Why is gender balance a concern in relation to China's One-Child Policy?

The concern about gender balance in relation to China's One-Child Policy primarily revolves around the unusual gender ratio that has emerged as a result of cultural preferences for male children. The One-Child Policy, implemented in 1979, led to a significant societal impact where families, faced with restrictions on the number of children they could have, often chose to have male children over female ones. This preference stems from traditional views that value sons as carriers of the family name and providers of support for parents in old age.

As a result, many families resorted to sex-selective abortions, female infanticide, or abandonment of female infants, which has skewed the natural gender ratio in favor of males. The resulting demographic imbalance has serious implications for societal structures, ranging from challenges in future marriage prospects for men to potential increases in human trafficking and social unrest due to large numbers of unmarried men.

This significant gender disparity is highlighted by statistics showing that the number of males born exceeds that of females to a troubling degree, illustrating the impact of the One-Child Policy on gender balance in China. Thus, the correct answer highlights a critical consequence of the One-Child Policy, which is the unusual gender balance favoring males.