1. Dr V Rukmini Rao Gramya Resource Centre for Women gramya.hyd@gmail.com
Interventions to Prevent Sex Selection Abortions and Female Infanticide
Dr V Rukmini Rao
Gramya Resource Centre for Women
Presentation to The District Collector and Officials,
Nalgonda District, AP on

2. A Social Disaster in the making
Sex ratio of girls has been declining drastically in AP
0-6 years age group , the sex ratio (female : male) in Andhra Pradesh has declined from
976 in 1961
961 in 2001
943 in 2011
Leads to a more violent society and is a reflection of the low status women. It leads to further devaluation of women, reflected in increased crisis against women such as buying brides

3. Districts with Extremely low Sex Ratios
State/District
Proportion of Child Population in the Age-Group of 0-6 to Total Population P M F
Sex Ratios
Mahbubnagar
15.58
15.74
15.42
952
12.42
12.7
12.13
932
Nalgonda
14.04
14.14
13.93
10.19
10.5
9.86
921
Warangal
13.95
14.08
13.81
955
9.21
9.61
8.81
912
Prakasam
12.73
12.83
12.62
10.62
10.89
10.35
Anantapur
13.18
13.17
13.19
959
10.46
10.73
10.18
927
Chitoor
12.96
13.14
12.78
10.15
10.52
9.78
931
YSR
919

4. The Current problem District Code State/District P M F Sex Ratios 28
Proportion of Child Population in the Age-Group of 0-6 to Total Population P M F
Sex Ratios 28
Andhra Pradesh
13.35
13.46
13.23
961
10.21
10.46
9.95
943 1
Adilabad
15.14
15.35
14.94
962
10.8
11.15
942 2
Nizamabad
14.39
14.81
13.96
959
10.51 11
10.03
946 3
Karimnagar
13.34
13.59
13.1
8.47
8.79
8.16
937 4
Medak
15.08
15.15 15
964
11.5
11.71
11.29
954 5
Hyderabad
12.69
12.63
12.76
10.48
10.44
938 6
Rangareddy
13.99
13.88
14.1
11.24
11.19
947 7
Mahbubnagar
15.58
15.74
15.42
952
12.42
12.7
12.13
932 8
Nalgonda
14.04
14.14
13.93
10.19
10.5
9.86
921 9
Warangal
13.95
14.08
13.81
955
9.21
9.61
8.81
912 10
Khammam
13.58
13.61
13.54
971
9.56
9.82
9.31
958
Srikakulam
13.24
13.56
12.94
967
9.83
10.14
9.53
953 12
Vizayanagaram
13.16
12.96
980
10.17 13
Vishakhapatnam
12.87
12.93
12.81
976
10.01
10.23
9.79 14
East Godavari
12.52
12.61
978
9.73
9.39
969
West Godavari
12.08
12.22
11.95
970
9.24
9.4
9.08 16
Krishna
11.91
11.99
11.82
963
8.98
9.18
8.78 17
Guntur
12.06
12.21
11.9
9.54
9.81
9.27
948 18
Prakasam
12.73
12.83
12.62
10.62
10.89
10.35 19
Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore
12.31
12.5
12.11
9.69
9.89
9.48
945 20
YSR
13.09
13.25
951
10.87
10.49
919 21
Kurnool
15.23
15.29
15.18
11.79
11.51 22
Anantapur
13.18
13.17
13.19
10.73
10.18
927 23
Chitoor
13.14
12.78
10.15
10.52
9.78
931

5. The Law
Female infanticide prohibited pre-independence by British rulers but little action taken
In 1978, Government issued a directive banning the misuse of amniocentesis in Government Hospital Laboratories
Maharashtra legislated PNDT Act 1988
National legislation enacted. Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act 1994 (came into force 1996)

6. The Law
An Act to provide for the prohibition of sex selection before or after conception and for regulation of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for the purposes of detecting abnormalities or metabolic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities or certain congenital malformations or sex-linked disorders and for the prevention of their misuse for sex determination leading to female foeticide and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

7. The Law All diagnostic/referral centres to be registered
If the law is not followed, registration can be cancelled
The law prohibits sex selection before or after conception and misuse of pre-natal diagnostic techniques for determination of sex of foetus
Act also specifies punishment for advertisements promoting sex selection directly or indirectly

8. Punishments Punishments for managements and other staff include
Imprisonment from 3-5 years
Fine from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,00,000
In case of doctors, suspension of the registration
Removal of his/her name from the register of the medical council (so that they cannot practice)
Husband/relative imprisonment upto 3 months and fine upto Rs 1000 or both (concerned woman not punished to the assumption of force used against her)

9. Punishments-Contd..
Cognizable: This means that for such an offence the Police Officer may arrest without warrant
Non-bailable: This means that bail cannot be granted in such a case
Non-Compoundable: This means that the two parties to the case cannot settle the case and decide not to prosecute

10. Who can Complain? Appropriate authority so designated
Officer authorized by central/state government
Any citizen who has given notice of at least 15 days to the appropriate authority to make a complaint in court
After 15 days can directly complain in court
Every public spirited person can activate the law and seek assistance of lawyer/NGO/Group of persons can also complain
The complaint need not be present on every date of hearing

11. Policy Making Bodies to Supervise and enable efficient implementation of the law
Central supervisory boards
State/Union Territory supervisory boards
Appropriate authority may exercise following powers
a. Summmoning of any person who is in possession of any information relating to violation of the provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder
b. Production of any document or material object relating to Clause (a)
c. Issuing search warrant for any place suspected to be indulging in sex selection techniques or pre-natal sex determination and any other matter prescribed

