#sexselective

[iprayunceasingly-blog]

Study finds increases in gold price increase sex-selective abortions in India

New Post has been published on https://pray-unceasingly.com/catholic-living/catholic-news/study-finds-increases-in-gold-price-increase-sex-selective-abortions-in-india/

Study finds increases in gold price increase sex-selective abortions in India

New Delhi, India, Sep 29, 2018 / 03:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A study from the University of Essex has found a link between the global price of gold and the survival rate for Indian baby girls. Monthly increases in the price of gold between 1972-2005, the study argues, led to girls being more likely to be aborted, die in the first month of life, or suffer from stunted growth.

The study also concluded that dowries are a major contributing factor to India’s gender imbalance. Sex-selective abortion, though illegal since 2015, has been widely practiced since the 1980s, and nationwide men outnumber women by nearly 37 million. There are also an estimated 21 million “unwanted” girls who have been born in the country.

“Our contribution is to provide what we believe is the first clear evidence of causal effects of dowry costs on son preferring behaviours,” said Sonia Bhalotra, a professor of economics and the author of the study.

Dowries are a transfer of parental property upon marriage of a daughter, a practice still widely found in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, despite being illegal in India since 1961.

“While the original dowry payments acted as a pre-mortem bequest to daughters that afforded them post-marital financial protection, property rights over dowry are now often appropriated by the groom or his parents rather than retained by the bride,” the study states.

The study cites estimates that suggest a dowry may often be four to eight times a family’s annual household income, and that parents often have to start saving for a girl’s dowry as soon as she is born.

Gold, especially jewelry, is an integral part of Indian dowries. Gold prices are frequently reported in Indian media and are a regular topic of discussion, Bhalotra wrote in Quartz India.

The study found that from 1972 to 1985, an increase of approximately six percent in the monthly price of gold was accompanied by a six percent increase in deaths of baby girls, with no significant change in deaths of baby boys. Additionally women who survived to adulthood who were born during that time period were more likely to be less tall when they reach maturity, possibly due to nutritional deprivation early in life.

After 1985, when ultrasound scans became widely available, fewer girls were born in months of gold price inflation, suggesting that those children were being aborted rather than neglected at birth. Tests to determine the sex of a fetus have been illegal in India since 2015.

“We find that parents are consistently ‘eliminating’ girls early in life, but the pattern is that this is done soon after birth before 1985, and while the girl is in the womb after 1985,” Bhalotra said.

“[In 1994,] abortion clinics in Mumbai had posters with slogans such as 'Better pay 500 [rupees] now than 50,000 [rupees] later.' The 500 [rupees] is the cost of abortion and the 50,000 [rupees] refers to the future cost of dowry,” the author states.

The study found that after 1985, a 1 percent increase in the global price of gold led to an extra 33,000 “missing” female births each year.

CNA Daily News – Asia – Pacific

[sexybrilliant]

Happy International Day of the Girl to me and to all those who are lucky enough to have girls n women in their lives. 💖 My girls are my biggest assests and everyday is a celebration at my home and has been for generations and may I continue to raise strong girls. #InternationalDayOfGirls Ladies I encourage you to stand up and empower the girls around you. Give them wings...help them fly. Say NO to female #infanticide and #sexselective #abortions. And yes gentlemen! The demand for #Equalrights for girls also comes with equal responsibilities. #Empowerment #Empower #Educate #Enrich #SustainableWings #Canadian #Indian #Punjabi #UN #UnitedNations #HumanRights #IndianBlogger #Canada #CanadianBlogger #Kaur #SingleMom #SingleDad #Amritsar #StrongIsTheNewSkinny #womenempowerment #Village #Punjab #Motherhood

[iasshikshalove]

