Female infanticide, one of the most important social issue prevailing in the Indian society, is day-by-day increasing to a very great extent. Once the sex of the fetus is found to be that of a female, the parents opt for an abortion of the same. Daughters are hence considered to be a burden for the family. The latest data from the Indian National Census have shown gender discrimination in India to have gone horrifically off the rails as it seems that in the past ten years, more than eight million female babies have been killed by their parents under the noses and apparent consent of the Indian authorities. There is a huge decline in the number of females which undoubtedly results from the killing of female babies soon after their birth and from the abortion of the fetus after the identification of its sex.

Poverty is an important factor which compel the parents to not to opt for a female child. Poor and pathetic situation prevailing does not allow those parents to accept their child if it is a female, which again adds up much more to their poverty. Hence it results in the brutal death of female babies or fetus.

Apart from the above said reasons, many of the Indian women are compelled by their husbands or his relatives and also even by the society at sometimes, to abort the fetus or to kill their female babies soon after their birth. In a male dominated society like India, it makes these mothers unable to raise their voice against all these and instead; they will have to obey these commands as such.

The Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques(Regulation and Prevention of misuse) Act 1994 is an Act to provide for the regulation of the use of prenatal diagnostic techniques for the purpose of detecting the genetic or metabolic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities or certain congenital malformations or sex linked disorders and for prevention of the misuse of such techniques for the purpose of prenatal sex determination leading to female foeticide, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Act imposes penalties through its various provisions for the misuse of these prenatal diagnostic techniques. Therefore the Act is an effective measure which eradicates this practice of female infanticide. It plays a vital role in abolishing the practice of female infanticide which can to a great extent successfully solve the problem of discrimination in the sex ratio in the country.

Report by Sharika