Female Infanticide Prevention Act 1870 passed in British India

Background. The Female Infanticide Prevention Act, 1870, was a legislative act passed in British India specifically to prevent the murder of female infants. The legislation was enacted under pressure from Christian missionaries and social reformers who sought an end to female infanticides in the Indian subcontinent.

Legislative Context. The act was designated as Act VIII of 1870. It was passed by British colonial authorities in response to advocacy by Christian missionaries and social reformers. These groups pressured the administration to address the practice of female infanticide in the Indian subcontinent.

Historical Location. The legislation was passed in British India, the jurisdiction whose colonial authorities enacted the measure. The supplied passages identify British India as the setting of the act's passage; no passage specifies the precise city or seat of the legislature where it was adopted.

Initial Application. The law's preamble stated that the murder of female infants is believed to be commonly committed in certain parts of British India, specifically Oudh, North-Western Provinces, and Punjab. The act initially applied to these regions.