missing booklet english - india.unfpa.org

missing

...

Mapping the AdverseChild Sex Ratio in India

This brochure captures thedecline in the number of girlsas compared to boys in India. Itpresents maps for the reader tounderstand the worseningconditions of the girl child andshows how the child sex ratiohas deteriorated across thecountry over the last decade.

How do communities uphold and honour a value system which

1

India«s total population on 1st March 2001stood at 1.03 billion persons. With this, India became thesecond country in the world, after China, to cross the one billion mark. Thepopulation of the country rose by 21.34 % between 1991 and 2001. What didnot rise, but rather declined shockingly, was the child sex ratio.

The sex ratio at birth is slightly favourable to boys. This means that more boysare born as compared to girls. This is a natural phenomenon. The sex ratio atbirth is usually between 940-950 girls per 1000 boys. The child sex ratio iscalculated as number of girls per 1000 boys in the 0-6 years age group. InIndia, however, the 1991 Census reported a child sex ratio of 945 girls per1000 boys which further declined to 927 during 2001 Census. Over the years,this ratio has fallen from 976 in 1961, to 964 in 1971, and 962 in 1981. A stagemay soon come when it would become extremely difficult, if not impossible, tomake up for the missing girls. Society needs to recognise this discrimination:girls have a right to live just as boys do. Moreover, missing numbers of eithersex, and the resulting imbalance, can destroy the social and human fabric aswe know it.

In States such as Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat andUnion Territory of Chandigarh this ratio has declined to less than 900 girls per1000 boys. 70 districts in 16 States and Union Territories have recorded amore than 50 point decline in the child sex ratio during the decade 1991-2001.The ratio stands at a mere 771 in Kurukshetra district of Haryana, 836 inAhmedabad, and 846 in the South West district of Delhi - even though theseregions are amongst the most prosperous in the country.

There are reasons to believe that it is increasingly becoming a common practiceacross the country to determine the sex of the unborn child or foetus andeliminate it if the foetus is found to be a female. This practice is referred to aspre-birth elimination of females (PBEF). PBEF involves two stages:determination of the sex of the foetus and induced termination if the foetusis not of the desired sex. It is believed that one of the significant contributorsto the adverse child sex ratio in India is the practice of elimination offemale foetuses.

In the Indian context, there is a strong preference for sons. This preference isinfluenced by many socio-economic and cultural factors, such as the son beingresponsible for carrying forward the family name and occupation. Sons aredesired because they are considered a source of support during old age andfor performing religious rites at the time of cremation and subsequently. Thepractice of dowry and daughters being viewed as ‘paraya dhan’ (to be marriedand sent away) is yet another reason why sons are preferred to daughters.

is based on son preference and discrimination against the girl?

2

1991

In 1991, two states of India, i.e., Punjab,Haryana and one Union Territory ofChandigarh had a child sex ratio of lessthan 900 girls to 1000 boys (0-6 years).Moreover, none of the states fell in thecategory where there were less than 800girls for every 1000 boys.

INDIA

CHILD SEX RATIOBELOW 800

800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

DATA NOT AVAILABLE FOR J&K

NATIONAL AVERAGE 945

DELHI

Nepal

Bhutan

Bangladesh

Rann of

Kutch

N.A.

*

*

Sri

Lanka

3

2001

In 2001, five states fell in the below 900category: the situation has becomegrave in states like Punjab, Haryana andUnion Territory of Chandigarh where thechild sex ratio has drastically declinedto less than 850 girls for every 1000boys. As compared to 1991, there arefewer districts marked in green with achild sex ratio of more than 950 girls to1000 boys.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

NATIONAL AVERAGE 927

DELHI

Rann of

Kutch

Nepal

Bhutan

Bangladesh

Sri

Lanka

4

1991 Gurdaspur878

Hoshiarpur884

Amritsar861

Kapurthala879

Jalandhar886 Nawanshahr

900

Ludhiana877

Moga868

Faridkot865

Firozpur887

Muktsar858 Bathinda

860

Mansa873

Sangrur873 Patiala

871

FatehgarhSahib874

Rupnagar884

All districts in Punjab, except Nawanshahr,recorded a child sex ratio of less than 900 girlsto 1000 boys in 1991.

