2.4. The Declining Sex Ratio in India

The sex ratio is an important indicator of gender balance in the population. Historically, the sex ratio has been slightly in favour of females, that is, the number of females per 1000 males has generally been somewhat higher than 1000.

The sex ratio represents the number of women relative to men in a population. A healthy society typically has a balanced ratio around 1000 females for every 1000 males. A favorable sex ratio means that there are more females than males, which is a positive indicator for gender balance and societal health.

Think of a school classroom where there are equal numbers of boys and girls. This balance helps in creating an inclusive environment where everyone's needs are met. If the number of girls starts to decline, it may lead to challenges in social dynamics and interactions.

India has had a declining sex-ratio for more than a century, as is clear from Table 3. From 972 females per 1000 males at the turn of the twentieth century, the sex ratio has declined to 933 at the turn of the twenty-first century.

Over the last century, the sex ratio in India has progressively declined. Starting with 972 females per 1000 males in 1901, the figure fell to 933 by 2011. This significant drop is alarming and indicates underlying social issues that discourage the birth and survival of females compared to males.

Imagine a factory where in the past, there were more items (females) produced than defective ones (males). Over time, if the production method leads to more defects and fewer items passing quality control, the factory will suffer, similar to how society suffers with a poor sex ratio.

What has really alarmed demographers is the drastic fall in the child sex ratio. The sex ratio for the 0 – 6 years age group has generally been substantially higher than the overall sex ratio, but it has been falling very sharply.

The child sex ratio, which measures the number of female children aged 0-6 per 1000 male children, has critically dropped. This specific ratio is particularly worrisome as it indicates that fewer girls are being born or surviving to this age compared to boys. It reflects systemic issues leading to neglect and discrimination against female children.

Consider a garden where the number of flowers (girl children) is diminishing over time. If gardeners (parents and society) neglect the care of these flowers and focus on the more vigorous weeds (boy children), soon the garden becomes barren, reflecting the dire consequences of a skewed sex ratio.

As many as nine States and Union Territories have a child sex ratio of under 900 females per 1000 males. Haryana is the worst state with an incredibly low child sex ratio of 793.

Certain regions, particularly Haryana and others like Punjab and Delhi, have exceptionally low child sex ratios, indicating severe gender bias. This regional disparity shows that even economically prosperous areas face significant demographic challenges due to entrenched cultural values that prioritize male children.

Think of a community where certain houses consistently choose to raise roses (boys) instead of taking care of the daisies (girls). Over time, as the roses fill the garden, the thriving daisies disappear, leading to a lack of diversity in the garden's ecosystem, just as the skewed sex ratio leads to societal imbalances.

Several factors may be held responsible for the decline in the sex ratio, including severe neglect of girl babies in infancy, sex-specific abortions, and female infanticide.

The decline in the sex ratio results from a combination of neglect, cultural beliefs favoring male children, and the misuse of technology for sex-selective abortions. These practices often arise from deep-rooted societal values that view girls as less valuable, thereby affecting their survival rate.

Imagine a treasure hunt where only gold coins (boys) are being carefully collected, while silver coins (girls) are discarded or hidden away. Over time, the hunt results in an abundance of gold, but a lack of silver creates an unbalanced collection, symbolizing the preference for boys over girls in society.

The Government of India has introduced the programme, ‘Beti-Bachao, Beti-Padhao’ as an important policy to increase the child sex ratio in the country.

In response to the declining sex ratio, the Indian government has launched initiatives like ‘Beti-Bachao, Beti-Padhao’ aimed at promoting the value of girl children and improving their survival rates. Such policies are vital for shifting societal attitudes toward gender equality.

Similar to a conservation program designed to protect endangered species, this initiative seeks to revive the population of girl children in society. It highlights that nurturing and valuing every life leads to a healthier and more equitable environment.

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