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Women in Politics and Child Labor: an Instrumental Variable Approach

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Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the empowerment of women in politics on child labor. The literature both on women in politics and on child labor lacks empirical evidence on the presence of the causality running from empowerment of women in politics to child labor. By using cross-sectional country observations and implementing an instrumental variable approach, the current study shows that an increase in the seat share of women in national parliament decreases child labor. In particular, a 1-percentage-point increase in the seat share of women in national parliament decreases child labor by 0.36 percentage points, being 0.54 percentage points for male child labor and 0.47 percentage points for female child labor. These results indicate that child labor is another issue where men and women politicians have different priorities and preferences.

Resume

Cet article étudie l’impact de la montée en puissance des femmes en politique sur le travail des enfants. La littérature sur les femmes en politique et sur le travail des enfants manque de preuves empiriques sur la présence d’un lien de causalité entre la montée en puissance des femmes en politique et le travail des enfants. En utilisant des observations longitudinales par pays et en appliquant la méthode des variables instrumentales, cette étude montre qu’une augmentation de la proportion des femmes siégeant au parlement national réduit le travail des enfants. En particulier, une augmentation d’un point de pourcentage du nombre de sièges des femmes au parlement national fait baisser le travail des enfants de 0,36 point de pourcentage : 0,54 point pour le travail des garçons et 0,47 point pour le travail des filles. Ces résultats indiquent que le travail des enfants est un autre sujet sur lequel les hommes et les femmes en politique ont des priorités et des préférences différentes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Trade and Finance Department, Istanbul Arel University, Türkoba Mahallesi Erguvan Sokak No:26/K, Tepekent –Büyükçekmece, 34537, Istanbul, Turkey

    Deniz Güvercin

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  1. Deniz Güvercin
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Correspondence to Deniz Güvercin.

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Appendix: List of Countries

Appendix: List of Countries

Algeria

Kenya

Turkey

Armenia

Kyrgyz Republic

Uganda

Bahrain

Lao PDR

Ukraine

Bangladesh

Lesotho

Uruguay

Benin

Liberia

Vietnam

Bolivia

Malawi

Zambia

Botswana

Mali

 

Brazil

Mexico

 

Burundi

Mongolia

 

Cameroon

Morocco

 

Colombia

Mozambique

 

Costa Rica

Myanmar

 

Dominican Republic

Nepal

 

Ecuador

Nicaragua

 

Gabon

Panama

 

Ghana

Paraguay

 

Guatemala

Peru

 

Guyana

Philippines

 

Haiti

Portugal

 

Honduras

Romania

 

India

Rwanda

 

Indonesia

Senegal

 

Iran

Sri Lanka

 

Jordan

Tajikistan

 

Kazakhstan

Thailand

 
 

Tunisia

 

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Güvercin, D. Women in Politics and Child Labor: an Instrumental Variable Approach. Eur J Dev Res 32, 873–888 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-019-00243-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-019-00243-1

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