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India: Female infanticide and suicide of female widows induce a gender imbalance

The murder of female neonates is still occuring at an alarming rate, even though it is illegal in most countries. For instance, in a recent survey of 600 couples in China, more than half admitted to murdering a female newborn, Professor Florence Denmark (Pace University, New York) reports.

"To gain a deeper appreciation for the logic underscoring the practice of female infanticide, several different cultures have been studied.

The Kallar of Tamil Nadu, India, practice female infanticide in order to produce a nation of males who can provide military strength to battle competing villages.

In addition, prevailing religious beliefs assign a higher value to sons. Marriage patterns place heavy financial burdens on the bride´s family, which also provides a greater incentive for parents to bear sons.

Economic reasons also underlie the practice of female infanticide in Eskimo cultures, where female children are regarded as unproductive because they fail to contribute to the family´s resources. Statistics from the Eskimo culture of North Alaska indicate that between 15 and 50 per cent of female babies are murdured."

The practice in northern India requires that women sacrifice their lives upon the death of their husbands. Specifically, the grieving widow is expected to immolate herself on her deceased husband´s funeral pyre.

The murder of female infants, coupled with the suicide of female widows, has led to a sex ratio imbalance in favor of males that raises consequences for the Indian society.




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