Menace of Female Foeticide in India: Current Scenario and Socio- Legal Implications

Abstract

The advent of modern reproductive and sex selection techniques is providing worldwide ample opportunity to the female foeticide. Now –a –days the world population is significantly passing through gender imbalances due to different available sex selection methods. The menace of Female foeticide was invented, touted and sold by the medical profession, and it operates with the complete consent of our society. In the United States, sex selection is becoming a multimillion-dollar industry. During the last few decades, Indian society had also been facing female foeticide as a burning social problem. In strongly patriarchal society Parents prefer sons and availability of these techniques, has led to deterioration of female sex-ratio and is eliminating girls from the social scenario by misusing the technique which is basically meant to detect the foetal abnormalities. Even the law is a powerful instrument of social change but law alone cannot dismantle out this social problem from Indian society. The real challenge before Indian society and government authorities is to remove loopholes in The Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Act, 2002. It is pertinent to note that until and unless this menace is controlled, the country will be heading for a grave gender imbalance, which in turn would adversely affect the nation’s economic progress. A concrete and meticulous effort by the medical fraternity, the law, political leaders, NGOs, women’s group, the mass media, teachers and the community itself is the need of the hour. This review article is an attempt to draw attention towards Current Scenario of female foeticide in India and its socio-legal implications.