Female infanticide is the intentional killing of infant girls. It occurs most commonly in patriarchal societies with low social status of women and a strong cultural preference for sons. Factors like poverty, the dowry system, and lack of education contribute to female infanticide, which has negative effects like increased sexual violence and human trafficking. Laws have attempted to curb the practice by banning dowry and sex-selective abortion. Changing cultural mindsets through education is also important to address the root causes of female infanticide.
2. • Female infanticide is the intentional
killing of infant girls.
• In addition to the active methods
undertaken to eliminate baby girls
soon after birth, neglect and
discrimination leading to death and
sex-selective abortion are also means
by which many female children die
each year.
• These phenomena are most prevalent
in patriarchal societies in which the
status of women is low and a
preference for sons is built into the
cultural ideology.
• Female infanticide cuts across all
social and economic boundaries.
• Thus, the practice involves a wide
range of location-specific and
3. • “Killing of an
entirely
dependent child
under “one year
of age” who is
killed by mother,
parents or others
in whose care the
child is
entrusted”.
4. What: The deliberate killing of a girl child.
Who: Girl children who are born in societies
where
poverty, overpopulation, and
male biases are prevalent.
Where: In regions where poverty and
overpopulation are prevalent. It
predominantly occurs in
societies where girl children are not
viewed as economically advantageous.
Why: Lineage, Income, Dowry, Protection,
Government