WATERING THE NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN: THE GROWING - CICRED

THE GEOGRAPHY OF DETERIORATING CHILD SEX RATIO…
that has occurred and there is a need for local explanations of the
increase in sex ratio rather than wide-ranging explanations (such as
economic, social and demographic change).
Figure 5 Change in child sex ratio (0-4 years) in 1990-2000, East China, computed
from census county data
The influence of fertility decline or of rapid economic development
on discriminatory behaviour should probably be understood
within local contexts: this means that responses to new social and
economic opportunities are mediated by local factors such as cultural
value systems or bureaucratic institutions. As the observed increase
tends to be clustered around pockets, the analysis further suggests the
specific role that might be attributed to propagation mechanisms in
regional change. Firstly, discriminatory practices tend to gradually
spread across all social groups irrespective of community or class
within given localities. But secondly, the influence of core areas -where
girl discrimination is widely practised and socially acceptable- makes
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