Dead Before Birth

Natasha Venugopal

Cell and Molecular Biology

Dead Before Birth Sex selection in Asia has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of millions of women. The lack of action on the part of the government and law enforcement means that the burden of solving the gendercide problem lies on the shoulders of the public. While male children stay in the family and take over all responsibilities, female children are married off, essentially becoming the “property” of the husbands’ family. Many families feel that, rather than paying to raise a child that will live with someone else, it is easier to simply kill female children as fetuses or as infants. This practice, often atrociously ignored by governments and horrifically supported by health professionals

Such an argument is offensive to the female gender. The fact that people must use logic as a reason to keep females alive is outrageous. As living beings, as humans, they have an inherent right to live that should never have been questioned or argued over in the first place. By offering reasons that women should live, advocates against female infanticide are in fact exacerbating the issue by admitting there was even a question in regards to those rights. Many mothers in countries around the world feel no qualms about strangling or poisoning their infant daughters. The practice of murdering infant girls is in these countries is common. The crimes are not solely committed because of male hatred directed towards the female gender. The opposite is also true. Due to their own experiences, many mothers feel that a quick death for a female infant is better than a life plagued by suffering and neglect. The fact that females in this region are unable to live a life without strife is morally wrong. Sex selection must be opposed in order to rectify the moral injustice committed by people who see no other option available. As Hilary Clinton said, “Human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human

The heart-wrenching personal accounts in the film give the public faces to associate with the victims of these unforgivable crimes. One couple describes the regret of having to give up three daughters to relatives while having to work in menial factory jobs in order to support their family. Another couple describes the horror of losing their daughter, who was kidnapped in order to be raised as a future bride. Among all the tales of heartbreak and horror, the one beacon of light is the inspirational story of Dr. Mitu Khurana, who emerged after being exploited and imprisoned to fight against sex selection. Dr. Khurana, after refusing to abort the two female twins she was carrying, was pushed down the stairs by her husband, who attempted to force a miscarriage. Rather than getting her and her unborn babies medical attention, the husband locked Mitu away for days, denying her sustenance and care. After escaping, Mitu wrote to the government and tried to report her husband to the police, only to realize that neither would help her. Instead of receiving assistance, Mitu was harassed and threatened. Despite the numerous obstacles in her path, Mitu began organizing marches and events to raise awareness of the issue of sex selection, hoping to make her daughters’ futures safer and brighter. Dr. Khurana’s story and the stories of the