General Electric sells ultrasound machines in India and China that are sometimes misused to determine fetal sex and illegally terminate pregnancies of unwanted girls due to cultural preferences for boys. This has contributed to skewed sex ratios in both countries. While GE has taken some steps like training and warning stickers, more can be done. The document suggests GE work with NGOs and promote industry standards to help address the root causes of sex-selective practices and support initiatives promoting gender equality.
4. Overview of General Electric Company
GE is a services, technology and manufacturing company
operating in more than 100 countries and employs 313,000
people worldwide
The company traces its beginnings to Thomas A. Edison, who
established Edison Electric Light Company in 1878
In 1892, a merger of Edison General Electric Company and
Thomson-Houston Electric Company created General Electric
Company
Headquarter located in United States
Revenue: 147.359 billion (2012)
Employees: 305,000 (2012)
7. Healthcare facilities in India
70% of the country population lived in rural areas of India, only 20%
of hospitals are in rural communities and only 24% of towns in rural
areas have a healthcare facility
8.
9. Ultrasound Machine ?
Creating images that allow various
organs in the body to be examined
The machine sends out high-
frequency sound waves, which reflect
off body structures
A computer receives these reflected
waves and uses them to create a
picture.
10. The Uses Of Ultrasound
Detection of fetal
defects or
complications
during child birth
Evaluation of
blood flow in
blood vessels
Detecting kidney
stones and
prostate cancer
early
Identifying
abnormal
structures in the
heartGender
Determina
tion
12. The Decline In Sex Ratio
"Ultrasound is the main reason why the sex
ratio is coming down," says Kalpana Bhavre
Only China today has a wider gender gap, with 832 girls born for every 1,000 boys
among infants aged 0 to 4 years, according to UNICEF. GE sells about three times
as many ultrasound machines in China as in India
26. • 361 ultrasound scan centres were issued notices for non-compliance with
the PNDT Act.
• Licences of 91 centres were cancelled.
• 422 different cases against doctors accused of using ultrasounds for sex
selection.
27. In China
CULTURE (Confucianism)
Boys are better
Confucius
Daughters are like water that splashes out
of the family and cannot be gotten back
after marriage
(Chinese expression)
33. Why GE have to act?
Corporate Social Responsibility
34. GE’s action
• Refused to sell ultrasound technology to
family planning clinics, or to sell products
below a certain price.
• Advised customer through warning stickers
and advertisements.
• Trained sales and marketing personnel.
In China
35. GE’s action
Care for Girls campaign billboards
In China
One child policy will be loosened
