One Child Nation

Last night I watched this documentary which is on Prime.

The documentary is based on the travels by Chinese lady, now living in the US, who goes back to China after delivering her first child to visit her parents.

When she was born in China, the one child policy was firmly in place. She explores the reasons behind the policy, the way the policy was implemented and all the propaganda that went with it. She looks at the impact on families and women and mothers in particular. During that period, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of babies were abandoned on the streets, thrown into rivers or aborted. It is heartbreaking to hear a man talk about a baby that was born and abandoned on the street for 2 days before it died. He talks about how it bitten by mosquitoes and had bite marks all over.

It was also interesting to hear the reactions to the policy of the people who lived through that period. In particular that of a family planning doctor who says she must have aborted at least 50,000 babies. Most were alive when born. The mothers would be dragged there by village officials and she would perform the abortions.

It also notes the rise of forced kidnappings during this time. These babies were handled to state run orphanages who put them up for international adoption with lots of false paperwork. Lots of money made by everyone involved in this process except for the families of the abducted babies.

A simple documentary but thought provoking.