The Economic Benefits of Male Adulthood: Evidence from Rural Burundi

42 Pages Posted: 26 Jan 2023 Last revised: 13 Feb 2024

See all articles by Ishrat Hans

Ishrat Hans

World Trade Organization (WTO)

Pedro Naso

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

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

Suggested Citation

Hans, Ishrat and Naso, Pedro, The Economic Benefits of Male Adulthood: Evidence from Rural Burundi (February 13, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4335181 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4335181

Ishrat Hans

World Trade Organization (WTO) ( email )

Pedro Naso (Contact Author)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences ( email )

Ulls hus, Ulls väg 27 756 51 Uppsala
Uppsala, Uppsala 756 51
Sweden

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