We Don’t Need Girls

As early as in 2012, the international organizations recommended that Azerbaijani Government should resolve the selective abortion problem. At that time, there were 112 boys, instead of acceptable 104, per 100 girls. Analysis of the statistics for the past five years has shown that nothing has been changed.

MP Musa Guliyev reported that it was suggested to introduce amendments to the bill “On Protection of Reproductive Health and Family Planning, envisaging prohibition of medical examination, determining child’s sex.

Azerbaijani Parliament has long intended to introduce such changes. However, the amendments to the Azerbaijani legislation have not been made yet.

Facebook’s Recipes

This theme has stirred up heated disputes in the social networks. Rarely can one encounter those, willing to offer solution to the problem.

“A compromise decision may be offered: to allow determination of child’s sex provided that both potential parents are made liable if they want to terminate pregnancy. Besides, punishment shall be the same as for premeditated murder.

“Special vending machines for condome sale should be installed because our men are ashamed to ask a chemist-woman to sell them ome. Thus, the abortions may be avoided as well.

The discussion often simmers down to the fact that selective abortions are imminent evil that can’t be prevented by any legislative acts:

“So what, they will travel abroad and doctors will simply charge more and do abortions at home. There will always be so to say “wise women, who will terminate pregnancy or give birth at home and throw the newborn to the waste bin.

“How are they going to control it? Imagine a woman attends a physician, they are alone in the office and how will he be made not to tell a child’s sex?

“Instead of passing the laws, they’d better think of what makes people take such step.

Reasons

Lamia, 32: “My husband wants a boy. What am I supposed to do, I can’t deliver six girls to finally have a boy. Who will feed them?

Sevil, 29: “I already have two daughters. I need a helper at home – to bring heavy bags, to accompany the girls if they, for example, attend some courses or go to a tutor. Besides, all relatives are used to asking when at last the heir-son will appear. I don’t want to be alone at old age as the girls will marry and leave home, but the boy with live with me along with a daughter-in-law.

Elena, 25: “It is hard to be a woman in this country, at least, in the city I live. That’s why I don’t want to give birth to girls as they will be unhappy. It is good and convenient to be a man here.

Experts name the following reasons for selective abortions:

1. Traditional gender roles, when a woman depends on a man, when she is less self-dependent and has no right to have a say in the family;
2. A low-level culture and education, due to which parents are not concerned over the ethic aspect of getting rid of girls;
3. Lack of elementary knowledge about harm of abortions and contraceptive means.