Gendercide

TRIGGER WARNING: Talk of child abuse and death

Why should you care? For some women in the world, this need for a redesign in present inequality is a matter of literal life and death. The UN estimates that around 200 million women and girls are missing because of gendercide.

What is Gendercide?

Gendercide, particularly the practice of female infanticide and sex-selective abortion, remains a significant problem in India, where the preference for male children is deeply ingrained in many parts of society. The cultural bias against having a daughter has been prevalent for centuries, and despite efforts to address this issue, it continues to be a significant problem.

One of the main reasons for this bias is the belief that male children are more valuable than female children. In many parts of India, sons are seen as important for continuing the family name and for providing financial support to parents in their old age, while daughters are viewed as a burden. This contributes to other social problems such as increased violence against women and human trafficking.

This bias against daughters has led to widespread sex-selective abortion and female infanticide, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is limited, and traditional practices are still prevalent. Parents often resort to illegal and unsafe methods to determine the sex of their child and to terminate pregnancies if the fetus is female.

To address this problem, it is essential to raise awareness about the value of daughters and to work to change the cultural biases that contribute to gendercide. This involves education, advocacy, and outreach programs that promote gender equality and empower women and girls. It also requires the enforcement of laws that prohibit sex-selective abortion and female infanticide and the provision of healthcare and social services that support families in raising daughters.

Would it Work?

Rob Jensen did field research in India where he offered training and educational opportunities for young girls to work in call centres.

He was interested to see if giving women more potential to work changed how parents treat their 0-5-year-old daughters. After 15 years of research, the outcome was that opportunity changed how parents felt about the value of having a daughter without it negatively affecting their sons. Giving their daughters educational opportunities gave them value in the opportunities they could take in the future. With encouraged education, they could take on their dreams and pursue careers, not only giving hope to themselves but the family as a whole.

My Thoughts

To address this disheartening issue, it is essential to raise awareness about the value of daughters, promote gender equality, and enforce laws that protect the rights of women and girls. Only by working together can we hope to create a society where every child, regardless of gender, is valued and protected.