Female status.  F/MR  The best measure available of female status (from high to low) is the share of females which have survived as a proportion of the males who have survived, known as the female/male ratio.

The proportion of females surviving in India is abnormally low and the status of women is low.

        Well-being.  IMR  Low child death rates are universally desired, and the best measure of human well-being in any society is infant mortality rate. High death rates of children under one year measures a low level of well-being in all age categories.

        The high infant mortality rate in India indicates low well-being in India. Low well-being maintains large family choices.

        Fertility.  TFR  The best measure of movement of a society toward zero population growth (a necessary sustainability condition) is low total fertility rate.

        The high Indian total fertility rate does not foreshadow sustainability. Low total fertility rates in Kerala does.

        Low female status causes low well-being maintaining high fertility---unsustainable human behavior in India.

(Why study Kerala?) (Author) (Directory)  March 20, 2000