Child sex ratio falls in J&K Muslim-dominated areas

Srinagar: The child sex ratio in Jammu and Kashmir saw a drastic fall of 79 points from 941 in 2001 to 862 in 2011, with Muslim-dominated districts in the state presenting comparatively more bleak picture than those having sizable non-Muslim population.

The decline has worried a human rights group which on Tuesday blamed it on lack of seriousness on the part of the state government in addressing the issue.

It termed the situation as a “monumental challenge” and urged the state government to undertake measures to monitor prenatal sex selection laws.

The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) in its report titled “Missing Girls” said that the state is facing a “monumental challenge on the missing girls as a result of female foeticide”.

The CSR fell drastically due to the technology enabling pre-conception and pre-natal sex determination and sex selective abortion becoming easily available.

The report said that as per 2011 census, the Muslim-dominated districts of the state saw unprecedented decline in CSR than non-Muslim dominated districts.

For instance, CSR of Pulwama district with 95.4 per cent Muslims declined by 210 points from 1,046 in 2001 to 836 in 2011, and that of Budgam with 97.6 per cent Muslim population by 172 points from 1,004 in 2001 to 832 in 2011.

As per 2001 census, these with four other districts — Kupwara, Ganderbal, Shopian and Kulgam — had more female than male in the age group of six and below years, which “exposes sex selection during 2001 to 2011”.

The report also said that despite the practice of mahr, which has to be paid by the groom at the time of marriage, Muslim-dominated districts in the state saw decrease in CSR than the non-Muslim dominated ones.