Abstrict

The study deals with the dilemma of son preference and its causes and consequences. The fieldwork was conducted in village 'Danyor" in Gilgit-Baltistan, for the period of six months. Socio-economic survey was conducted from seventy-five households, detailed in-depth interviews were taken from thirty respondents in addition to 35 case studies. The field findings revealed the prevailing perceptions are sons as powerful and socially strong, owner and successor of family property, old age security for parents, symbol of prestige, custodian of family strength and honor etc. On the contrary, daughters are considered as burden of dowry and financial dependency on parents. The study concludes that son preference results in many discriminatory practices against female child such as abortion of female fetus, high infant mortality, lower status of daughters bearing mother in the family, short birth spacing, high probability of husband’s remarriage and increased chances of being divorced.

Keywords

Divorce, Son Preference, Patriarchy, Gender Discrimination, Abortion, Short Birth Interval

Introduction

Son preference is found to be strong by world standards (Haughton & Haughton,1995). Sons are preferred over daughters in many Asian countries like India, China, South Korea and Pakistan (Edlund, 1999). The patriarchal system exists in most of the societies in the world, but it is more pronounced in the Asian countries especially in the developing countries. Often the people of nonwestern societies bear children until they achieve their desired number of sons. But their desire to have maximum number of sons is directly based on patriarchal family system. But in some countries like china, there are strict rules of child policy, due to which there is no concept of son preference (Cho, 1995).

Pakistani society is also based on strong patriarchal values according to which man is always dominant over women. Women are considered inferior over men due to their economic dependency on men. These gender stereotypes create huge inequality between male and female. Due to the gender-based division of labor prevailing negative stereotypes toward women, male become more dominant and female becomes subordinate. The persistence of such familial structures disincentivize raising daughters either their marriages require dowry or not (Monica et., al., 2010). The gender imbalance has significantly increased in past three to four decades in this region. There is a gradual surplus of male birth in similar populations since 1980 which impacts sex ratios at birth and subsequently will affect the dynamics of marriage in several regions of this continent (Guilmoto, ,2012). 

Statement of the Problem

Son preference is a rising phenomenon in Danyor as well as in Gilgit-Baltistan generally, but there is silence around the issue. The main purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of son preference in the context of social and economic condition of the community. This study attempted to investigate the economic rationale that contributes toward the discriminatory practices against girls. It further highlights how agriculture economy motivates people to value sons over daughters. It takes into account those social values consideration and beliefs that undermine girls and women. The main focus of this study was to investigate those factors which cause low status of women and which persuade people to have more sons. The study also explored consequences of son preference for the family, particularly the mother giving birth, her family size, her health and relationship with her husband.

Significance of the Study

The research helps in understanding how socio-economic affects the concept of son preference because very little work is done on this domain. This research provides a base for other researchers to conduct their research on this issue. The study helps to understand the issues related to son preference, because being a member of the same locale it helps the researcher to work on this issue. Overall, this study highlights the practices of son preference in the context of socio-economic realities which makes sons more desirable than girl.

Sociocultural factors are related to the different groups of people in a society, their habits, traditions, and beliefs. The term socio culture system contains three concepts society, culture, and system.  Society is the combination of people; they have common goals to achieve and share similar normative order and underlying ideologies. Therefore, they work together in a unit to achieve these goals (Plotkin,1982). In terms of economic factors, Schneider, F., & Enste, D. H (2000), argue that economic factors lay the foundation stone of any society. Sons are believed to support family’s socio-economically. 

The native people suggest that there are many families who prefer their sons as compared to daughters because they thought that son is one who support them in their whole life. People from 

poor to rich families, give more prefer to son and they do not allow girls to get more education and do not let them choose the profession they want to study. For instance, they keep her limited to the traditional and domestic chores like sewing cooking, and taking care of the family members. The people of Danyor want more sons in their families e.g. if they want four kids, they expect that there should be three sons and one daughter only. The study findings suggest that some of educated families also torture their daughter in laws because they cannot give birth to baby boy.

Review of Literature

Conventional wisdom affirms that the phenomenon of son preference is deep rooted in patrilineal family structures and norms (Raj, 2010). In south Asia and particularly Pakistan, an important determinant of reproductive behavior is the sex of the surviving children (Fikree & Berendes, 2000). In the developing countries, especially in Pakistan, sons are considered as the strength of the family as breadwinner, while women are considered as private property of the family. Honor is strictly associated with women, so parents fear of becoming ashamed due to their daughters. In the South Asian cultural context, having female child makes it obligatory to them to give her dowry on marriage, therefore they preference to have sons (De Tray, 1984).