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020

1/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 Contents: 1. AssistedReproductiveTechnologyRegulationBillproposesnationalregistryof clinics 2. Appointment of CVC 3. Lithium reserve found in Mandya near Bengaluru 4. SEBI redefines ‘pledge’ to protect client securities 5. What is DarkWeb? 6. STF set up to study minimum age of girls entering motherhood: Centre ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY REGULATION BILL PROPOSES NATIONAL REGISTRY OF CLINICS Why in news? The Union Cabinet on 19th February 2020, approved the Assisted Reproductive TechnologyRegulationBill,2020tomonitormedicalproceduresusedtoassist people to achieve pregnancy. Background India has become one ofthe major centresofthis globalfertility industry,with reproductive medical tourism becoming a significant activity. This hasalso introduceda plethora oflegal,ethical and social issues; yet,there is no standardisation of protocols and reporting is still very inadequate Provisions and aims ofthe Bill The Bill provides for a national Board which will lay down a code of conduct to be observed by those operatingclinics It willalso formulateminimumstandards for laboratory anddiagnostic equipment and practices tobe followed by human resources employed by clinics and banks. The States and Union Territories will also have to form State Boards and State authoritieswithinthree months ofthe notification ofthe proposed legislation. The Billalsoproposesstringent punishmentfor thosewhopractise sexselection, indulge in sale of human embryos or gametes and those who operate rackets. 2/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 The Billwillalsoensure confidentialityofintendingcouplesand protectthe rights of the child. Background Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is used to treat infertility. It includes fertilitytreatmentsthat handle botha woman’s eggand a man’s sperm. It works by removing eggs froma woman’s body. The eggs are then mixed with spermto make embryos.The embryos are then put back in the woman’s body. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common and effective type of ART. APPOINTMENT OF CVC Why in news? Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary to the President, has been selected as the new CentralVigilance Commissionerby a high-poweredcommittee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee has also chosen former Information and Broadcasting Secretary 3/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 BimalJulka as the new ChiefInformationCommissioner inthe Central Information Commission. The orders relatingto the appointments are awaiting a formal approvalfrom President Ram NathKovind. Background CentralVigilanceCommission(CVC)isanapexIndiangovernmentalbodycreated in 1964 to address governmental corruption. In2003,the Parliament enacteda law conferringstatutory statusonthe CVC. It has the status of anautonomous body,free of control fromany executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, advising various authorities in central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work. The Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on recommendation of a Committee consisting ofthe Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Minister of home affairs (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People. LITHIUMRESERVEFOUNDINMANDYANEAR BENGALURU Why in news? Reservesoflithium,a rare metal criticaltobuild batteries forelectric vehicles,have been discovered in Mandya, 100 km from Bengaluru – a find that should boost local manufacturing of EV batteries. Details Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate, a unit of India’sAtomic Energy Commission,haveestimatedlithiumreservesof14,100tonnesinasmallpatchof land surveyed in the Southern Karnataka district 14,100 tonnes is still very little compared to many major producers. So far, in the absence of local mines for lithium, India has set up Khanij Bidesh India to source and acquire mines in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. India currently imports all its lithium needs. 4/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 Background Top producers Rank Country/Region Lithium production (tonnes) 1 Australia 51,000 2 Chile 16,000 3 China 8,000 4 Argentina 6,200 Mandya District, Karnataka 5/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 SEBI REDEFINES ‘PLEDGE’ TO PROTECT CLIENT SECURITIES Why in news? The decisionby SEBItoTweakthe manner inwhich ‘pledge’ isdefined inregulatory laws, was approved by the board of the capital markets regulator on 17th February 2020. Significance A minor tweak inthe manner ‘pledge’isdefined inthe regulatory laws isexpected to go a long way in minimising instances where stock brokers misuse client securities by pledging such shares for their ownbenefit interms of meetingtheir margin requirements. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has amended the SEBI (DepositoriesandParticipants)Regulationsbyincludinganadditionalexplanation that statesthat‘pledge’would also refer to ‘re-pledge of securities formarginor settlement obligations.’ This assumes significance asthe recent past has seenfew instancesofbrokers pledgingclient securitiesto raise funds frombanksand non-bankingfinance companies (NBFCs). WHAT IS DARKWEB? 6/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 The dark web is the World Wide Web content that exists on darknets, overlay networksthat usethe Internet but require specific software,configurations,or authorization to access. Thedarknetswhichconstitute thedarkwebinclude small,friend-to-friendpeer-topeer networks, as well as large,popular networks like Tor, Freenet,I2P, and Riffle operated by public organizations and individuals. Users ofthe dark web refer to the regular web as Clearnet due to its unencrypted nature Commercialdarknet markets,whichmediatetransactions for illegaldrugsand othergoods,attractedsignificantmediacoveragestartingwiththepopularityof Silk Road and Diabolus Market and its subsequent seizure by legal authorities. Other markets sell software exploits and weapons STF SETUPTOSTUDYMINIMUM AGE OFGIRLSENTERING MOTHERHOOD: CENTRE Why innews? The Centre has informed the Delhi HighCourt on Wednesday that a Special Task Force has been formed to study the issue of minimum age of girls entering motherhood Significance Women’s age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929. As India progresses further,opportunitiesopenupforwomentopursue higher education and careers There are imperatives of lowering maternal mortality rate [MMR] as well as improvement of nutritionlevels. Entire issue about age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light More than 125 countries in the world have a uniform age of marriage for men and women. The National HumanRightsCommission,pursuant tothe National Conference on Child Marriage held in New Delhi inAugust 2018, recommended that India follow suit and bring uniformity in the minimum age limits.

