“The well-being and health of girls in J&K are at risk not only after their birth but even before they have the opportunity to take their first breath. Information from various governmental sources — such as the Civil Registration System and the Sample Registration System — presents a troubling yet coherent narrative.”
Jammu and Kashmir’s healthcare system has made commendable progress in recent years, especially in bringing down the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to historic lows. However, beneath this layer of success lies an alarming and deeply disturbing crisis — a persistently low sex ratio at birth. This imbalance is not just a statistical concern; it is a glaring reminder that gender bias continues to poison the roots of our society. The health and welfare of girls in J&K are compromised not just after birth, but even before they get a chance to breathe. The data from multiple government sources — including the Civil Registration System and the Sample Registration System — tell a consistent yet worrying story. While the sex ratio at birth in J&K touched 984 girls per 1000 boys in 2020, it dropped again to 957 in 2021. Even worse, the SRS data covering 2018–2020 shows a ratio of just 921, far below the natural benchmark of 952 and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 945. This means for every 1000 boys born, J&K is losing around 31 girls potentially to sex-selective abortions and systemic neglect. With an estimated 2 lakh births every year in the Union Territory, this translates into a horrifying deficit of over 3,000 girls annually. These are not just numbers — they represent thousands of unborn daughters denied the right to life. The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act exists precisely to prevent such discrimination, by banning sex determination and selective abortion. Yet, the declining sex ratio suggests that enforcement remains weak.
“A system that protects lives while quietly accepting the vanishing of countless girls annually is not a narrative of triumph — it is a failure cloaked in deceptive reassurance. Jammu and Kashmir requires a two-pronged strategy: stringent implementation of the PCPNDT Act and extensive public awareness campaigns targeting gender discrimination. Each girl who goes missing represents a loss for her family and for society’s future. The statistics are clear. It is time for the system to cease its indifference.”
A 2023 directive asking for the assessment of ultrasound clinics is a step in the right direction, but it also indicates that proper monitoring had not been occurring on a consistent basis. What has allowed these violations to persist unchecked? Is there a failure of regulation, or a deeper cultural indifference toward the value of girls? The tragedy doesn’t stop at birth. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), under-five mortality is significantly higher among girls (54 per 1000) than boys (46 per 1000) in J&K. This implies systemic neglect in postnatal care as well, compounding the problem. Healthcare development must be about more than just reducing mortality rates; it must include equity and justice for all genders. A system that saves lives but silently condones the disappearance of thousands of girls each year is not a success story — it is a failure wrapped in false comfort. J&K needs a dual approach: aggressive enforcement of the PCPNDT Act and large-scale social sensitization against gender bias. Every missing girl is a loss not only to her family but to the future of society. The numbers don’t lie. It’s time the system stopped turning a blind eye.
