Family Planning, Women's Empowerment, and Population and Societal Impacts Proceedings of a Workshop (2021) / Chapter Skim
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2 The Role of Fertility Decline and Women's Empowerment in Economic Development and in Other Population and Societal Changes
2 The Role of Fertility Decline and Women's Empowerment in Economic Development and in Other Population and Societal Changes
Pages 5-16
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• Although traditional policies to improve women's labor market outcomes (e.g., training, microcredit, education) are important, more labor market policies could be developed that specifically operate on gender norms.
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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND WOMEN'S ECONOMIC ACTIVITY: A NARRATIVE REVIEW Jocelyn Finlay (Harvard University) addressed two key questions: To what extent does the nexus between fertility and women's labor force participation (LFP)
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-- which found that teen motherhood had no effect on LFP in teen mothers from rich households but increased LFP in teen mothers from poor households -- as an example of the heterogenous relationship between fertility and LFP in middle-income countries.8 In this case, the finding may be explained by the increased likelihood that a teen mother would also act as the head of household in poorer families. Finlay highlighted single motherhood, income inequality, and inequality in labor market opportunity as worthy avenues for future exploration.
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In sub-Saharan African countries, the birth of additional children increases LFP among women in all but the richest income groups. However, in Latin American countries this relationship was observed only in the poorest women, and in South Asian countries it was not observed at all.
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These power structures, though variable on a global scale, share common features, such as an asymmetrical division of labor between paid and unpaid work among men and women, and norms and ideologies that position women in a lower position of power. While empowerment applies to the individual, citizenship is a form of agency that challenges power structures in a collective manner.
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are associated with a diminution of the gender gap in mortality as well as an increase in fertility levels, suggesting a degree of strategic agency for women. Kabeer also discussed another study conducted in India that demonstrated an increased investment in the education of girls by mothers who participated in the national employment guarantee scheme, while the participation of fathers in this same scheme had no impact on girls' education and a negative impact on boys' education; thus, male and female access to resources has a ripple effect on the well-being and empowerment of children.
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Kabeer shared her work in Bangladesh, which compared minimalist microfinance with sociallyoriented microfinance and social mobilization organizations; the study revealed that minimalist microfinance had neither political nor economic effects, socially oriented microfinance had mixed results, and social mobilization organizations -- which organized around savings groups and commitments to change -- had the greatest effect on what she called citizenship. These impacts manifested as greater involvement in the public domain, an increased willingness to fight for justice for others, and mobilization against dowries, among other changes.14 Kabeer also shared evidence from a study in India, which showed the impact of self-help groups on the citizenship and political empowerment of women (e.g., increased voter participation and engagement with local officials)
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She noted that this presentation was based on a review article.16 A U-shaped relationship exists between a country's economic development and rates of female employment, such that the lowest rates of female employment exist in countries at the middle of the economic development spectrum. Jayachandran explained that this initial drop in female employment as economies develop stems from jobs moving away from the home and from social norms influencing the employment of women in those 16 S
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Patriarchal gender norms, which also vary throughout the world, are one candidate to explain these differences. Jayachandran considered many specific norms and noted that they are not restricted to low-income countries; these norms include stigma about women serving as the family breadwinner, restrictions on women's physical mobility and social interactions, acceptability of the harassment of women in public spaces, expectations related to control over household finances, and responsibility for household chores and child care.
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Jayachandran concluded her presentation by suggesting that, although traditional policies to improve women's labor market outcomes (e.g., training, microcredit, education) are important, more labor market policies could be developed that specifically operate on social gender norms.
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Jocelyn Finlay asked Jayachandran whether a current lack of incomesharing in sub-Saharan African households signals a possible divergence from the U-shaped curve of the relationship between women's LFP and a country's economic progress as that region develops. Jayachandran considered it possible that a lack of pooled income would mitigate the traditional decline in women's LFP as sub-Saharan African countries develop further.
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