Son preference, sex selection, and kinship in Vietnam

This article examines the recent rise in the sex ratio at birth in Vietnam and relates its emergence to kinship systems and ethnic composition using 2009 census micro-data. Presentation of the main socioeconomic and ethnic differentials in birth masculinity is followed by a review of the three intermediate factors leading to increases in the sex ratio at birth: prenatal technology, declining fertility, and gender bias. An indirect measurement of fertility behavior is used to demonstrate the close association between levels of the sex ratio at birth and the intensity of son preference. Data on household composition indicate that Vietnam is characterized by the co-existence of kinship patterns typical of East and Southeast Asia. Son preference in Vietnam is found to be related to the prevalence of more traditional patrilineal systems. The article concludes by considering the implications of the cultural dimensions of prenatal sex selection for policy responses and for the likely future change in the sex ratio at birth.     

Sex ratio at birth for urban and rural areas

Previous studies show that sex ratio at birth in China's urban areas is usually higher than that of rural areas. The higher proportion of 1st births in urban areas was once taken to explain the cause for the higher sex ratio. The data of the 1982 fertility sampling survey show that the sex ratio at birth during the period from 1964 to 1981 remains higher in the urban areas (108.0) than in the rural areas (107.8). Further studies are yet needed on the differentials in sex ratios at birth between urban and rural areas and on their causes. The sex ratio in 1981 of the 29 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in China's mainland was 108.5, somewhat higher than that of most countries in the world. 2 things account for the occurrence. 1 is that, biologically, certain particularities may exist in the sex ratio at birth of China's population, for the ratio varies with ethnic groups, nationalities and regions. The other is that, sociologically, female infants may be underreported in some areas and the phenomenon of infanticide left over by history still exists in some isolated cases. These surveys suggest that a certain specific characteristic does exist in the sex ratio at birth of China's urban areas, but they also contribute to the explanation of the higher sex ratio at birth of the total population of the country.     

The number of illegal migrants of Mexican origin in the United States: Sex ratio-based estimates for 1980

This article reports the results of applying a sex ratio-based method to estimate the number of undocumented Mexicans residing in the United States in 1980. The approach centers on a comparison between the hypothetical sex ratio one would expect to find in Mexico in the absence of emigration to the United States and the sex ratio that is in fact reported in preliminary results from the 1980 Mexican Census. The procedure involves, inter alia, assuming a range of values for the sex ratio at birth and for census coverage differentials by sex in Mexico. Even the combinations of these values most likely to result in large estimates suggest that no more than 4 million illegal migrants of Mexican origin were residing in the United States in 1980.     

中国双生子出生性别比研究

人口自然出生性别比是分析和评价人口出生性别比偏离的重要指标,中国对人口自然出生性别比的研究一直比较缺乏。人的出生性别比正常范围为102～107,国内一般都是以其上限作为标准判断人口出生性别比偏高的程度。但是这种做法是值得商榷的。利用第四次全国人口普查资料中的双生子信息探讨双生子出生性别比特征。研究表明,中国1989年双生子出生性别比为104.87,在女性主要生育年龄阶段生育的双生子出生性别比是相当稳定的,比较接近自然状态下的出生性别比。相比较而言,中国人口出生性别比不仅普遍偏高,而且随女性生育年龄变化的模式也不相同。     

出生人口性别比周期性波动研究——兼论中国出生人口性别比的变化趋势

在观察数据基础上,描述出生人口性别比周期性波动现象,并对其内在机理做出解释。研究发现,出生人口性别比的周期性波动是一个普遍规律,其波动周期与生育间隔相关。正常情况下,周期成分对出生人口性别比的变化影响较小并且稳定。中国出生人口性别比的周期成分明显大于其他国家,这与中国强烈的性别偏好有关。周期成分不是影响中国出生人口性别比的主要因素,性别选择行为是出生人口性别比失衡的主要原因。在实际工作中应该尊重出生人口性别比周期性波动的客观规律,关注出生人口性别比的中长期变化趋势。中国出生人口性别比的"拐点"已经出现,在继续加强综合治理工作的条件下,出生人口性别比将进入下降过程。     

An Increase in the Sex Ratio of Births to India‐born Mothers in England and Wales: Evidence for Sex‐Selective Abortion

Male preference in many Asian cultures results in discriminatory practices against females, including neglect and infanticide. This preference, together with the availability of prenatal sex determination and sex‐selective abortion, has led to an increase in sex ratios at birth in China, India, and South Korea. The resulting expected gender imbalances raise ethical, demographic, and social concerns. We analyzed birth statistics to see whether similar trends are apparent among births to foreign‐born mothers in England and Wales. Before 1990, sex ratios at birth were consistently nearly one point lower (104) for the three major Asian groups in Britain compared with mothers born in Western countries. This is inconsistent with previous suggestions that Asian populations have a higher “natural” sex ratio at birth. In the birth statistics since 1990, we find a four‐point increase in the sex ratio at birth for mothers born in India, attributable particularly to an increase at higher birth orders, mirroring findings reported for India. This suggests that sex‐selective abortion is occurring among mothers born in India and living in Britain. By contrast, no significant increase was observed for Pakistan‐born and Bangladesh‐born mothers, among whom male preference also exists. It seems that male preference in different cultures does not necessarily lead to sex‐selective abortion.     

