China promises to correct gender imbalance

In an effort to create better gender balance within their country, China is once again promising to crack down on sex-selective abortions, according to the Washington Post.

Seven years ago, when the gender ratio was 100 girls to every 117 boys born, China's National Population and Family Planning Commission announced it would ban the practice of illegal sex-determination abortions. Yet, seven years later, the gender gap has only widened from 100 girls to every 119 boys born.

The gap was found to be as high as 100 girls to every 130 boys in some areas in China.

The normal gender disparity, authorities say, should be at 100 girls to every 103 to 107 boys, according to Discovery News. The gap caused by sex-selective abortions is expected to leave more than 24 million Chinese men without spouses in 2020.

"Sex-selective abortion is one of the largest, least-noticed disasters in the world," the Economist declared.

Although the new plan to reduce sex-selective abortions does not outline specifics, it is set for development through the year 2020. So far the plan does say it will "increase efforts against the non-medical use of ultrasound tests and abortion of fetuses based on gender," according to the Chronicle Herald.

EMAIL: awhatcott@desnews.com