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Religion and Female–Male Ratios in India

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  • Swati Narayan

Abstract

The 2011 Indian census affirms that child sex ratios of Muslims and Christians (as Abrahamic religions) are “normal†, but those of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists (as Dharmic religions of Indian origin) are below par, due to increasing sex-selective abortion. One probable explanation could be that the scriptures of Abrahamic religions—especially the Quran—explicitly forbid female infanticide, a practice common in Pagan Arabia in the Middle Ages. Therefore, most of India’s neighbours, including Muslim-dominated Pakistan and Bangladesh, have normal child sex ratios and the epicentre of the problem of low child sex ratios in South Asia is now largely concentrated in India. Historical census data also suggests that this acute gender bias is perhaps a recent phenomenon as before the widespread usage of ultrasound technology for sex determination; sex ratios of Hindus were in fact better than Muslims in India.

Suggested Citation

  • Swati Narayan, 2018. "Religion and Female–Male Ratios in India," Indian Journal of Human Development, , vol. 12(3), pages 441-452, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:inddev:v:12:y:2018:i:3:p:441-452
    DOI: 10.1177/0973703018813799
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. James Fenske & Bishnupriya Gupta & Cora Neumann, 2025. "Missing women in colonial India," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 78(4), pages 997-1038, November.

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