PUNJAB


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 875

*K - Kapurthala

K*

5

2001 Gurdaspur

789

Hoshiarpur

812Amritsar

790Kapurthala

785

Jalandhar

806Nawanshahr

808

Ludhiana

817

Moga

818Faridkot

812

Firozpur

822Muktsar

811 Bathinda

785

Mansa

782

Sangrur

786 Patiala

777

Fatehgarh

Sahib

766

Rupnagar

794

The situation has further worsened since 1991with none of the districts recording more than850 girls per 1000 boys. Infact, 10 of the 17districts record a drastic reduction in the childsex ratio to less than 800 girls for every 1000boys. Fatehgarh Sahib has the lowest child sexratio with merely 766 girls to 1000 boys. Whatwas observed as a trend in 1991 has become adisturbing reality in 2001.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 798

K*

*K - Kapurthala

66

1991Panchkula

890

Ambala

888

Yamunanagar

888

Kurukshetra

868

Karnal

871

Kaithal

854

Fatehabad

873

Jind

858

Panipat

889

Sonipat

878Rohtak

868

Bhiwani

885 Jhajjar

886

Gurgaon

895Faridabad

884

Rewari

894

Mahendragarh

892

Hisar

864

Sirsa

883

The child sex ratio for all the districts of Haryanahad declined to below 900 girls to 1000 boys.The highest child sex ratio was recorded forGurgaon (895) while the lowest was in Kaithal(854).

HARYANA


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 879

7

2001Panchkula

829

Ambala

782

Yamunanagar

806

Kurukshetra

771

Karnal

809

Kaithal

791

Fatehabad

828

Jind

818

Panipat

809

Sonipat

788Rohtak

799

Bhiwani

841 Jhajjar

801

Gurgaon

858Faridabad

850

Rewari

811

Mahendragarh

818

Hisar

832

Sirsa

817

The situation has worsened since 1991: almost alldistricts record a child sex ratio of 850 or lessgirls to 1000 boys. Districts like Ambala,Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Sonepat and Rohtak arecritical with less than 800 girls to 1000 boys. InKurukshetra district, the child sex ratio is just 771girls to 1000 boys.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 819

8

1991

GUJARAT

Banas Kantha

934

Mahesana

899

Patan

903

Gandhinagar

888

Sabar Kantha

933

Panch

Mahals

970Dahod

1001Kheda

900

Ahmedabad

896

Anand

896Vadodara

934

Narmada

985Bharuch

955

Surat

944

Navsari

955

Valsad

976

The Dangs

999

Bhavnagar

925Amreli

923Junagadh

934

Porbandar

909

Jamnagar

916

Rajkot

916

Surendranagar

905

Kutch

929

Mahesana, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Anand are seenas critical districts with child sex ratio declining to below900 girls for every 1000 boys.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

DATA NOT AVAILABLE

STATE AVERAGE 928

Rann of Kutch

9

2001

Rajkot shows a sudden decline from 916 in 1991to 854 in 2001. In Mahesana the situation hasbecome worse with a child sex ratio of just 801girls to 1000 boys. Only ten districts continue torecord a child sex ratio of more than 900 girls to1000 boys as compared to 21 districts in 1991.

Banas Kantha

907

Mahesana

801

Patan

865

Gandhinagar

813

Sabar Kantha

879

Panch

Mahals

935Dahod

967Kheda

876

Ahmedabad

836

Anand

849 Vadodara

886

Narmada

945Bharuch

918

Surat

871

Navsari

915

Valsad

933

The Dangs

974

Bhavnagar

881Amreli

892Junagadh

903

Porbandar

898

Jamnagar

898

Rajkot

854

Surendranagar

886

Kutch

922


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

DATA NOT AVAILABLE

STATE AVERAGE 883

Rann of Kutch

1010

1991North West

913

West913

South West904

South912

New Delhi919

East918

Central 937

North920

North East917

None of the districts in Delhi are seen to have achild sex ratio of less than 900 girls to 1000boys.