The societies which prefer sons exist all over the world, but some societies have changed this system, when we compare the western countries with developing countries. But in developing countries like Pakistan and India, this is as same as hundred years ago it was. Now to some extent, urbanization and education have made people talk about this issue (Nag,1991). Families preference to male child is often due to their role and responsibility in society, which is considered more valuable than females for example; women are considered as weak, emotional decision makers and lack confidence, while men are considered being rational, wise, strong decision maker, breadwinner, brave and confident as per the gendered roles. Due to these stereotypes parents in Pakistan give preference to their male children over female. This preference can be witnessed during their socialization and up-bringing of child (Hank and Kohler, 2002).

Parents gradually spend more time and resource over male children as compared to female because they eventually become breadwinners for the family. For instance, they spend more money on their education, food, clothing and other needs. There are many reasons behind son preference in developing countries. For an agricultural society, people need more labor to increase productivity and since men are considered physically stronger, they are preferred. Furthermore, after marriage of their daughters, parents need someone to stay with them and take care of them when they get old. Therefore, for their own future and protection, people choose son over daughter (Pollaed and Morgen, 2002).

It is also perceived humiliating for parents, if they are unable to find a suitable partner for their daughters. After marriage, a girl typically becomes a member of her husband’s family and her connection with her natal family is reserved to a considerable extent which is why parents invest less on her education, nutrition and other needs. Additional care needs to be taken when a daughter reaches adolescence, because chastity is considered very important for her marriage and to protect the honor of the family (Nag, 1991). The present study highlights the issue of son preference in the context of the selected community which made this phenomenon stronger and requires attention.

Methodology 

The fieldwork was conducted in village 'Danyor" in Gilgit-Baltistan, for the period of six months. Data was collected with the help of qualitative research methodology. Socio-economic survey was conducted from seventy-five households to collect demographic information related to family size, fertility rate, gender composition. Moreover, detailed in-depth interviews were taken from thirty respondents in addition to 35 case studies. A few have been elaborated thematically which revolve around the implications of son preference in this region. 

Findings and Discussion

The field findings revealed several reasons behind son preference mainly based on the perception that sons are more powerful and socially strong, sons being owner and successor of family property, sons as old age security for parents, sons as symbol of prestige and custodian of family strength and honor etc. On the contrary, daughters are considered as burden because of the requirement of dowry and their financial dependency on parents. 

Family Size

Family size is the number of people lives in a family which usually includes father, mother and their children. Family systems can be joint, extended or nuclear and therefore varies from family to family and sometimes across locales. People, who are aware and educated about family planning system, usually have small family size. They prefer small family size to provide quality life to their children. The size of family is depending upon awareness about family planning and their ideology shaped up by the way they have been encultured. Majority of people prefer sons and often keep on extending the family size unless the desired number of sons are produced. This resultantly affects the economic conditions and living standard of the people and resource available to them. 

Poor families with large family size often suffer due to lack of economic and financial resources. They always prefer their sons over daughters in health, education, food, living style, and other benefits. Large family size increases the burden of population. Whereas small family size helps in better upbringing of the children with better health, education and living standard, which later play their role in economic growth with better education and knowledge. The native people believe that sons are an asset for the family who can earn money and will take care of the family whereas girls are a liability for the family who are mere dependents. 

Girls Mortality Rate

‘Girl mortality rate is higher in this locale. From birth, girls are barred from basic health facilities, food and even when is in mother womb, not enough food is provided to the mother if she gives birth to a girl child. If a girl is born with some disease, she does not receive any proper medical treatment which ultimately results in the death of the child. Early age death rate is higher in girls as compared to boys.  If a baby boy is born with any problem, he is given proper familial and hospital care. Mortality rate is increasing among women and girl child because of neglect and associated nutritional issues. They do not have proper health facilities and women do not go for regular checks up and rarely the children get vaccinated timely.  

A forty years old woman who had an arranged marriage living in joint family system was interviewed at length. She had seven children; five boys and two girls.    

