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. 2014 Jan 1;6(1):157-189.
doi: 10.1257/app.6.1.157.

Child Gender and Parental Investments In India: Are Boys And Girls Treated Differently?

Silvia Helena Barcellos  1 , Leandro S Carvalho  2 , Adriana Lleras-Muney  3
Affiliations

Child Gender and Parental Investments In India: Are Boys And Girls Treated Differently?

Silvia Helena Barcellos et al. Am Econ J Appl Econ. .

Abstract

Previous research has not always found that boys and girls are treated differently in rural India. However estimates of the effect of gender on parental investments could be biased if girls end up in larger families due to son-biased stopping rules. Using a novel identification strategy that exploits that gender at conception is random, we document that boys receive more childcare time than girls, they are breastfed longer and they get more vitamin supplementation. Compared to other developing countries, boys have an advantage in height and weight relative to girls. Neither greater needs nor anticipated family size explain the results.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Son-biased stopping rules and gender ratios by age
Sources: Authors’ calculations using the 1992 Indian Demographic and Health Survey
Figure 2
Figure 2
The Predicting child gender using maternal and child characteristics Predicting gender using mother and family characteristics, and prenatal care use Notes: Authors’ calculations using the 1992 Indian Demographic and Health Survey.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Anthropometric measures by gender In India and around the world
Notes: The figure shows the average height-for-age and weight-for-age separately by gender in India (DHS 1992) and in other countries in which anthropometric data were collected (all countries and all years).
Figure 4
Figure 4. Childcare time by gender
Notes: Authors’ computations using the Indian Time Use Survey 1998–1999
Figure 5
Figure 5. Childcare Time by gender
Sources: Authors’ computations using the South Africa Time Use Survey 2000.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Assessing the bias in gender gaps in breastfeeding
Notes: Authors’ computation using the 1992 Indian Demographic and Health Survey
Figure 7
Figure 7. Assessing the bias in gender gaps in anthropometric measures
Notes: Authors’ computation using the 1992 Indian Demographic and Health Survey
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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