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Women’s decision-making autonomy and children’s schooling in rural Mozambique

Author

Listed:
  • Luciana Luz

    (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG))

  • Victor Agadjanian

    (University of California, Los Angeles)

Abstract

Background: Women’s decision-making autonomy in developing settings has been shown to improve child survival and health outcomes. However, little research has addressed possible connections between women’s autonomy and children’s schooling. Objective: To examine the relationship between rural women’s decision-making autonomy and enrollment status of primary school-age children living in their households and how this relationship differs by child’s gender. Methods: The analysis uses data from a 2009 survey of rural households in four districts of Gaza province in southern Mozambique. Multilevel logistic models predict the probability of being in school for children between 6 and 14 years old. Results: The results show a positive association of women’s decision-making autonomy with the probability of being enrolled in primary school for daughters, but not for sons. The effect of women’s autonomy is net of other women’s characteristics typically associated with enrollment and does not mediate the effects of those characteristics. Conclusions: Based on the results, we argue that women with higher levels of decision-making autonomy may have a stronger preference for daughters’ schooling and may have a greater say in making and implementing decisions regarding daughters’ education, compared to women with lower autonomy levels. Results also illustrate a need for considering a broader set of autonomy-related characteristics when examining the effects of women’s status on children’s educational outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Luciana Luz & Victor Agadjanian, 2015. "Women’s decision-making autonomy and children’s schooling in rural Mozambique," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(25), pages 775-796.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:32:y:2015:i:25
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2015.32.25
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kafle, Kashi & Michelson, Hope & Winter-Nelson, Alex, 2016. "Does she have a say? The impact of livestock transfer and associated training on women's empowerment: Evidence from Zambia," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 236271, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    2. Williams, Eunice Mueni & Padmadas, Sabu S. & Väisänen, Heini, 2024. "Falling behind in school: Mother’s economic empowerment and its association with children’s grade progression in Malawi," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    3. Schrijner, Sandor & Smits, Jeroen, 2018. "Grandparents and Children's stunting in sub-Saharan Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 90-98.
    4. C. Emily Hendrick & Leticia Marteleto, 2017. "Maternal Household Decision-Making Autonomy and Adolescent Education in Honduras," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 36(3), pages 415-439, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sub-Saharan Africa; enrolment; Mozambique; women's decision-making autonomy; schooling;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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