SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF FEMALE FOETICIDE AND FEMALE INFANTICIDE IN UNITED ANDHRA PRADESH

Abstract

The present study analyses the reasons and practices adopted for female foeticide and infanticide existing in
the rural, urban and tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh. A sample of four hundred and twenty men and women were
interviewed to study the incidence of female foeticide and infanticide in the Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana
regions. Results of the study indicated that the son preference, dowry and the poor implementation of the MTP and
PCPNDT acts were the major reasons for the declining sex ratio in all the three regions. The urban educated
respondents working in ICDS, health, legal, NGO and education departments were found to have better understanding
of the declining sex ratio in A.P. state compared to rural and tribal respondents. The grass root level functionaries
opined that the legal awareness and strict implementation of the MTP, PNDT and Dowry prohibition acts should be
done in order to improve the girl child status and sex ratio. The cultural and traditional values significantly contributed
to the perceptions related to the girl child in all the three regions. Among the three religions, Hindu religion respondents
were more conservative in their perceptions followed by Islam and Christian religion. The female foeticide rate is
increasing than the female infanticide rate in all the three regions. In the rural and urban areas sex determination of
the foetus tests are easily accessible compared to tribal areas. People were found to believe in the indigenous
methods for sex determination in all the three regions. Overall, the number of years of education, social status and
prestige, achievement as a competence related goal were the variables that determined response to general perception
on girl child.