Poor Sex Ratio in India: A Cause of Concern

Sayan — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:10:50 +0000

You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women. – Jawaharlal Nehru

“A curious case recently came to light in Jandli Kalan village of Haryana’s Fatehabad district. One Nathu Ram was to marry Geeta. His sister was to marry Geeta’s maternal uncle on the same day. But Geeta’s father complained to the deputy commissioner of police that his daughter was just 15 years old. He said his wife and her family had conspired to marry her off in order that his brother-in-law get a bride under the ‘barter system’. The authorities swooped down on Jandli Kalan village and stopped the wedding, but the family had a contingency plan. They produced Geeta’s cousin Savitri as a replacement bride. But she turned out to be a minor as well. Under pressure, Geeta’s relatives frantically searched for a bride within the extended family and finally found a 20-year-old.” – Times of India, 2nd Aug 2009.

Image Source : UNICEF

The sex ratio in Haryana at present is 866 females/ 1000 males as compared to the national average of 933 females/ 1000 males. Another astonishing fact is that in the 0-6 years age group the ratio is 618 females/ 1000 males (courtesy Times of India). On an humorous note just think about the 382 males of the 1000, what will they do when they reach a marriageable age?

Are these facts in sync with the Indian growth story?

Sex ratio is an important parameter that reflects the status of woman in a society. Let’s just compare the sex ratios of some developed countries with that of India to prove the point. The sex ratio of the US and UK is 952 females/ 1000 males, Japan has 952 females/ 1000 males (http://www.indexmundi.com), where as India is lagging far behind at 933 females/ 1000 males and the states like Haryana or Punjab are still farther.

Sex ratio at birth has emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, low female to male ratios at birth in these states can be attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually, it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.

While women in the West had to fight for over a century to get some of their basic rights, like the right to vote, the Constitution of India gave women equal rights with men from the beginning. Unfortunately, women in this country are mostly unaware of their rights because of illiteracy and the oppressive tradition.

However the picture is not as gloomy as it seems for India and there are some positive indications too like:

· India has the world’s largest number of professionally qualified women.

· India has more female doctors, surgeons, scientists and professors than the United States.

· India has more working women than any other country in the world. This includes female workers at all levels of skill – from the surgeon and the airline pilot to bus conductors and menial labourers.

One thing is very clear that we simply cannot progress if we leave our women behind. If the states likes Haryana want to be a part of the Indian growth story they have no other way but to improve the status of their women by perhaps providing education to the girl child, quotas for women in both private and public sectors (this will help them to earn and thereby not be dependent on others for their well-being), taking very stringent action against those who give/take dowry etc.

Lastly, one must also spare a thought for the 382 males when they reach the marriageable age as there won’t be any women left for them to marry.

The MAG » Sex Ratio

Poor Sex Ratio in India: A Cause of Concern

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