are still preoccupied with trying to reduce fertility rate especially among poor and in rural areas while the problem of infertility is alarming in urban areas domestic violence attracts lot of funding for research but remains a lip service often in high pitch we have failed to address the social violence perpetuated by the fixed mindset of those who have continued to enjoy the social benefits and disrupt gender norms of natural fabric in human life in the midst of the need to start from the girl child itself there is a paradox we have come across here in bihar both sexselective abortion and pregnancy through in vitro fertilization ivf are increasing steadily the former is subtle due to the preconception and prenatal diagnostic techniques act 1994 but the latter is blatant as is evident from mushrooming ivf clinics across the province let us think through some of these issues for a bit at least as well is the tireless domestic labour of women counted what about emotional labour in which they are continuously invested yes several concerned men are involved as well they should be it is in consonance and in complementation that we need to grow as individuals and as communitiesthe authors are associate professors in the department of humanities and social sciences at the indian institute of technology patna