| Independent Variables:
As is well known, status and role of women in any society depends, among others, on their sheer weight in the total population. This share indirectly generates a pro-active community pressure in favour of female, which we call female agency. Second, women education matters for both current employment and participation in family decision as also for empowering the girl child of next generation. But unlike experiences in other countries, rural urban differences become very explicit in relation to education in Indian sub-regions. Third, like education, role of work participation for women is widely held responsible for empowering women. Though it plays a significantly positive role in rural areas, the social behaviour of women is urbanized developed regions do not always support the conventional ideas as propagated by popular analysts. Fourth, level of economic development in a geographical space plays substantial role in determining the critical importance of social, economic, cultural and behavioural factors in sex selection. Other things being equal, cultural orientation of the people in a neighbourhood society very often exerts dominant influence at the expense of educational supremacy It may come out as a sheer shock that various cultural/religious groups have generated quite opposing pressures on gender equality. As per 2001 Census, we have tested the role of five major cultural groups in Indian districts: Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Jain. Fifth, apart from the above factors, we have included two types of spatial distinction, which have played substantial role in determining regional bias in sex selection. The rural versus urban distinction proves highly effective. And incorporation of regional development dummy has explained a lot in India’s regional sex bias against girl child. We understand that unless regional biases are captured, role of non-economic factors in sex selection will be ignored which may nullify the good intentions of UN policy as well governmental efforts.
The required data for India are collected from official sources such as Census of India, National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), Central Statistical Organization, Planning Commission and Crime Bureau of India. These are supplemented by Ghosh and De (2005b). National Statistical Office of Thailand, Bangkok has provided the information on Thai regions.
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