12. Records to be maintained
Names and addresses of men and women given genetic counseling/names of spouses/fathers
Referral slips
Date for procedure/counseling
Case Records
Forms of Consent
Laboratory results
Microscopic pictures
Sonographic plates or slides
Recommendations and letters

13. Search and Seizure
The law provides for search and seizure and power to:
Enter freely into the place of search
Search at all reasonable times
Examine and inspect all documents
Forms
Books
Pamphlets
Advertisements
Material objects like sonographic plates or slides
Equipment like ultrasonography machines, needles, foetoscope etc

14. Strategies to Prevent Sex Selection Abortions
Identify existing pre-natal genetic counselling /genetic clinic /genetic laboratory determining sex of the Foetus including Ultrasonography
Already done by district administration (110 machines in operations)
AP has the advantage of active SHGs (15 women in a group) in every village and town use it and
Attach the nearest Social Action Committee promoting gender equality to each clinic for regular follow up of pregnant women. (These women will be \/are trained by Gramya)

15. Strategies to Prevent Sex Selection Abortions
Provide training to group leaders about PC PNDT Act, 1994
110 clinics using ultrasound machines identified
Identify two leaders in each 110 Social Action Committees closest to the clinic x 2 women leaders = 220 (total)
The women leaders will train their group internally

16. Strategies to Prevent Sex Selection Abortions
Gramya will support this process if funds are provided directly to the SHG leaders for training. Material/posters and food costs. This can be worked out
One day training for a batch of 50 to 60 (4 training programmes in total)
Action Plan: SHG leaders will visit the clinic once a week, collect the data regarding women screened
Link with Health Department/District Advisory Committee?
Regular follow up visits and counselling

17. Strategies to Prevent Sex Selection Abortions
Identify illegal centres and mobile units operational in the districts
Information can be collected form SHG leaders and other sources

18. Campaign
Identify and develop Kala-jata (street theatre) to take the message to prevent infanticide
Campaign to be carried out in all the towns where centres are operational and in a radius of 10 KMs
Attach Mandal Samakya leaders to the Kala-jata to follow up programmes with community interaction and counselling to men and women
Take up campaign to promote girl child rights in colleges and high schools, number to be selected each year
Target Youth groups, young men

19. Convergence with Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS)
Train ICDS Staff to counsel pregnant woman and her spouse to prevent infanticide
Train ICDS staff to restore girl babies from the cradle to her own parents
Ensure food support, clothing and health care to mother and child for 1 year according to the existing policy
Child Development Programme Officer (CDPO) and staff to be commended for restoring girl child to parents

20. Actions to be taken by Panchayats (local governance bodies)
Strict action against men / others who are pressuring women to give away or kill girl babies
Leaders across political parties to be invited to discuss the problem and give the message to save girl baby to party cadre
Awareness among youth groups with active participation of Sarpanch and ward members
Panchayat to record all births and deaths compulsorily

21. Actions to be taken by Panchayats
Sex ratio to be monitored in each panchayat and six monthly data to be displayed at the panchayat and village/thanda level
Well girl baby programmes to be promoted in all ICDS centers/panchayats
Livelihood promotion in interior/urban areas for women in distress
Tackle problem of Alcoholism (vigilance to be intensified) counseling men and referrals to detoxification centre
Similar actions in urban wards

22. Development Interventions (Issues related to Girl Babies)
Women with large families to receive direct support for food through ICDS/Mid day meal.
All children to be covered
Backward area grants can be utilized for this . SC/ST and other castes
Vulnerable women already in SHG to be provided
Special grants/interest free loans to start earning an incomes

23. Education
Support families with large number of girls, by enrolling older girls in government welfare hostels which indirectly provided economic support (free food, school uniforms and education)
Scholarships for higher education

24. Successful interventions in other countries and states
In China, strict action for sex selection abortions taken now
Departments involved National Family Planning Commission, Ministry of Health, State Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Public Security and other Government Agencies
In 2005, 120 new born boys to 100 girls, 2010 ratio is 118 males for 100 females in China
South Korea, in 1990 sex ratio was boys to 100 girls now discrimination reduced to boys to 100 girls in 2010 (close to Biological norm)
Employment opportunities increased dramatically creating work for women
Political leaders providing inspiring slogans (to redress balance)
One daughter raised well is worth 10 sons
6 out of 10 women in College

25. Challenges
Patriarchal Society is essentially anti women and girl child.
Jhajjar district in Haryana recorded the lowest adult as well as child sex ratio, and within the district, Barhana and Dimana villages recorded the worst CSRs. Jhajjar, which has a high literacy rate of 80.8 per cent (71 per cent for females and 89.4 per cent for males), has the worst CSR – 774 female children for every 1,000 male children
Himachal Pradesh Study highlights: tubectomy after one male child, tubectomy after two male children preferred leading to reduction in birth of 20% of girls

26. Challenges
While Barhana had a CSR of 378 (at birth) in 2010, Dimana was not much better, at 444
Changes in law, policy and practice all needed.
Long term problems due to current Government policies of liberalization and privatization. Now private and school education appears attractive resulting in sons being sent to school and girls put out to work.
More than 90% of women in the economy work in informal economy with low skills, low pay and no job guarntees

27. Recommendations
Stop current cradle scheme, demand of women’s movement because it devalues girls and women
Special Support to 3rd 4th 5th girl child
Strict implementation of recording mother’s details in accordance with child rights
Own identity culture language to be maintained and strengthened

28. Contd
All National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA, work for 100 days) work places to provide crèche facilities for children
Mothers with infants to be provided appropriate work
Influence Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) to give additional livelihood support to women with large family / girl children
Awareness creation in Judiciary to dispose women’s cases on a fast track