Son preference and multidimensional well-being

Son preference, or desire by parents for male offspring, is a common gender bias that obstructs policy efforts towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality. The gendered nature of well-being calls for a multidimensional approach. Popular measures are often unidimensional and limited in capturing the granularity of intra-household gender disparities, which as evidence suggests often begin at home. Using the Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys, this study examines the nuanced relationship between multiple dimensions of individual well-being and son preference, as captured via a novel measure of son preference called 'gender preference at birth' (GPB). Findings indicate that son preference, as measured by GPB, affects inter- and intra-household well-being in complex ways. Results indicate women and girls fare better overall in smaller households, despite the presence of son preference. However, larger gender gaps within these households suggest parents may be channelling any resource benefits to sons. These findings highlight the need for disaggregated analysis of son preference when devising well-being strategies for women and girls in Pakistan.