Selective Versus Generalized Gender Bias in Childhood Health and Nutrition: Evidence from India

We use data from India's National Family Health Survey (conducted in 1992-93, 1998-99, and 2005-06) to study gender discrimination across India among children aged 0-35 months. We focus on four measures of parental investment: (1) immunization, (2) received medical treatment for acute respiratory infection (ARI), (3) breastfed beyond 17 months, and (4) severe stunting. We contrast generalized discrimination that affects all daughters (vs. sons) with selective discrimination that posits enhanced discrimination among daughters who have sisters. We test which form of discrimination dominates and whether their effects are reinforcing. The main finding from this study is consistent and straightforward: daughters face discrimination relative to sons regardless of sibling composition and at both low and high birth orders. Further, net of general discrimination against daughters, we find little evidence of selective gender discrimination by birth order or sibling composition.