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Community Electrification and Women’s Autonomy

Author

Listed:
  • Rikhia Bhukta
  • Debayan Pakrashi
  • Sarani Saha
  • Ashish Sedai

Abstract

This study examines the effects of community-level electrification on women’s social autonomy in India using panel household survey data, administrative data and satellite data spanning over two decades. Using flexible difference-in-difference estimators, we find higher community-level electricity hours reduce incidence of sexual violence against women, and improve women’s mobility, fertility choices and access to health care. Results are robust when using night-time luminosity as an alternative indicator of community electrification, most recent data on reliability of electricity and alternative longitudinal estimation techniques. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effects are stronger in rural areas compared to urban areas. We identify four main channels through which electricity impacts women’s autonomy: paid employment, education, exposure to mass media and safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Rikhia Bhukta & Debayan Pakrashi & Sarani Saha & Ashish Sedai, 2023. "Community Electrification and Women’s Autonomy," CAMA Working Papers 2023-21, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    • Handle: RePEc:een:camaaa:2023-21
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    File URL: https://cama.crawford.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/publication/cama_crawford_anu_edu_au/2023-04/21_2023_bhukta_pakrashi_saha_sedai.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    community electricity; sexual violence; mobility; fertility; health care; women’s autonomy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy

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