Sibling rivalry and gender gap: intrahousehold substitution of male and female educational investments from male migration prospects

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Population Economics
Year: 2017
Volume: 30
Issue: 4
Pages: 1355-1380

Authors (2)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Abstract Improved migration prospects for men could have negative spillover effects on women. We use an exogenous change in an education-based policy for recruiting Nepali men to work in the British Army to examine the effect of new job prospects for men on the human capital of women within the same household. Men who were directly exposed to this change raised their education. These gains came at the expense of their female siblings, who lost 0.12 years of schooling and increased their participation in economic activities. This spillover accounts for a 8% decline in female education and widens the gender gap by 31%. For every additional year of education completed by men, female siblings “lose” 0.394 years of education. This gender spillover is more severe for poor and agricultural households that are more resource constrained.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:spr:jopoec:v:30:y:2017:i:4:d:10.1007_s00148-017-0641-4
Journal Field
Growth
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29