The stunning decline of the preference for having boys
People prefer girls for all sorts of reasons. Some think they will be easier to bring up, or cherish what they see as feminine traits. PHOTO: ST FILE
Without fanfare, something remarkable has happened. The noxious practice of aborting girls simply for being girls has become dramatically less common. It first became widespread in the late 1980s, as cheap ultrasound machines made it easy to determine the sex of a foetus. Parents who were desperate for a boy but did not want a large family – or, in China, were not allowed one – started routinely terminating females.
Globally, among babies born in 2000, a staggering 1.6 million girls were missing from the number you would expect, given the natural sex ratio at birth. In 2025, that number is likely to be 200,000 – and it is still falling.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Overfishing threatens a third of global fish stocks, FAO says
Shrinking fish stocks destabilise marine ecosystems, while challenging people's ability to nourish themselves and earn a living, especially in coastal communities. PHOTO: AFP More than a third of global fish stocks are being depleted at a pace that is driving down populations, marking a trend that has been getting worse in recent years, according to a study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The Rome-based United Nations agency found that 35.5 per cent of marine stocks are subject to overfishing, based on the most recent catch data, which uses an improved methodology to assess stocks in 2021. The findings, unveiled on June 11 at the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, make clear that continuing current levels of fishing would have dire consequences, FAO said. 'The proportion of overfished stocks continues to increase at a rate of approximately 1 per cent per year in recent times, which is a significant concern,' the study's authors wrote. 'This underscores the urgent need to strengthen effective management across all fisheries.' The 500-page document, described as the 'most comprehensive, evidence-based, and community-built assessment' of the status of global fish stocks, spotlights unsustainable human activity at sea, with species such as sharks and rays at risk. The oceans conference, which ends on June 13 , also addresses how rising sea levels further threaten biodiversity. Shrinking fish stocks destabilise marine ecosystems, while challenging people's ability to nourish themselves and earn a living, especially in coastal communities. A 2022 FAO report found that 600 million people rely – at least partially – on fisheries and aquaculture, for their livelihoods. Improved marine management systems and data are helping to make fishing more sustainable in some places. Areas with strong systems, such as the North-east Pacific and the South-west Pacific, had sustainability rates of 92.7 per cent and 85.5 per cent, respectively, FAO found. In contrast, only 35.1 per cent of fishing done in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea can be considered sustainable, according to the report. Funding is also key to replenishing stocks, the authors wrote. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 of 'conserving and sustainably using the oceans, sea and marine resources' is one of the least-funded. Under its fourth target, overfishing should have stopped five years ago, according to the UN. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
AsiaOne
6 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Students must be more critical, discerning: Experts weigh in on online peer-tutoring channels, Singapore News
To encourage themselves and their peers to hit the books, some Singaporean students have taken to platforms such as Telegram to offer guidance and support. Mohammed Danie Dahlan is one such student. The 18-year-old started a Telegram channel named socialstudieslovers in October 2023 after completing his GCE N-levels, where he shares Social Studies notes and exam strategies. A check by AsiaOne on Wednesday (June 10) showed that the channel has about 1,620 subscribers. While such online platforms can be an effective means to reinforce learning, experts say that students must continue to practice critical thinking and discernment while utilising them. Dr Lee Ai Noi, senior lecturer at the National Institute of Education's (NIE) Psychology and Child & Human Development department, told AsiaOne that peer tutoring can be highly effective when thoughtfully organised. She added that online peer tutoring initiatives, such as student-led groups on platforms like Telegram, offer convenience and immediacy, allowing students to share notes, clarify doubts, and support each other in real time. However, in the absence of teacher supervision or formal quality checks, the reliability and depth of shared content can vary significantly. Pointing out that students at the Primary and Secondary level might not have the ability to assess whether the information they receive is accurate or appropriate, Dr Lee said: "Informal online peer tutoring is most effective when supported by some level of oversight, structure, or moderation. "These elements can help safeguard learning quality and ensure a positive, balanced experience for all participants." Such platforms a 'natural response' Associate Professor Gregory Arief D Liem, a lecturer in the same department, echoed similar views to Dr Lee. "These (services) call for students to be more critical, more discerning and take personal responsibility in terms of to what extent they should engage," he told AsiaOne. He also stated that such online communities and platforms are "a natural response" given the importance placed on academic performance in Singapore and the digital era we are in. "It is understandable that this phenomenon is arising because of the strong motivation for Singaporean students to do well in their studies," he said. Dr Rebecca Chan, also from NIE's Psychology and Child & Human Development department, described the sustainability of such peer tutoring initiatives as a "two-way street". Speaking to AsiaOne, she said: "Teaching is only sustainable when the 'teacher' keeps learning and remains curious about the subject matter to stay current and relevant. "It is a two-way street where student peers raise questions that challenge the tutor... who is motivated and curious enough to delve deeper into areas that initially baffled them in search of answers." "Even if it is not sustainable, it is still a cause for celebration — our youth have initiated and learnt to harness social media for learning and teaching." Managing such channels not easy: Students Speaking to AsiaOne, Danie said that managing his channel is hard work as he has to ensure that it remains active, answer students' questions in a timely manner and ensure that the content he puts out is on-par with the syllabus taught in schools. Despite this, the first-year Polytechnic student said he enjoys juggling multiple responsibilities and thrives in fast-paced environments. To keep himself on task, Danie sets goals such as posting minimally once a week to remind students to revise certain topics or improve their understanding of the subject as a whole. He also began offering tutoring services over Zoom between August and October last year, charging $5 per hour. He has coached around 20 students taking their O and N-level examinations to date. Raina Nafisa, 17, started The Muggers in July last year before her O-level English Oral examination. The channel consolidates study tips, notes, and helpful resources across subjects from various sources in Singapore. Speaking to AsiaOne, the student said that she would manage most matters pertaining to the channel with the help of a few friends. But after a few months of doing so, Raina felt she is dedicating too much time to the initiative. She then decided to hand over the reins of the channel to her friend, Kara Wee, who was already helping to facilitate Zoom sessions, shortly after their O-levels. "I feel that she is more proficient than I was; from finding resources to talking with just managing her time in general," Raina said. Wee, a Year 5 student at St Joseph's Institution, told AsiaOne: "While hosting all the zoom lectures, I developed a profound sense of accomplishment knowing that I was able to help so many of my peers with their academics." She added that many students have even approached and thanked her personally since she took ownership of The Muggers. When asked if the two have any future plans for the channel, they mentioned discussions about turning it into a tuition centre. Otherwise, it will continue to be a network of resources for future students to use, they added. [[nid:718488]]
Straits Times
16 hours ago
- Straits Times
Spain gradually restoring power after outage on Canaries' La Palma
MADRID - Spain's grid operator, Redeia, said on Tuesday it was gradually restoring power on La Palma after the Canary island suffered a blackout. The power cut on the archipelago's third-smallest island was caused by the failure of a generator at the Los Guinchos power plant in eastern La Palma, the regional government said in a statement, citing utility company Endesa. The outage follows a mass blackout across most of Spain and Portugal on April 28 that caused gridlock across cities and left thousands of people stranded on trains or stuck in elevators. The Canary blackout occurred at 5:30 p.m. (1630 GMT), RTVE reported. Redeia said it had reestablished 6.2 megawatts on La Palma by 7:10 p.m. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
