We all know that gender determination is banned in India. In 1994, the Parliament of India enacted the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) act also known as the prohibition of Sex Selection Act. As per the act it is illegal to use any technique to identify the sex of the fetus after conception.
This act has been put in action because of the male dominated and patriarchal society we live in. For centuries preference has been given to the male child that has been born while it is not much of a celebration when a female child is born. Infanticide of female fetuses was quite popular in those days and even though the society is now more accepting, the practice of infanticide of the baby is still existing just because of the sex of the child is female.
Women were often forced to abort the fetus if it was a girl. This act is put forward to stop the killing of the female fetus and also to narrow down the growing gender gap in the country. Although now we are living in the 21st century there are still innocent female fetuses that are being killed daily. According to a study in 2011, around 1.5 lac unborn girls are being killed every year in UP itself. The rate of conviction of the culprits is also very low – with only 206 doctors being convicted from 2003-2014. More efforts have to be put in to prevent the murder of the girl child.
Even if we stop this problem, women are still being discriminated against in workplaces, at homes and in our daily lives. No matter their class or social status many people still prefer a boy being born in their house.
Gender discrimination must be checked at every stage so that no person should be denied a chance to grow and learn.
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