DELHI


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 915

11

2001North West

857

West

859

South West

846

South888

New Delhi898

East865

Central 903

North

886

North East

875

The majority of the districts in Delhi record achild sex ratio of less than 900 girls to 1000boys. Infact, the South West district, one of themore prosperous districts, records a drasticdecline in the ratio: 846 girls to 1000 boys,compared to 904 girls in 1991.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 868

12

1991

RAJASTHAN

Ganganagar894

Hanumangarh897

Churu904Bikaner

914

Sikar904

Nagaur918 Jaipur

925Dausa919

Alwar914

Karauli873

Dhaulpur875

Bharatpur879

SawaiMadhopur

894

Tonk931

Ajmer913

Pali896 Bhilwara

953Bundi915

Kota914

Baran930

Jhalawar944

Chittaurgarh951

Rajsamand943

Udaipur958

Sirohi918

Jalor909

Barmer901

Dungarpur974

Banswara976

Jodhpur913

Jaisalmer851

Jhunjhunun900


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 916

A large part of Rajasthan recorded a declining childsex ratio, ranging from 850 Ð 950 girls per 1000boys. The districts of Jaisalmer, Ganganagar,Hanumangarh, Bharatpur, Dhaulpur, Karauli, SawaiMadhopur and Pali were especially critical.

C*

*C - Chittaurgarh

13

2001


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 909

Except for two, all districts in Rajasthan recorded a childsex ratio of less than 950 girls. While the child sex ratiohas improved in Sawai Madhopur, it has worsened inthe surrounding districts of Alwar, Jhunjhunun, Sikar andJaipur, which have recorded less than 900 girls to 1000boys. In Jaisalmer, the child sex ratio has onlymarginally increased after 10 years, recording 869 girlsto 1000 boys as compared to 851 in 1991.

Ganganagar850

Hanumangarh872

Churu911Bikaner

916

Sikar885

Nagaur915 Jaipur

899Dausa906

Alwar887

Karauli873

Dhaulpur860

Bharatpur879

SawaiMadhopur

902

Tonk927

Ajmer922

Pali925 Bhilwara

949Bundi912

Kota912

Baran919

Jhalawar934

Chittaurgarh929

Rajsamand936

Udaipur948

Sirohi918

Jalor921

Barmer919

Dungarpur955

Banswara964

Jodhpur920

Jaisalmer869

Jhunjhunun863

*C - Chittaurgarh

C*

1414

1991

A large number of districts falling in central andsouthern Maharashtra stretching from Jalgaon toKolhapur are seen to have a child sex ratio of lessthan 950 girls to 1000 boys.

MAHARASHTRA

Nandurbar977

Dhule947 Jalgaon

925

Buldana945

Akola929

Washim941 Yavatmal

961

Wardha952

Chandrapur965

Gadchiroli980

Nagpur951

Bhandara964

Gondiya978

Hingoli953

Jalna951

Parbhani956

Nanded960

Bid939

Latur947

Solapur935

Satara941

Sangli924

Kolhapur931

Sindhudurg963

Ratnagiri961

Raigarh961

Pune943

Mumbai942

Thane952

Mumbai(Suburban)

930

Ahmednagar949

Nashik954

Aurangabad933

Amravati950


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 946

Osmanabad 947

1515

2001Nandurbar

961

Dhule907

Jalgaon880

Buldana908

Akola933

Washim918

Yavatmal933

Wardha928

Chandrapur939

Gadchiroli966

Nagpur942

Bhandara956

Gondiya958

Hingoli927

Jalna903

Parbhani923

Nanded929

Bid894

Latur918

Solapur895

Satara878

Sangli851

Kolhapur839

Sindhudurg944

Ratnagiri952

Raigarh939

Pune902

Mumbai922

Thane931

Mumbai(Suburban)

