Get a fresh start. Andrew Jack. Report a mispronounced word. She had no hesitation about what to do next. After paying for an ultrasound to confirm the suspicion, she decided to have an abortion. It was not the first time β she had already undergone several surgical abortions in her desire to give birth to a son. She does not want to be photographed or identified by her real name for fear of social stigma and getting into trouble with the authorities.
The opportunities for women are very limited. Our community loves boys more. They continue the blood line. They keep the hearth burning. Her story reflects a widespread pattern in Armenia β a combination of entrenched traditions, the Soviet legacy and modern technology.
Efforts to stop sex-selective abortions are being aimed at the next generation of teenage girls, before they can become mothers themselves. An uneven gender balance has long been observed in parts of Asia, particularly China, India and South Korea.
In those countries it is usually a result of the higher cost of bringing up girls β expensive dowries must be found in order to marry them or else they remain dependent on the family. In recent years, however, demographers have been struck by the emergence of a similarly skewed pattern in the Caucasus and the Balkans. Early this decade in China, the figure reached boys for every girls.
Azerbaijan and Armenia followed closely behind. In the Gegharkunik region, where Gandzak is located, the number of boys peaked at above for a fourth child. As in other countries with a lower proportion of female births, Armenians believe sons will preserve the bloodline and the family name.
