Husbands play decisive roles in contraceptive use decisions and the number of sons and daughters to be given birth to, by their spouse. Studies have shown that women who were unable to bear sons were subjected to different forms of physical and psychological pressures including disgrace and stigmatization (by calling her names for inability to give birth to a son) and fall under immense threats from their in-laws and husband to bringing in a second wife if they do not beget a male child for continuing the family legacy (UNFPA/CREHPA 2007, 2019).

This policy brief is based on a study conducted in two districts of Lumbini Province, Nepal, to understand the underlying causes of son preference and the practice of gender-biased sex selection from a men’s perspective.