Increasing imbalance in sex ratio will push society to the edge of a social disaster if it is not addressed immediately, says a series of four-country study sponsored by the UN Population Fund.

The deficit of women and girls due to prenatal sex selection in the future will affect the “stability of the entire marriage system” and will result in social unrest as many men, especially the poorest, will be unable to marry. It may also result in increased sexual violence against women and increased trafficking. “Life will be harder for women as far outnumbered by men, women will be pressurized to conform and comply,” says the study that studied the problem in China, India, Nepal and Vietnam.

China and India have the most dramatic imbalance between births of boys and girls. China has 120 males for every 100 females born in 2005, with some provinces having as high as 130. The sex ratio in India stands at 108, while in some north and western parts it is as high as 120.

In China, sex selection is more prevalent in rural areas. In India, it is more common among better off urban families. The findings in Nepal and Vietnam are similar. In each country, the research teams found pervasive son preference.

The authors reviewed the most promising approaches being taken to reduce prenatal sex selection which is prohibited in all the four countries. In China, public education is combines withwith state support for the aged, to improve women’s status and counter the higher mortality rate among girls than boys. In India, new laws target discriminatory inheritance rules and domestic violence, while civil society groups and medical professionals raise public awareness.