Poverty Alleviation Relocation, Fuelwood Consumption and Gender Differences in Human Capital Improvement

Abstract

The aim of poverty alleviation relocation is to break the vicious cycle of poverty and ecological degradation. The improvement of human capital, specifically women’s human capital, is important to realize the poverty alleviation and sustainable development of relocated peasant households. Based on the survey data of 902 peasant households in southern Shaanxi in 2020, using the PSM model and the mediation effect test model, this paper explores the impact of participation in relocation on human capital from the perspective of gender differences, and the mediation effect of fuelwood consumption in the effect of participation in relocation on the human capital of peasants with different genders. The results show that firstly, in general, participation in relocation effectively improves the human capital of peasants. Secondly, there are gender differences in the improvement of the human capital of relocated peasants. Compared with male peasants, the health level of female peasants is significantly improved. Finally, fuelwood consumption plays an important mediation role in the impact of participation in relocation on human capital and the mediation role is more significant in improving the human capital of relocated female peasants.

The Impacts of the Poverty Alleviation Relocation Program (PARP) on Households’ Education Investment: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Rural China

“…These initiatives aim to improve medical conditions in resettlements, reduce treatment costs, provide convenient services for relocated households, ensure effective treatment of major diseases, promote health maintenance, and ultimately reduce household medical expenses, alleviating pressures on family budgets [66]. Furthermore, upgraded infrastructure, such as roads, electricity, communications, and waste disposal facilities, improves living convenience for relocated households, leading to changes in hygiene, waste disposal, and energy consumption practices among family members, enhancing healthy human capital and further reducing household medical expenses [67].…”

Gender differences in spending on information and communication technology and transport fuel intensity: Evidence from Ghana

“…The relevant literature on gender differences is expanding, with studies [ 11 , 12 ] linking gender differences in relative poverty alleviation, relocation, fuelwood consumption, and climate security contexts to education. Other studies [ [13] , [14] , [15] , [16] ] linked gender differences in entrepreneurial ecosystems in evolving economies to information technologies [ 17 ].…”