India’s sex ratio
Hi there,
There can be no bioethical issue which commands such universal support as the evil of gendercide. In many countries, girls are aborted or killed at birth because of a deep-seated preference for boys to carry on the family name. The issue is critical in South Korea, Vietnam, China, and most famously, India.
Across the ideological spectrum, the great and good staunchly oppose sex-selective abortion: the government, feminists, human rights groups, religious groups, the United Nations, UNICEF, economists, the media…. Yet couples and doctors still collude in the deaths of girls. The latest figures from India’s 2010 census show that the ratio of girls to boys between the ages of 0 and 6 continues to drop. (See figures below.)
Outrage is pointless. Obviously a deep cultural change is needed, despite India’s vibrant cultural life and economic dynamism. Any ideas?
On a similar front, we report on Rwanda’s drive to give 700,000 men vasectomies to curb population growth. Indira Gandhi tried this during the 1970s and it helped to scupper her government. I wonder if Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, is aware of that.
Cheers,
Michael Cook
Editor
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
More Stories
The mouse with two dads, no mum
Using stem cell technology, scientists in Japan have succeeded in breeding mice with two fathers and no mother. Katsuhiko Hayashi,...
Belgian euthanasia chief explains 10% rise
Why are more people resorting to euthanasia in Belgium? The number of cases of euthanasia in Belgium rose by 9.85%...
Romanian doctors harvested pacemakers from dead patients – and reused them
An occasional reminder that doctors are not exempt from participating in dark and dodgy get-rich-quick schemes might not go astray....
Making Victorian euthanasia easier
The first legal euthanasia in the Australian state of Victoria took place on July 15, 2019. Almost four years later,...
Should bioethicists hold a conference in Qatar?
FIFA’s choice of Qatar for the 2022 World Cup sparked huge ethical controversies. What about its abominable record on migrant...
Should slavery be invoked in debates about embryos?
A Virginia judge has referred to an 1849 statute about ownership of slaves in his deliberations about the fate of...