中国出生性别比升高的孩次性别递进过程分析

应用孩次性别递进分析方法,使用1990年和2000年全国人口普查原始抽样数据和2005年1%人口抽样调查原始抽样数据,对我国出生性别比变化情况进行分析,并就1990年以来出生性别比升高的内在机制进行深入探讨。研究发现,从20世纪80年代初开始已经显示了生育性别干预的特征,2000年以来纯女户生育性别比升高到190以上,纯男户生育性别比下降到90以下。2005年纯女户的偏男倾向依然非常明显,生育第一孩的性别比也表现出明显的人为干预现象。正是由于对生育第一孩的性别比的直接干预,才促使了出生性别比持续升高和高孩次生育性别比及高孩次生育率的下降。     

基于人口生态视野的贵州民族地区出生性别比失调问题研究

出生性别比是人口发展的"生态基础",而出生性别比失调问题是和谐人口生态关系的一个极不和谐的因素。已有的人口学研究一般从全国或区域的范围分析出生性别比问题,忽视了少数民族地区出生性别比失调自身的特点。基于人口生态视野分析贵州民族地区出生性别比失调的特征、成因和后果。男性偏好在该地区特定的人口生态制约下有着深刻的经济、文化、社会、性别根源。贵州民族地区综合治理出生性别比失调必须采取一系列措施,其中,提高贵州民族地区妇女社会地位具有根本性的意义。     

中国乡城人口流动与城镇出生人口性别比——基于“五普”数据的分析

本文利用中国第五次人口普查1‰抽样数据,以城镇区域人口为重点,定量分析了农村人口流动对城镇地区人口出生性别比,以及农村流入城镇人口子女性别的影响。研究发现,中国农村未流动人口、农村流入城镇人口和城镇非农村流入人口的出生性别比均偏离了出生性别比的正常水平,农村人口流动影响了城镇地区生育性别,农村流入城镇人口相对较强的男孩偏好观念加剧了城镇地区出生性别比偏高。     

出生人口性别比的变动趋势及其影响因素——一种国际视角的分析

在对半个多世纪以来国际学术界有关出生人口性别比及其影响因素研究成果总结和述评的基础上,利用收集到的典型发达国家的出生人口数据,对出生性别比的长期变动趋势、种族(民族)差异及母亲年龄与出生性别比的统计关系等进行了实证分析,旨在更全面、客观和准确地了解和认识出生人口性别比指标,为中国出生人口性别比研究提供借鉴和启示。     

资本和劳动力沿最优增长路径在城乡之间合理流动的经济学分析——以山东省沂水县经济发展为视角

本文就我国城乡二元经济体制下,在农村劳动力相对过剩同资本严重稀缺并存的困境中,建立了一个资本与劳动力可以自由流动下的城乡一体化经济增长模型。并指出模型存在唯一最优增长路径。然后,以山东省沂水县经济发展为视角,找出其经济腾飞的原因,在此基础之上。提出几点可供借鉴的意见和建议。     

对2000年人口普查出生性别比的分层模型分析

本文对以往出生性别比研究中的若干观点进行了学术评论,并讨论了个别经验统计分析中的方法问题。在此基础上,本文应用非线性分层模型将2000年全国人口普查1‰数据和1999年的地区级生育政策数据结合起来对出生性别比失调的影响因素进行了初步分析。结果表明,育龄妇女现有子女数量及性别和一些社会特征对出生性别比存在单独的影响,并且肯定了生育政策既存在对出生性别比的直接影响,也通过其与妇女以往生育结果以及其他社会特征之间的交互效应来影响出生性别比。     

出生人口性别比失衡的地域差异分析——基于对陕西的调查

出生人口性别比失衡问题从上世纪80年代开始成为陕西人口发展中的一个实际存在的问题．地域差异是其中的一个重要表现。本文为了揭示陕西不同区域的社会环境差异对人口出生性别比失衡的影响．通过问卷抽样的方法,获取陕西关中、陕北、陕南三大区域公众的生育文化和观念差异的第一手资料。从导致出生人口性别比失衡的性别选择角度,根据社会环境-性别选择需要或动机-选择-目标,分析陕西三大地域生育文化的社会环境差异,揭示影响不同区域出生人口性别比作用机制。     

Indirect evidence of the contribution of prenatal sex selection practices to the high sex ratio at birth in Vietnam

This paper reports indirect evidence that prenatal sex selection is a contributor to the recent increase in sex ratio at birth in Vietnam. The paper uses birth data from the Population Change Survey 2006 to assess the associations between sex ratio at birth and variables that predict increased opportunities to practise prenatal sex selection, including maternal knowledge of foetal sex before birth, the use of ultrasound for foetal sex determination, the gestation week when foetal sex was disclosed, and access to abortion services. The high sex ratio of most recent births was significantly associated with the use of ultrasound to determine the foetal sex in gestation weeks 12–22 and with access to family planning services that provide abortion. Prenatal sex selection in health facilities are likely to contribute to the recent increase in sex ratio at birth in Vietnam.     

