Working Paper: NBER ID: w18016
Authors: Naci H. Mocan; Colin Cannonier
Abstract: We use data from Sierra Leone where a substantial education program provided increased access to education for primary-school age children but did not benefit children who were older. We exploit the variation in access to the program generated by date of birth and the variation in resources between various districts of the country. We find that the program has increased educational attainment and that an increase in education has changed women's preferences. An increase in schooling, triggered by the program, had an impact on women's attitudes towards matters that impact women's health and on attitudes regarding violence against women. An increase in education has also reduced the number of desired children by women and increased their propensity to use modern contraception and to be tested for AIDS. While education makes women more intolerant of practices that conflict with their well-being, increased education has no impact on men's attitudes towards women's well-being.
Keywords: Education; Women Empowerment; Sierra Leone; Health Outcomes; Gender Equality
JEL Codes: I12; I15; I18; I21; I25; I28; J13; J18
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| women's educational attainment (I24) | women's preferences regarding health and wellbeing (I14) |
| each additional year of schooling (I24) | likelihood of using modern contraception (J13) |
| each additional year of schooling (I24) | propensity to be tested for AIDS (I12) |
| each additional year of schooling (I24) | desired number of children (J13) |
| each additional year of schooling (I24) | acceptance of violence against women (J12) |
| education (I29) | likelihood of supporting discontinuation of female genital mutilation (J12) |
| increased education (I24) | changes in women's attitudes (J16) |
| FPE program in Sierra Leone (F35) | women's educational attainment (I24) |