Research under this theme will analyse the welfare implications of policy solutions meant to promote gender parity. These include testing the effect of, among others, parental leave, childcare subsidies, vocational training for the young as well as to facilitate mothers’ return into the labour force, infrastructure to promote safety and reduce violence, edutainment to change norms. Research is needed to assess potential costs to men and women, especially in the short run when policies promote behaviours that go against established social norms. Implications for mental health are particularly important. Research is also needed to assess whether policies are zero-sum, that is redistribute from men to women, or whether they increase overall output and productivity via an improved allocation of talent and whether these gains can be widely shared, as that will ultimately determine whether they will receive majority support.
Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to experience poverty in their adult lives, manifesting intergenerational poverty traps. Studies with long-term panel data show that the poverty status of households in their childhood is associated...
In India, only 20% of women participate in the labour force—less than in Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia—hampering national economic growth and women’s financial independence. This project investigates how safe public transportation,...
Women in South Asia are often excluded from the labour market, reducing their financial autonomy, and negatively impacting their physical and mental wellbeing (Verick, 2014; Field et al., 2021). Large government interventions have failed to close...
Our research agenda addresses questions central to the economics of gender: To what extent are gender gaps in labour markets driven by labour demand versus supply? Given weak capacity in developing countries to enforce legislation, can market-based...
Access to high-quality childcare is central to advancing women’s economic and social agency while promoting children’s development. However, in many LMICs, childcare markets are largely informal, with care often provided in unregulated...
The issue of sexual harassment in the workplace remains pervasive, despite being illegal and a violation of human rights. Approximately one in two women experience sexual harassment during their work lives, with half of them experiencing three or...
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of 15-20% and a higher prevalence among the poor. Depression symptoms include anhedonia, impaired attention, and fatigue. People with depression and their families...
As digital technology becomes an ever-growing part of economic life in low-income countries, researchers and policymakers face a moment of both opportunity and risk: technologies like smartphones and mobile internet could connect millions of...
