Open Access
The missing link between parents' preferences and daughters' survival : the moderator effect of societal discrimination
(Elsevier, 2016-02-01) Echavarri, Rebeca; Husillos Carques, Francisco Javier; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Economía; Ekonomia; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
The premature mortality of female children is an alarming demographic outcome in many countries of the world. The most popular explanation for this phenomenon is the prevalence of son preference. However, empirical findings indicate that the assumption of a positive relationship between wanted daughters and female children¿s survival is not found in every scenario, and it does not have a clear explanation in the literature. To fill this gap, we present a simple model that provides insights into how the positive marginal effect of wanted daughters on their survival might decrease with higher societal discrimination against young females. The model draws on the emerging literature that examines the erosion of cognitive and noncognitive skills that results from poverty and discrimination. Our theoretical findings are tested for the case of India, using the third round of the National Family Health Survey, with Zero-Inflated Poisson models. Our estimates provide support for the interaction of parents¿ preferences and societal discrimination against female children. In particular, we show that the statistical significance of the marginal effect of wanted daughters on their survival disappears in contexts of high societal discrimination against female children. Our study contributes to the literature by questioning the commonly held assumption of additive separability between the effect of family and societal characteristics. One central implication is that the alleviation of poverty alone might fail to automatically reduce sex-based discriminatory practices, and that multidimensional interventions are required that target the individual and society
Open Access
Gender bias in sex ratio at birth: the case of India
(2006) Echavarri, Rebeca; Economía; Ekonomia
A deeply-rooted preference for sons may decrease the relative number of female births. Though there are variables that may help to erode the couple's preference for sons, these same variables may also increase the availability of means to ensure male births. This is the case of educational achievements. It is not difficult to assume, for example, that a higher level of education helps to erode the couple's preference for sons. However, the effect of an increase in education on female disadvantage at birth is not so straightforward. More education may increase the couple's awareness of the possibility of using prenatal sex detection. We discuss the issue throughout the paper by developing an empirical framework for the case of India.

Echavarri, Rebeca

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