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Women’s Political Reservation, Early Childhood Development, and Learning in India

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  • Yuvraj Pathak
  • Karen Macours

Abstract

This article analyzes the long-term impacts of reservation of local political seats for women on children’s learning and nutritional outcomes in rural Andhra Pradesh. Using the random rotation of seats reserved for women over different election cycles and three rounds of a panel data set, we analyze the impact of exposure to political reservation during critical periods in early childhood. The article shows that the reservation policy for female leaders had the largest impact on learning outcomes in primary school when children were exposed to reservation in utero and very early in life.

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  • Yuvraj Pathak & Karen Macours, 2017. "Women’s Political Reservation, Early Childhood Development, and Learning in India," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65(4), pages 741-766.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:doi:10.1086/692114
    DOI: 10.1086/692114
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    Cited by:

    1. Julieta Vera Rueda, 2021. "When fathers are gone: the consequences of paternal absence during the early years," Working Papers halshs-02978563, HAL.
    2. Deininger,Klaus W. & Jin,Songqing & Nagarajan,Hari Krishnan & Singh,Sudhir K., 2020. "Political Reservation and Female Labor Force Participation in Rural India," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9350, The World Bank.
    3. Ekbrand, Hans & Halleröd, Björn, 2018. "The more gender equity, the less child poverty? A multilevel analysis of malnutrition and health deprivation in 49 low- and middle-income countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 221-230.
    4. Deininger, Klaus & Nagarajan, Hari K & Singh, Sudhir K, 2020. "Women's political leadership and economic empowerment: Evidence from public works in India," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 277-291.
    5. Julieta Vera Rueda, 2021. "When fathers are gone: the consequences of paternal absence during the early years," PSE Working Papers halshs-02978563, HAL.

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