The effect of gender inequalities experienced by mothers on the under-five mortality in cameroon between 2011 and 2018

While the significance of women’s status in society for maternal and child health remains a topic of debate, several researchers have documented its impact on intermediate factors affecting under-five mortality, such as the use of pre- and post-natal healthcare. These studies have also highlighted the issue of causality, often overlooked when estimating the effects of gender inequality on child mortality. In this study, we re-examine this relationship using the last two Cameroon Demographic and Health Surveys (2011 and 2018). By applying a propensity score approach to correct for endogeneity caused by baseline differences between comparison groups, we find that simple weighted discrete time logit models tend to overestimate the effect of gender inequalities experienced by mothers on child mortality. Our results show that the accumulation of disadvantages in maternal access to education, favorable attitudes towards domestic violence, and decision-making autonomy within the household substantially increases the risk of child mortality. However, a general decline in favorable attitudes towards violence against women was observed during the study period. These findings suggest that the various gender inequalities faced by women are not isolated challenges but part of an interconnected system of disadvantages that accumulate and reinforce each other, leading to negative outcomes for child health and survival. This underscores the need for holistic interventions that address the deep-rooted causes of gender inequality to improve child health in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Cameroon.