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Reversal of Gender Gaps in Child Development: Evidence from Young Children in India

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  • López Bóo, Florencia

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

  • Canon, Maria Eugenia

    (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)

Abstract

This paper provides unique evidence of a reversal of gender gaps in cognitive development in early childhood. We find steep caste and gender gradients and few substantive changes once children enter school. The gender gap, however, reverses its sign for the upper caste, with girls performing better than boys at age 5 but thereafter following the general pattern in India of boys performing better.

Suggested Citation

  • López Bóo, Florencia & Canon, Maria Eugenia, 2014. "Reversal of Gender Gaps in Child Development: Evidence from Young Children in India," IZA Discussion Papers 8191, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8191
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    5. M. Niaz Asadullah & Uma Kambhampati & Florencia Lopez Boo, 2014. "Social divisions in school participation and attainment in India: 1983–2004," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 38(4), pages 869-893.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elisabetta Aurino & Whitney Schott & Jere R. Behrman & Mary Penny, 2019. "Nutritional Status from 1 to 15 Years and Adolescent Learning for Boys and Girls in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 38(6), pages 899-931, December.
    2. Bando, Rosangela & López Bóo, Florencia, 2016. "Sex-Differences in Language and Socio-Emotional Skills: Evidence from Large Scale Studies of Very Young Children," IZA Discussion Papers 10315, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    caste inequality; gender; India; cognitive skills; children; Oaxaca;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I2 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination

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