Women's Employment and its Relation to Children's Health and Schooling in Developing Countries: Conceptual Links, Empirical Evidence, and Policies

Abstract

This paper reviews several decades of empirical research on the effects of women's work on investments in children's human capital-their nutrition and schooling-in developing countries. No clear relationship between women's work and nutrition emerges from a large body of studies examining this issue, but this is to be expected given the complexity of the relationship and the wide variation in methodological approaches. However, specific factors, such as quality of substitute care and age of the child, condition the relationship and point to areas where policy can intervene to prevent negative nutritional outcomes or enhance positive outcomes of maternal work. Less research has been done on the subject of women's work and children's schooling, but there is evidence that there can be negative effects on girl's education because daughters are often obliged to substitute in the home for mothers who work. The paper considers a range of policies (including, in particular, childcare) that can reduce the potential conflicts, or increase the complementarities, between women's need or desire to work and their children's well-being. Also discussed are trends in developing economies and in the global economy that are affecting women's work and its relation to children's welfare, as well as affecting the ability of governments to intervene to ease the domestic constraints on women.3

The Motherhood Penalty and Female Employment in Urban India

“…Anecdotal evidence also shows that working mothers may be discriminated against by employers for not being adequately committed to the labor market (Johari 2015). Given this milieu, women feel that if they leave children with non-family members they would be negligent mothers despite the fact that there is no conclusive evidence of the relationship between maternal employment and children's welfare, with a rich body of literature showing effects in both directions (Desai and Jain, 1994;Kishor and Parasuraman 1998;Glick 2002).…”

Impact of Maternal Occupation on Health and Nutritional Status of Preschoolers. (In Srinagar City)

“…al.;. It has been noted that mothers who work may lack the time to adequately breastfeed or prepare nutritious meals for their young children, or to make use of public services designed to improve child nutrition ( Glick ;2002).…”

The nature of mothers' work and children's schooling in Nepal: The influence of income and time effects

“…If older daughters are chosen as substitute caregivers for their younger siblings, the effects may be detrimental to both the caregiver and the younger children: the older daughter's schooling opportunities may be impeded and the quality of care available to her young siblings lowered. Thus, as Glick (2002) asserts, a mother's decision to work, or more specifically to work in a particular sector, is intrinsically tied to the perceived value of that work for her family. Whether the consequences of her decision are positive or negative for her children depends ultimately on which of the effects is larger.…”

“…Women, in developing countries, particularly mothers, have dual roles in their households as income generators and primary caregivers to their children (Leslie and Paolisso 1989;Glick and Sahn 1998;Glick 2002). Because of time limitations, these roles are more often than not at odds with each other, with significant consequences for children.…”