The Causes and Effects of Gender Imbalance in Asia
The Causes and Effects of Gender Imbalance in Asia
By Tom Farrer Throughout this paper I will focus on the phenomenon of the gender imbalance in Asia. I will begin by assessing the current situation and researching the various causes which have led to it. I shall then analyse the possible consequences to follow and conclude with an outlook to the future.
According to the United Nations the recommended sex ratio at birth (SRB) for a country is 107, meaning that for every 100 females born, 107 males are born . The average SRB for industrialised countries lies between 104 and 106 , therefore looking at the figures for many Asian countries, we can see that something is clearly wrong. With many countries where the SRB is well above average, the most affected are: China, with an average of 120 boys for every 100 girls born; Taiwan, with 119 boys to 100 girls; Singapore, 118 boys to 100 girls; South Korea, 112 boys to 100 girls; and parts of India with 120 boys to 100 girls. Even as early as 1990, Nobel Prize Laureate, Amartya Sen, recognised that Asia had over 100 million “missing women” . The purpose of this paper is to find out what has caused such an imbalance and what consequence it will have in the future. As they are two of the most affected countries, I shall focus primarily on China and India when answering these questions.
These, as well as many other Asian nations, have a particular cultural aspect in common, which is relevant to this phenomenon: son preference. The reasons for this preference are primarily two-fold. Firstly, in China in particular, a son is seen as a legacy, important and valued for carrying on the family name. Secondly, in many Asian nations, where the social security system is either limited or non-existent, he is also a support for parents in their old age. The daughter, on the other hand, is often seen as a financial burden, which needs to be fed but which will then most often marry into her husband’s family and therefore be of no
By Tom Farrer Throughout this paper I will focus on the phenomenon of the gender imbalance in Asia. I will begin by assessing the current situation and researching the various causes which have led to it. I shall then analyse the possible consequences to follow and conclude with an outlook to the future.
According to the United Nations the recommended sex ratio at birth (SRB) for a country is 107, meaning that for every 100 females born, 107 males are born . The average SRB for industrialised countries lies between 104 and 106 , therefore looking at the figures for many Asian countries, we can see that something is clearly wrong. With many countries where the SRB is well above average, the most affected are: China, with an average of 120 boys for every 100 girls born; Taiwan, with 119 boys to 100 girls; Singapore, 118 boys to 100 girls; South Korea, 112 boys to 100 girls; and parts of India with 120 boys to 100 girls. Even as early as 1990, Nobel Prize Laureate, Amartya Sen, recognised that Asia had over 100 million “missing women” . The purpose of this paper is to find out what has caused such an imbalance and what consequence it will have in the future. As they are two of the most affected countries, I shall focus primarily on China and India when answering these questions.
These, as well as many other Asian nations, have a particular cultural aspect in common, which is relevant to this phenomenon: son preference. The reasons for this preference are primarily two-fold. Firstly, in China in particular, a son is seen as a legacy, important and valued for carrying on the family name. Secondly, in many Asian nations, where the social security system is either limited or non-existent, he is also a support for parents in their old age. The daughter, on the other hand, is often seen as a financial burden, which needs to be fed but which will then most often marry into her husband’s family and therefore be of no
Bibliography: UN Population Division,World Population Prospects (2006) United Nations Statistics Division (2007) No Author. Inventor of the Week Archive, (Lemelson-Mit Program: 2000) No Author Baculinao, Eric. China Grapples With Legacy of its “Missing Girls”, (NBC News: 2004) Bin, Sun Gracie, Carrie. Chinese Men Face Life As Bachelors, (BBC: 1999) Guilmoto, Christophe Guilmoto, Christophe. Sex Ratio Imbalance in Asia: Trends, Consequences and Policy Responses (UNFPA: 2007) Hudson, Valerie et al Hutton Will. Shortage of Women Leaves Surplus of Disaffected Men(New ZealandHerald: 2007) Lagon, Mark Li, Shuzhuo. Imbalanced Sex Ratio at Birth and Comprehensive Intervention in China, (UNFPA: 2007) Sen, Amartya Walker, Martin. The Geopolitics of Sexual Frustration (Foreign Policy: 2006)