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Women’s Empowerment in Times of Conflict: Evidence from Yemen

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  • Ishak, Phoebe W.

    (World Bank)

  • Aghajanian, Alia

    (World Bank)

  • Ghorpade, Yashodhan

    (World Bank)

Abstract

This paper studies how female participation in household decision making has been affected by the ongoing civil conflict in the Republic of Yemen in areas under the control of the Internationally Recognized Government. Using a unique survey dataset that tracks households between 2014 and 2021 and a geo-coded data on conflict, we document an increase in women’s participation in decision making since the start of the conflict, particularly on decisions related to household purchases and children’s education. This is mainly driven by households living in districts with medium intensity conflict as compared to low intensity conflict. This result holds up to a series of robustness checks and is explained by changes in household composition, whereby men are more likely to leave the household in conflict affected districts, leaving women in charge of household decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Ishak, Phoebe W. & Aghajanian, Alia & Ghorpade, Yashodhan, 2025. "Women’s Empowerment in Times of Conflict: Evidence from Yemen," IZA Discussion Papers 18252, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18252
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. El-Mallakh, Nelly & Maurel, Mathilde & Speciale, Biagio, 2018. "Arab spring protests and women's labor market outcomes: Evidence from the Egyptian revolution," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 656-682.
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    4. Shireen Alazzawi, 2018. "Do Endowments Matter? Exploring The Gender Dimensions Of Poverty In Egypt," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 64(s1), pages 189-224, October.
    5. Tandon,Sharad Alan, 2018. "Quantifying the impacts of capturing territory from the government in the Republic of Yemen," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8458, The World Bank.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D10 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - General
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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