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This unit in the Women's Studies program focuses on gender discrimination. It explores how differential treatment based on gender can lead to inequality and further discrimination. While discrimination is typically negative, there are instances of positive discrimination, such as reservations for women in education. Gender discrimination is a complex issue with various causes and effects, including a skewed sex ratio due to son preference. Efforts by the state are being made to address this issue. Students, this unit is a part of the Master's program in Women's Studies. This particular course charts into the phenomenon of gender discrimination. Any kind of differential treatment that is meted out to individuals due to their gender and has adverse impact on such individuals can be leveled as gender discrimination. Discrimination based on gender results in gender inequality and this in turn contributes to more discriminatory practices. It is important to point out here that in certain scenarios discrimination can be positive. For example, reservations for women in educational institutions which is called as positive discrimination or popularly known as affirmative action. Historically, the word discrimination has carried a negative connotation and is widely used in the context of gender and sex. Gender based discrimination is a complex phenomenon that stems from multiple sources and has vast ramifications. For example, son preference has resulted in lopsided sex ratio which recently has started taking an upward trend due to sustained efforts on the part of the state to mitigate the adverse effects.