Yerevan/Mediamax/. Experts don’t advise Armenia to ban or restrict revealing the sex of the foetus as it didn’t benefit other countries.

“Missing Girls in the South Caucasus”, joint study of Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC) and World Bank Yerevan Office, reads this. The results of the study were summed up in Yerevan today.

The study instead proposes to boost gender equality, fight against gender stereotypes and create equal conditions both for boys and girls.

Director of WB Yerevan Office Laura Bale considered the rate of unborn girls in South Caucasus worrying. According to the study, 115 boy is born against each 100 newborn girl which is comparable to the indices of China and India.

“Sex-selective abortions create social imbalance in the society which will sooner or later affect demographic development and labor market”, she said.

According to “Missing Girls in the South Caucasus”, Armenian population is not evenly distributed by genders: women aged above 65 make 62%, and about 46%- in the age group of 0-14.  The study shows that the preference to male children are given mostly in villages which according to the respondents is conditioned by the wish to continue the family and improve social state.

As for decline in birth rate,  the study states that it was registered in early 1990-s which was also accompanied by difference in gender ratio among newborns.

The statistics show that since the mentioned period, birth rate has declined both in cities and villages but increase in gender difference is especially prominent in villages. According to the study, the husband’s stance is crucial while making decisions on sex-selective abortion.

To prevent further issues, China, India and South Korea, for instance, banned revealing the sex of the foetus, and India has allocated extra financial means to boost birth of girls.