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Wealth, Marriage, and Sex Selection

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  • Borker, Girija
  • Eeckhout, Jan
  • Luke,Nancy
  • Minz,Shantidani
  • Munshi,Kaivan
  • Swaminathan,Soumya

Abstract

Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain sex selection in India: son preference in which parents desire a male heir and daughter aversion in which dowry payments make parents worse off with girls. Our model incorporates both mechanisms, providing micro-foundations, based on the organization of the marriage institution, for daughter aversion. Marital matching, sex selection, and dowries are jointly determined in the model, whose implications are tested on a representative sample of rural households. Simulations of the model indicate that existing policies targeting daughter aversion might exacerbate the problem, while identifying other policies that could be effective.

Suggested Citation

  • Borker, Girija & Eeckhout, Jan & Luke,Nancy & Minz,Shantidani & Munshi,Kaivan & Swaminathan,Soumya, 2025. "Wealth, Marriage, and Sex Selection," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11147, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:11147
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lucia Corno & Nicole Hildebrandt & Alessandra Voena, 2020. "Age of Marriage, Weather Shocks, and the Direction of Marriage Payments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(3), pages 879-915, May.
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    4. Bishnupriya Gupta, 2014. "Where have all the brides gone? Son preference and marriage in India over the twentieth century," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 67(1), pages 1-24, February.
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    6. Erica Field & Rohini Pande & Natalia Rigol & Simone Schaner & Charity Troyer Moore, 2021. "On Her Own Account: How Strengthening Women's Financial Control Impacts Labor Supply and Gender Norms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(7), pages 2342-2375, July.
    7. Seema Jayachandran & Ilyana Kuziemko, 2011. "Why Do Mothers Breastfeed Girls Less than Boys? Evidence and Implications for Child Health in India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(3), pages 1485-1538.
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