Every Girl Counts

Son preference and daughter aversion are harmful social and gender norms rooted in gender inequality. They are products of gender-biased and patriarchal and patrilineal systems that assign a higher social status to men and boys, thereby valuing male children more than female children. Because they are often concentrated in specific regions of a country, son preference and daughter aversion may not be visible at the national level. With generous support from the European Union and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNFPA and its partners are working to engage multiple levels of society to transform social and gender norms and end these harmful practices in Nepal and many other countries.