Imbalance in Child Sex Ratio: Trends, Causes and Emerging Issues.

Abstract

In many states of India, there are several evidences that indicate a widespread practice of using female birth intervention. As a result, an alarmingly lowest ever sex ratio in the age group 0-6 has been reported by the 2001 census. The most affected are the northwestern states; therefore, these states form the focus area of this study. Although, reasons for decline in the child sex ratio are many, but the most important is the presence of a strong son preference. There are, age old as well as modern factors for this preference. This study has given some suggestions for the improvement of the socio-economic and cultural fundamentals, which has always been detrimental to the interest of our female population.