Girls in the Crosshairs

Last updated on: December 30, 2014 at 9:27 pm by Mark Shea

Girls in the Crosshairs 2014-12-30T21:27:44-07:00 Mark Shea

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Just as this story about gendercide comes flying over the transom and into my email, what should I also get but a letter from Ronan Mullen, a member of Ireland’s Seanad (Senate) whom I had the honor of meeting in Dublin in 2007:

Dear Mark,

I hope this finds you well. This is just a quick email to update you on two items I am dealing with at the moment – a Seanad private members’ motion on the problem of Gendercide, and Thursday’s referendum on Oireachtas Committees of Inquiry. I hope some of the material here is of interest.

Gendercide

Gendercide involves the killing of baby girls before and after birth simply on account of the lower social status of girl children. It is perhaps the most widespread human rights abuse in the world today; it’s a particular problem in China and India but occurs also in parts of Europe. In tomorrow’s motion (see text and press release below) I am calling on the Government to highlight the problem in international and diplomatic fora. I am delighted to have the support of Senators from different sides of the house – Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and Independent colleagues, for this proposal.

Unfortunately, the Fine Gael/Labour Government plans to oppose my motion and has tabled a rather weak amendment which mentions “infanticide” but omits reference to the killing of baby girls before birth, or to forced abortion. But these practices are also part of the human rights abuse known as Gendercide. If you see fit to contact the Government or Government Senators to express support for my motion, I would encourage you to do so. Thanks for any support you can give.

Referendum on Oireachtas Committee of Inquiry

I am encouraging a “No” vote in the referendum on Oireachtas Inquiries because I believe it is a very flawed proposal. I enclose a recent Irish Times article and also a press release setting out my position.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of assistance, it is best to ring my office directly on 01 618 3930 rather than reply by email.

Beir bua agus beannacht,

Rónán

Texts:

News Release on Gendercide debate in Seanad

Gendercide a direct attack upon human dignity causing massive social upheaval

Senator Rónán Mullen tables a Private Members’ Motion this Wednesday on gendercide – the practice of selective abortion, infanticide and fatal neglect of baby girls after birth. The motion notes that gendercide is one of the most horrific and widespread human rights abuses present in the world today and calls on the Government to bring diplomatic pressure to bear on states such as India and China that promote or tolerate the practice.

“Gendercide is motivated by economic and social factors leading to prejudice against baby girls,” Senator Mullen says. “It is by far and away the most widespread form of violent anti-female discrimination present in the world today. An estimated 160 million girls have been killed either before or after birth over the last three decades through gendercide, mainly in India and China but increasingly also in Europe.”

“Only two weeks ago the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a resolution and recommendation condemning the practice of sex-selective abortions. The Parliamentary Assembly warned of the social consequences of prenatal sex selection, namely population imbalances which lead to serious human rights violations such as forced prostitution, trafficking for the purposes of marriage or sexual exploitation, and massive social unrest.”

“Although the scale of the problem has been comprehensively documented at UN level, in US Congressional reports as well as by reputable publications such as The Economist, Time and Newsweek, our Government has to yet to make a clear statement against gendercide, either domestically or internationally,” Senator Mullen says.

“It’s time for our Government to make a clear statement that it does not in any way tolerate gendercide and that it is committed to raising this issue in international fora. The Government must also ensure that recipients of Irish foreign aid do not promote gendercide.”

Expressing the hope that the Government would depart from its usual practice of tabling amendments to private members motions in the Seanad, Senator Mullen said there was no reason for the Government to oppose his motion. “This is an issue that unites opinion from across the political spectrum,” Senator Mullen said, noting that the Council of Europe’s recent resolution was drafted by Swiss socialist MP, Ms. Doris Stump.

Private Members’ motion on Gendercide

That Seanad Éireann, noting that:
– Gendercide involves the selective abortion, infanticide and fatal neglect of baby girls after birth;
– Gendercide is one of the most horrific human rights abuses present in the world today and perhaps the most widespread form of violent anti-female discrimination;
– The scale of the problem has been comprehensively documented at UN level, in US Congressional reports as well as by reputable journalists in cover story articles in The Economist, Time and Newsweek among others; and that
– Opposition to gendercide unites people with significantly different perspectives on the issue of abortion generally;

Calls on the Government to:
– Bring diplomatic pressure to bear on the governments of various states, and in particular China and India, which either promote Gendercide or tolerate the problem within their borders;
– Raise the issue of gendercide at UN and EU level, with a view to proactively challenging states like China and India to abandon coercive population limitation policies, to repeal laws that reinforce bias against baby girls, and to take steps to counter the negative cultural attitudes towards women that underpin and motivate the bias against baby girls, leading to gendercide;
– Ensure that recipients of Irish foreign aid do not promote gendercide.

Government counter-motion/amendment

“That Seanad Éireann, condemning in the strongest terms female infanticide and all other violations of the rights of women and girls,
– commends the Government’s firm opposition to such practices and its efforts to combat all forms of gender-based violence;
– endorses the Government’s strong support for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through its Official Development Assistance Programme.”

Ireland, don’t drop that guy, because you won’t soon find another like him.

I hope some bright person soon brings the tools of gender discrimination language to bear on the disproportionate slaughter of girls. If it saves some lives, why not?

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