Female infanticide on the rise in Nepal

In Nepal and in parts of South Asia, families tend to prefer baby boys; this has pushed many pregnant women to take extreme measures to make sure that they do not “shame” the family by giving birth to a girl. Female infanticide is one such measure and a recent report published at Nepal Weekly says that this heinous practice is on the rise in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.

The report says that  last year 65% of babies found dead and abandoned around Kathmandu were girls. They were either still born or killed immediately after birth. It is shocking but parents often use most cruel ways to kill an infant. In one instance a baby girl’s body was found with “paan” stuffed in her mouth. “Paan” is variety of chewing tobacco wrapped in betel leaf commonly consumed in Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Although Nepal allows women to get abortions, many are not aware of the fact. In a society where girl child is seen as a burden, pregnant women face lot of pressure to keep the family happy. Some women, in desperation and under pressure, choose to take the extreme measure and kill their baby girl. Most often these murders go unnoticed by the law enforcement because the parents throw away the body in a river or hide it far way from their home. Thus the rate of conviction/prosecution is very low.

Killing a baby girl in womb is limited to those with financial means to get an ultra sound and an abortion. Majority of Nepali women live in rural areas and are not of aware of or cannot access these services because of financial reasons. The report says that the number of well-to-do families in Kathmandu who opt for infanticide is growing  because they have legal cover and also can access the services. They abuse the law that allows abortion to kill unwanted girl child.

As we debate a woman’s right to choose and her right over her body, it is important that we think about hundreds of baby girls dying in Nepal.How can we find a balance that honors a woman’s right to choose as well as keeps unborn baby girls safe?

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

Join the Conversation