INTRODUCTION
One of the greatest dangers to our contemporary human progress is the threat of skewed sex proportion. The expanding irregularity amongst males and females is prompting numerous violations, for example, illicit trafficking of ladies, rapes, polygamy and dehumanization of society. These crimes have been on an increase making this world dangerous for women. Female foeticide is a standout amongst the most violent crimes on this planet; maybe what is wretched is that the general population which carries out this heinous crime is amongst the affluent ones.
We all know why it is taking place at such a rampant pace. But we should also know the laws which are specifically made to prevent this heinous crime. In this article, we will be discussing the laws which have been made by the government from time to time to stop female foeticide.
FEMALE FOETICIDE: DENIAL OF RIGHT TO BE BORN OF A FEMALE CHILD
Female feticide–the selective abortion of female fetuses–is killing upwards of one million females in India annually with far-ranging and tragic consequences. Foeticide is an act that causes death of the fetus. In a legal context it is referred as ‘Fatal Homicide’ or ‘Child destruction’. India is the only country of world where the ratio of woman to man has been dwindling over the years. Sex selective abortion is responsible for the death of almost 7,000 unborn baby girls in India every day. The Maharashtra Government estimated 45,000 abortions were carried out in Greater Bombay region only in the year of 1985. At least 16 districts across the country have a sex ratio of less than 800 women for every 1000 men. The reason is patriarchal society where sons are considered to offer security to their families in old age and can perform the rites for the souls of deceased parents and ancestors, daughters are perceived as a social and economic burden.
Women’s are not only facing inequality, they are even denied right to be born whereas Constitution of India provides right to life, equality, no discrimination on the basis of sex and positive discriminatory provisions for women. And Indian Penal Code (sec 312 -318) deals with the offences against unborn child. And female foeticide is an offence against unborn child. The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PNDT ACT) specifically prohibits advertisement relating to pre-natal sex and provides punishment and penalties for violation of provisions of this Act. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 provides provisions relating to termination of pregnancy. Pregnancy may be terminated by registered medical practitioner only if he in good faith believes continuation of pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the woman and there is a substantial risk that child will born with some physical or mental abnormalities. Sex determination test is one of the most important reasons of Female foeticide in India. The pre-conception and pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition to sex selection) Act (PCPNDT ACT) 2003 was enacted with the purpose of preventing the misuse of ultrasound technologies that enabled determination of sex of a child before it is born. While abortion is legal in India, it is a crime to abort a pregnancy solely because the foetus is female.
ORIGIN
During the 1970s it was widely accepted that the root to many major social and economic issues India was facing at the time, was due to its growing population. However, the preference for a male child was predominant in the Indian families and the common practice then was of producing multiple children until a male child was born in the family. This practice was seen as a major threat and the cause for the rapidly increasing population. Aborting female foetuses was viewed as a viable solution to this problem by the government hospitals. The equipment and procedures at the time being complicated and not risk-free, there were not many cases of female foeticide. However, by the late-1980s and the early 1990s, ultrasound techniques gained popularity throughout India and the practice of female foeticide soon spread to hospitals all over India. However soon, this practice was opposed by some activists, and Indian government passed the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 making sex-selective abortion illegal. However, merely making it illegal did not stop it.
Causes of Female Foeticide:
Female foeticide has been in practice for periods especially for the families who have a preference only male child. Several religious, social, financial and emotional are the reason for female foeticide. Therefore the time has been changed now much however, many reasons and beliefs are ongoing in some families. Some main reasons for female foeticide are:
• Generally, parents don’t want a girl baby because they have to give a big amount as a dowry at daughter’s marriage.
• There is a faith that girls are always consumer and boys are the only producer. Thus Parents understand that son will earn money for the whole life and care their parents however girls will get married a day and will have a separate family.
• There is a belief that the son will carry the name of the family in future however the girl has to carry the husband’s family.
• This is a prestige issue in society for parent and grandparent to have a boy baby in the family besides having a daughter.
• There is a stress on the new bride of the family to give birth to a male child so she is enforced to go for sex recognition and abort if girl baby.
• Illiteracy, insecurity, and poverty of people in society are also major reasons for girl baby burden.
• Science and Technological advancement and utilities have made this very easy task for parents.
Effective Measures to Control:
As we all know that female foeticide is a crime and social evil for the future of women. Hence we should notice the causes for female foeticide in Indian society. Female infanticide or female feticide is primarily because of sex determination. Some measures are:
• Law must be implemented and one should be surely punished if found guilty for this unkind exercise.
• Permanent cancellation of license should be done if it is going on in medical practice.
• Marketing of medical tools specifically for illegal sex determination and abortion should be a bane.
• Parents must be fined who want to kill their girl baby.
• Campaigns and seminars should be regularly held to aware of young couples.
• Women should be aware so that they can be more attentive to their rights.
CONCLUSION
Forthcoming is the name of your girl child, past is the name of your mother. This is the reality that NO PRESENT, NO PAST, NO FUTURE WITHOUT GIRL CHILD. Female foeticide is suicide. So, save the girl child and secure the future. There will be the dangerous results of the female feticide. Demography reports warn India that in the next twenty years there will be a scarcity of brides in the marriage market mostly because of the adverse sex ratio.

