WATERING THE NEIGHBOUR'S GARDEN: THE GROWING - CICRED

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3. Interventions to balance sex ratio at birth
ZHENG Z.
Gender inequality in social and economic activities is currently the
main cause of son preference in childbearing, with imbalanced SRB as
a consequence. But gender inequality also hampers the development of
girls and women, and such inequality will make both the whole society
and each individual pay for this. Gender inequality would result in
resource distribution inequity and increase poverty by a lack of
security, opportunity, and rights. A study in lesser developed parts of
rural China found that advocacy to improve gender equity and women
empowerment favours poverty alleviation for the whole of society.
The most popular method for foetus sex identification is the use
of an ultrasonic device. Such a device is widely available in public and
private clinics in every county in China, and both urban and rural
couples can easily afford it. For example, some media reported that the
cost for foetus sex identification is only 50 yuan (around 6 US$) in
Guangdong rural areas. According to the family planning technical
service protocol in China, only hospitals or family planning service
stations at the county level, or higher, are certified for last trimester
pregnancy termination and this for medical reasons. However, the
implementation of the protocol and the management of pregnancy
termination for non-medical reasons are relatively poor in some areas,
which make sex-selective abortions possible. Although the government
has a strong desire to control the practice of foetus sex identification
and sex-selective induced abortion, a couple’s desire to have a son is
even stronger in some areas. Son preference is affected by other factors
combined together, such as local traditions, social-economic status and
related policies.
The serious imbalanced sex ratio at birth has raised the concern of
the Chinese government. The national leader Hu Jintao emphasized
the importance of a balanced SRB and suggested a goal to stop the
rising SRB in the next three to five years. 4 The issue is also included in
the “Suggestions to Develop 11th Five Year Plan for Economic and
Social Development” by the Central Committee of CCP (The 5th
Meeting of 16th CCP, 2005), which identifies bringing SRB back to
normal as one of the major tasks over the next five years.
4 A speech by Hu Jintao in National Meeting of Population, Resource, and Environment,
March 10, 2004, accessible on the website www.cpirc.org.cn