Son preference, security concerns and crime against women: Expanding the public health discourse in India

• Main Authors: Bijayalaxmi Nanda, Nupur Ray, Ritwika Mukherjee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Public Health
• Subjects: public health discourse; security concerns; son preference; violence against women
• Online Access: http://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2020;volume=64;issue=2;spage=204;epage=206;aulast=Nanda

The phenomenon of son preference in India and the declining number of girls due to such a mindset has been an area of concern. While the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act and the Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao scheme have been the mainstay of the government's initiative to counter this reproductive injustice, recognizing son preference and crime against women as public health concern opens up a new vista to counter this injustice. This study has identified that the public health system needs to engage with the following aspects to counter the problem: counseling services to women and men around fertility choices; access/availability to contraceptive choices; engaging men and boys in developing a response against violence; gender-sensitive training and capacity building; access to sexual and reproductive rights awareness amongst girls, women, boys, and men; and health insurance for senior citizens.