Women form the largest segment of the exploited. From ‘the womb to the tomb’ she is exploited, discriminated and denied her rights.

In India, gender bias and gender discrimination take the form of ‘female infanticide’ and ‘female foeticide’. The social mind-set is favour of boys. A recent study estimates that 7000 girls remain unborn every day. Another study estimated that 10 million fewer girls were born in India than expected in the past 20 years. (Source: Deccan Chronicle – March 2, 2007)A study conducted by Toronto University of Canada jointly with the Medical Education Centre in Chandigarh revealed that in the past 20 years, 10 million female foetuses were aborted.

Various crude practices are adopted by the parents to kill girl babies. Some such steps are: poisoning, strangulating and starving the child to death.

The ‘Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Regulation and Prevention of Misuse Amendment Act-2002’ which came into effect on 14th February 2003 spells out penal punishment for the offenders. However, due to modern ultra-sonic facilities easily available even in the rural areas, the practice still continues.

Male – female ratio is on the downward slide for over 50 years. According to the Census, 2001, there were only 927 females for 1000 males.

The gender imbalance is bound to create not only a gender disaster in the coming decades but will also lead to a ‘development disaster’.

Education eludes millions of girl children in India. Majority of parents still consider girl children as liabilities. They consider education as unnecessary since in any case they will be married off and will not bring any return to the parents. The dropout rate is as high as 64.92 % before they reach the secondary school level (Source: Minister of State for HRD in Rajya Sabha (upper house) on March 12, 2007). Of those who pursue higher education, only 34% are women).

Girl children are discriminated in the family itself. The freedom, attention, education, clothing, entertainment and pocket money are the exclusive privilege of boys alone. The best of food is kept aside for boys. This discrimination is one of the causes for many women being under-nourished. It results in complications at times of child birth leading to increased maternal mortality. According to UNICEF, India has an MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate) of 301 (that is 301 mothers die during delivery or within 42 days after delivery). This means that in India, a mother dies every seven minutes. This estimate is moderate only since more than 30% of MMR goes unreported.

Child marriage is still prevalent in some parts of India despite the fact it is legally banned.

Religions do not accord equal status to women.

Trafficking of women and children is the worst form of 21st century slavery. Women and children are trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. It is on the increase despite vigilant steps by the law enforcing authorities. It is estimated that around half a million children are involved in the flesh trade in the country. Poverty is the main cause for the parents/husbands selling women and children to the traffickers. In many cases, they are cheated by promises of lucrative jobs in big cities or outside the country.