 Ja sundo auwaa altan ayugushans ban phla jaw alto ayougushans bam oo uluriman halay ja sapoi amanasiwajatay khyal osasiganay manapam muyugushans bansan nusan  ja halay ee sapoyatuman ja oltalik ayougushans zaya umanuman da achumbad ja chundo ayuwa dumanuman ooka jay hospital lu sapoi amana bayam akhayriu lo da ja altan ayougushans dumanuman hin muka jay hospital lo amana bayam sapoi baqi hin muka halay amana bayam khoa ka jar butan takleef atemi helayshuka lay lii ayamayabam. 

She said that ‘my first two daughters died because I was not shifted to hospital for delivery. During my pregnancy, they took me to a local midwife. My mother in law learnt that I am carrying a female fetus and she stopped taking care of me. When severe labor pains started, they did not take me to hospital due to which I lost my baby. Moreover, they did not give me nutritious diet due to which I got weak. But I was pregnant for the third time with a male child and my in-laws learnt it, they regularly took me to the hospital. I gave birth to my five sons in hospital’.

Divorce Rate

The major consequence of son preference is increase in divorce rate and parental separation. Parents feel physiological pressure and inferiority complex due to lack of sons. Mothers are physically tortured and constantly abused verbally on giving birth to daughters. They are blamed for not giving birth to sons and finally end up in divorce. Divorce rate is increasing, as people are giving more preference to sons. Sometimes, divorce brings other complexities and issues to the family. When the parents get divorce, the children are ignored and it affects them mentally and physically. Divorce affects their personalities of both mother and girls who do not get quality life. They leave long term effects on children especially girls suffer through out their life. Several studies document that couples with girl child are dominantly more likely to be divorced, fathers usually take the custody of sons, these women rarely get remarried and have to raise daughters parents (Dahl & Moretti, 2004). 

“Ja teen bar abortion mani la ja askiray ja phla moa ii zaya motam tima tay hospital ayachum ja husband halay aymaibai salulo hikbaray xhuchai dusra moo aii k hospital ayachum hali zaya tuman tisri k zaya mumumo chotha enay muu k dasinan bo inmuka k hospitalar ayachum jay mo aw amiy nayanun alay delivery manilum achum ba bas away halar dicham kyal osasgani mana panusan ay chum ba ja oyardi jar talaqa chimi”.

It is the narrative of a thirty-five years old married woman who did masters in English and currently living with her daughter in her parental home. She said ‘she was aborted thrice because she carried the female fetus. Apart from that she had miscarriages twice. She said on her first delivery, her husband did not take her to hospital in time resultantly, her baby died inside her womb. On second time, her baby died because she was again taken to hospital late. On her third delivery her parents took her to their home. She said her husband was in army and he got back home after a year. When he got to know that she was at her father’s home, he got angry and divorced her. His family blamed her for not giving birth to a boy. This lady believed that if had a son, he would never divorce her. It is also reported from research that having a female first child still raises the likelihood of living without a father (Blau et al., 2020). 

Custody of Children after Divorce

When women get divorce, the custody of children turns problematic. Mostly when the husband gives divorce, women do not defend her case due to lack of awareness and rights. There are two types of cases recorded, if they have one daughter and son then husband keeps both children in-case of mere daughters, they are left to their mother. Divorcing fathers are also more likely to seek custody of sons than daughters (Moretti & Dahl, 2008). Usually the husband gives the guardianship of daughters to the mother but do not pay for their living expenses. Single mothers usually suffer financially in upbringing of her daughters which leads to their limited education, health facilities and healthy diet.

“Ja ayeek kaneez Fatima bila ja hen ayeen hen ayan bo mager ja aye asheraye oyaray goyee bas domos mana nusen ja away halay ba   ja oyaray ,baya ja qatil baye  jay oway halay phatatai kholay naja aimo manay khyaloshan na ja ja aay ganay bokdal ghalghudubeai”.

Another respondent who is currently a single parent shared that she has done matriculation. She had an arranged marriage and lived in a nuclear family. After having two kids; one daughter and one son, her husband divorced her because he wanted to remarry. ‘He divorced me because our first kid is daughter.  After our divorce, it was decided that I will keep kids and he will pay me for their expenses. But after some time, he took away my son and never paid me a single penny. Now I live here in my parent’s home but they also do not support me. My daughter is ill but I do not have money to take her to hospital. I am very helpless; I do not understand what should I do’. She was convinced that if she had given birth to more sons, her husband would have never divorced her. It is affirmed from the findings that the gender of the child affects the marital stability of a significant number of American families (Jeena, Goldman & Joyce, 2011; Moretti & Dahl, 2008). 

