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The Impact of Legislation on the Hazard of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Burkina Faso - Working Paper 432

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  • Ben Crisman, Sarah Dykstra, Charles Kenny and Megan O'Donnell

Abstract

In 1996, Burkina Faso enacted legislation banning the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Much of the qualitative literature surrounding FGM/C discounts the impact of legal change on what is considered a social/cultural issue. We use data from the Demographic and Health Surveys DHS(VI) in Burkina Faso to test for a discontinuous change in the likelihood of being cut in the year the law was passed. We find robust evidence for a substantial drop in hazard rates in 1996 and investigate the heterogeneous impact of the law by region, religion, and ethnicity. Overall, we roughly estimate that over a ten year period the law averted the genital mutilation/cutting of approximately 237,591 women and girls. We qualify our findings recognizing that Burkina Faso is a special case with a long history of bottom-up and top-down approaches to eliminating the practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben Crisman, Sarah Dykstra, Charles Kenny and Megan O'Donnell, 2016. "The Impact of Legislation on the Hazard of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from Burkina Faso - Working Paper 432," Working Papers 432, Center for Global Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgd:wpaper:432
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    File URL: http://www.cgdev.org/publication/impact-legislation-hazard-female-genital-mutilationcutting-regression-discontinuity
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    Cited by:

    1. McGavock, Tamara & Novak, Lindsey, 2023. "Now, Later, or Never? Evidence of the effect of weather shocks on female genital cutting in Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    FGM/C; social norms; legal change; regression discontinuity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law

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