Gender Preferences in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Fertility Choices

Pauline Rossi (1, 2, 3) , Léa Rouanet (3, 1, 2)

1 PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques
2 CREST - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique
3 PSE - Paris School of Economics

This paper proposes a new method to infer gender preferences from birth spacing. We apply it to Africa, where the least is known about gender preferences. We show that son preference is strong and increasing in North Africa. By contrast, most Sub-Saharan African countries display a preference for variety or no preference at all. Further analysis concludes that traditional family systems predict well the nature of gender preferences, while religion does not. Last, the magnitude of preferences is stronger for wealthier and more educated women.

Mots clés: gender preferences; fertility; Africa

Domaines: Economies et finances

Pauline Rossi, Léa Rouanet. Gender Preferences in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Fertility Choices. World Development, 2015, 72, pp.326-345. ⟨10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.03.010⟩. ⟨halshs-01510462⟩