Long-Term Financial Incentives and Investment in Daughters: Evidence from Conditional Cash Transfers in North India

Sinha, Nistha; Yoong, Joanne

doi:10.2139/ssrn.1354883

Cited by 21 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In many countries these trends are actively promoted by governments through laws, regulations, and policies that emphasize gender equality (Das Gupta et al 2004;Guilmoto 2012a). For example, several states in India have introduced financial incentives to discourage son preference among parents and encourage investment in daughters' education and health (Sinha and Yoong 2009).…”

Section: Factors That Reduce the Sex Ratio At Birthmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Implementation of Preferences for Male Offspring

Bongaarts

2013

Population & Development Rev

141

158

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Over the past quarter century the sex ratio at birth (SRB) has risen above natural levels in a number of countries, mostly in Asia. This rise has been made possible in populations with strong son preference by the increasing availability of safe, effective, and inexpensive technologies to determine the sex of a fetus and to end unwanted pregnancies. This article documents levels and trends in the sex ratio at birth, in preferences for male offspring (using information on desired number of girls and boys), and in the implementation of these preferences. DHS surveys from 61 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and for Indian states are the main source of data. A comparison of desired with actual SRBs finds large gaps in most populations, implying a substantial pent‐up demand for male offspring and the technology to implement this preference. Two types of actions to implement preferences are considered: the practice of contraception to stop childbearing after the desired number of sons has been born and the use of sex‐selective abortion to avoid female births. The second part of the article discusses factors that could influence the SRB, including the promotion of gender equality, and the implications of these factors for future trends.

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Section: Factors That Reduce the Sex Ratio At Birthmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Implementation of Preferences for Male Offspring

Bongaarts

2013

Population & Development Rev

141

158

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“…3 For descriptions of the media campaigns and regulations see Croll (2001), Das Naqvi (2006); for China's Care for Girls program see Li (2007); and for India's financial incentive program see «http: //wcdhry.gov.in/balika_samridhi_yojana. htm», and Sinha and Yoong (2009). 4 See endnote 2.…”

Section: Notesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for an Incipient Decline in Numbers of Missing Girls in China and India

Gupta

Chung

2009

Population & Development Rev

106

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The apparently inexorable rise in the proportion of "missing girls" in much of East and South Asia has attracted much attention among researchers and policymakers. An encouraging trend was suggested by the case of South Korea, where child sex ratios (males to females under age 5) were the highest in Asia but peaked in the mid-1990s and normalized thereafter. Using census data, we examine whether similar trends have begun to manifest themselves in the two most populous countries of this region, China and India. The data indicate that child sex ratios are peaking in these countries, and in many subnational regions are beginning to trend toward lower, more normal values. This suggests that, with continuing economic and social development and vigorous public policy efforts to reduce son preference, the "missing girls" phenomenon could eventually disappear in Asia. Copyright (c) 2009 The Population Council, Inc..

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“…Vaccination rates for girl children did not improve following the initiation of the program, and as a result, the program had a negligible effect on improving child sex ratios. Sinha and Yoong (2009) identify more successes of the program, but they also find that these successes were limited. They use pooled birth-history data from the NFHS, but from all three rounds (with three rounds of data they can evaluate outcomes for girls in the short and medium term), and a difference-in-difference approach that exploits variation in the eligibility criteria.…”

Section: Conditional Cash Transfers (Ccts)mentioning

confidence: 96%

Preventing More “Missing Girls”: A Review of Policies to Tackle Son Preference

Kumar

Sinha

2019

The World Bank Research Observer

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In parts of Asia, the South Caucasus, and the Balkans, son preference is strong enough to trigger significant levels of sex selection, resulting in the excess mortality of girls and skewing child sex ratios in favor of boys. Every year, an estimated 1.8 million girls go “missing” because of the widespread use of sex selective practices in these regions. The pervasive use of such practices is reflective of the striking inequities girls face immediately, and it also has possible negative implications for efforts to improve women's status in the long term. Recognizing this as a public policy concern, governments have employed direct measures such as banning the use of prenatal sex selection technology, and providing financial incentives to families that have girls. This study reviews cross-country experiences to take stock of the direct interventions used and finds no conclusive evidence that they are effective in reducing the higher mortality risk for girls. In fact, bans on the use of sex selection technology may inadvertently worsen the status of the very individuals they intend to protect, and financial incentives to families with girls offer only short-term benefits at most. Instead, what seems to work are policies that indirectly raise the value of daughters. The study also underscores the paucity of causal studies in this literature.

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Long-Term Financial Incentives and Investment in Daughters: Evidence from Conditional Cash Transfers in North India

Cited by 21 publications

References 14 publications

The Implementation of Preferences for Male Offspring

The Implementation of Preferences for Male Offspring

Evidence for an Incipient Decline in Numbers of Missing Girls in China and India

Preventing More “Missing Girls”: A Review of Policies to Tackle Son Preference

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