The Economic Benefits of Male Adulthood: Evidence from Rural Burundi
42 Pages Posted: 26 Jan 2023 Last revised: 13 Feb 2024
Date Written: February 13, 2024
Abstract
What are the benefits that an adult man generates to the household just for the sake of being an adult man? Using regression discontinuity design, we estimate the impact of the presence of an adult male in female headed households in rural Burundi. We compare households with a young adult male---who enjoys the privileges of an adult man---with households with a teenage male just below the 18 years-old mark---who is not yet considered an adult. We show that adult male presence increases income, asset value and children's years of education. The mechanisms appear to be increased participation in labor markets, farm production, and access to assets. We show how gender norms constraint economic development in an agricultural economy with a high degree of gender inequality.
Keywords: Gender Inequality, Gender Gap, Developing Countries, Burundi
JEL Classification: J16, I30, O13, O15
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