Abortion and Female Deaths

Abortion is not legalized in Pakistan but in this area, it is a common practice. If the doctor refuses to do an abortion, domestic means are used for it. This severely affects mother’s health. Now a days, ultrasound has made it easy for parents to know about the sex of the baby before birth. Misuse of technology results in abortion of female fetus once known, because women feel scared to end up in divorce.  Sometimes, the family also forces the couple to do abortion because they do not like to have daughter in their next generation. Many of females in this region are affected because of abortions, sometimes it leads to death of mother, if she is weak, young and the procedure is not performed properly. 

There are several females who are aborted multiple times. Morbidity and mortality amongst women are high due to unsafe abortions since they are not legalized in Pakistan and therefore barely held by trained professionals (Sheikh et al., 2010). If we look at the international statistics, there are 31 abortions for every 100 live births worldwide and out of them unsafe abortions are 48% (Sedgah et al., 2007). Similarly a study from Pakistan shows that 1 in 7 pregnancies is terminated through abortion and has 68.5% of complication rate such as haemorrhage and fever as the most common ones (Saleem & Fikree, 2001; Shah et al., 2011). 

Females in this region are dying due to abortions and lack of proper nutrition during their pregnancy. Some females die, because they give birth at home under supervision of a local midwife. They do not have proper medical facilities for delivery at home. As they belong to remote area and they follow the cultural traditions, so they often do not allow their females to give birth at the hospital. Even they do not allow them to go for proper check-up and take nutrition as suggested by doctors. Sometimes, after giving births, due to nutrient deficiency, post-partum care and insufficient food, women die. 

One of the respondents said that her sister-in-law died, because of lack of proper medical treatment during delivery of baby. She was not taken to the hospital for child birth. She suffered at home and the pain killed her and her baby. Both mother and child died because of neglect and carelessness. She blamed her mother in law being the most irresponsible and unkind person, who also convinced others not to take women to hospital during pregnancy. Medical treatment is one of the reasons of death of females during pregnancy. Women are not taken into hospitals or health centers unless she suffers some severe conditions. Pregnant ladies usually do not visit doctors or health centers for proper regular checkup especially if she was pregnant with cases they had to travel to far places and sometimes the women die during the journey.  

Short birth Intervals

Birth control is very important for better health of baby, mother, and for whole family. It is generally ignored by people in this area. The couple barely use contraception for proper birth interval. If they have a new born daughter, they immediately plan for another pregnancy because they want to have a son. The shorter birth intervals between children and consecutive pregnancies badly affects the mother-child health. Mostly girl-child suffer from this situation because she lacks mothers attention do not pay attention to her diet, health and nutrition. On the other hand, mothers’ probability of death also increases due to weakness and lack of gap between children. Longer subsequent intervals in birth are seen in Women having first or second child male child as compared to women without a male child (Javaid & Mughal, 2020).

“Ja altanayoua iskanayugushans ban owasum ouminay aii polio bo jotin mo khoonay masla bila kamzoran bo ayouganay jutpatano ghayastumanan dumanan”.

A thirty-five years old woman had two sons and three daughters shared her story. She was living in a nuclear family setup and her educational qualification was matriculation. She was a victim of short birth gap. She said that ‘my elder daughters suffered from polio while younger from anemia. She said, after birth of my first daughter, I was forced to bear another child because he wanted to have a son. When my elder daughter was a few months old, I got impregnated. I could not keep balance in my life. That time my health was unwell and I could not notice the polio issue in my daughter nor I could concentrate on my health during my second pregnancy due to which my younger daughter suffered from anemia due to lack of interval between both kids. Neonatal and infant mortality is also higher after a negative outcome of the previous delivery, which is mediated primarily through short birth interval (Saha & Siest, 2011), (Davanzo et al., 2007) & (Jonge et al., 2014). 

