S . S .

JAIN SUBODH LAW COLLEGE

JAIPUR, MANSAROVAR

SESSION : 2021- 2022

SUBJECT: SOCIOLOGY

PROJECT : FEMALE INFANTICIDE IN INDIA

Submitted to: Submitted by:

Ms. Shivani Sharma Bhawana Lekhra

Assistant professor Semester: - IV -A

 CERTIFICATE

Date:- 24\9\2021

This is to certify that BHAWANA LEKHRA student of Semester IV , has carried out a
project titled “FEMALE INFANTICIDE IN INDIA” under my supervision. It is an
investigation report of a minor research project. The student has completed research work in
stipulated time and according to the norms prescribed for the purpose.

DECLARATION
I BHAWANA LEKHRA do here by declare that, this research project titled "FEMALE
INFANTICIDE IN INDIA" is an outcome of research conduct by me under the guidance of
MS. SHIVANI SHARMA (faculty of Sociology) at S.S Jain Subodh Law College in
fulfilment for the award of the degree of B.ALL.B at the University Of Rajasthan.

I also declare that this work is original, except where assistance from other sources has been
taken and necessary acknowledgements for the same have been made at appropriate places.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I have written this project titled “FEMALE INFANTICIDE IN INDIA” under the supervision
of Ms. Shivani Sharma Assistant Professor of Subodh Law College Jaipur. Her valuable
suggestion has not only helped me immensely in making this work but also in developing an
analytical approach towards this work.

I extend my sincere gratitude to the Principal. Mrs. Alpna sharma for her constant
motivation and kind supervision at every step.

I am extremely grateful to the librarian and library staff of the college for the support and
cooperation extended by them from time to time.

Bhawana lekhra

TABLE OF CONTENT

PAGE NO.
INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….. 6

DEFINITION…………………………………………………………...6

INDIA'S HISTORY OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE…………………7

ORIGINS OF INFANTICIDE…………………………………………8

THE CAUSES OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE………………………..10

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………….11

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………….12

INTRODUCTION

Female infanticide in India has a history spanning centuries. Poverty, the dowry system,
births to unmarried women, deformed infants, famine, lack of support services and maternal
illnesses such as postpartum depression are among the causes that have been proposed to
explain the phenomenon of female infanticide in India.
Although infanticide has been criminalised in India, it remains an under-reported crime due
to the lack of reliable data. In 2010, the National Crime Records Bureau reported
approximately 100 male and female infanticides, producing an official rate of less than one
case of infanticide per million people.

The Indian practice of female infanticide and of sex-selective abortion1 have been cited to
explain in part a gender imbalance that has been reported as being increasingly distorted since
the 1991 Census of India, although there are also other influences that might affect the trend.
[1]

DEFINITION

Female infanticide is the intentional killing of baby girls due to the preference for male
babies and from the low value associated with the birth of females.’ These practices arise in
areas where cultural norms value male children over female children.
Infanticide is the unlawful killing of very young children. It is found in both indigenous and
sophisticated cultures around the world.
Section 315 of the Indian Penal Code2 defines infanticide as the killing of an infant in the
0–1 year age group. The Code uses this definition to differentiate between infanticide and
numerous other crimes against children, such as foeticide and murder.[2][a]between infanticide
and numerous other crimes against children, such as foeticide and murder.[2][a
Female infanticide:

Female infanticide is the deliberate killing of girl babies.

It is also described as gender-selective killing or "gendercide". (Similar words like 'gynocide'

and 'femicide' are used to describe the killing of females of any age.)

Female infanticide is more common than male infanticide, and in some countries, particularly
India and China, is likely to have serious consequences on the balance of the sexes in the
population.The reasons behind it are almost always cultural, rather than directly religious.

1
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/

2
https://www.toppr.com/
INDIA'S HISTORY OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE

I would add a historical footnote on the practice of female infanticide in India. Although not
sanctioned by religion, nor of ancient origin, female infanticide is a phenomenon that has
been known for several centuries. It has been suggested that the practice of killing daughters
became widespread as the importance of caste increased and the status of families was
thought to be adversely affected if daughters were unable to find husbands of identical or
higher status. To achieve such desirable marriages required ever higher dowry payments. As
early as 1731, Jai Singh, the maharaja of Jaipur, made an indirect effort to curtail female
infanticide by limiting dowry size to one year's income of the family's estate3.

