Suchergebnisse

This study quantifies the cost of unwanted pregnancy in relation to early childhood health in 62 developing countries. The endogeneity problem is dealt with through the household fixed‐effects model that utilizes the variation in the degree of birth wantedness among children within a household. The study uncovers the serious health consequences of children born unwanted. Specifically, children from unwanted births tend to have lower height‐for‐age, weight‐for‐age, and weight‐for‐height by 0.054, 0.065, and 0.04 standard deviations, respectively. We further present suggestive evidence that these health consequences might be ascribed to inadequate prenatal care and unfavorable postpartum behaviors among unintentionally pregnant women. Because poor health in early childhood can lead to long‐term negative ramifications, it is urgent to make contraceptives accessible to reduce unwanted births as well as to implement effective measures to assist women facing unwanted pregnancies.

AbstractThis article explores the relationship between temperature and intimate partner violence against women in 34 developing countries. Exploiting the variation in average temperatures across women's residential locations within the 12 months prior to the survey date, we detect the positive association between temperature and women's exposure to intimate partner violence. Specifically, a one standard deviation increase in temperature (equivalent to an increase of 5.94°C) raises the risks of intimate partner violence (physical, emotional, and sexual violence) at both the extensive and intensive margins. These impacts could be attributable to the loss of control (proxied by alcohol use) and worse labor market outcomes. Our heterogeneity analyses further show that women from rural areas, those from poor households, those having low education, and those living with low‐educated partners are particularly vulnerable to the damaging consequences of temperature hikes.

Abstract
This study quantifies the less salient yet important impacts of land titling on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) in the context of Vietnam. Exploiting the within-plot variation in titling status, we find that land titling is positively associated with the implementation of SAPs. Specifically, being given formal titles to land makes Vietnamese rural households 6.58, 3.65, and 1.97 percentage points more likely to invest in soil-water conservation, adopt crop rotation, and leave the land fallow, respectively. These estimates represent increases of 8.7, 20.9, and 2 % compared to the sample averages, respectively. Given the substantial stress on the agricultural system generated by conventional farming, raising the adoption of SAPs could improve food security and alleviate hunger. Our findings also imply that strengthening land property rights through land titling can help us achieve sustainable development goals. The study calls for intensified policy efforts to make sure that formal land use certificates are issued for all farmlands.

Abstract
This study assesses the extent to which the invasions of desert locust swarms affect child health in the Republic of the Niger. We discover that children exposed to the invasions tend to be shorter for their age, thinner for their age, and thinner for their height. In particular, a one standard deviation increase in the affected area (around 200 ha) is associated with a 0.019 standard deviation reduction in height-for-age, 0.029 standard deviation decrease in weight-for-age, and 0.020 standard deviation decrease in weight-for-height z-score. Given the long-lasting irreparable consequences of poor health in early life throughout the life cycle, the study calls for prompt and effective efforts to prevent the adverse effects of the desert locust swarm invasions.

AbstractThis paper evaluates the extent to which armed conflicts alter women's intra‐household decision making in 51 countries over the past three decades (1990–2018). Exploiting the variations both within and across districts in the timing of battles, we uncover adverse consequences of armed conflict on women's engagement in household decisions on both financial and non‐financial aspects. Specifically, a one standard deviation increase in the number of battles (equivalent to an increase of 5.1 battles) reduces the composite financial and non‐financial decision indices of women by 2.32% and 1.34% relative to the sample averages. Breaking down the decision‐making indices by looking at the underlying items, we further find that the declines in women's intra‐household decision making come from reductions in all aspects of financial and non‐financial domains.

This article evaluates the extent to which armed conflicts influence early childhood health for 56 developing countries over nearly 30 years. Exploiting both spatial and temporal variations in conflict exposure within a difference-in-differences framework, the article uncovers detrimental ramifications of armed conflicts on the health outcomes of children under five years old. Particularly, children exposed to armed conflicts have lower height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age z-scores by 0.08, 0.05, and 0.10 standard deviations, respectively. Taking the average corresponding anthropometric z-scores of unexposed children as the benchmarks, exposure to armed conflicts makes children 6.6% shorter for their age, 11% thinner for their height, and 9% thinner for their age. Exposure to armed conflicts further makes children 2.2, 0.8, and 2.6 percentage points more likely to be stunted, wasted, and underweight, respectively (i.e. 7.3%, 7.9%, and 10.2% increases compared to the benchmark averages of those unexposed to armed conflicts). In addition, the heterogeneity analyses suggest that children born to low-education mothers, children from relatively poor households, and children living in rural areas tend to bear the larger health setbacks. Given the long-lasting impacts of poor health in early childhood on adult outcomes, delivering nutrition interventions to children in conflict zones is of utmost importance, and extra attention should be given to children of disadvantaged backgrounds.

AbstractThis paper explores the role of teacher race/ethnicity in the teacher‐perceived relationships with kindergarten and early elementary school students. Employing a model with both student and teacher fixed effects, we discover a positive link between the racial/ethnic match and the teacher‐reported relationships with students. Specifically, minority students tend to have closer relationships with their teachers when they are taught by a minority teacher. Our analyses also provide suggestive evidence that the effects on the teacher–student relationships could not be driven by differential racial discrimination between white and minority teachers. Particularly, white and minority teachers are not differentially biased in judging their relationships with minority students, implying that the source of the racial/ethnic interaction effects is likely to come from the role modeling of behaviors. Given the importance of the relationships between young children and nonparental adults in their early stages of life, these findings have crucial policy implications.

This article evaluates the extent to which armed conflicts influence early childhood health for 56 developing countries over nearly 30 years. Exploiting both spatial and temporal variations in conflict exposure within a difference-in-differences framework, the article uncovers detrimental ramifications of armed conflicts on the health outcomes of children under five years old. Particularly, children exposed to armed conflicts have lower height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age z-scores by 0.08, 0.05, and 0.10 standard deviations, respectively. Taking the average corresponding anthropometric z-scores of unexposed children as the benchmarks, exposure to armed conflicts makes children 6.6% shorter for their age, 11% thinner for their height, and 9% thinner for their age. Exposure to armed conflicts further makes children 2.2, 0.8, and 2.6 percentage points more likely to be stunted, wasted, and underweight, respectively (i.e. 7.3%, 7.9%, and 10.2% increases compared to the benchmark averages of those unexposed to armed conflicts). In addition, the heterogeneity analyses suggest that children born to low-education mothers, children from relatively poor households, and children living in rural areas tend to bear the larger health setbacks. Given the long-lasting impacts of poor health in early childhood on adult outcomes, delivering nutrition interventions to children in conflict zones is of utmost importance, and extra attention should be given to children of disadvantaged backgrounds. JEL codes: I10, I15, J13, O15

AbstractThis paper investigates the extent to which in utero exposure to temperature shocks affects birth weight outcomes in Vietnam. Exploiting the variations across districts and conception timing within districts, we show that a one standard deviation increase in temperature relative to the local norm (approximately 0.52°C) during the first trimester of pregnancy reduces the child's weight at birth by 67 g or 2.2 percent. Our heterogeneity analysis suggests that infants living in rural areas, born to poor and low‐educated mothers are especially vulnerable to temperature shocks.

Abstract
This paper evaluates the impacts of education on women's relational empowerment, within a context of 70 developing countries across the world. Exploiting the variation in educational attainment between biological sisters, we find that education is positively associated with women's intra-household decision making authority in both financial and non-financial domains. Moreover, education reduces relational friction, especially women's exposure to psychological abuse. Our mechanism analyses provide suggestive evidence that these improvements could be attributed to increased access to information, assortative matching, and better labor market outcome.