The practice of female foeticide is more prevalent among relatively rich and educated families. This flies in the face of ideas about backward women being enslaved to old customs. But it is consistent with ‘modern’ women being more receptive to new technologies and wanting fewer children. These factors appear to override lower self-reported ‘son preference’ among women of higher socio-economic status.
There's more in Prof. Sonia Bhalotra's post -- Where have all the young girls gone? The rise in female foeticide in India -- at the Ideas for India blog.
Everything (and I mean everything) depends on which policy couples pick:
ReplyDelete1. one son, no matter how many attempts are needed.
2. two children, with at least one son, no matter how many attempts are needed.
If most couples use #1, female foeticide should be stopped. If most couples choose #2, it should be encouraged.
http://justnowfree.blogspot.com/
ReplyDelete