Greetings. I am Aafiya Irfan and I am currently a grade 10 student at Middlefield Collegiate Institute, in Markham, Ontario. I am writing to you in regards to a social issue which is negatively affecting your country and its inhabitants. The issue I am referring to is the ongoing, inhumane act of female infanticide. Female infanticide can be described as the deliberate killing of female infants, immediately or soon after birth. It has a history spanning several centuries, and has been practiced in every continent, culture, and society in the world. Female Infanticide is most common in the western and northern regions of India. Although being classified as a criminal offense, female infanticide continues to be an extremely under reported crime.
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The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 declared the dowry system as illegal, yet it continues to be an occurrence and part of everyday Indian weddings. Dowry is cash, property, and other assets given by a woman to her husband, as a part of the marriage contract. The dowry demands placed on a woman and her family can be hefty, and to avoid dealing with this burden, parents choose to take the life of their naive child. Gender inequality is a violation of basic human rights, yet it is common in countless countries. In India particularly, men are deemed more capable than women, which their employability rate being much higher than women. A man is known as the ideal breadwinner, while women are expected to stay home and cook, clean, and do other household chores. To avoid this issue, families voluntarily commit female infanticide. The last reason as to why female infanticide occurs is the lack of financial security for aging parents. Several parents in India rely on their children for financial support after retirement, and through pension plans, they gain access to resources and financial support through their sons. On the contrary, women traditionally move in with their husband’s family after marriage, making it impossible for their parents to gain financial …show more content…
There are several ways that you can get involved to ensure this is possible. The current law against female infanticide is clearly not working, as the rates are soaring at record high. You can help end this problem by publicly speaking on your thoughts about the inhumane issue of female infanticide, to spread awareness. This can potentially give people the realization that the act they are engaging in, is wrong. Another way to combat the issue of female infanticide is to promote organizations like The Invisible Girl project, which works towards ensure gender equality. You are a figure that the entire country respects, so if you publicly address this organization, we can raise a lot of funds towards targeting this social issue. “Education is the key to success” is truly a quote that fits into the context of female infanticide. Many people commit this horrific act, simply because they are not educated about the subject, and the fact that both genders should receive equal rights. Promoting strong, successful, female individuals in the media and news channels will make a big difference, as it will give people the realization of the glorious things women can
The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 declared the dowry system as illegal, yet it continues to be an occurrence and part of everyday Indian weddings. Dowry is cash, property, and other assets given by a woman to her husband, as a part of the marriage contract. The dowry demands placed on a woman and her family can be hefty, and to avoid dealing with this burden, parents choose to take the life of their naive child. Gender inequality is a violation of basic human rights, yet it is common in countless countries. In India particularly, men are deemed more capable than women, which their employability rate being much higher than women. A man is known as the ideal breadwinner, while women are expected to stay home and cook, clean, and do other household chores. To avoid this issue, families voluntarily commit female infanticide. The last reason as to why female infanticide occurs is the lack of financial security for aging parents. Several parents in India rely on their children for financial support after retirement, and through pension plans, they gain access to resources and financial support through their sons. On the contrary, women traditionally move in with their husband’s family after marriage, making it impossible for their parents to gain financial …show more content…
There are several ways that you can get involved to ensure this is possible. The current law against female infanticide is clearly not working, as the rates are soaring at record high. You can help end this problem by publicly speaking on your thoughts about the inhumane issue of female infanticide, to spread awareness. This can potentially give people the realization that the act they are engaging in, is wrong. Another way to combat the issue of female infanticide is to promote organizations like The Invisible Girl project, which works towards ensure gender equality. You are a figure that the entire country respects, so if you publicly address this organization, we can raise a lot of funds towards targeting this social issue. “Education is the key to success” is truly a quote that fits into the context of female infanticide. Many people commit this horrific act, simply because they are not educated about the subject, and the fact that both genders should receive equal rights. Promoting strong, successful, female individuals in the media and news channels will make a big difference, as it will give people the realization of the glorious things women can