Gender Differentials in Infant and Child Mortality in Bangladesh: Evidence from the Demographic and Health Surveys (1993-2004)

Mohammad Mainul Islam

Abstract

Great progress in reducing infant and child mortality rates is marked in South Asian countries in the past few decades. However, worrying trends in the sex ratio among child population, particularly at births remain unfavorable towards girls in those societies known for a strong son preference.  The negative impact of gender on female children survival has drawn increased attention from the international community over the past 10 years. For instance, to promote child health and survival , with particular attention to eliminating excess and preventable death among female infants and children is identified as one of the key priorities by  the ‘Programme of Action’ adopted at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo, on 5-13 September 1994 (United Nations, 1995). Moreover, the fourth goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been committed to reduce child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015 where under five and infant mortality rates are the important indicators. This indicates that under- five mortality rates must be reduced from 151 deaths per thousand live births in 1990 to 50 in 2015 at global level (GOB and UN:27). Simultaneously, the third goal of the Millennium Development Goals is committed to-‘promote gender equality and empower women’. The initiatives advocated by the UN system have increasingly followed a rights-based, gender sensitive and life cycle approach.

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