196: making selective abortion more difficult in India

Selective abortion - by which, typically, pregnancies involving female foetuses are terminated - has been outlawed in India for 14 years. Nevertheless, experts estimate that around 10 million girls have been lost to the practice during the last 2 decades. Shockingly, in the Indian state of Haryana, only 770 girls are now born for every 1000 boys. Today brought some hope, however, as the UK's Guardian newspaper reported that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh plans to intensify efforts to end female foeticide. One element of his government's strategy will be to permanently bar doctors who undertake sex determination tests, and to punish them with a heavy fine and up to 3 years imprisonment. Whether PM Singh can also strengthen law enforcement and shift cultural preferences is another matter. But a serious policy is a good start.