|
|
|
|
August 2004
by
teja
—
last modified
17-08-07 22:20
Mumbai is recognized as India's finance and film capital
Mumbai
is recognized as India's finance and film capital, the jewel that has
attracted many an impoverished Indian in search of fame and fortune. The
"City of Gold" as Gilian Tindall titled her book on the island city,
is the largest Indian metropolis by the sheer number of people who live
here - 12 million in the city, going to 16 million if neighbouring areas
in Thane district are included. It contributed Rupees 28,000 crore in
taxes, some 35% of the national collection for 2002-03. It has a per capita
income of just under Rs.50,000, three times the national average. And
a literacy rate of 90% for males and 83% for women make it a city of the
literate and the informed.
Yet, in many ways, Mumbai is a city divided. Almost 49% of its citizens
live in slums with limited water supply and poor sanitation. This is the
visible divide, the glaring contrast that stands out in many a stark picture
that has people living by the roadside against the backdrop of glitzy
high rises.
But
beyond this, the picture that you don 't see so obviously is dismal
as well, particularly when it comes to health and population. Not
many Indians would
|
|
|
SEX
RATIO AT BIRTH BY DISTRICT FROM RHS
|
|
MAHARASHTRA
1998-99
|
|
Mumbai
ranks 4th from the bottom in sex ratio in Maharashtra
|
|
DISTRICT |
MALE
|
FEMALE
|
SRB*
|
| WARDHA |
139
|
147
|
95
|
| NANDED |
327
|
332
|
98
|
| JALNA |
208
|
203
|
102
|
| GADCHIROLI |
280
|
266
|
105
|
| AMRAVATI |
204
|
192
|
106
|
| CHANDRAPUR |
255
|
239
|
107
|
| NASHIK |
239
|
223
|
107
|
| RATNAGIRI |
167
|
155
|
108
|
| THANE |
266
|
246
|
108
|
| BHANDARA |
172
|
159
|
108
|
| LATUR |
221
|
201
|
110
|
| RAIGARH |
258
|
234
|
110
|
| DHULE |
221
|
200
|
111
|
| PARBHANI |
309
|
269
|
115
|
| YAVATMAL |
301
|
262
|
115
|
| AHMADNAGAR |
196
|
166
|
118
|
| SATARA |
153
|
128
|
120
|
| OSMANABAD |
213
|
177
|
120
|
| BID |
287
|
237
|
121
|
| NAGPUR |
240
|
198
|
121
|
| AURANGABAD |
323
|
266
|
121
|
| AKOLA |
341
|
279
|
122
|
| SOLAPUR |
198
|
162
|
122
|
| JALGAON |
265
|
216
|
123
|
| KOLHAPUR |
291
|
235
|
124
|
| PUNE |
179
|
142
|
126
|
|
GREATER MUMBAI |
140
|
107
|
131
|
| SINDHUDURG |
322
|
244
|
132
|
| SANGLI |
289
|
218
|
133
|
| BULDANA |
206
|
142
|
145
|
|
TOTAL |
3266
|
3066
|
107
|
|
*Sex Ratio At Birth=Boys Per
100 Girls Born
Source: Rapid Household Survey conducted by IIPS
for the Health & Family Welfare Ministry
Period: 1996-1998 with a sample size of 1,000
houseohlds in each district
|
know that one of Mumbai 's greatest shames is
its poor sex ratio in the 0-6 age group.
According to the 2001 census figures, Mumbai city has 898 girls
per 1,000 boys in the age group 0-6 years, a rank of 473 out of
India 's 593 districts. Mumbai Suburban district has 919 girls for
every 1,000 boys in the age group 0-6 years, and ranks 420 in the
country 's districts list.
The
census studies the sex ratio for the 0-6 group because it provides
a true indicator of the survival of the girl child. The ratio in
this group is influenced by sex ratio at birth and mortality. While
the sex ratio at birth shows if there has been any untoward intervention
against a particular sex even before birth, the mortality rates
reflect the social factors which influence the survival chances
of boys and girls.
Says Prof. Faujdar Ram of the International Institute of Population
Sciences [IIPS], Mumbai: "The government takes an average -
105 to 106 boys per 100 girls [952 to 943 girls per 1,000 boys]
as the natural sex ratio at birth. Anything drastically beyond this
means that there is human intervention...these numbers should not
happen biologically."
