Variations in attitudinal gender preferences for children across 50 less-developed countries

Abstract

While a number of studies have examined gender preferences for children by studying behavioral measures, such as skewed sex ratios, sex imbalance in infant mortality, and sibling size/order; attitudinal measures have been analyzed less systematically. Using 50 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2000 and 2008, this paper seeks to advance our understanding of gender preferences in developing countries by examining attitudinal measures cross-nationally. This study's findings show that, while balance preference is the most common type of preference in the vast majority of countries, countries/regions vary in the prevalence of son and daughter preferences. A preference for sons is not always found; and, indeed, a preference for daughters is shown to prevail in many societies.

Gender preferences among antenatal women: a cross-sectional study from coastal South India

“…Latin America and the Caribbean (with the exception of Bolivia) along with several Southeast Asian countries showed a predominant daughter preference. Son preference was more prevalent in Southern Asia, Western Asia, and Northern Africa 11 . Individual studies from Egypt, Nepal, and China have reported a strong preference for sons over daughters.…”

“…This review demonstrated that son preference was not predominant across countries and daughter preference was common in many countries. 11 Among the countries from South East Asia region a strong preference for sons has been observed in India, China and South Korea. 14 However, the situation regarding son preference in India is alarming, which is frequently associated with the neglect and death of millions of females through infanticide, sex selective abortions, improper nutrition, and lack of medical care 5 .…”

“…However in modern societies children are not considered a source of economic security but are valued for social and psychosocial reasons. The reviews from both developed and developing countries 8,11 have demonstrated a balanced gender preference where in the benefits of both gender can be utilized. There are instances when each partner prefers to have at least one child of his or her own gender for companionship.…”

Geographical variations in infant and child mortality in West Africa: a geo-additive discrete-time survival modelling

“…Gender preference causes discriminatory practices against children of less-desired sex. Because of the seeming bride price to be earned, female children are often most favoured and better nourished than their male counterparts, resulting in skewed social and health consequences for children (Fuse 2010;Klasen 1996). Mother's working status and household income level have also been examined and found to affect child survival in the developing world (Adebayo and Fahrmeir 2005;Kalipeni 1993) …”

Multivariate Analysis of Household Decision Making, Contraceptive Use and Fertility Behaviour among Ever-Married Men in Nigeria

“…Studies on fertility behaviour and contraceptive use have been found to be associated with men's socio-economic status-education and age at marriage (Martinez et al, 2011), marital status (Fuse, 2010), wealth status (Koj, 2000;Hinde and Mturi, 2000), region (Giusti and Vignoli,2006), type of family head, place of residence and religion (Uddin et al, 2011); gender roles (Kaufman 2000;Puur, Oláh et al 2008;Goldscheider et al, 2010), multi-partners (Carlson and Furstenberg 2006;Guzzo and Furstenberg, 2007), income (Guzzo and Furstenberg, 2007) and current number of living children (Lappegård and Rønsen, 2009;Kabagenyi et al, 2014;Kogay and Itua, 2017), among others. Yet, limited studies have delved into men's decision-making role in affecting contraceptive use, as a means of controlling fertility in Nigeria.…”