社会性别视角中的出生性别比偏高问题

目前,我国出生性别比偏高已成为不争的事实。在影响我国出生性别比偏高的诸因素中,社会性别差异是一个重要因素。它通过男性选择性生育表现为出生性别比偏高,其后果是女孩的生存权和发展权受到损害,并进一步弱化妇女的地位。     

韩国出生性别比失衡的公共治理及对中国的启示

韩国出生性别比呈现先上升后下降的态势,韩国出生性别比偏高的直接原因是性别选择流、引产,而传统文化是根源性的原因,韩国性别失衡带来一系列社会后果,影响了韩国的社会稳定;韩国政府出台了一系列旨在维护女童权益、反对歧视女性、提高女性地位的法律法规;韩国的公民社会也作出了许多有益的尝试,通过公共治理,出生性别比出现显著下降,而且女性地位得到较大提升;韩国性别比失衡问题的治理对中国解决相关人口问题有着重要的借鉴意义。     

The Implementation of Preferences for Male Offspring

Over the past quarter century the sex ratio at birth (SRB) has risen above natural levels in a number of countries, mostly in Asia. This rise has been made possible in populations with strong son preference by the increasing availability of safe, effective, and inexpensive technologies to determine the sex of a fetus and to end unwanted pregnancies. This article documents levels and trends in the sex ratio at birth, in preferences for male offspring (using information on desired number of girls and boys), and in the implementation of these preferences. DHS surveys from 61 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and for Indian states are the main source of data. A comparison of desired with actual SRBs finds large gaps in most populations, implying a substantial pent‐up demand for male offspring and the technology to implement this preference. Two types of actions to implement preferences are considered: the practice of contraception to stop childbearing after the desired number of sons has been born and the use of sex‐selective abortion to avoid female births. The second part of the article discusses factors that could influence the SRB, including the promotion of gender equality, and the implications of these factors for future trends.     

An evaluation of the recent fertility changes in Afghanistan: a parity-specific analysis

Very limited studies exist on the demography of Afghanistan. Using the only national survey with complete birth history data, the 2010 Afghanistan Mortality Survey, this paper describes the recent fertility changes in the country from a parity-specific perspective. From 1995 to 2009, parity progression ratios, average birth intervals, sex ratio at birth by parity and synthetic lifetime average parity are successively examined. Results show that the progression to higher-order births started to decline in the early 2000s and was accompanied by childbearing postponement. The consistency of the parity analysis is assessed by looking at the sex ratio at birth by parity and comparing the synthetic lifetime average parity to fertility estimates computed from other datasets and/or estimation methods. While the sex ratio at birth indicates strong distortion, casting doubt on the ultimate fertility level, the consistency of the parity-based fertility estimates with other fertility estimates corroborates the fact that misreporting the sex of the child is mainly causing the imbalanced sex ratio at birth and is not significantly affecting the level of fertility. The SPPRs-based analysis provides solid evidence that Afghanistan is in the early stage of its fertility transition.     

Measuring and explaining the change in life expectancies

A set of new indices for interpreting change in life expectancies, as well as a technique for explaining change in life expectancies by change in mortality at each age group are presented in the paper. The indices, as well as the new technique for explaining the differences in life expectancies, have been tested and examples using United States life tables are presented. The technique for explaining life expectancy differentials can be used for analyzing change in mortality or mortality differentials by sex, ethnicity, region, or any other subpopulations. The technique can be applied to life expectancies at birth or temporary life expectancies between any desirable ages.     

女性地位低的层级推演——对出生性别比偏高背后隐象的探析

目前学术界对出生性别比偏高原因的争论主要集中在出生婴儿性别次序先后与下一孩次性别关系以及计划生育政策和女婴存在漏报、瞒报的影响等三个方面,本文在对三大传统观点提出质疑的基础上,先从生物学、计划生育政策、医学技术三个方面,而后从性别偏好,最后从女性地位低这三级递进的层次,推演和探析出生性别比偏高的原因,从而明晰出生性别比偏高的终极原因在于女性地位低这一事实。并努力从女性地位、男性偏好以及出生性别比三者关系上构造出一个新的分析框架。