Research On Daughters’ Support For Old Parents In Rural Areas

With the large number of rural male labor flowing out, more and more rural daughters are getting involved in family support for the elderly. With Village S in eastern Anhui province as the research target, this article combines questionnaire survey with individual interviews to study the new social phenomenon of daughters in rural areas taking part in providing for family elders from the perspective of social gender. It is found that daughters in rural areas have both the willing and the ability to participate in taking care of family elders. Apart from the fact that they help looking after their aged parents and provide spiritual consolation, the gap between their economic support and that of sons in rural areas is also narrowing. However, the elderly in the rural areas still lack the identification with daughters to get involved in family support for the elderly and ignore the right of daughters in family wealth distribution. Daughters suffer from inequality in right and obligations. This will deal a blow to the enthusiasm of daughters in getting involved in family support for the elderly and prevent daughters from providing further support for the old parents. Only by advocating an advanced gender culture and improve relevant laws and policies can rural daughters’ potential be better leveraged.