In India, the terms "female foeticide" and "infanticide" refer to the deliberate death of female foetuses or newborn babies who are girls, frequently as a result of a societal preference for male progeny. Due to this long-standing problem, India's population is significantly more male than female, which has resulted in a gender imbalance.
In India, infanticide and female foeticide are both common for a number of reasons. The conventional view that male offspring are more valuable than female children because they can uphold the family name and inherit property is one of the key causes. Due to the expectation that dowry will be required at the time of marriage, the birth of a girl child is perceived as a financial burden in some tribes. In addition, some families favour having sons to care for them in old life.
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, which forbids the use of ultrasound technology to detect a fetus's sex for non-medical purposes, is one of the steps the Indian government has put into place to combat female foeticide and infanticide. The government has also started a number of programmes to spread the word about the value of having girls and the negative effects of gender inequality.
Notwithstanding these initiatives, infanticide and female foeticide are still practised in several regions of India, especially in the countryside. In order to solve this issue and shift attitudes towards gender discrimination, education and societal awareness are essential. It is important to work to empower women and provide them with equal opportunities, as this will help to lessen the preference for male offspring and advance gender equality.
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