Journal of South Asia Women Studies

This paper begins with a focus on the processes of the demographic transition with particular reference to India in the twentieth century. We place India at the low end of the world spectrum of per capita availability of resources. We note the introduction of new technologies which have increased well-being more in Kerala than in India. Next we define gender equity, the major variable within this Indian scenario. This definition will be shown as integral to the robust data on female-to-male ratios and their abnormal decline in India. Fatal daughter syndrome will be shown as the cause of the low female-to-male ratios in the Indian context of limited resources combined with the strong valuation of male lineage. Finally, the parallel traditions of patrilineage in India and matrilineage in Kerala (within India) will be examined and described as integral to gender equity.

In large human populations we observe demographic transitions -- actions and behaviors of societies or cultures causing death-rate declines which in due course cause birth-rates to decline leading to the stabilization of human numbers. Given at least a generation of time, a desired cause, longer human life produces a desired effect, smaller families. Knowledge of this human behavior is frequently applied in public-policy -- improving human life conditions which lengthen life in order to cause birth-rate declines.