Gender Imbalance and the Status of Women
As communities around the world celebrated International Women’s Day yesterday, there were several interesting articles discussing the role of women in the world. Nicholas Kristof wrote about Three Proven Steps to Advance the World’s Women (education, micronutrients, and helping women start businesses). Another article talked about The World’s Best Countries for Women. The Christian Science Monitor discussed Gender Selection – an issue which we have often dialogued about here on TLH. The article talks about the repercussions of sex selective abortion – specifically, the gender imbalance leading to fewer women available to be wives.
Villagers here say that the dearth of females has already had a direct effect on dowry customs: Dowries are getting smaller or disappearing altogether; instead, the onus is increasingly on young men to provide well for their future brides… Baljeet Singh, a 37-year-old truck driver, says he began to despair of finding a local wife once he turned 26. Men in this village, where most are farmers, consider it ideal to wed between 20 and 25. “I’m a van driver, I don’t have many prospects, and it seems that you have to have a very good job to get a bride these days,” he says. So last year, Mr Singh used his life savings to marry a 16-year-old Muslim girl from Assam; though village rumors have it that Sonu Khutum is an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh. She is happy to be living in a predominantly Hindu village, she says, joggling the couple’s 7-month-old baby girl on her hip. But lonely bachelors’ new quick fix, buying brides from impoverished parts of India, seems likely to do little to enhance the status of women. [link]
It becomes an interesting conversation when sex selective abortion and the consequential drop in girls leads to a dialogue around the elimination of dowry and the improved status of women. Making such a connection can be problematic to how women and girls are seen in many cultures around the world. We have huge improvements yet to make. The issue of gender imbalance continues to exist but we can hope that one year, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we no longer have to worry about sex selective abortions or dowries but rather we can focus on the advancement of women in communities around the world.
24 Responses to “Gender Imbalance and the Status of Women”
It's about time that women got equality. I kinda agree with an article Roop wrote about how, eventually there will not be too many men in India and twice as many women, who can choose which husband they want…end of daaj et cetra.. great!!
It's about time that women got equality. I kinda agree with an article Roop wrote about how, eventually there will not be too many men in India and twice as many women, who can choose which husband they want…end of daaj et cetra.. great!!
Is everyone just a right wing male sikh here? We complain about a play vermontly, but no one visits this post about women??
Is everyone just a right wing male sikh here? We complain about a play vermontly, but no one visits this post about women??
The fact that there are only two comments here shows how sexist and uninterested in the woman you are…and yet Sikhi is suppose to give equal status to women
The fact that there are only two comments here shows how sexist and uninterested in the woman you are…and yet Sikhi is suppose to give equal status to women
What a great analysis by sewa and roop Dhillon.If someone doesn't comment on women's issue then he is an right wing male .Btw what about women here why are they not posting comment here are they sexist and right wing male.In this same blog on the issue of drugs there are only 2 comments too it means that now sikhs are also not interested in Drugs problem.
Also let me tell you most of comments /discussions happen on controversial issues like Khalistan,84
bhindranwale etc O/W many people just prefer to read the blog
What a great analysis by sewa and roop Dhillon.If someone doesn't comment on women's issue then he is an right wing male .Btw what about women here why are they not posting comment here are they sexist and right wing male.In this same blog on the issue of drugs there are only 2 comments too it means that now sikhs are also not interested in Drugs problem.
Also let me tell you most of comments /discussions happen on controversial issues like Khalistan,84
bhindranwale etc O/W many people just prefer to read the blog
The silence is your answer KDS
Gender Equality is a double edged sword, and males, young and old, are afraid of falling on the wrong side.
What wrong side? Did Nanak Ji not say, she gives birth t o kings?
Why do you take commenting on a blog as so definitive and of this much significance?
The silence is your answer KDS
Gender Equality is a double edged sword, and males, young and old, are afraid of falling on the wrong side.
What wrong side? Did Nanak Ji not say, she gives birth t o kings?
Why do you take commenting on a blog as so definitive and of this much significance?
Few notes
– The article is about Singh from Haryana – No Sikhi involved here
– Did anyone not notice that a 36 year old buying off a 16 year old is a disgusting practice – maybe illegal ?
– How much of a female foeticide is associated with the perceived cost of future dowry vs insecurity of parents in being left to fend for themselves in old age in case they don't have a son? If they knew that they'll end up in an old age home regardless, maybe this trend will end.
– @Rana @Sewa Not sure what women equality are you talking about. In my personal experience, most of the times abortion of the female fetus is demanded by the mothers-in-law.
Few notes
– The article is about Singh from Haryana – No Sikhi involved here
– Did anyone not notice that a 36 year old buying off a 16 year old is a disgusting practice – maybe illegal ?
– How much of a female foeticide is associated with the perceived cost of future dowry vs insecurity of parents in being left to fend for themselves in old age in case they don't have a son? If they knew that they'll end up in an old age home regardless, maybe this trend will end.
– @Rana @Sewa Not sure what women equality are you talking about. In my personal experience, most of the times abortion of the female fetus is demanded by the mothers-in-law.
I propose to have a money raising fund for this day. I think that an easy saver program for saving money might help us to get as much money as possible. I think that this action should be done in time, so that we won't wake up in the day, without anything prepared.
I propose to have a money raising fund for this day. I think that an easy saver program for saving money might help us to get as much money as possible. I think that this action should be done in time, so that we won't wake up in the day, without anything prepared.
All the ethics of the research must be followed by the researcher for carrying the research study. These ethics can be first written at a separate page and then marked on being followed.
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