PHOTO: AFP
NEW DELHI, INDIA: Authorities in India are investigating reasons behind the lack of female births in over 100 villages over a period of three months in India's northern district of Uttarkashi in the state of Uttarakhand, reported Al Jazeera.
An investigation into assumed sex-selective abortions has been launched by officials in the district. The magistrate in Uttarkashi district said the official birthrate was ‘alarming’ and pointed towards widespread female foeticide.
“Any parents found to have carried out female foeticide will face legal action,” said a district magistrate.
Though female foeticide has been explicitly banned in India since 1994, the practice still continues in rural areas, where girls are often considered a financial liability for families.
"The deep social and cultural norms that exist in our country are responsible for such things," said Alok Vajpayee of the Population Foundation of India.
According to official data, out of 216 babies born within the last three months in the region, not a single girl birth has been recorded.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