Girl child

The sex ratio of India, according to the Census Commissioner, is 933 females to 1000 males for whole India and 946 for rural India and 900 for urban India. Urban areas, with their better health facilities and awareness, cull female children at a more ruthless rate.

The other bad news is that the phenomenon of female foeticide, which was mainly confined to North and North-West is now prevalent all over the country. But, this comes with the rider that import of brides from Bihar, Kerala, North-East, West Bengal into North and North-West is now difficult due to paucity of females there too.

The spinoff is that girls are calling the shots in the matrimonial market and have become very choosy. In the software sector, where girls are neck to neck with boys, it is usual now to see boys' and their parents making rounds to find suitable alliances. Another interesting fallout is, girls calling off alliances at the eleventh hour in the supreme confidence that they will find a better partner.

Though education and employment opportunities have vastly empowered the girl child, the mind-set of the previous generation is changing but slowly. If the society can deliver a more secure environ for the females, things will improve faster. Secondly, the Hindu society in particular and all in general, should somehow reform and re-jig to meet all eventualities in a son-less set-up. Apart from harsh realities, spiritual needs also have to be modified in this context. Religious leaders should take the lead in giving girls equal role in matters spiritual and customary (like performing funeral) to change the mind set.

Girls have demolished many a male bastion. But they have to penetrate into many more areas like employment where due to age old taboos certain professions are denied to them like Priesthood. There aren't any female barbers. Brahmakumaris have shown that they can organize better and give succor better. Maharashtra boasts of female purohits. It is good to see more females as software specialists, engineers, doctors, administrators, etc. But more females as priests, conductors, gas station attendants, barbers, police, petty enterprueners, etc will also change the mindset of the society.

Let us hope we will have a society which is not only safe for existing females but to those unborn females too.


…ponder