One of our three globe-trotting daughters currently is studying in Beijing, and she just sent us a fascinating article that tries to explain the mystery of why many Chinese families save so much money, compared to Americans and others. The new explanation is surprising: It seems that it stems from the great imbalance in the Chinese sex ratio (100 girls for every 122 boys). The parents of boys are saving like crazy so that they can attract a wife for their sons. The competition gets worse as the sons age: Consider that after 80 marriages, the remaining 42 boys have to compete for the last 20 girls. After 95 couples pair off, the ratio climbs to five-to-one.

The big story here is not the plight of the single Chinese boy or even how the “frumpy” Chinese girls over 30 have great social lives. The big story is the missing women. Not only Chinese women, but also Indian, Korean and Vietnamese. A 2007 United Nations report pointed out that “[i]f the continent’s overall sex ratio was the same as elsewhere in the world, in 2005 Asia’s population would have included almost 163 million more women and girls.” The reasons are obvious: The ready availability of ultrasound makes it quite easy for parents to selectively abort female fetuses.

I, for one, have a real problem with 163 million missing girls and women, and would like to see something done about it. Many readers surely must feel the same, especially when they consider that many of these ultrasound-driven abortions occur in the second trimester. But, not everyone shares this sense of revulsion. The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada responds to this issue by noting that “being pro-choice means supporting a woman’s right to decide whether or not to continue a pregnancy for whatever reason, even if one personally does not agree with her reason.”

A similar sentiment is echoed by other organizations, such as Human Rights Watch. HRW believes that banning sex-selective abortion will not eliminate the practice and, hence, should not be implemented. HRW points out that the source of the problem ultimately is cultural and historical, and the long-term solution is tied to changes in cultural values and norms. In their words, “[C]riminalization of sex-selective abortion would put the full burden of righting a fundamental wrong – the devaluing of women’s lives – on women.”

Clearly, there are two ways to stop this. One is to remove sexism in Asia altogether; the other is to stop sex-selective abortions. Both have their role, and international involvement can help reach these goals. But, let’s get real: While the achievement of world peace, along with the elimination of sexism and racism, are lofty goals for which we all should work, the attainment of these goals is far off. Until that time, there are things that we can do in the here and now. One of those things is to press for the effective elimination of sex-selective abortions through the targeting of those responsible – and not just the poor conflicted mothers. External pressures that arise from loud international protests will help make that happen, especially in this age of Internet-enabled youth.

But, protesting against genocide in Darfur is easy compared to protesting against rampant sex-selective abortions in Asia. Not abortions, mind you: sex-selective abortions. Think about it – how can we vigorously voice objections over the right of Asian women to abort healthy female fetuses while we simultaneously fight for our wives’ and daughters’ right to personal choice? Short answer: We can’t, and we don’t. It would be the height of hypocrisy and cultural narcissism to hinder sex-selective abortions in Singapore at the same time that we condone abortions for reasons unique to our own culture. And so, no one wants to talk about the missing millions, and the shocking statistics generally go unreported and ignored.

When my wife was expecting our third daughter, a friend told me that any man who says he doesn’t want a son is a liar. Well, I always wanted a boy, I admit it. But, I cherish and love my three girls, and I hope that others also will cherish them and their progeny for generations to come. In contrast, there are 163 million missing girls and women in Asia that no one seems to miss. Their absence is met by a deafening silence, and their ranks continue to grow.

 

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