are some of the many questions that are asked when the topic of abortion is discussed. For the time being abortions are legal since the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalized it. This law is in direct opposition of many health care workers and nurses’ personal moral and ethical beliefs, therefore, we as nurses must examine our own surrounding and beliefs while at the same time being aware that proper care must be provided to all patients. In situations where moral obligations are tested, the professional nurse will remain free of stereotyping or segregating and will either dismiss themselves from care of these patients or will be nonjudgmental and provide the best possible care.
Many may argue this topic of abortion and both have strong evidence on each side of the argument to say why they are correct and why you should agree with them; some people feel that teens should be allowed while others may disagree. This paper will focus on why teens should not be allowed to have abortions and the effects of it.
Abortion, “the ending of a pregnancy before the fetus can live independently outside the mother,” (Brown par. 1) has been practiced since ancient times. With records dating back to the “ancient Egyptians, Grecians, and Romans,” (History of Abortion par. 1) it’s no question that abortion techniques have been used throughout the ages as an effective form of birth control. Pregnancies were once terminated through a number of methods, including the use of sharpened instruments, herbs, manipulation, and other techniques. (History of Abortion par. 1)
There are many limitations valued when it comes to the right of abortion. The news media still outlines the pros and cons of anti-abortion rights in certain-states-to soon, the entire country. My perspectives on the issue of abortion have been entitled from it to never be banned among citizen’s rights. The reproduction of pregnancy has been emphasized heavily on a mother’s decision to abort their child, but the father of the child plays an active role since he considers to that particular title. Through this current issue, majority of the people against abortion do not seem to have an open mind to how much it primarily affects the decision of the mother amongst her own views of considering abortion.
In life there are many things that can have a decision or belief on. Abortion is a subject that everyone can have an opinion about. In the World English dictionary, an abortion is defined as, “the premature termination of pregnancy by spontaneous or induced expulsion of a nonviable fetus from the uterus.” Abortion is an endless controversial subject that will not have a final solution to. There are two sides two this controversial which are the liberals, “pro-choice”, and conservatives, “pro-life”. While “pro-choice” supporters continually argue for a woman’s right to choose, to have authority over her own body, “pro-life” goes against this argument with the rights of the fetus.
Especially in the rural parts of China, people believe that males are more important because they are more active economically. To this extent, in China whether the cause is the gender, aborting is illegal. Every year about 120 males are born to every 100 females. Thus, doctors cannot tell to future parents, whether the fetus will be a baby boy or a baby girl (“China: Where are the girl babies”). There is not gender that deserves to live more than another or that deserves a different treatment. Thus, this gender discrimination is serious since some cultures may not see it as an
Infanticide is a way to alter the reproductive stream before the child has the status of a real person, which is culturally defined (source). The deaths of weak, illegitimate, excess, deformed and unwanted infants are not defined as murder when the infants have not yet been born into the social world. Infanticide occurs cross-culturally for a multitude of causes. The reasons for infanticide can be summed up into three categories: biological (including the health of the child and twin stigmas), economical (relation to other children, women's workload, and available resources) and cultural (preferred gender, illegitimate children). This essay will examine cross-culturally the biological, economic and cultural factors for infanticide.
In India, women are being manipulated to stop having children after their second birth. Officials claim that by regulating population and the pregnancies of women after their second child they will be able to empower women by offering them contraceptive choices and child care facilities. In reality, if women do not agree to be sterilized after their second birth they will be denied health care, rations for cheaper food, bank loans, and enrolment in government housing. Another major concern for women is the high rate of infant mortality in India. If women are sterilized after two births and lose one or both of their children, they will never be able to become pregnant again. Instead of the population control plan providing women with child care aid and options, they are removing their rights and their choices.
The women in Indian households have been raised to accept and respect the men in their families as they are told to. During incidents where honour killings occur in public, many citizens do not have to courage to stand up to the ones committing the crime. As shown in this article, this means that “students” can be “murdered in full public view”(???) and no one will do anything about it, such as the incident in Udumalpet. Incidents like such occur since society has been raised to accept that everything men do is done right. Due to religious and traditional oppression, women are raised to believe they do not choose who they marry. However, Indian citizens must understand it is a choice of will and one should be allowed to marry whom they please. As this article states, “Both the government of the day and civil society should come out strongly in defense of liberal values relating to inter-caste marriages and the right of men and especially women to choose a companion of their choice. In this, neither the family, not the community (let alone the state), should have any say”(???). The government or family of one should not be in charge of what they do in their life. Therefore, one should be allowed to marry whoever they will to marry no matter what traditions of the family are being broken. In
Female foeticide has become a disgraceful and shocking reality of this nation. For centuries, families across many parts of India have look upon the male child as the superlative of the two sexes. A male child is seen as a blessing in the Indian society and since years people have made lavish offerings and numerous prayers in hopes for getting a son. These beliefs continue to remain even though times have changed and now much of the inequality is reducing. The Indian society recognizes a insightful faith in every individual’s right to life and dignity but this rights are dishonored when it comes to women and children in this society. A difference in a society’s ideal values and its reality is defined as a social
Amanda Hitchcock. 2001. “Rising Number of Dowry Deaths in India.” Annual Editions: Anthropology 11/12, 34th Edition. Elvio Angeloni. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.