A Closer Look at NFHS-5 Data on Sex Ratio & Population Stabilisation

For a country that has a lot to worry about the repercussions of its humungous population, we seemed to have hit a positive demographic milestone.

According to the findings of the National Family Health Survey-5 data, India’s total fertility rate has declined from 2.2 to 2.

Another finding from the survey that is being pompously celebrated is that for the first time in the history of NFHS surveys, the sex ratio is skewed in favour of women. The data suggests there are 1,020 women for every 1,000 men.

So, the two questions that come up are:

Do these number indicate that India is closer to stabilizing its population?

And, given the continued prevalence of patriarchal attitudes in Indian society, gender preferences for children at birth, how we really read the sex ratio figures?

Tune in!

Host and Producer: Shorbori Purkayastha Guests: Sanghamitra Singh, Senior Manager of Knowledge Management & Partnerships at Population Foundation of India; Dr Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India ; Varna Sri Raman, Lead of Research and Knowledge Building at Oxfam India

Editor: Vaishali Sood

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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