ABSTRACT
Significant proportions of girls are ‘missing’ in East Asia, South Asia, the South Caucasus and parts of the Balkans. This chapter begins by summarizing the levels and trends in ‘missing girls’ in these regions. It then surveys the literature on this issue, examining (1) the underlying causes of such strong preference for sons; (2) the mechanisms of sex selection and the pressures that increase levels of sex selection; (3) the consequences for the marriage market; and (4) societal changes and policies that help reduce son preference and its manifestation in sex selection.
