Imbalances in sex ratios have been a notable part and a prime concern for countries in Asia and Africa. Most of these nations witnessed a patriarchal society lead and dominate for a long time. The result, daughters lost to men in every aspect including respect in the society, inheritance and popular rights. Abortion became rampant and the sex-gap reached alarming levels. The early 1990s saw this gap widen further and many countries faced a shortage of brides. The desperate bride hunt in the state of Haryana is India is an example.
South Korea, meanwhile, has emerged as the first country to reverse this trend. Mothers with children, all of who are boys are beginning to feel unlucky. An economic boom, technology attack, a reasonable attitude change and an emerging open society have all created a new place for the nation’s daughters. Women today find more jobs in the corporate sector and take up more family responsibility at the same time. The indicative ratio has fallen from 116.5 boys to every 100 girls born in 1990 to 107.4 today. Part of this success can also be attributed to the government’s effort. Sex determination was banned two decades back. The country’s leaders themselves led a campaign to save the baby girl.
Demographers now hope that this change would spill across Korea’s borders into China as well as reach India. These countries, which are the world’s population machines, also have poor sex ratios and are struggling hard to bridge the gap. Already, there are fears that the problem could lead to evils like trafficking in women or drive them into polyandrous households. With traditions still holding very strong in Asia, developing an equal status for women within its framework won’t be easy. But the South Korea case is encouraging.
Image Credit: bigbearinkorea
News Source: Boston News
