Images and icons: harnessing the power of the media to reduce sex-selective abortion in India

Abstract

Sex-selective abortion is an increasing problem in India. Previous awareness-raising efforts on the issue have focused largely on the act of abortion, without substantively addressing the context that creates a demand for sex selection. The BBC World Service Trust conducted a research study on how best to use the media to address the issue, and concluded that a fictional television drama would be a suitable medium, as it would be able to unravel the reasons for son preference, demonstrate ways in which social pressure can be challenged, and depict women in a variety of roles that would serve to increase their value within the family and society1.

Notes

1. This article is based on Naqvi (2006), edited by Yvonne MacPherson. The publication was produced by the BBC World Service Trust with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

2. The biological norm is approximately 105 boys born for every 100 girls. Sex ratio in India is defined as the number of females per 1000 males. Internationally, sex ratio is defined as number of males per 100 females.

3. The BBC World Service Trust is the independent international charity of the BBC. The Trust uses the creative power of media to advance developmental goals worldwide. The trust's work aims to raise awareness, affect behaviour change, influence policy, and transfer skills and knowledge.

4. An influential group of demographers using NFHS-2 data have hypothesised that the potential for the phenomenon to increase is greatest in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, where a deep-rooted son preference is simply awaiting information and technology for sex determination and sex selection practices (Retherford and Roy 2003).

5. In 1991, the rural child sex ratio (0-6 years) was 948 and urban sex ratio was 935. In 2001, the rural sex ratio declined 14 points to 934, while the urban sex ratio declined 32 points to just 903 females (Census of India 2001).

6. Haryana is 71 per cent rural, Punjab is 66 per cent rural and Rajasthan is 76.7 per cent rural (2001 Census).

7. Rajasthan is different from the other three states regarding mass media access. Large parts of the state are outside any mass media net. Rajasthan is not television saturated, and the family serials, though dominant, are less popular than elsewhere. Audiences in Rajasthan prefer a greater variety of programming. Men protest more strongly and loudly at being forced to watch the family serials. Finally, respondents from Rajasthan, including young women, showed a greater engagement with print than elsewhere. Thus, both primary and secondary data suggest a somewhat different potential mass media strategy for Rajasthan than for Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yvonne MacPherson

Yvonne MacPherson is Acting Country Director of the BBC World Service Trust in India. Yvonne has managed the trust's health projects in India since mid-2004. Prior to joining the trust, she managed sexual and reproductive health projects for NGOs and UN agencies in London, New York, and New Delhi, and also worked as a healthcare business analyst in London