Sex-selective abortion continues unabated

Bhairahawa, October 13

Female foeticide has caused the number of male children to go up in Rupandehi.

A study jointly carried out by CIWIN Nepal and District Public Health Office, Rupandehi, shows that sex-selective abortion is widespread even among educated and well-off families in urban areas.

According to Rupandehi’s public health inspector Krishna Pokhrel, when 100 girls were born, the number of male births stood at 130 last year.

“Most of the couple want to have a son as their first child and they become less happy when they have daughter as their first child,” Pokhrel said.

Abortion is legalised by the government, but unsafe abortion is rampant. Siddharthanagar Municipality Deputy Mayor Uma Kafle expressed concern about the increasing trend among women opting for sex-selective abortion.