Sexual discrimination in developing countries
Gender-bias in developing countries
Active sexual prejudice in undeveloped countries
In male-dominated societies typical of many developing countries, discrimination against females is characterized by: a mortality rate for female infants which is generally higher than that for females; a literacy level that is lower for girls and women; lower female life expectancy; a health and nutritional status which is worse than that for males; a death rate which is higher partly due to very high maternal mortality rates; an adverse population sex ratio; lower food intake by females; lower access to health care; lower employment opportunities and income levels; genital mutilation. In many ways, both subtle and direct, girls are taught that they are less valuable than boys. As a result, women accept abuse and deprivation as a matter of course.
Dudhapiti, the coating of a mother's nipple with opium, was a centuries-old process by which Indian families disposed of their baby girls. Such an offering was believed to evoke the blessing of a goddess, who would in turn deliver a baby boy. Although this form of female infanticide has been banned in India for over a century, abortions of female foetuses are now used as a controlling device.