India will have 20% more men than women in the next two decades, thanks to sex-selective abortion and craze for male child in some states, according to a new study. Conducted by Dr Therese Hesketh and co-authors from the UCL Centre for International Health and Development, London, and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Tuesday, the study says easy access to sex-selective abortions, has led to significant imbalances in...

Ashok Gehlot's Budget speech lays emphasis on social welfare measures Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's Budget speech in the Rajasthan Assembly here on Wednesday laid emphasis on “positive results” of the State Government's work during the previous year for development of various sectors, and made a number of announcements for the welfare of different sections of society. In a significant declaration, Mr. Gehlot said a State-level Advisory Council would be constituted shortly in...

There is an alarming decline in the child sex ratio Boys from district go to Kerala in search of brides A significant number of eligible boys in Erode district now travel more than 400 km to areas in Kerala to find themselves a bride. While this is more in one community, the others are slowly catching up with this trend and there is a dramatic increase in the appearance of matrimonial advertisements...

The sex ratio in Haryana has dipped again in 2010 after encouraging signs of reversal in 2009, showing that Female foeticide is still prevailing across the state. The health department figures for last year show a negative trend in 17 districts in the 0-6 age group. The disclosure has forced the government to do a rethink on policies being framed to arrest the slide. According to figures available till 2010-end,...

Urgent and sustained efforts needed to curb Female foeticide were discussed at a two-day workshop on “Female foeticide: rights of the girl child, problems and solutions,” held at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) here on Friday and Saturday. The workshop was organised to mark the National Girl Child Week from January 24 to 31. “The sex ratio in the country is decreasing at an alarming rate. The educated, upper classes,...