- The study's authors, The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), a scientific institute based in Austria, released a statement that read, "Around 22% of the overall mortality burden of females under five is therefore due to gender bias."
Areas worse affected are typically rural regions, with low levels of education, high population densities and high birth rates
- It found that the problem was mostly in northern India. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, accounted for two-thirds of the total deaths of infant girls under five.
- The study's co-author is IIASA's Nandita Saikia. She believes the findings reflect the need to address issues of gender discrimination. "Unless son preference diminishes, lower fertility, however, might bring about a rise in gender-biased sex selection," said Saikia.
- Preference for boys, availability of sex-selective operations (although illegal in India), indicates a gender gap of 63 million girls. As a result, India has one of the most skewed sex ratios in the world. For every 107 males born in India, there are 100 females. According to the World Health Organization, the natural sex ratio at birth is 105 males for every 100 females.
Many of the deaths were due to neglect, both within their families and from health practitioners. Studies have shown that Indian girls receive less education, have poorer nutrition and get less medical attention than boys. These are shocking findings considering the time and age we're living in.
Also: UN Report Studies How Gender Influences Poverty, Education
Bhawana is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv