Footnote:
Nach Informationen von SSRN wurde die ursprüngliche Fassung des Dokuments July 13, 2007 erstellt
Description:
This paper tries to investigate the ultimate socio-economic determinants of the sex ratio at birth in the Indian case. A sex ratio at birth which is biased against female births can result in gender imbalance which in turn can have grave implications for society in the form of social unrest, demand driven increase in prostitution, kidnappings of women etc. Our study of the Indian case reveals that female literacy and share of rural population in total population affect sex ratio at birth, defined as the number of female births per 1000 male births, negatively whereas fertility rate affects it positively. This confirms suspicions voiced by other academicians that mere increase in female literacy might make women more effective agents of discrimination against female births. What is needed is targeted education which makes both men and women more accepting of female births. Poverty and religion were not found to be significant determinants of the sex ratio at birth