Abstract
This paper uses individual-level data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and examines the impact of the one-child
policy on gender equality in education in China. The results showed children in one-child households enjoyed significantly
improved opportunities for education compared to children inside multiple-child households. The improvement for girls was
larger than that of boys. In addition, we found no difference in years of schooling between only-child boys and only-child
girls, whereas the gap between boys and girls inside multiple-child households remained significant. In particular, years
of schooling for girls having male sibling(s) were 0.62 years lower than that of girls having female sibling(s). These findings
suggest the one-child policy inadvertently contributed to greater educational gender equality in China.
policy on gender equality in education in China. The results showed children in one-child households enjoyed significantly
improved opportunities for education compared to children inside multiple-child households. The improvement for girls was
larger than that of boys. In addition, we found no difference in years of schooling between only-child boys and only-child
girls, whereas the gap between boys and girls inside multiple-child households remained significant. In particular, years
of schooling for girls having male sibling(s) were 0.62 years lower than that of girls having female sibling(s). These findings
suggest the one-child policy inadvertently contributed to greater educational gender equality in China.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-12
- DOI 10.1007/s10834-011-9277-9
- Authors
- Ming-Hsuan Lee, Department of Political Economy, National Sun Yat-sen University, No. 70, Lienhai Road, Kaohsiung City, 804 Taiwan
- Journal Journal of Family and Economic Issues
- Online ISSN 1573-3475
- Print ISSN 1058-0476