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What Effect Does Female Autonomy Have on Child Health? Microeconometric Evidence from Rural India

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  • Kazuya Wada

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of an improvement in female autonomy on children's welfare in the developing world, taking into consideration intra-household resource allocation through decision-making processes within households. Using a female autonomy index constructed from India's 1998/99 National Family Health Survey, the study tries to capture women's bargaining power and examine the effects on children's health and medical condition. The results of the empirical analysis suggest that often, though not always, children's health and medical condition can be enhanced by improving female autonomy. In addition, the results also imply that fostering female autonomy may play a crucial role in achieving economic development from a long-term perspective.

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  • Kazuya Wada, 2011. "What Effect Does Female Autonomy Have on Child Health? Microeconometric Evidence from Rural India," Global COE Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series gd11-202, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hst:ghsdps:gd11-202
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    1. Wang, Xiaojun & Fleisher, Belton M. & Li, Haizheng & Li, Shi, 2014. "Access to college and heterogeneous returns to education in China," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 78-92.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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