About Laadli

Contrary to what many believe, lesser number of girls in a society will not enhance their status. Instead, in places where sex selection is rampant, there can be an increase in violence against women, rape, abduction, trafficking and onset of practices such as polyandry.

The notion that only couples with two or more daughters are going in for sex selection and therefore does not affect the overall child sex ratio is misleading. In fact, data indicates that even for the first-born, there is a preference for a male child. This trend is even more noticeable where the first-born is a girl.

Similarly, the thought that it is more humane to eliminate a female foetus than subjugate her to a life of discrimination is a fallacy. By the same logic, it would be justifiable to eliminate poor people than let them suffer a life of poverty and deprivation. The girl child is not the problem, the practice of sex selection is.

Another misleading notion is that banning sex selection amounts to denying a mother her unalienable right to choose the sex of her child. Choice in the absence of autonomy is no choice. Fears of violence and rejection/desertion and also the desire to establish one's value in the family often pressurise women into opting for sex selection

The argument that sex selection is an effective tool for controlling population is misplaced. We want population stabilization for improving quality of life. This is the ultimate goal. If along the way we resort to things that damage our quality of life, is that desirable?