The practice of infanticide was brought to the attention of the British in 1789 by the resident
at Benares. By the 1820s Gov. Elphinstone in Bombay established the Infanticide Fund into
which fines were paid by those Indian leaders who failed to curb the practice and from which
rewards were paid to those who did.Throughout the 19th century a systematic effort was
made to assess the extent of infanticide, primarily throughout northern India. In 1870 after
careful and extensive documentation of the pervasive nature of the practice, India enacted the

Female Infanticide Bill. This presumably provides the legal basis for controlling the practice
to this day. Alas, cultural resistance to its enforcement remains robust.

Origins of infanticide

3
https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Infanticide occurs in most cases as a way of restricting poverty and population. Throughout
history infanticide has been regarded as a productive and efficient way to control starvation
and poor standards of living caused by over population4.

Confucianism

The male bias in China is deeply rooted in Chinese traditions which leads parents to want
their first child to be a boy.

Confucianism regards male children as more desirable since they provide security for the
elderly, work and are important for the performance of ancestral rites.

Hinduism

Hindu authorities condemn infanticide.

Son-preference in Hindu cultures is largely based on the fact that men are better providers,
and that sons are required for the proper performance of funeral rites.

Some writers argue that Hindu culture has long had a patriarchal bias against women.

Sikhism

Sikh authorities condemn infanticide.

The Sikh religion is one of the most gender-neutral, and explicitly proclaims the equality of
men and women. This makes it more surprising that censuses in India show there are far
more male children than female children in the Sikh community.

In practice there does appear to be a strong preference for boys in the Sikh heartland. The
community appears to give greater respect to the parents of boys, and boys themselves.

In response the Sikh religious organisation Akal Takht has re-emphasised that women are
equal to men. It has banned neo-natal sex identification, selective abortion and the killing of
female babies.

Islam

Islam has always condemned infanticide.

4
https://www.bbc.co.uk/
Female infanticide was common in pre-Islamic Arabia. However, by the time of Muhammad,
and the revelation of the Qur'an female infanticide was strictly forbidden, and regarded as
seriously as adult murder5.the infant girl, is buried alive, is questioned, for what crime she
was kill

Christianity

Christianity has always condemned infanticide.

Judaism

Judaism has always condemned infanticide.

THE CAUSES OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE IN INDIA

However this anti-female bias is by no means limited to poor families. Much of the
discrimination is to do with cultural beliefs and social norms. These norms themselves must
be challenged if this practice is to stop.
The practice of female de-selection in India could be attributed to socio-economic reasons.
Studies in India have indicated three factors of female de-selection in India, which are
economic utility, sociocultural utility, and religious functions.

● The factor as to economic utility is that studies indicate that sons are more likely than
daughters to provide family farm labor or provide in or for a family business, earn
wages, and give old-age support for parents.
● Upon marriage, a son makes a daughter-in-law an addition and asset to the family
providing additional assistance in household work and brings an economic reward
5
https://www.bbc.co.uk/
 through dowry payments, while daughters get married off and merit an economic
penalty through dowry charges.
● The sociocultural utility factor of female de-selection is that, as in China, in India's
patrilineal and patriarchal6 system of families is that having at least one son is
mandatory in order to continue the familial line, and many sons constitute additional
status to families.
● The final factor of female de-selection is the religious functions that only sons are
allowed to provide, based on Hindu tradition, which mandate that sons are mandatory
in order to kindle the funeral pyre of their late parents and to assist in the soul
salvation.
● Dowry: Some girl babies are killed so that the family doesn't have to pay a dowry 7
when they get married. In Indian society it is tradition for the parents of the bride to
give a dowry to the groom and his family.

CONCLUSION

Forthcoming is the name of your girl child, past is the name of your mother. This is the
reality that NO PRESENT, NO PAST, NO FUTURE WITHOUT GIRL CHILD. Female
foeticide is suicide. So, save the girl child and secure the future. There will be the dangerous
results of the female feticide. Demography reports warn India that in the next twenty years
there will be a scarcity of brides in the marriage market mostly because of the adverse sex
ratio.Female Foeticide is a growing menace in our society.

The government should take harsh steps against those who readily kill their girl child.Strong
action against the doctors who facilitate female foeticide. More awareness in this regard to

6
https://vikaspedia.in/

7
https://www.toppr.com/
make the people of our nation more conscious and eradicate this menace.It is the
responsibility of the Educated generation to stir a revolution for saving the girl child.

We need to educate those educated as well as the uneducated ignorants who commits such
crimes as female infanticide and Television, advertisements, movies, and theater plays can
influence people.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

● https://www.toppr.com/

● https://vikaspedia.in/

● https://www.washingtonpost.com/

● https://courses.lumenlearning.com/

● https://en.wikipedia.org/

● https://www.bbc.co.uk/