Population Controls, Including Abortion, Spark Gender Imbalance in China; 30 Million More Men Expected in 15 Years
Friday, January 12, 2007
BEIJING — China will have 30 million more men of marriageable age than women in less than 15 years as a gender imbalance resulting from the country's tough one-child policy becomes more pronounced, state media reported Friday.
The tens of millions of men who will not be able to find a wife could also lead to social instability problems, the China Daily said in a front-page report.
China imposed strict population controls in the 1970s to limit growth of its huge population, but one side effect has been a jump in gender selection of babies. Traditional preferences for a son mean some women abort their baby if an early term sonogram shows it is a girl.
"Discrimination against the female sex remains the primary cause of China's growing gender imbalance," Liu Bohong, vice director of the women studies institute under the All-China Women's Federation, was quoted as saying in a report from the State Population and Family Planning Commission.
Sex selective abortion is prohibited but the government says the practice remains widespread, especially in rural areas.
No brides for China's men in 15 years?
Reply With Quote