Due to the rising rate of abortion and infanticide towards girls in India, its government is planning to offer cash incentives to raise these daughters instead. Categorized as genocide, there is about 500,000 female abortions and infanticide a year. Girls are looked down upon because the the high cost of supporting them and the low return they bring to their family. In India the family is required to provide a dowry and pay for the wedding. Many girls as young as seven are being sold off in marriage to support their families. Giving birth to a son however is favorable because men are seen as providers to their families. Parents are willing to educated, and provide health care and in turn the son will provide security for their aging parents.
This government's plan would compensate the family if they were to raise a daughter and would provide even more money if the family educated, vaccinated and delayed her marriage. This plan is suppose to encourage the raising of girls and turn around the idea that girls are important aspects of society and not burdens.
To me offering a cash incentive for keeping your child seems like it may not really improve the sexism expressed by India's people. However at the same time, by giving parents a reason to raise and educate their child, that child will in turn be able to have a positive impact on their society by participating in politics, education and the job market. That child will also be able to help provide for herself and her family. This will be the way that these negative beliefs will be changed. It wont be a quick fix but I seems like an interesting start.
How do you feel?
Well it would sure spur motivation to have girls.
+mspin
Cash incentives?
Do they give you enough money to raise that child for their entire childhood? Unless they do, no incentive will make having a child easier on people who just don't want them.