923

Ahmednagar884

Nashik920

Aurangabad890

Amravati941

In 2001, the child sex ratio in the same districts ofcentral and southern Maharashtra stretching fromJalgaon to Kolhapur has declined sharply with lessthan 900 girls to 1000 boys. In the eastern districtsof the state, stretching from Jalna to Nagpur thechild sex ratio has declined to below 950 girls forevery 1000 boys.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 913

Osmanabad 894

16

1991Dharmapuri

905

Viluppuram974

Tiruvanamalai 964

Vellore962

Kancheepuram974

Chennai962

Thiruvallur965

Salem830

Namakkal891

Erode929

The Nilgiris968

Coimbatore966

Karur945

Dindigul934

Tiruchirappalli956

Pudukkottai976

Thanjavur964

Thiruvarur977

Nagapattinam968

Theni896

Madurai928

Sivaganga958

Virudhunagar946

Toothukudi964Tirunelveli

955

Kanniyakumari970

Ramanathapuram960

Cuddalore965

Ariyalur955

Perambalur963

While districts like Dharmapuri, Namakkal,Theni and Madurai are critical, Salem recordedthe lowest child sex ratio of 830 girls to 1000boys.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 948

TAMIL NADU

P*

N*

*P - Pondicherry*N - Nagapattinam

P*

17

2001Dharmapuri

869

Viluppuram961

Tiruvanamalai 948

Vellore943

Kancheepuram961

Chennai972

Thiruvallur957

Salem851

Namakkal889

Erode939

The Nilgiris979

Coimbatore963

Karur930

Dindigul930

Tiruchirappalli955

Pudukkottai955

Thanjavur959

Thiruvarur970

Nagapattinam963

Theni891

Madurai926

Sivaganga952

Virudhunagar958

Toothukudi953Tirunelveli

957

Kanniyakumari968

Ramanathapuram964

Cuddalore957

Ariyalur949

Perambalur937

In 2001, the decline in the child sex ratio spreadfrom the epicentre Salem, to other districts ofTiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Cuddalore andVellore.


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 942

P*

P*

N*

*P - Pondicherry*N - Nagapattinam

18

1991

HIMACHAL PRADESH


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 951

Lahul & Spiti951

Kullu966

Mandi968

Hamirpur938

Una923

Bilaspur923

Solan951

Shimla958

Sirmaur973

Kinnaur958

Kangra939

Chamba965

In 1991, a large part of HimachalPradesh has recorded a normal childsex ratio of more than 950 girls to1000 boys. A slight decline in theratio is observed only in the plainsdistricts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Unaand Bilaspur. Una and Bilaspurrecorded 923 girls to 1000 boys.

19

2001

Lahul & Spiti961

Kullu960

Mandi918

Hamirpur850

Una837

Bilaspur882

Solan900

Shimla929

Sirmaur934

Kinnaur979

Kangra836

Chamba955


800-849

850-899

900-949

950 AND ABOVE

STATE AVERAGE 896

In 2001, the scenario has changedcompletely with 8 out of 12 districtsrecording a declining child sex ratioof less than 950 girls for every 1000boys. In particular, the situation in theplains and in the populous districts ofKangra and Una has worsened since1991, recording 836 and 837 girlsrespectively per 1000 boys.

20

1991-2001

DECLINE IN CHILD SEX RATIO50 AND ABOVE

40-49

30-39

BELOW 30

NO DECLINE (EXCLUDES J&K*)

A large number of well off states likeMaharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab,Himachal Pradesh and Haryana haverecorded a more than 50 pointdecline in the child sex ratio over thepast 10 years.

INDIA

Decline in Child Sex Ratio

DELHIDELHI

Nepal

Bhutan

Bangladesh

Rann of

Kutch

N.A.