A rapid household survey conducted with a sample size of 1,000 households
for 1996-1998 by IIPS shows that 131 boys were born per 100 girls
in Greater Mumbai [763 girls per 1,000 boys][see Box-1 to the right].
Demographers say that the figures could be low in part because of
the under-enumeration of the girl child, a tendency seen across
the country when parents tend not to report the birth of a girl
child when asked about the number of children in the family.
But there is general agreement that under-enumeration cannot explain
away the vast gap in numbers between the sexes, as reflected in
the sex ratio at birth. Serious concerns have therefore been raised
about misuse of pre-natal diagnostic techniques to opt for sex selective
abortions in preference of a male child. It is believed that the
proliferation of diagnostic clinics has made it easier, and increasingly
cheaper to access such services.
In a city that is noted for the zeal of its markets and the energy
of the services it provides, any demand will inevitably feed a service,
and indeed, there are doctors who defend the practice that might
lead to sex selective abortion [see Box-2 below].
If a literate population falls prey to sex selective abortion, wrecking
havoc with the country 's population balance and violating the right
of the female child to be born, then little can be said about districts
in the interior where it has been argued that lack of knowledge,
development or information might lead to such practices.
Worse,
Mumbaities are not even willing to acknowledge the existence of the problem.
Says Ms.Kamayani Bali-Mahabal, Senior Research Officer at 'Cehat', a NGO
working on health issues: "We put up posters and sampled people at a shopping
mall and the general response was that this couldn't happen in Mumbai...how
educated people could do it. And we said 'it is happening right here'."
In January, 2004, the Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies
of India [FOGSI] condemned prenatal sex determination and passed the following
consensus statement: "FOGSI strongly condemns the practice of pre-natal
sex determination and female feticide and all the discriminations against
women. FOGSI shall contribute with all its resources to bring to an end
to such abhorrent practice, a great social tragedy in India."
FOGSI President Dr.Sadhana Desai says the organisation has sent a circular
to all its 18,000 members requesting them to refrain from any activity
that leads to female foeticides and to comply with Pre Natal Diagnostic
Techniques Act [PNDT].
Monitoring apart, one lesson that the adverse sex ratio of Mumbai teaches
demographers and health workers is that development and economic well
being unaccompanied by a change in social values or perceptions will only
reinforce prejudices. This makes the case for pursuing population programmes
within the overarching framework of gender equality and social development.
Mumbai is also the heart of India's communications industry, and it'll
be sad if communicators who sell all kinds of products to the billion
plus of India can not sell the idea of valuing a female child. Mumbai
should not tolerate this shame for long. Just as it leads in trade and
commerce, Mumbai should also take the lead in ensuring a more gender equitable
society. This could be achieved by effective communication programmes
supported by stringent enforcement of laws.
|
Box-2
|
| Some
positions held in support of sex selection and their rebuttal by 'Cehat',
a NGO in the health sector: |
Position:
"Couples should be free to decide for themselves what they choose
to do with their embryo and this is compatible with the three
basic foundations of medical ethics- beneficence, non-maleficence
and autonomy."
'Cehat' responds:
"The basic foundations of medical ethics- beneficence, non-maleficence
and autonomy, do hold true but each of these principles is within
the bounds of the other. Individual benefit cannot override its
implications on society. Such a technology is not socially beneficial,
as it would lead not only to further skewing of sex ratio that
has dangerous ramifications for society as a whole but would also
strengthen the sexist belief that females are inferior, disposable
and have no right to exist. One also needs to put some thought
into who is it going to be beneficial to. How is sex pre-selection
going to be beneficial to a woman? The hormonal discomfort and
psychological trauma that she would go through while she is subjected
to these tests cannot be overlooked. Medical ethics is based on
autonomy with the assumption that there exists informed choice.
"Decisions here are not being taken by "autonomous people" but
by those who are driven by social prejudices, pressures, biases
and those who wish to preserve their superiority and by market
forces that would ensure a flourishing business.
"The World Health Organisation guidelines on Ethical Issues in
Medical Genetics and The Provision of Genetics Services (1995)
clearly state that pre-natal diagnosis for sex selection is not
acceptable."
|
Position:
"The basic purpose of technology is to give man more control over
his destiny than he has had in the past. Of course, how he uses this
technology is difficult to predict."
