Drop in Birth Rate and Sex Ratio: Delhi and Patriarchy

Delhi’s 2024 Births and Deaths Report reveals declining fertility and worsening sex ratio. Explore causes, implications, and policy challenges shaping Delhi’s demographic future.

Context

Delhi’s 2024 Births and Deaths Report presents a worrying picture: both fertility rates and the sex ratio have declined, reversing the progress that had been made in gender balance in the capital. This dual decline is not only a statistical concern but also a reflection of deep-rooted social, cultural, and economic challenges.

Why is Delhi witnessing a decline in fertility?

Shrinking Family Size and Son Preference

According to Delhi University scholars, urban families are moving towards smaller households, typically preferring one or two children. While this aligns with modern lifestyle changes, it has also sharpened the desire for a male child. In families determined to have a son, the reduction in desired family size increases the risk of sex-selective practices. This is one of the underlying causes behind Delhi’s skewed sex ratio, as recorded in the Annual Report on Registration of Births and Deaths in Delhi, 2024.

Economic Pressures

The rising cost of living in the National Capital Region (NCR) is another major factor discouraging larger families. With housing, healthcare, and education expenses soaring, couples feel burdened by the financial responsibilities of raising multiple children. JNU experts highlight that patriarchal attitudes remain strong—sons are still seen as economic security for the family, while daughters are often viewed as financial liabilities. This perspective strengthens gender bias in reproductive choices.

Weak Enforcement of the PCPNDT Act

The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was designed to curb sex determination and selective abortions. However, its enforcement in Delhi has been alarmingly weak. Only 10% of the mandated inspections of diagnostic centres were carried out in 2024–25, leaving wide gaps for misuse of prenatal testing. This ineffective monitoring continues to enable illegal practices, contributing to the declining sex ratio.

Safety Concerns and Gendered Norms

Delhi’s global reputation for poor women’s safety has a subtle but significant effect on parental choices. Many parents still consider raising daughters in the city unsafe, particularly given the frequent reports of harassment and gender-based violence. Such concerns reinforce patriarchal decisions, where sons are prioritised over daughters.

Education and Fertility Link

Research demonstrates that maternal education plays a critical role in reproductive health decisions. In Delhi, nearly 40% of mothers with four or more births were below graduate level. This group is less likely to have access to information about contraception, family planning, and maternal healthcare. The lack of awareness and agency among less-educated mothers has perpetuated high fertility within certain demographics, even while overall fertility is falling in the city.

What are the multidimensional implications?

Demographic Imbalance

The most immediate concern is demographic imbalance. The sex ratio at birth fell to 920 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024, down from 933 in 2020. This regression shows the persistence of illegal sex determination practices despite existing laws. If left unchecked, this imbalance could trigger long-term demographic and social challenges similar to those witnessed in states like Haryana.

Public Health Concerns

Falling fertility is not occurring in isolation. Delhi also reported 6,866 infant deaths in 2024, most from preventable causes such as septicaemia. This stark figure highlights the gaps in maternal and child healthcare despite an impressive 96% rate of institutional deliveries. It reveals that simply ensuring births in healthcare facilities is not enough without quality postnatal care and awareness of hygiene practices.

Socio-Economic Risks

A declining sex ratio is not just a demographic statistic—it carries wide-ranging social and economic consequences. Gender imbalance may lead to marriage squeeze, where a shortage of women results in men remaining unmarried. This, in turn, can fuel trafficking, forced marriages, and increased violence against women. Haryana has already faced such issues due to its skewed sex ratio, and Delhi risks moving in the same direction.

Policy Challenges and Workforce Pressure

Delhi’s fertility rate is falling in tandem with a rising death rate. The birth rate stood at 14 per 1,000 in 2024, while the death rate climbed to 6.37 per 1,000. This signals that Delhi is moving into an early stage of demographic transition, where the population stabilises but begins to age rapidly. The Economic Survey 2022–23 flagged this issue for urban areas: a shrinking working-age population will reduce labour force availability and put immense pressure on old-age support systems. Without intervention, Delhi may face a dual crisis of gender imbalance and ageing.

The Way Forward

Delhi’s declining fertility and worsening sex ratio highlight the intertwined impact of economic strain, patriarchal preferences, weak legal enforcement, and systemic neglect of women’s safety and education. Addressing this crisis requires:

1. Stronger enforcement of the PCPNDT Act with regular inspections and penalties for violations.

2. Investment in maternal education, ensuring women have access to reproductive health awareness and family planning resources.

3. Gender-sensitive policies to shift perceptions of daughters from liabilities to equals in both economic and social terms.

4. Improvements in women’s safety through stricter policing and community initiatives, making Delhi a safer place to raise daughters.

5. Support for families facing economic pressures, through targeted subsidies and affordable childcare, so that reproductive decisions are not driven solely by financial anxieties.

Unless Delhi takes these steps, the capital risks deepening demographic and social vulnerabilities, which could have severe consequences for its long-term stability and development.

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The Source’s Authority and Ownership of the Article is Claimed By THE STUDY IAS BY MANIKANT SINGH