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Does Maternal Employment Impair Child Growth? Evidence from Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Rafi Prakoso

    (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics & Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada)

  • Elan Satriawan

    (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics & Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada)

Abstract

Due to time constraints, mothers’ working may influence their child’s growth positively or negatively. However, previous studies have shown that the net effect remains varied. This study expands the limited literature in Indonesia, utilizing the last three waves of the IFLS as primary data by exploring maternal working status in the present and past, specifically during the child’s critical window, to see whether the results diverge. We overcome the potential endogeneity in mothers’ working status by using the number of small industries and cluster average of women’s employment rate in the subdistrict as instruments. Results show that the present working status does not affect the child’s growth. However, pregnant mothers’ employment has adverse effects on their children. Moreover, the detrimental impact of past working status also occurs in rural areas and, interestingly, in the upper 60% of households. This confirms that the effect does differ in each time frame.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Rafi Prakoso & Elan Satriawan, 2024. "Does Maternal Employment Impair Child Growth? Evidence from Indonesia," Gadjah Mada Economics Working Paper Series 202403003, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada.
    • Handle: RePEc:gme:wpaper:202403003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Francine D. Blau & Lawrence M. Kahn, 2017. "The Gender Wage Gap: Extent, Trends, and Explanations," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 55(3), pages 789-865, September.
    3. Brauner-Otto, Sarah & Baird, Sarah & Ghimire, Dirgha, 2019. "Maternal employment and child health in Nepal: The importance of job type and timing across the child's first five years," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 94-105.
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    5. Gracious M. Diiro & Abdoul G. Sam & David Kraybill, 2017. "Heterogeneous Effects of Maternal Labor Market Participation on the Nutritional Status of Children: Empirical Evidence from Rural India," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(3), pages 609-632, September.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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