It was good news that more than 250 Indian girls whose names mean “unwanted” in Marathi have been given a fresh name in the Maharashtra State. This step by the authorities should be a model for many other cities of India where girls can gain back their confidence simply by starting to change their names.
As the gender imbalance has widened dramatically in India, statistics show that preference for boy babies dominates in India. Unfortunately the 2011 census shows that there were 914 girls for every 1,000 boys under the age of six, compared with 927 for every 1,000 boys in the 2001 census.
Particularly in poor rural areas girls are often seen as a burden by their families. Therefore, part of the reason Indians favour sons over girls are the enormous expense of marrying off girls. Paying for outlawed dowries is the reason for not wanting to have a girl.
Activists say the name “unwanted,” is widely given to girls across India which gives them the feeling the girls are ‘worthless’ and a ‘burden.’
As a consequence a preference for boys has led to a rise in the abortion of female foetuses in India as well as the neglect and even murder of baby girls. Although India has made the use of ultrasound scans to inform parents-to-be of the sex of their unborn child illegal, unfortunately the practice continues by unethical medics. They often travel in mobile units to villages to offer the controversial service.
According to one study published in ‘The Lancet’ medical journal as many as half a million female foetuses are estimated to be aborted each year in India that means millions of women are effectively “missing” from the population.
There are efforts to fight the discrimination practise of naming girls ‘unwanted’ but much more has to be done. This renaming ceremony is a good example and gives a new identity to these girls. It is only the beginning for a prosperous and exciting future. They can start a new life without prejudice and can look forward to life full of happiness and hope.
I think this renaming ceremony is a good way of campaigning to tackle bias against women that has led to the country’s huge gender imbalance.
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Semra Eren-Nijhar 