Born to Disappear?

The consequences of a skewed sex ratio are not limited to low fertility or gender-based crimes alone; they also threaten social harmony and equilibrium

- KDP RAO

n May 5, a story carried by a leading daily revealed that 481 villages across Haryana had severely skewed sex ratios at birth (SRB)—below 700 girls per 1,000 boys. The problem of illegal sex-selective MTPs persists in the state despite the best enforcement of laws and the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign. The story is only the tip of the iceberg, since female feticides are an open secret in most states. A study by the Pew Research Centre found that at least 9 million female feticides occurred between 2000-2019 across all sections of society in India. MacPherson, Yvonne ('Images and Icons: Harnessing the Power of Media to Reduce Sex-Selective Abortion in India, Gender and Development, 15(2): 413-23) estimates that 100,000 abortions every year are performed in India solely because the foetus is female.

Although the NFHS-5 survey for 2020-21 claims that the 'Sex Ratio' has been 929 females per 1,000 males over the last five years in India (yet to be corroborated by Census 2020-21), the sex ratio at birth (SRB) came down to an all-time low of 896. While the 'Sex Ratio' is a broad indicator of the number of women per 1,000 men—including immigration, births, and deaths—SRB is exclusive data on female children born, and is a crucial indicator for the socioeconomic progress of women. Similarly, the Child Sex Ratio (CSR), which represents the number of females per 1,000 males in the 0-6-year-old category, is also a critical demographic indicator; it declined from 927 in the 2001 Census to 918 in the 2011 Census.

According to the Women and Men in India 2022 report (MOSPI), SRB is skewed in favour of boys, with 952 girls per 1,000 boys in states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Delhi, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Maharashtra. The overall gender ratio of Indian states places India at 40th position among 50 Asian countries and territories.