China's New Family Policy
Last week, China just ended its one child policy, which previously limited families to one child each. However, this demise to the 35-year old rule is unlikely to spark a baby boom. The damage has already been done. Data shows that China is now strictly a single-child policy. Even when given the choice to have two children, many parents would just stick to one. This, obviously, created a huge problem for China. With the limitation to just one child combined with people's desire to have a boy, there are millions less girls than boys. Pregnant women decide to have sex-selective abortions if they find out their fetus is a female. In most parts of the world, parents still prefer boys over girls since they "carry on the family name".
I think people who designed the one child policy intended for it to beneficial for China in the long run, but it backfired. It did more bad than good. If there's 62 million "missing" women and girls in China from sex-selective abortions and neglect, what would that mean for the economy? Millions of men wouldn't be able to find spouses, which could be why there's sex trafficking and bride buying. Also, less women means there's less potential mothers which means there will be less children. And last but not least, now China has to find a solution to all of the problems the one child policy created to get their economy back on track and the sex ratio back to normal. I think it's really unfair how parents prefer boys over girls. Sure, boys pass on the family name, but girls are just as valuable. Who says boys are worth more? In reality, we're both equal, so why can't women be treated like an equal instead of an object?
Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-s-new-birth-rule-can-t-restore-missing-women-and-fix-a-population/
Article in source written by Mara Hvistendahl on November 2, 2015
I think people who designed the one child policy intended for it to beneficial for China in the long run, but it backfired. It did more bad than good. If there's 62 million "missing" women and girls in China from sex-selective abortions and neglect, what would that mean for the economy? Millions of men wouldn't be able to find spouses, which could be why there's sex trafficking and bride buying. Also, less women means there's less potential mothers which means there will be less children. And last but not least, now China has to find a solution to all of the problems the one child policy created to get their economy back on track and the sex ratio back to normal. I think it's really unfair how parents prefer boys over girls. Sure, boys pass on the family name, but girls are just as valuable. Who says boys are worth more? In reality, we're both equal, so why can't women be treated like an equal instead of an object?
Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/china-s-new-birth-rule-can-t-restore-missing-women-and-fix-a-population/
Article in source written by Mara Hvistendahl on November 2, 2015