Female feticide in India: Challenge for the society

Women constitute half a human population have been discriminated, harassed and exploited irrespective of the country to which they belong. Everywhere women are confronted with many challenges. Female feticide is perhaps one of the worst forms of violence against women where a woman is denied her most basic and fundamental right i.e. “the right to life”. Killing of female child has been a phenomenal characteristic of Indian society under the rule of patriarchy since ancient days. The practice first dubbed as female infanticide came into vogue due to the lack of scientific discovery and unavailability of modern and progressive technology and sophisticated sex determining instruments. With sufficient availability and extensive supply of such sophisticated sex determination techniques in the health institutions and clinics, there have been hundreds of incidences of female feticide surfacing and hence assuming an alarming proportion across the country at present. It seems that the sex determination test leading to identification of the sex of unborn child has made the practice of killing the female child unnoticed and easier than before. The practice that commenced in India under the influence of the deeply rooted patriarchy, that is, to prove the strength of man over woman, has also been influenced by poverty and dowry.