The value of the girl child in Singapore.

Abstract

Son preference exists in many countries in Asia. In countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, such preference has been shown to result in excess female mortality. In Singapore, there is also son preference but excess female mortality is not seen because of several factors: Government's policy of equal educational opportunities for boys and girls since World War II, the protection of women's rights through the Women's Charter, the family planning message that "Boy or Girl, two is enough", urbanisation and industrialisation. Singapore is seeing increasing participation of women in the workforce, not only as clerks and factory operators but also as decision makers in middle and senior management positions. In this modern age, the girl child should be given as much value as the boy child. Only when such an egalitarian attitude towards the girl child exists would she be able to develop into her full potential to be an asset to her country. Government policies to promote the well-being, protect the rights, and to improve the lot of the girl child appear necessary in countries where son preference leads to excess mortality of girls from sex discrimination in nutrition and/or health care.