Mortality, Fertility, and Gender Bias in India: A District-Level Analysis

Abstract

The findings in this study are broadly consistent with findings of Kishor on the link between economic and cultural worth and female child survival. It is reported that prior literature is unclear about the precise mechanisms underlying the relationship between gender bias in survival and particular economic and social variables. This analysis which aims to clarify the nature of the relationship is based on a sample of 296 districts in India in 1981. The poverty variable had similar effects regardless of whether 1971-72 or 1987-88 data was used and was viewed as crucial in the analysis. Labor force (proportion of female main workers) is treated as an exogenous variable. Female literacy had a negative and statistically significant effect on child mortality for both genders but the effect on female mortality was larger. Male literacy had a significant effect on the extent of gender bias in child survival. North versus South regional differences in impact of literacy were not apparent. Higher female labor force participation statistically significantly reduced the extent of gender bias in child survival. The relationship with absolute levels of child mortality is viewed as complex and dependent upon the inclusion of controls for level of poverty. Urbanization and medical facilities had a negative statistically significant effect on child mortality. Higher levels of poverty were associated with higher levels of child mortality and lower levels of female disadvantage. The southern region was found even after controlling for other variables to have lower levels of child mortality particularly for girls. The link between higher fertility and higher female mortality was statistically significant. Female literacy and medical facilities jointly were found to reduce child mortality. Child mortality was higher in districts with a lower juvenile sex ratio. Findings lend support to the view that gender bias is not reduced by higher economic development is not nonlinear and is still evident. Higher levels of male literacy and urbanization lower levels of poverty and improved medical access were all associated with larger female disadvantage.