Regardless of authorities efforts to advertise gender equality in household planning, sterilisation information reveals that ladies overwhelmingly bear the burden of everlasting contraception in Maharashtra.
From 2021-22 to January 2025, a complete of 6,18,077 sterilisation procedures have been carried out, of which solely 22,169 have been male vasectomies, whereas 5,95,908 have been feminine tubal ligations. Because of this for each one man choosing sterilisation, 27 girls bear the process, exposing a obvious gender disparity in reproductive duty.
Sterilisation information from Maharashtra over 4 years exhibits a stark gender hole. In 2021-22, solely 4,638 males underwent sterilisation, whereas 1,57,300 girls did — the equal of 1 man for each 34 girls. The pattern continued in 2022-23, with 6,548 males sterilised in comparison with 1,57,043 girls — one man for each 24 girls. In 2023-24, male participation dropped additional, with 6,276 males choosing vasectomy versus 1,56,478 girls — one man for each 25 girls. The hole widened in 2024-25 (till January 2025), the place solely 4,707 males have been sterilised towards 1,25,087 girls — that means lower than one in 100 sterilisations concerned males.
“There’s an everlasting fable that vasectomy impacts a person’s energy or virility, whereas girls are anticipated to take duty for contraception,” mentioned Dr Nikhil Datar, a city-based gynecologist.
The downward pattern in male sterilisation is alarming. In 2022-23, solely 2.6% of all sterilisations have been male, and this determine stagnated in 2023-24. By 2024-25, male sterilisation had dropped sharply to simply 0.08%, revealing a continued reluctance amongst males. “This can be a obvious instance of gender inequity in reproductive well being,” mentioned public well being researcher Dr Anjali Deshmukh. “Regardless of consciousness campaigns and incentives, the uptake stays negligible. Stronger insurance policies are wanted to advertise shared duty.”
© The Indian Specific Pvt Ltd
