In a sea of pink flags at Holland Park, volunteers took the time to answer questions about imbalanced birth rates in Canada on International Day of the Girl.

Tabitha Ewert, the legal counsel for We Need a Law, said the goal of Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 (Oct. 11) event was to shine a spotlight on gender-based violence that happens around the world, 香蕉视频直播渁nd even here in Canada.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淪pecifically, we want to talk about sex-selection abortion which is pre-born women who are targeted just because they香蕉视频直播檙e women,香蕉视频直播� Ewert said.

She said this is the first time the group has done an all pink flag display, adding that the displays are usually pink and blue flags.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檒l either have 100,000 (flags) to represent the 100,000 abortions that happen every year in Canada or sometimes we香蕉视频直播檒l do 10,000 or a smaller one.香蕉视频直播�

Sex-selection abortion, she said, is not widely talked about.

香蕉视频直播淚 think when it does get talked about, it gets talked about as a problem in other countries 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 generally the way people talk about it. They don香蕉视频直播檛 realize it香蕉视频直播檚 happening here in Canada too.香蕉视频直播�

A news release from We Need a Law states that researchers 香蕉视频直播減oint to sex-selective abortion, which is allowed in Canada, as a contributor to this imbalance.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淣aturally, about 105 boys are born for every 100 girls,香蕉视频直播� according to the release.

In South Asian families with two girls and one or more reported abortions after that, 香蕉视频直播渢he ratio shifts up to 280 boys for every 100 girls,香蕉视频直播� the news release adds.

香蕉视频直播淚t was initially thought that sex-selective abortions in South Asian communities would decrease with the next generation. This most recent study, however, confirms that second-generation South Asian women, born in Canada, continue to show this preference for boys,香蕉视频直播� states the release, referencing a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Ewert said the focus is not on the community, but that sex-selection abortions are happening at all.

香蕉视频直播淐anada is a multicultural country. We value the fact that we have people from all over the world here, so if it affects one community, it affects everyone,香蕉视频直播� she said.

The release states that abortion 香蕉视频直播渄isproportionately targets baby girls.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎bortion is not about a woman香蕉视频直播檚 right to choose 香蕉视频直播� it is about taking away a child香蕉视频直播檚 right to live, and it makes a statement about the value, or lack thereof, that we place on women in Canada when we allow sex-selective abortion,香蕉视频直播� the release reads.

Tabitha Ewert, legal counsel for We Need A Law, explains why there are 50,000 pink flags at Holland Park today.

香蕉视频直播� Lauren Collins (@laurenpcollins1)

Ewert said it香蕉视频直播檚 important that sex-selection abortion doesn香蕉视频直播檛 continue to occur in Canada.

香蕉视频直播淲e understand that rights are really important and that should start even before birth.香蕉视频直播�

We Need a Law, Ewert said, 香蕉视频直播渁dvocates for fetal interest to be protected by Canadian law.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e having people sign a petition that calls on the government to condemn sex-selection abortion.香蕉视频直播�

We Need a Law, according to its website, was launched in 2012.

Its three main initiatives are: Protect a Woman香蕉视频直播檚 Right to Have Her Child, Defend Girls and End Late-Term Abortion.

Thursday香蕉视频直播檚 event was part of the Defend Girls initiative.

For more information, visit .

lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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