Charlie - posted on 09/04/2009 ( 19 moms have responded )
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30 years ago when China made it illegal to have more than one child , these rules are swayed for the rich and those who have a girl as afirst child can often be granted a second if it is to be a boy , no one predicted that it would lead to 40 million men facing the prospect of permanent bachelorhood .But a severe shortage of women in rural area's -mostly brought about by a couples desire to have a boy to help work the land , is just one of the by products of China's decision to reduce the countries population .
Statistically boys outnumber girls 3:2
In remote part's of China , so called " abortion squad's " forcibly terminate pregnancies of women who already have a child , strapping them to hospital bed's and injecting them with unknown chemicals to induce birth .
On a rare disclosure on July 30 , China's media reported 13 million abortions were carried out in 2008 .
The female shortage has also seen a revival of kidnapping women to serve as brides .
Thousands of families whose little girls have been snatched off the streets .
Police pay little attention .
Between 2000 and 3000 children and young women are kidnapped each year .
Parents wander the streets pinning photo's of their child to poles with rewards of up to 12000 dollars only to have it torn down by police , it is not only largely ignored buy their own police and media but also the world's media .
Where images of little Madeline McCann , thought to have been kidnapped in portugal have been splashed around the world with large sums of money up for offer , over 2 1/2 years , these daughters of china are forgotten by all but their parents in days .
Another side effect is " little emperor syndrome " .
With only one ( usually a son ) child in the family and double incomes there is a whole generation of children over indulged and cosseted by parents , a whole industry now caters to these children from ballet , art and salsa lessons to extra curricular maths, english and science classes .
These children will never have siblings and fewer chances at marriage , they are burdened with a far higher expectation than their parents ever faced , parents spend up to $1000 a month on extra classes alone .
China claims the policy has resulted in 400 million fewer births since 1979 yet the country is still home to 1.3 billion people ( 20 % of the worlds total ).
I am guessing majority would be shocked by this but is the decision to cut down the population a wise move in a rapidly growing country as unfair as it is to the families and children affected ?, is it giving our environment what little left of breathing space back if only for a brief moment ?
or should China be allowed the same rights as the rest of the world and give birth to as many children as they like ?
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