Imagine carrying a pregnancy with anticipation, enduring the emotional and physical transformations that come with it. But when the ultrasound reveals the fetus is female, fear sets in.

In many South Asian countries, that fear is followed by a voluntary and forced abortion, not because of health complications, but because of gender.

This harsh reality, well documented both anecdotally and in data, reflects one of the most chilling forms of gender-based violence: sex-selective abortion.