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Haryana Establishes Real-Time Sex Ratio Monitoring, Targets “Gender Critical” Villages Amidst Societal Bias Concerns
In a significant move to address skewed sex ratios, Haryana has established real-time sex ratio monitoring cells across all 22 of its districts. Moreover, the state has initiated specialized gender-sensitization drives in 35 villages identified as “gender critical.” These initiatives aim to combat the deep-rooted societal preference for male children,which continues to drive sex-selective practices.
Despite these governmental efforts, the underlying challenge of societal attitudes persists. Dr.Santosh Dahiya, president of Akhil Bhartiya Mahila Shakti Manch, highlighted that in many rural and even urban areas of Haryana, daughters are still perceived as financial burdens, while sons are seen as inheritors of the family name and future providers. This cultural bias, she noted, fuels the demand for sex-selective procedures, even among the affluent and educated segments of society.
The state’s approach, which includes regulating IVF access based on the sex of existing children, has drawn criticism. Opponents argue that such regulations could infringe upon reproductive rights and potentially push desperate couples towards unsafe, unregulated services. Though, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has asserted the state’s moral obligation to protect the unborn girl child and to work towards restoring a balanced societal structure.
