China’s One Child Policy: A Violation of Human Rights and Social Consequence

Abstract

Nowdays the biggest social threats that are being faced by the world are increasing population and global warming (environment). China, being the largest country regarding population in the world and contributing about 22 per cent to the total world population is also facing the both threats. In order to control China‘s government in early 1950s took concrete steps and introduced population planning throughout the country. In early 1970 “late-long and few” policy of population controlling was initiated and no doubt the policy remained very much successful. Despite its success of this policy the government reviewed and introduced “one child policy” in late 1970s. Later policy of population is not uniform and optional but it varies from region to region, from ethnic group to group and from urban to rural areas. In the context of human rights and dignity the policy violates the basic human rights which are entitled in Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international charters. Of course, China has succeeded to control its increasing population, but simultaneously Chinese society has fallen in many social problems which is result of the forceful imposition of one child policy. The paper attempts to highlight the social consequences of one child policy such as imbalanced sex ratio, increasing number of old aged, selective abortion, infant abandonment and adoption, trafficking in women, female suicide, diffusion of HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).