Even though some parents are educated but they do not know about family planning and other diseases spread due to short interval. They do not give any importance to the girls’ health and do not keep any birth interval. Their children do not get proper mother feed and lack nutritionally. As she grows up, she faces multiple health issues.  These can only be avoided through proper health education and awareness on mother and child health. The idea that women with a son are more likely to conceive with a subsequent interval is proven by researches held on modernization, fertility decline and patriarchal relations. They reveal that women who have a son are less likely to have another child, and that women with a son who do progress to have another child, take longer to conceive the subsequent child (Larsen, Chung & Gupta, 1998).

Sex Selection and Infanticide

The selection of sex is becoming more common in this area due to latest scientific technologies. The parents after ultra sound often decide to abort a female fetus once known. According to a respondent, this decision is only taken by the husbands. Even they do not ask their wives or share the sex of baby in her womb. Majority of people go for sex selection in this region because they want to bear a son. Numerous scholars have observed that the latest advances in modern medical sciences – the tests like Amniocentesis and Ultra-sonography which were originally designed for detection of congenital abnormalities of the foetus, are being misused for knowing the sex of the foetus with the intention of aborting it if it happens to be that of a female (Tandon & Sharma, 2006). The findings show an increase in ‘masculine’ SRBs and persistent (or even worsening) female mortality disadvantage, despite overall mortality decline, due to selective neglect and the spread of female infanticide practices in some areas (Sudha & Rajan, 1999). 

“Ja turmahin auban ja butan khyaloshan ja meshindua oqhatanaba jot shu ayon khoyoqhotanaba baskay itay time mimi pachi oqhatanasganay paisa apim khoway mazduri echam da ha guzara echam muto aunko sindokay noukri echan ja shuwa basan maslan api jot sho ulu charo k oqha tai ban”

An illiterate lady, who was fifty years of age and had an arranged wedlock said that, she has eleven sons and no daughter. Six of her sons were seeking education but the rest could not due to lack of finances. She said ‘I am very happy and feel lucky that I have eleven sons.  I will be happy, if I have any daughter but it’s okay because my sons are everything for me. I once gave birth to a girl but my family killed her. After her birth, my husband told me that she was dying in my womb. But later I came to know that she born alive but my family killed her’. discrimination females face as a result of this contributes to the existence of FI (Patel 2013)& (Vickery & Teijlingen, 2017). 

South Asia is a region characterized by a culture of son preference, severe discrimination against daughters, and excess levels of female mortality, leading to what Amartya Sen called the phenomenon of “missing women (Kabeer, Huq & Mehmud, 2013). India is a country with a pervasive preference for sons and one of the highest levels of excess child mortality for girls in the world (child mortality for girls exceeds child mortality for boys by 43 per cent (Arnold, Choe & Roy, 1998).Illegal killings can be stop if government takes actions against couples who killed their daughters. We do not have proper rules and regulations about sex selection and illegal abortions. Everyone has right to live their lives but girls are always tortured and killed. Infanticide is one of the oldest mechanism of population control yet it was the female child who was left to die since she was dependent and bears children (Hyde, 1984).  

Multiple marriages

Second marriage is another option, men use when the women do not give birth to a son. They think the problem is with women therefore she is unable to give birth to boy. If the husband marries other women, maybe she could bear her son. If they marry for second time, and she also not give birth to a boy then they may try for third time. This is continuing, until they do not give birth to a boy. Majority of men including females believe that not giving birth to a boy is due to inability of a woman. 

 “Ja oyaray do garaynagatai u aganay ja chum eskandasi dusra en machum sundo dasiyan ban en mor k talaq mushiyasaganay halar morai jakay jaibo away hal ba. Magar check oztazkanay doctor eshoi in chum oulad omaiban saynan”.

A lady having thirty-five years of age narrated that ‘she had three daughters and resultantly got divorced from her husband because he wanted to remarry for a son. She said, I was first wife of my husband but when I gave birth to three daughters he left and now I live with my parents. After his second marriage, again his second wife did not give birth to a baby boy. He has now two more daughters. When he goes to doctor for his own checkup, doctor told him that, the fault was in him due to which we could not have a baby boy. After coming from doctor, he realized his mistake and come to me. He requests me to come back to his home but refused. My parents also force me to go back but I do not want to go back’. There are also many women, who are suffered because of not having son. Men without understanding the natural phenomenon give divorce to their wives.

