For payments made at the time of marriage, a greater share directed toward the husband reduces child morbidity, regardless of their sex. The study has several policy implications. First, increasing maternal control over household resources should improve the health of girl children. Third, establishment of a formal social security system could reduce bias toward investing more in sons by decreasing elderly parents' reliance on adults sons. Finally, women's dependence on the marriage market should be reduced, through improving their access to education and other productive resources, and perhaps through institutional incentives which encourage a shift away from the marriage payment system.
Proper citation is required.