Mammoth rally protests female abortions

A mammoth rally to protest the dilating 'female foeticide' in India was held in southern state of Tamil Nadu, last week.

Thousands of women, joined by pro-life organisations and human rights activists, on Thursday, clamored against increasing female abortions, which apparently has led to disproportionate sex ratios in the country.

The rally was organised by the All India Association for Abolition of Discrimination Against the Girl Child and the Michael Job Centre for Orphan Girls.

Girls from local schools and colleges were seen holding playcards and shouting against "female abortion" and "discrimination of girl children."

The significant march also saw volunteers of different anti-abortion organizations – mainly from United States, Europe, France, Italy, Germany, Scotland and South Africa.

According to the U.N., there are 10 million abortions every year in India and five million of these are said to be girl children. Incidentally, there are less than 93 women for every 100 men in the population.

"Increasing female feticide in India could spark a demographic crisis where fewer women in society will result in a rise in sexual violence and child abuse as well as wife-sharing, the United Nations further warned.

Although laws bans tests to determine the sex of an unborn child, the trend is said to be on rise due preference of male children in different parts of the country.

Sons are generally viewed as breadwinners and girls often are considered a burden due to paying of large dowries during their marriage.