Experts bemoan vanished women
Source: Agencies |
March 9, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
NEARLY 100 million women across Asia have "disappeared" because of a huge and growing gender gap that has fatally deprived them of access to health care and food.
The phenomenon had also led to widespread abortions of female fetuses, according to a United Nations report released yesterday.
The report, timed to coincide with International Women's Day, said the Asia-Pacific region lagged behind much of the world on nearly all aspects of gender equality because of deeply entrenched traditions favoring men and poor government efforts to counteract them.
"The efforts of individual countries have not yet been broad, deep, sustained or serious enough to undercut the severe forms of discrimination that persist," said the report, compiled by the UN Development Program.
The disparities were spread across the Asia-Pacific, hitting wealthy countries such as Japan as well as poor countries like Bangladesh, the report said.
Asia has the highest ratio of male babies born compared to females, according to the report. In East Asia, which has the greatest disparity, 119 boys are born for every 100 girls. The world average is 107-100.
The reason for the disparity is mostly a cultural preference for male children and gender-selective abortions.
"The sex ratio at birth is appalling and the gap is widening," said Anuradha Rajivan, who led the study.
Many women had far less access to proper health care and nutrition, leading to far higher death rates than men.
The report estimated that 96 million females "disappeared" in 2007, either in gender-selective abortions or through service disparity.
There were no separate numbers for deaths caused by gender-selective abortions versus neglect, infanticide and inadequate nutrition and health care.
In Asia, working women often earn as little as 50 percent of what men make and they are shunted into the worst jobs, the ones men refuse to do, the report added.
The report recommended reforming constitutions, training judges and police to be gender sensitive and using progressive interpretation of religious principles to ensure equality.
The phenomenon had also led to widespread abortions of female fetuses, according to a United Nations report released yesterday.
The report, timed to coincide with International Women's Day, said the Asia-Pacific region lagged behind much of the world on nearly all aspects of gender equality because of deeply entrenched traditions favoring men and poor government efforts to counteract them.
"The efforts of individual countries have not yet been broad, deep, sustained or serious enough to undercut the severe forms of discrimination that persist," said the report, compiled by the UN Development Program.
The disparities were spread across the Asia-Pacific, hitting wealthy countries such as Japan as well as poor countries like Bangladesh, the report said.
Asia has the highest ratio of male babies born compared to females, according to the report. In East Asia, which has the greatest disparity, 119 boys are born for every 100 girls. The world average is 107-100.
The reason for the disparity is mostly a cultural preference for male children and gender-selective abortions.
"The sex ratio at birth is appalling and the gap is widening," said Anuradha Rajivan, who led the study.
Many women had far less access to proper health care and nutrition, leading to far higher death rates than men.
The report estimated that 96 million females "disappeared" in 2007, either in gender-selective abortions or through service disparity.
There were no separate numbers for deaths caused by gender-selective abortions versus neglect, infanticide and inadequate nutrition and health care.
In Asia, working women often earn as little as 50 percent of what men make and they are shunted into the worst jobs, the ones men refuse to do, the report added.
The report recommended reforming constitutions, training judges and police to be gender sensitive and using progressive interpretation of religious principles to ensure equality.
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