Intra-Household Bargaining Power and Expenditure on Children’ Education in Brazil

This study examines the relationship between women’s bargaining power, as measured by their share of family income, and spending on children’s education in Brazil. Using data from the 2017-2018 Household Budget Survey (POF) and fractional Probit models, findings reveal that increased maternal income share is associated with a higher proportion of the family budget allocated to education, with effects reaching up to 1.15 percentage points. The impact is particularly pronounced for daughters, underscoring a gender dimension in resource allocation. Regional and local variations further reveal how socio-economic and cultural factors influence these patterns, with broader effects in less developed areas and more targeted benefits for daughters in urban and economically advanced regions. These results offer insights into how maternal bargaining power shapes financial decisions, highlighting its importance for addressing gender disparities and informing equitable educational policies.