India and China Shift Valuing Daughters, Cutting Gender Imbalance

The birth of a girl in India and China has historically been viewed with concern, often leading to gender imbalance due to a strong preference for sons. However, recent years have shown a significant shift, with a growing appreciation for daughters.

The Historical Preference for Sons

For many years, both India and China exhibited a strong preference for male offspring. In the early 2000s, for every 100 girls born in India, 110 boys were born, and in China, this figure was as high as 120 boys. This disparity was driven by several factors:

• Economic Contributions: Sons were traditionally seen as future providers who would bring money home and support their parents in old age. Daughters, on the other hand, were expected to marry into another family and contribute to their in-laws' household.
• Dowry System: In India, the dowry system placed a significant financial burden on the bride's family, making daughters an economic liability. Dowries could include cows, jewelry, money, or even cars.
• Family Lineage: Sons were considered essential for carrying on the family name and lineage.
• Social Status: Families with more sons often held higher social standing.

Sivapati Devi, a 61-year-old grandmother in India, recalls a time when the birth of a daughter was met with disappointment, while a son was seen as a blessing. She herself was one of six daughters with only one brother, a situation considered "cursed" at the time due to the multiple dowries required.

Consequences of Gender Preference

The preference for sons led to severe consequences:

• Infanticide: In the 1970s and 80s, many girls were killed shortly after birth. While infanticide has declined, it still occurs. A tragic example is "Pari," a baby girl found buried alive in India, who later died from her injuries.
• Female Feticide: From the 1990s onwards, with the advent of ultrasound technology, selective abortion of female fetuses became prevalent. This allowed parents to determine the sex of their child and abort if it was a girl, leading to a significant increase in female feticide compared to infanticide.
• "Missing Females": The cumulative effect of these practices resulted in a disproportionately higher number of men than women. In some Indian districts, there were fewer than 800 girls for every 1,000 boys. In China, a 2020 UN estimate reported around 70 million "missing females."
• Sale of Girls: In some regions of China, particularly in rural areas, baby girls were sold at birth. Hu Jinxiang, for example, was sold for 90 yuan and raised as a servant, enduring daily beatings.
• One-Child Policy (China): Introduced in 1979, this policy exacerbated the preference for sons, as families felt immense pressure to ensure their single child was male, leading to a further increase in selective abortions.
• Social Imbalance: The severe gender imbalance has created a "marriage squeeze" for men, especially those with lower incomes. Niu Guancheng, a 30-year-old mechanic in China, struggles to find a wife due to the scarcity of women and his modest income.

Efforts Towards Change

Both India and China have implemented measures and seen shifts in attitudes to address the gender imbalance:

In India:

• Legal Action: In 1994, the Indian government made it illegal to determine the sex of an unborn child. Police conducted sting operations, often with the help of aid organizations like Jyoti Choudhary's, to catch doctors illegally performing sex determination tests.
• Baby Hatches: To prevent abandonment and infanticide, baby hatches have been installed in several Indian states. These allow parents to anonymously leave unwanted infants, who are then cared for by the state.
• "Selfie With Daughter" Campaign: Sunil Jaglan, inspired by his own daughters, launched the #SelfieWithDaughter campaign in 2015. This initiative encouraged fathers to post selfies with their daughters on social media, promoting the value of girls. The campaign gained national and international traction after being praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Girls' Councils: In conservative states like Haryana, initiatives like girls' councils empower young girls (aged 11-17) to advocate for social change, fight inequality, and celebrate the birth of girls in their villages.
• Changing Attitudes: These efforts, combined with media coverage, have contributed to a significant increase in the birth and survival rates of girls, narrowing the ratio of newborn girls to boys.

In China:

• End of One-Child Policy: The one-child policy ended in 2015, allowing families to have more children and reducing the pressure to have a son.
• Rapid Development and Changing Attitudes: China's rapid economic development and evolving societal norms have led to a shift in perspective. Grandparents like Zhang Shunli, who once believed a family needed a boy, now observe that girls are often more independent and less of a financial burden. A popular joke now states that "girls are like savings accounts, while boys tend to bring more debt."
• Balanced Birth Rates: While more boys than girls are still born, the birth rates are becoming almost balanced again.
• Increased Value of Daughters: Families like Youhuan and Youle's in Shanghai exemplify the new appreciation for daughters, providing them with opportunities for education and personal development.

A Future with Daughters

The stories of Laxmi in India and Youhuan and Youle in China represent a positive shift. Laxmi's family celebrates her birth with joy, envisioning a future where she can pursue any career she chooses. In China, families are increasingly recognizing the value and independence of daughters.

Both India and China, with their massive populations, are realizing that a balanced society and a prosperous future depend on valuing and empowering women. The ongoing efforts and changing attitudes suggest a future where the birth of a girl is universally celebrated.