Addressing skewed sex ratio at birth in China: practices and challenges

The sex ratio at birth (SRB) in China began to rise rapidly in the 1980s and declined after 2009. The ratio has maintained a downward trend since 2009, but is still higher than the normal level. The government of China has committed to redress the distortions in SRB and has initiated multiple actions to accomplish that end. Against a background of economic development, accelerating modernization and the empowerment of women, China has strengthened governance and made significant progress in balancing the sex ratio at birth. This paper examines the trend for SRB in China, summarizes the practices that address gender imbalance at birth, and analyzes the challenges ahead.