'Cehat' responds:
"Not to the extent of controlling the destiny of women. Man has always
had control over the destiny of women and this 'progress of technology'
is another tool he uses to maintain status quo.
"Civilized society has evolved a mechanism for regulating technology,
taking into consideration its potential risk/ benefit assessment.
Every technology with a potential market need not and should not be
allowed to be used, especially if it has a potential of misuse and
abuse. A case study of regulation of pharmaceutical technology can
illustrate this point.
"Every new chemical molecule invented/ discovered by a scientist has
some potential beneficial action on the human physiology. But each
such molecule is not allowed to be marketed as a drug. The past experience
of collective working of policy planner, technologists, industry,
academicians and public health advocates has resulted in evolving
a fairly good mechanism which balances the interests of the different
segments of society, including the industry and the consumers. Today,
and industry has to spend around $ 100 million, 10 to 15 years of
time and test over 10,000 chemical molecules on animals and human
beings for efficacy and safety in order to allow one molecule to be
marketed. Similar process of assessing the risk/ benefit to society
should go before allowing a reproductive technology to be marketed." |
|
Population
FAQs
Population First launches
'Frequently Asked Questions' on health & population issues shortly. Here
are excerpts from the upcoming document - questions related to son preference
in India.
What 's wrong with preferring a male child?
Indian society has a marked preference for a male child, both for economic
and traditional reasons. Apart from being seen as the rightful and capable
heir to family property and name as well as an important means to carry
the lineage forward, sons are also seen as providing support to parents
in their old age. A male child is also valued for the perceived final
salvation of the parents through the performance of the last rites. Girls
are often seen as a burden because of the social evil of dowry that requires
parents to spend vast amounts on the marriage of the girl child. Investments
in a daughter are thought to be wasteful as she leaves for her husband
's home after marriage. Where such a preference exists, parents tend to
make more investments in a male child than in the female child, be it
on education, health , nutrition or a career. Such discrimination, overt
or covert, is bound to limit the development opportunities of the girl
child, which further reinforces gender bias. The obsession to have at
least one male child places tremendous psychological pressure on women,
with many undergoing frequent abortions following sex-determination tests.
The felt need, indeed demand, for a male child is also an important trigger
for domestic violence, with women bearing the brunt for their perceived
inability to have a male child. This is often the reason for bigamy and
desertion. It is comparatively easier to address the issues related to
economic support provided by a male child because girls, once they are
educated, are as equipped to look after their parents. But traditional
beliefs are too deeply entrenched and need to be addressed through innovative
communication campaigns.
How is the preference for a son an impediment to population stabilisation?
Son preference is a major impediment to population stabilisation as it
makes couples opt for larger number of children in order to ensure at
least one male child in the family. Data from the National Family Health
Survey (NFHS II) report indicates a consistent preference for sons over
daughters. 85.1% women desire at least one son. Data shows that 33.2%
want more sons in the family than daughters while only 2.2% want more
daughters than sons in the family. Son preference was found to be more
among women from rural areas, who are poor, with little or no literacy,
and whose husbands are not literate. Son preference is evident in every
state. However it is more pronounced in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar,
Haryana, Madhya Padesh, Orissa and Arunachal Pradesh. These are also the
states with high population growth rates. The weakest son preference is
found in Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa, which
are also the states that have achieved or are near achieving replacement
level fertility, and have better male-female ratio and higher female literacy
levels.
|
| POPULATION
FIRST |
| Population
First is a communications based initiative that embraces the government
objective of achieving population stabilisation by the year 2045. Working
to support the government's programmes, Population First builds the
communication foundations for partnership between government, civil society,
the corporate sector and the media, creating a common ground for the sharing
views and perspectives that will help lead change in society. The whole
idea evolves around the belief that empowering women to exercise their rights |
helps
achieve social development and provides a refreshing and appropriate framework
for addressing issues related to health and population. A focus area of
the organisation is reproductive health, which is closely connected with
decisions on family size and must be seen within the context of equal rights
for women and children. In this endeavour, Population First counts
on the responsible participation of the community, a response which we hope
to kick start at least in part by our communications initiatives.
More.... |
|
|
|
|
Click here
