This article is about the “missing” women in South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. There are more than 100 million women “missing.” Apparently discrimination, and not biology remains to blame. The gender inequality in access to health care, bias in access to food, and sex-selective abortions has contributed to the phenomenon of “missing” women. In countries in South and East Asia and especially China the “missing” women were never born due to the fact of high rates of Hepatitis B virus carriers. So the switch from it being gender discrimination to biology was made more in these countries. But when immunization drives with the Hepatitis B shot were given there was only a slight decline in the number of “missing” females. Which if it was all due to biology then it would have been a more significant decline. The claims have since been refuted that the blame is on Hepatitis B virus. Further evidence concludes some or most of the reasons as high sex ratios at birth due to sex-selective under-reporting, female infanticide and neglect, and sex-selective abortions. Lastly in Taiwan it was found that Hepatitis B was only the reason for 2% of “missing” women and 98% then, is left to discrimination. I think that it is an outrage that these countries are refusing to admit to what is going on in their countries. These “missing” women need advocates whether they have been born or not. And getting abortions for only females should be outlawed. These people have perfectly good adoption and orphanages they could take their children if not wanted. Throwing them in the street and killing them just because they are female is outrageous. I’m not sure but I feel because of the way China is governed is the cause for women being in this sort of status and experiencing this level of discrimination. Justice for these women needs to come soon.
Kari Leonard August 28, 2008 5:07 pm
http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=58902
I think that this is an interesting article that you found. The very last comment that you said that help needs to come soon I have to agree with you! I think that in order for this to happen I fear that the help might cost more than what some are willing to admit.
ReplyDeleteMissing women -- wow, I sometimes want to believe that the world is not filled with so much discrimination based on sex. I know it happens and we all do but this article brings chills down my back, due to my asian background it scares me to know that it is probably occuring in my own country. I wish more people can understand that even if the goverment supresses the number of girl babies birthed in their country, it will not solve their problems. It just seems like women are the scapegoat for their problems and has been for centuries, it is time for equal representation. How is it the countries cannot find a compromise, for every 5 males then 1 female should be allowed. Will there ever be a time where we can look beyond our sexes and have freedom of discrimination?
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