Weather Shocks and Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan

This study investigates the understudied relationship between climate shocks and gender discrimination. Utilizing data from the Life in Kyrgyzstan Survey, we empirically demonstrate that insufficient winter precipitation significantly raises the likelihood of bride kidnapping and influences societal attitudes towards this practice in Kyrgyzstan. Our analysis reveals heterogeneity in the effects, with individuals from lower-income households being more susceptible to positive attitude shifts. Additionally, the presence of daughters in households correlates with negative attitudes toward bride capture. We do not find heterogeneous responses to the shocks based on gender and education levels.These findings shed light on the gendered consequences of climate change in developing countries and emphasize the necessity of implementing gender-sensitive adaptation strategies.