*

Sri

Lanka

Ranu, mother of one son, killed her first two children by throttling them within a day of theirbirth. Both the babies were girls.

Ranu hardly went to school. Married at the age of 18, she gave birth to her first child at the ageof 20. She became pregnant 7 times. Two sons died due to illness, two pregnancies wereterminated as the foetuses were female, and two infants were killed. One child, a boy, is alive.

Ranu wants another son. She says clearly and firmly that she will kill her other children if theyare girls, because she hardly has any money to give them at the time of their wedding.

Ranu’s husband, Mukhtar, is a serviceman earning between Rs. 2000-3000 per month. Heseems to be indifferent towards the killing of their daughters.

Neither Ranu nor her family members express sorrow on the death of the baby girls as theyconsider a girl child a ‘trouble maker’.

Ranu explains, ÓThe practice of elimination of females continues in some districts of Rajasthanincluding our village. The girl child is killed by putting a sand bag on her face or by throttlingher. It is not a rare phenomenon. It happens without any hindrance...Ó

Source: UNFPA supported study on ÓAdverse Sex Ratio in RajasthanÓSubmitted on behalf of Women ’s Resource Centre, Jaipur

By Indian Institute for Rural Development, Jaipur, Rajasthan

At what cost...Mr. and Mrs. Ravi have 3 children. Their eldest daughter is 23 years old, a second daughter is21, and a son is 10. Before delivering their son, Mrs. Ravi undertook 9 sex determination testsand had 8 pregnancies medically terminated.

She died two days after giving birth to their son. Her doctor had advised her not to getpregnant, as it could pose a threat to her life. Mr. Ravi is a senior executive in a multi-nationalcompany and the late Mrs. Ravi was a teacher in a public school.

Source: UNFPA supported study onÓInfanticide in Rajasthan - Causes and PracticesÓ

Submitted on behalf of Women’s Resource Centre, JaipurBy VIHAAN, Society for Child Development in Rajasthan

"There's no tradition of having

a girl child..."

The National Population Policy (2000) aims at gender

balanced population stabilisation but also underscores a need for

addressing issues such as child survival, maternal health, and

contraception, while increasing the provision and outreach of

education, extending basic amenities such as sanitation, safe

drinking water and housing, besides empowering women and

enhancing their employment opportunities.

The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of

Misuse) Amendment Act, 2002 came into force with effect

from from 14 February 2003. The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques

(Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 now stands

renamed as ÓThe Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic

Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act.Ó

The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection, before or

after conception. It regulates, though does not deny, use of

pre-natal diagnostic techniques, such as ultrasound, for the

purposes of detecting genetic abnormalities or other sex-linked

disorders in the foetus. The purpose is to prevent misuse of such

techniques for sex determination that could eventually lead to

elimination of the female foetus and thereby create a gender

imbalanced society.

Under the Act, the person who seeks help for sex selection can

face, at first conviction, imprisonment for a 3-year period and be

required to pay a fine of Rs. 50,000. The State Medical Council

can suspend the registration of the medical practitioner involved

and, at the stage of conviction, can remove his/her name from the

register of the Council.

LAW PROHIBITS SEX

SELECTION

United Nations Population – FundMinistry ofHealth and FamilyWelfare

May – 2008

Office of theRegistrar Generaland CensusCommissioner, India

The data used from

the 2001 Census is

final and the analysis

of the child sex ratio

is based on the final

results of Census

2001.

Maps included in this

publication are based

upon Survey of India

map with the

permission of the

Surveyor General of

India.

Territorial waters of

India extend into the

sea to a distance of

twelve nautical miles

measured from the

appropriate base line.

The inter-state

boundaries between

Arunachal Pradesh,

Assam and

Meghalaya shown on

maps are as

interpreted from the

North-Eastern Areas

(Reorganisation) Act,

1971, but have yet to

be verified.P

ho

to C

ou

rte

sy

: S

uc

hit

ra C

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uh

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