Representational Picture.
A majority of families in Haryana prefer to have boys and most women withdraw into their homes before sunset, reveals a survey conducted over a year in four districts of the state.
Based on over 10,000 interviews, the study conducted by the NGO Breakthrough finds that as many as 91 per cent of parents want boys. As many as 66 per cent of those surveyed say that they don't see women in public places after sunset.
"The increased number of violence against women is very closely linked to the gender ratio," says Sonali Khan, Country Director of Breakthrough.
With 867 women for every 1000 men, the Haryana's gender ratio is way below the national average of 940 women to every 1000 men. Another worrying number is the ratio of girls to boys in the age group of 0-6 years, which is currently at 830 girls to 1000 boys.
A Supreme Court bench had said in January, "The worsening of sex ratio in Haryana is a disturbing problem as the same is ultimately likely to affect the human race and civilisation in entirety. Value should be placed on the life of a woman, for she is the basic pillar of human race in any society."
In January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Haryana to launch his "Beti Padao, Beti Bachao (educate, save girls)" campaign and said: We are not worthy of being called citizens of 21st century. It is as if we are from the 18th century - at a time and just after a girl's birth, she was killed. We are worse now, we don't even allow the girl to be born."