This paper reviews studies on girl-child survival in China and corresponding intervention activities of
the Chinese government. Discrimination against girls in China was long in existence, and the abnormally
high sex ratio at birth (SRB) and excess female child mortality (EFCM) in recent years reflect women’s
low social status, as well as a deteriorating survival environment for girls. Discrimination against girls has
occurred in both pre-natal and post-natal periods: sex-selective abortion of female foetuses leads to the
abnormally high SRB, while neglect of girls results in EFCM. This paper analyzes the current situation,
trends and regional variations in SRB and EFCM, and discusses proximal, conditional and fundamental
causes of deteriorating environment for the survival of girls, as well as the subsequent demographic and
social implications.
To protect women’s rights and promote gender equality, the Chinese government has introduced a
series of laws and regulations on equal rights regarding economic and political participation, education,
property inheritance, marriage and old-age support. To lower the abnormally high SRB and EFCM at a
fertility rate of 1.8 (meaning the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime), and to improve
the social and cultural environment so as to favour girl-child survival, the Chinese government also
implemented certain countrywide measures, the most influential of which has been the “Care for Girls”
campaign. These policies and interventions have substantially enhanced women’s social status in China.
This paper also points out potential future research areas, while discussing prospects for the future
improvement in girl-child survival.