Asia

The literature typically treats fertility decline in developing countries as an indicator of women’s status improvement, based on the assumption that women have greater decision making power on childbearing as their status improves. This paper investigates whether and how fertility decline leads to reduction in gender inequality and the improvement of women’s status in China. Based on the analyses of data from two nationally representative surveys, we show that women with lower fertility do less housework and tend to be more satisfied with their status within family than women with higher fertility. Such effects are more pronounced for women in more recent marital cohorts. Across generations, lower fertility implies fewer siblings and daughters benefit more in terms of years of schooling and subsequently occupational attainment.

In many countries of the Asia-Pacific region sons are given greater value than daughters. To combat a preference for sons, policymakers need to understand the underlying motivations of parents, including fathers. ICRW, in collaboration with the Center for Research on Environment, Health and Population Activities (CREHPA) in Nepal and the Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS) in Vietnam examined men’s attitudes and behaviors in each country around son preference, gender equality, masculinity, intimate partner violence (IPV) and laws and policies related to women’s reproductive rights. The study finds wide support for son preference, and conservative gender roles and norms as well as high levels of IPV. Although men are knowledgeable about laws and policies around gender equality, greater enforcement is needed coupled with effective messaging to combat inequitable norms underlying the practices the legislation is designed to address.

This report provides the results of the study undertaken by International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) in partnership with Center for Research on Environment, Health and Population Activities (CREHPA) in Nepal and Institute for Social Development Studies (ISDS), Vietnam. The study was commissioned by UNFPA, Asia and Pacific Regional Office, Bangkok and funded by Australian Government, AusAID. The objective of the study was to explore the gender norms, masculine behavior and attitude towards son preference in Nepal and Vietnam. This study was first of its kind in both countries that explored men’s attitudes on a wide range of issues related to gender equality, son preference, the levels and types of intimate partner violence and knowledge and attitude towards laws and policies related to women’s right. The study affirms that high son-preference, conservative gender roles and inequitable attitudes persist in both countries.

Child marriage is not only a violation of a girl’s rights; it also seriously compromises efforts to reduce gender-based violence, advance education, overcome poverty and improve health indicators for girls and women. In these just released policy and advocacy briefs, the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) and its partners highlight the life-threatening situations girls in nine Southern Asian countries face on account of child marriage and recommend ways in which policymakers can prevent the practice.

The nine countries included in the briefs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.