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Donguis, Shiela marie

Onus, Aldy
Sison, Ariel

SEX SELECTIVE ABORTION

Introduction

What is Sex Selective Abortion (SSA)?


- abortion due to sex preference
- popularly known as fetus being aborted if it is female

*Associated to:
Gendercide
Female infanticide
Femicide
Female foeticide

Who tolerates sex selection abortion?

- wealthy families
- families under child policy law
- families/person with high preference for male/boy

Which countries commonly practices SSA?

- India
- China
- America
- Canada
- Some parts of Europe

Why do they resort to sex selective abortion?

1. Economic reason
 Females cannot hold a property in some societies so a male child is essential for
a family to retain its wealth.
 Dowry system
- costly dowry for female to give to a male’s family
- male brings in dowry adding to the family wealth when they marry
 female earn less than male

2. Cultural or social reason


 family continuity depends on son/male
- for prestige
- for lineage
 females are transitory members of a family
- when they marry and they leave their homes
 common trend to some families
- a parent wants to have boy first before a girl in a family
 care
- boys are easier to raise than girls
 family status

How SSA is being done?

1. Pre-natal Sex Diagnosis/Determination


- knowing the baby’s sex/gender
- As early as 18 weeks, the sex of the baby can be determined

Ways to determine:

ultrasound - test done during pregnancy that uses reflected sound waves

amniocentesis - prenatal test in which a small amount of amniotic fluid is


removed from the sac surrounding the fetus for testing

* blood/urine test kit


-under development
2. Abortion

a. medical abortion
- legal in some countries
- aided by abortion clinics with consultation and complete care
package

b. non-medical Abortion
- self-performed abortion “do it at your own risk”
- aided by self-proclaimed abortionists or non-license abortionists
- absolutely illegal

Ethical Issues

Why women in societies with strong son-preference consider SSA ethically right?

Reasons:
1. better treatment for her and the child
2. high chance of survival of the mother and child
- child will receive enough resources
3. to avoid/hinder vilification, physical, and mental abuse
If a mother bearing a female fetus
Why SSA is morally unjustified?

Reasons:
1. SSA reinforces discrimination against women
- women are valuable only as the mechanism for producing son
- female children are such a worthless burden that their births should be
prevented

2. imbalance in the sex ratio


- leading to hundreds of men being unable to find a partner and build a
family

3. violence against women


- physical abuse and incorporates assault
Ex. Rape, kidnapping, force polyandry

4. psychological violence
- occurs if the women is force to take abortion and responsibility for the
decision

5. human trafficking/prostitution

6. denied rights in raising offspring


- especially female

What are the strategies in decreasing SSA practice?


-in order to protect individuals, preserve social stability and security

1. SSA Prohibition
- implementation of law to ban SSA

Drawback/flaw of SSA ban


- not consistently or strictly enforced
- manipulated

2. prohibition on sex determination


- not allowing gender to be determined early

3. widespread and influential media campaigns


- encouraging couples to change their attitude to SSA and warning of the
anticipated shortage of brides

4. implement policies to improve the status of women


- by increasing their education and employment opportunities
Conclusion
Sex selective is morally unjustified because it does not reflect an autonomous choice for women
and generate serious harms to both women and men.

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