In recent years the economy of India has seen an extraordinary boom. And the country has a bright outlook for 2011 as well. This economic progress without doubt has brought with it many benefits.
For years, due to its poverty, India had abnormally high infant mortality rates. Ultrasound machines, which can be very effective in detecting preventable problems, were too costly. However, as the economic situation has improved, ultrasound machines have become more prevalent and more accessible to the emerging middle-class Indian community.
However, an unexpected problem has accompanied the rise of the ultrasound in India. Ultrasound machines give families an opportunity to know the gender of their child before he/she is born. In India this has led to an increase in what is called “gender selective abortion.” And the gender selected for death is female. (Though sex determination tests are illegal in India, the laws are poorly enforced.)
There are multiple explanations for this, but one is likely related to the tradition of paying a dowry—the family of a bride is expected to pay money to the family of her groom when a marriage is confirmed . This means that some families view a female child as an unfortunate household expense. (The dowry is a common, but illegal, practice in India, dragging a whole host of abuses along with it).
In addition to the horror of the abortions themselves—the needless killing of unborn girls because of their God-given gender—another problem has sprung from this Pandora’s box.
In the next 10 to 15 years, as the boys who have been born recently approach the age of sexual maturity and marriage, there will be an imbalance of men and women. Estimates are that there could be between 20 to 40 million more men than women.
These men will be looking for Indian wives but the sheer math means that there is no way they will find them.
This will undoubtedly lead to an increase in two interrelated and already very serious problems in India, namely prostitution and human trafficking.
In order for the sexual appetite of 20 to 40 million men to be met, it is a sad likelihood that Indian girls and women will be pressured or forced to “service” multiple men. This will still not be sufficient.
Therefore, the next option is to have more women brought in where there are none. So, India will continue to look abroad, to neighboring countries like Nepal and further afield. No woman will willfully move to Kolkata (Calcutta) or Mumbai to satisfy the lusts of these men. Therefore, they will be deceived, coerced, and illegally trafficked from another country to supply the demand.
(Editor’s note: There are many groups working to help the victims of this modern slavery, including WorldCrafts Set1Free groups.)
The problem is self-evident when all of the information is at the ready. But what is not always so obvious to many people is how economic progress can sometimes lead to greater human destruction, not less.
The situation in India demonstrates why wealth creation must always be accompanied by a broader understanding of ethics and human rights. In India what should have helped more baby girls survive has actually led to their destruction in many cases. Wealth and technology have not changed unbiblical attitudes toward women in India or anywhere else.
As a follower of Christ, I consider His teachings to be the foundation for our understanding of ethics and human rights. He changes our perspective on so many issues. That is why I do not hesitate to say that as Christians we must do a better job of integrating our faith into our work, thus having a salt-and-light influence on the economic systems of our world today.
Neither riches nor poverty guarantees righteousness. We must prayerfully evaluate our actions, ideas, and systems in line with His will.
Mark Russell, PhD, has gained tremendous international understanding in his time living and working in Russia, Chile, and Germany, and in his extensive travel to more than 70 countries to carry out a variety of business, educational, humanitarian, and religious projects. Mark has been published in more than 50 academic and popular level publications. Mark lives in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, Laurie, and their children, Noah and Anastasia.
