To invest or not to invest in sanitation: The role of intra-household gender differences in perceptions and bargaining power

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Development Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 162
Issue: C

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We exploit novel data collected within a randomized controlled trial of a sanitation microcredit intervention to study how intra-household gender differences in perceptions of costs and benefits of sanitation impact investment decisions. We show that – as long as the wife is involved in household decision-making – the intra-household differences in perceptions we document influence borrowing and investments: uptake of the sanitation loan is higher among households where the wife has higher benefit perception, whereas successful conversion to a toilet depends on differences in monetary cost perceptions. The estimated effects are consistent with the predictions of a model of intra-household decision-making.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:deveco:v:162:y:2023:i:c:s0304387823000299
Journal Field
Development
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-24