Going beyond the Numbers: A Narrative Literature Review of Child Sex Ratio in India

Abstract

Declining child sex ratio (CSR) is an important demographic feature in South Asian
countries, particularly in India. In recent decades the situation has become alarming.
Literature on changing CSR in India has traversed through various narratives. Straight
forward explanations to decline in CSR have been elusive. Diverse disciplines have
highlighted different aspects of CSR. For instance, while demographers focus on spatial
and temporal aspects, sociologists emphasised women’s status and autonomy, economists
underline the economic value of children. This paper examines the narratives from the
existing literature to help clarify the issues that shape the changes in CSR. The purpose
of this paper is to review and thematise the relevant literature. For this the relevant
literature was chronologically arranged to temporally map the scholarship and debates.
Apart from underlining the significance of examining the influence of social factors in
CSR, the study found that over time, the role of technology and policy surrounding it
started occupying more and more space in the landscape. This conceptual clarity and
new insights form the scope for the future research and further studies.