Generally, the birth of a son is an occasion to celebrate while that of a daughter is observed less enthusiastically. This is a bitter truth that no one would deny.

A research has shown that affluence of parents does not significantly alleviate the unwanted status of girl children in the families. Such discrimination can be observed in many countries, especially in developing and least developed ones.

While female foeticide was common in earlier times, modern medical knowledge has made it possible even before birth. If we see the number of abortion cases in these countries, we will notice that the majority of them are females.

Also, there is a higher morality of females compared to males from the birth right up to the age of 35.

In most western countries, the sex ratio is calculated in terms of number of males per 1,000 females while in India and in some other Asian countries presented it in terms of number of females per 1,000 males.

The infant mortality rate for girls is higher than for boys because of the neglect in their care which stems from deeply rooted social bias in favor of female child. Even if the female child survives, she is considered as an unnecessary burden and becomes a second class citizen of the household in which she is born.

Nutritionally, the female child struggle for survival with her dietary intake is inferior both in quality and quantity than the male child. Hence, years of discrimination in nutrition result in her being unable to reach the full development potential at maturity.

Illiteracy of the female is normally bequeathed to the female child. Enrollment of girls in schools is less than that of boys, and the dropout rate is higher in case of girls.

Of those not attending school, about three-fourths are girls. Of those enrolled, a few are able to complete elementary education. Deprived of adequate education, many girls are engaged in looking after younger siblings and other domestic work.

Investment in the education of girls and boys is not equal. Boys are given more job-oriented education because their parents think that when the boy finds a job he will contribute to his parents’ upkeep.

However, this is not for girls. The reason is that the education a girl is given will benefit her marital home and not the parental one.