Haryana Records Lowest Sex Ratio

• 13 Nov 2024

Why in News? 

According to the Haryana government, the Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) of Haryana, infamous for female foeticide, has reached its lowest level in eight years.

Key Points

• Decline in Sex Ratio in Haryana: 
  • The sex ratio in Haryana was recorded at 905 for the first 10 months of 2024, which is a drop of 11 points from 2022. 
  • This is one of the lowest figures since 2016, indicating a persistent challenge for the state. 
  • Districts with Lowest Sex Ratios: 
    • Gurugram: 859 
    • Rewari: 868 
    • Charkhi Dadri: 873 
    • Rohtak: 880 
    • Panipat: 890 
    • Mahendragarh: 896 
  • Haryana remains below the World Health Organization’s recommended ideal sex ratio of 950. 
  • Gurugram's poor performance was partially attributed to technical issues on the state portal during June to August 2024, resulting in fewer birth registrations. 
• Impact of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Campaign: 
  • The “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign, launched in 2015, initially raised the sex ratio to 923 by 2019. 
    • However, a decline began again in 2020, with the trend continuing to the present. 
• Societal and Cultural Challenges: 
  • There remains a preference for sons in Haryana, driven by socio-economic factors and cultural norms. 
  • Families fear potential dishonor from daughters eloping, consider dowry burdens, and see limited economic returns from girls. 
• Cross-State Impact of Gender Preference: 
  • Neighboring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan reportedly attract Haryana residents for illegal gender-based abortions due to less stringent regulations. 
    • Ultrasound operators in these states sometimes misreport fetal gender for financial gain. 
• Enforcement and Challenges in Gender Testing: 
  • Since 2005, Haryana has conducted around 1,200 raids to curb illegal gender determination, but success rates are falling as practitioners become more cautious. 
• Social Consequences of Gender Imbalance: 
  • Due to a skewed sex ratio, many men in Haryana struggle to find marriage partners, with some villages reporting hundreds of unmarried men. 
  • In some families, neglect and malnutrition disproportionately affect girls, leading to health issues or early death.

Female Infanticide and Foeticide 

• India has one of the highest rates of female foeticide in the world. 
• Female foeticide is due to strong son preference, the practice of dowry and the patrilineal necessity of heir. 
• The census of 2011 has recorded the lowest ever sex ratio of 914 in the age group 0-6 years with 3 million missing girls; from 78.8 million in 2001 to 75.8 million in 2011.