Discussion

Another factor that plays its role in son preference is that their living is mostly based on agriculture. They are challenging work in the fields, and other agriculture related tasks are performed by the male members of the society. If you have sons means you can improve your living through better agriculture and do not depend on others but having a daughter means you have to depend on others for agriculture tasks to perform such as harvesting, threshing. In this area, even if the girl is educated there is no such opportunity for her to change the economic conditions of her family, and mostly opportunities are for boys such as labor work, clerk, and peon man. Girl cannot perform these jobs, as it is against their traditions. Similarly, data from India show that smaller families have a significantly higher proportion of sons than larger families. Second, socially and economically disadvantaged couples and couples from the northern region of India not only want but also attain a higher proportion of sons, if the effects of family size are controlled (Clark, 2000).

  Girl is considered as a burden in the family because of the old traditions and norms linked to her future such as dowry which families with low income cannot afford to pay. Mostly families cannot afford such marriage expenses for the girls and they stay home their whole life as a burden. Sometimes girls contribute in the family living through various sources which includes KADO work, tradition sewing which is very expensive and appreciated by outsiders but still she did not get equal rights in the family. They family keep her away from her right to get educations. They think that educations are not good for girls. It will make them go against their family norms and traditions. A common phrase used as’’ she has to get married one day and she will do the kitchen work. No one will make her work in the offices. ‘’ For kitchen work you do not need education. Other factors include old age security and land authority which is always given to the sons and linked to them from old ages. Girl is never given any piece of land from their parents. 

Son preference leads to different consequences which have a significant impact on the family, society and nation Such as girl’s mortality rate which keeps increasing day by day. The mother who is pregnant with a baby girl always faces discrimination in healthy food, daily checkup, and challenging work. She doesn’t get any kind of care during her pregnancy which leads to either death of the child or abnormality. It is not only dangerous for the child but also for the mother health. Sometimes females died during giving birth. It is either because of the health issues or non-availability of health facilities. In this area, it is a tradition that women give birth at home without in the presence of any doctor or nurse. They do not take their women to the health centers to give birth which cause a lot of health issues for both child and mother.   Even during pregnancy, if the parents’ come to know that they have baby girl, the do an abortion which is illegal and it’s just like a murder.   Divorce rate also depends on the son preference. Mothers with daughters are more likely to get divorce than those who have sons. After divorce, the custody of children becomes another issue for parents. Daughters are always given to the mother and the father does not even pay their custody which create economic crisis for the mother.  Sons are considering old age security and the entire hereditary pass from parents to the sons. Sometimes, the male marries other women to have son, if the previous wife does not give birth to a son. In such cases, the do not even consider birth control as a result the size of the family keep increasing. If you are economically not strong then the poor conditions get even worse where you cannot afford a healthy living for your children. They cannot afford basic rights such as health, education, food and living standard. They sometimes live below the average rate of poor. They get their girls marry at a very early age to avoid any burden and do not share their properties with their daughters. Boys are the only owners of their properties and wealth. Now a day the availability of the latest technology has made it easy to find out the sex of the baby, either it’s a boy or girl. In such cases, the parents decide either the want the child or not which gives them the authority to choose boys over daughters though it is illegal and unkind act. 

Urbanisation, female education and employment can only slowly change these incentives without more direct efforts by the state and civil society to increase the flexibility of the kinship system such that daughters and sons can be perceived as being more equally valuable. Much can be done to accelerate this process through social movements, legislation and the mass media (Monica et al., 2010).

Conclusion

The study conducted in Danyor village suggest that One most common thing in every family is son preference either they are poor, rich, joint or nuclear. There are numerous factors that play a vital role in the preference of a son over daughter. Such as socio-economic factor, families depend on their sons as the bread winner. He is the one can change their economic conditions and bring change in the quality of their life through earning money from various sources. Now in this modernizing world, there is no difference between daughters and sons, we still have these issues due to lack of awareness and knowledge. Policy makers seeking to influence son preference need to identify and target different policy levers to women in different fertility and social contexts, rather than try an approach of one size that fits all (Pande & Astone, 2007). It his highly recommended that there is a great need of awareness campaigns and seminar, workshops and knowledge to be shared so that the people understand the discrimination in society. They females should be educated about their basic right to get education, health facility and other privileges in life. Norms and traditions which are against human’s rights need to be discouraged and to be eliminated from the society. People do not have basic education about equal rights of both male and female which most of the time create a hindrance in society.  Also, girls must be provided with equal opportunities of employment as boys which the can show their skills and talent and change the living standards of their families.

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