Since 1980, 37 million baby girls have been lost in China.
This is just one of many shocking statistics junior religion classes learned yesterday at Cathedral High School. Representatives from the 18 month old non-profit All Girls Allowed visited Philip Dujardin’s religion classes yesterday to speak about their mission to educate students in the United States about this pressing human right’s issue.
Founded by Chai Ling, a former student leader in the 1989 Tiananmen Square movement, All Girls Allowed seeks to expose the truth about Chinese “Gendercide,” rescue girls and women from abandonment and abuse, and celebrate life. The organization focuses on China’s One Child Law, implemented in 1980. Due to the government’s restriction on family size, and the historical cultural preference for males, All Girls Allowed argues that many families have chosen abortion, infanticide, and abandonment for their baby girls.
Vicky Banks and Katie Woods of All Girls Allowed presented census statistics to support this claim and the statistic stated above. Presently, there are 37 million more men under the age of 20 in China than women. Put another way, the ratio of boys to girls is an average of about 6:5 nationwide. Along with these startling statistics, Banks and Woods presented the organizations plans for action. Their first step is to educate people, which was the reason for their visit.
The organization also provides money and safety support for women in China who choose to keep baby daughters. They provide scholarships for female orphans for primary school through college. Finally, the organization facilitates reunions with families of girls who have been kidnapped. All Girls Allowed accomplishes their mission through fundraising and prayer.
Prior to the visit Mr. Dujardin provided his classes with background reading on the One Child Law. Students asked some great questions. This presentation ties into discussions the classes have been having about social justice issues.