[morningquickie-blog-blog]

Stop patronizing pregnant Asian women! http://ping.fm/zFRPz abortion sexselective womensrights

[iprayunceasingly-blog]

UK politicians call for action against sex-selective abortion

New Post has been published on https://pray-unceasingly.com/catholic-living/catholic-news/uk-politicians-call-for-action-against-sex-selective-abortion/

UK politicians call for action against sex-selective abortion

London, England, Sep 18, 2018 / 02:30 pm (CNA).- British politicians have called for a review of the availability of early sex detection tests for pregnant women. The proposal was made by Labour Members of Parliament and prompted by concerns that the tests are leading to sex-selective abortions.

The MP’s expressed particular concern that women, especially those in the UK’s Asian communities, are being pressured or coerced into having an abortion if they are pregnant with a girl.

Labour MP Naz Shah said it was “morally wrong” that women are using the Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT) to determine whether or not they are pregnant with a girl, and then scheduling an abortion based on the result. Shah, the Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, called for a government investigation into the practice.

The call for government intervention against the practice comes almost 18 months after the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, a government-funded think tank, found that NIPT promoted sex-selective abortions.

The NIPT consists of a blood test given to the mother at the ninth week of pregnancy, at which time the baby’s DNA is detectable in their mother’s bloodstream.

The test is currently administered by the UK’s National Health Service to screen for genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome. Pro-life advocates have already warned that the test is used to “screen out” children with Down’s syndrome and other conditions. Currently in the UK, 90% of children with a prenatal diagnosis of Down’s syndrome are aborted.

While the gender can be detected by the NIPT, the NHS does not share this information with parents unless there is a specific need to do so. While the test is not made available by the NHS expressly for gender screening, it is privately available to parents and can be purchased at a clinic for about £150-£200.

In the London suburb of Slough, which has a substantial South Asian population, the tests are roadside advertisements explicitly market the test as being able to determine the sex of the child. This, said Shah, is where the government should consider stepping in.

"NIPT screenings should be used for their intended purpose, to screen for serious conditions and Down's syndrome,” said Shah.

"The government needs to look into this exploitative practice and enforce appropriate restrictions."

Slough’s Labour MP Tan Dhesi agreed with Shah, and pointed out that some Asian countries have “made huge strides in tackling this social evil,” particularly when the government has banned prenatal gender tests. “In the UK I think we need to be doing likewise, with regards to the private sector as well,” said Dhesi.

Prenatal sex detection has been illegal in India since 1994.

The calls follow a BBC has report on online forums where women have discussed how NIPT results will directly inform their decision to continue with their pregnancy or to have an abortion.

"I need a son to heal me…,” wrote one woman. “My only bet is NIPT followed by continuation, only if it's a boy."

Clare McCarthy, spokesperson for Right To Life UK, told CNA that she agrees with the need for government action to address the problem of sex-selective abortion.

"This BBC investigation adds to a growing body of evidence that we have a sex-selective abortion problem here in the UK,” said McCarthy.

“It’s time for the Government to stop denying there is a problem here and take urgent action to put in place a ban on sex-selective abortion.”

McCarthy, however, said it was “seriously concerning” that the same Labour MPs who are opposed to sex-selective abortion also are in favor of removing all legal restrictions on abortion, “under the guise of ‘decriminalisation.’”

If this were happen, McCarthy told CNA that “the evidence from overseas shows that this could make our sex-selective abortion problem even worse.”

While sex-selection abortion is technically illegal in the United Kingdom, women may give other reasons as for why they want to have an abortion.

In England, Scotland, and Wales, abortion must be signed off by two doctors and cannot be performed later than 24 weeks gestation. After 24 weeks of pregnancy the grounds upon which an abortion can be sought narrow significantly.

In Northern Ireland, abortion is illegal, but it is legal for a Northern Irish woman to travel to England, Scotland, or Wales for an abortion.

CNA Daily News – Europe

[iasshikshalove]

Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020

1/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 Contents: 1. AssistedReproductiveTechnologyRegulationBillproposesnationalregistryof clinics 2. Appointment of CVC 3. Lithium reserve found in Mandya near Bengaluru 4. SEBI redefines ‘pledge’ to protect client securities 5. What is DarkWeb? 6. STF set up to study minimum age of girls entering motherhood: Centre ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY REGULATION BILL PROPOSES NATIONAL REGISTRY OF CLINICS Why in news? The Union Cabinet on 19th February 2020, approved the Assisted Reproductive TechnologyRegulationBill,2020tomonitormedicalproceduresusedtoassist people to achieve pregnancy. Background India has become one ofthe major centresofthis globalfertility industry,with reproductive medical tourism becoming a significant activity. This hasalso introduceda plethora oflegal,ethical and social issues; yet,there is no standardisation of protocols and reporting is still very inadequate Provisions and aims ofthe Bill The Bill provides for a national Board which will lay down a code of conduct to be observed by those operatingclinics It willalso formulateminimumstandards for laboratory anddiagnostic equipment and practices tobe followed by human resources employed by clinics and banks. The States and Union Territories will also have to form State Boards and State authoritieswithinthree months ofthe notification ofthe proposed legislation. The Billalsoproposesstringent punishmentfor thosewhopractise sexselection, indulge in sale of human embryos or gametes and those who operate rackets. 2/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 The Billwillalsoensure confidentialityofintendingcouplesand protectthe rights of the child. Background Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is used to treat infertility. It includes fertilitytreatmentsthat handle botha woman’s eggand a man’s sperm. It works by removing eggs froma woman’s body. The eggs are then mixed with spermto make embryos.The embryos are then put back in the woman’s body. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common and effective type of ART. APPOINTMENT OF CVC Why in news? Sanjay Kothari, the Secretary to the President, has been selected as the new CentralVigilance Commissionerby a high-poweredcommittee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The committee has also chosen former Information and Broadcasting Secretary 3/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 BimalJulka as the new ChiefInformationCommissioner inthe Central Information Commission. The orders relatingto the appointments are awaiting a formal approvalfrom President Ram NathKovind. Background CentralVigilanceCommission(CVC)isanapexIndiangovernmentalbodycreated in 1964 to address governmental corruption. In2003,the Parliament enacteda law conferringstatutory statusonthe CVC. It has the status of anautonomous body,free of control fromany executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India, advising various authorities in central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work. The Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on recommendation of a Committee consisting ofthe Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Minister of home affairs (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People. LITHIUMRESERVEFOUNDINMANDYANEAR BENGALURU Why in news? Reservesoflithium,a rare metal criticaltobuild batteries forelectric vehicles,have been discovered in Mandya, 100 km from Bengaluru – a find that should boost local manufacturing of EV batteries. Details Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate, a unit of India’sAtomic Energy Commission,haveestimatedlithiumreservesof14,100tonnesinasmallpatchof land surveyed in the Southern Karnataka district 14,100 tonnes is still very little compared to many major producers. So far, in the absence of local mines for lithium, India has set up Khanij Bidesh India to source and acquire mines in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. India currently imports all its lithium needs. 4/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 Background Top producers Rank Country/Region Lithium production (tonnes) 1 Australia 51,000 2 Chile 16,000 3 China 8,000 4 Argentina 6,200 Mandya District, Karnataka 5/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 SEBI REDEFINES ‘PLEDGE’ TO PROTECT CLIENT SECURITIES Why in news? The decisionby SEBItoTweakthe manner inwhich ‘pledge’ isdefined inregulatory laws, was approved by the board of the capital markets regulator on 17th February 2020. Significance A minor tweak inthe manner ‘pledge’isdefined inthe regulatory laws isexpected to go a long way in minimising instances where stock brokers misuse client securities by pledging such shares for their ownbenefit interms of meetingtheir margin requirements. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has amended the SEBI (DepositoriesandParticipants)Regulationsbyincludinganadditionalexplanation that statesthat‘pledge’would also refer to ‘re-pledge of securities formarginor settlement obligations.’ This assumes significance asthe recent past has seenfew instancesofbrokers pledgingclient securitiesto raise funds frombanksand non-bankingfinance companies (NBFCs). WHAT IS DARKWEB? 6/6 Daily Current Affairs Dated On 20-Feb-2020 The dark web is the World Wide Web content that exists on darknets, overlay networksthat usethe Internet but require specific software,configurations,or authorization to access. Thedarknetswhichconstitute thedarkwebinclude small,friend-to-friendpeer-topeer networks, as well as large,popular networks like Tor, Freenet,I2P, and Riffle operated by public organizations and individuals. Users ofthe dark web refer to the regular web as Clearnet due to its unencrypted nature Commercialdarknet markets,whichmediatetransactions for illegaldrugsand othergoods,attractedsignificantmediacoveragestartingwiththepopularityof Silk Road and Diabolus Market and its subsequent seizure by legal authorities. Other markets sell software exploits and weapons STF SETUPTOSTUDYMINIMUM AGE OFGIRLSENTERING MOTHERHOOD: CENTRE Why innews? The Centre has informed the Delhi HighCourt on Wednesday that a Special Task Force has been formed to study the issue of minimum age of girls entering motherhood Significance Women’s age of marriage was increased from fifteen years to eighteen years in 1978, by amending erstwhile Sharda Act of 1929. As India progresses further,opportunitiesopenupforwomentopursue higher education and careers There are imperatives of lowering maternal mortality rate [MMR] as well as improvement of nutritionlevels. Entire issue about age of a girl entering motherhood needs to be seen in this light More than 125 countries in the world have a uniform age of marriage for men and women. The National HumanRightsCommission,pursuant tothe National Conference on Child Marriage held in New Delhi inAugust 2018, recommended that India follow suit and bring uniformity in the minimum age limits.