The Human Capital Peace Dividend

66 Pages Posted: 24 Jul 2019 Last revised: 15 Apr 2021

See all articles by Mounu Prem

Mounu Prem

Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF)

Juan F. Vargas

Universidad del Rosario

Olga Namen

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)

Date Written: April 14, 2021

Abstract

While the literature has documented negative effects of conflict on educational outcomes, there is little evidence on the effect of conflict termination. We show how the permanent ceasefire declared by FARC’s insurgency during peace negotiations with the Colombian government caused a differential improvement on several educational outcomes in the areas affected by FARC violence prior to the ceasefire. These effects are not explained by peace building and post-war recovery investments, and they are only partially driven by wartime child soldiering. Instead, we find support for other mechanisms such as the post-ceasefire plummeting of victimization and new economic opportunities in treated areas.

Keywords: Human capital, Educational outcomes, Peace agreement, Armed Conflict

JEL Classification: D74, I21, J24

Suggested Citation

Prem, Mounu and Vargas, Juan F. and Namen, Olga, The Human Capital Peace Dividend (April 14, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3424863 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3424863

Mounu Prem

Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF) ( email )

Via Due Macelli, 73
Rome, 00187
Italy

Juan F. Vargas (Contact Author)

Universidad del Rosario ( email )

Calle 12 No. 6-25
Bogota, DC
Colombia

Olga Namen

University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) ( email )

Santa Barbara, CA 93106
United States

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