Haryana’s sex ratio at birth has sharply declined to 895 girls per 1,000 boys in the first four months of 2026, compared to 925 in 2025 🤯 Several districts reported even steeper falls Wth Charkhi Dadri lowest at 769 The decline has raised concern over suspected illegal sex determination and female foeticide It has also prompted the state government to intensify inspections, reverse tracking of abortions, action against MTP centres, and village-level awareness campaigns. But there are deeper sociological games at play The foremost being : Son Meta Preference Haryana’s low sex ratio at birth reflects the continuing preference for sons over daughters due to lineage, inheritance, old-age support, family name and ritual expectations. And as Amartya Sen puts it “Missing Women” Which is the decline in sex ratio at birth showing how girls become “missing” from the population due to sex-selective practices, female foeticide and unequal social value given to daughters. The most important societal factor at play is Patriarchal Bargain Which Deniz Kandiyoti puts across as the daily interplay where women in the family end up supporting son preference because their own status, security and acceptance within the patriarchal household often depend on producing or supporting a male heir 🥹 This will create a Marriage Squeeze Where continuous decline in the number of girls can create a shortage of brides in the long run, leading to delayed marriages, cross-region marriages, trafficking and greater vulnerability of women. Despite laws against sex determination and female foeticide, social pressure for sons is weakening moral and legal restraint, creating a condition where illegal practices are again becoming socially tolerated This should be discussed So that we can stop it 🙏🙏
