China's One Child Policy was put in place in attempts to slow down their growing population. Although the Policy has helped control the population size, unseen consequences and unintended cultural change has occurred. There were rewards given to families who abided by the policy, such as education for children and wage bonuses. Families who did not follow the One Child Policy were often punished with forced sterilizations and economic sanctions. As sons are valued over daughters in Chinese culture, the rewards and punishments caused a phenomenon called "missing girls." The term "missing girls" refers to aborted female fetuses, neglected and abused daughters, as well as undocumented girls and adoptions. This has caused a skewed sex ratio in China of 115 males at birth to only 100 females at birth. Not all of the effects of the Policy are negative though. In some areas, mainly urban ones, women and girls are afforded with more opportunities than before, including higher education and better career options. It remains to be seen how the change of the One Child Policy to a Two Child Policy will affect the sex ratio and the positive aspects that the original policy created.
