Dr. L. C. Gupta, in-charge mortuary, Din Dayal Hospital told B&E, “We already have enough laws and proposals to prevent female infanticide. There is no agency to implement the laws. We should have a system
to keep an eye on each agency.” Furthermore, “for many people, it is cheaper to kill the infant after it is born, then how will pregnancy registration work,” asked Dr. Narang, Head of Department-Medicine, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon. Here’s a brief look at the lawless labyrinth of female foeticide in India. Abortions were illegal and amounted to homicide till 1971 (as per provisions under IPC 1860 and CPC 1898). This was changed by enacting the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTPA) in 1971, a law that guaranteed the Right of Indian Women to terminate an unintended pregnancy by a registered medical practitioner in a government establish/maintained/ approved hospital. However, not all pregnancies are permitted to be terminated. Abortion is permitted as a health measure, when there is danger to life or risk to physical or mental health of the women or on humanitarian grounds, when pregnancy arises from sex crimes, or on grounds, where there is a risk that the conceived child may be suffering from some terminal infirmity. But even after three decades of the MTPA Actcoming into being, a vast majority of women undergo abortions outside this legal framework. It is estimated that over 90% of India’s 6 million annual abortions are carried out illegally in unhygienic conditions.
Given this background, Renuka Chowdhury’s proposal to seek government permission for abortions and register pregnancies to check both feticide and infant mortality is nothing but another lame proposal. Getting pregnancies registered cannot solve the problem in a nation craving for male children, and where the value of a girl child goes down every time prices of gold go up.
The government may launch one scheme after the other, but they’ll remain confined merely to files, unless the nation as a whole, sincerely works towards changing mindsets, inculcating a mass will to revolt against the traditional way of life ingrained in a patriarchal society. Time for a reality - check, Ms. Chowdhury?
to keep an eye on each agency.” Furthermore, “for many people, it is cheaper to kill the infant after it is born, then how will pregnancy registration work,” asked Dr. Narang, Head of Department-Medicine, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon. Here’s a brief look at the lawless labyrinth of female foeticide in India. Abortions were illegal and amounted to homicide till 1971 (as per provisions under IPC 1860 and CPC 1898). This was changed by enacting the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTPA) in 1971, a law that guaranteed the Right of Indian Women to terminate an unintended pregnancy by a registered medical practitioner in a government establish/maintained/ approved hospital. However, not all pregnancies are permitted to be terminated. Abortion is permitted as a health measure, when there is danger to life or risk to physical or mental health of the women or on humanitarian grounds, when pregnancy arises from sex crimes, or on grounds, where there is a risk that the conceived child may be suffering from some terminal infirmity. But even after three decades of the MTPA Actcoming into being, a vast majority of women undergo abortions outside this legal framework. It is estimated that over 90% of India’s 6 million annual abortions are carried out illegally in unhygienic conditions.Given this background, Renuka Chowdhury’s proposal to seek government permission for abortions and register pregnancies to check both feticide and infant mortality is nothing but another lame proposal. Getting pregnancies registered cannot solve the problem in a nation craving for male children, and where the value of a girl child goes down every time prices of gold go up.
The government may launch one scheme after the other, but they’ll remain confined merely to files, unless the nation as a whole, sincerely works towards changing mindsets, inculcating a mass will to revolt against the traditional way of life ingrained in a patriarchal society. Time for a reality - check, Ms. Chowdhury?
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Source: IIPM Editorial, 2008
An IIPM and Management Guru Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri's Initiative
Source: IIPM Editorial, 2008
An IIPM and Management Guru Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri's Initiative
