Childcare and Mothers’ Labor Market Outcomes in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries
Improving women’s labor force participation and the quality of their employment can boost economic growth and support poverty and inequality reduction; thus, it is highly pertinent for the development agenda. However, most systematic reviews on fem...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/undefined/450971635788989068/Childcare-and-Mothers-Labor-Market-Outcomes-in-Lower-and-Middle-Income-Countries http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36479 |
| Summary: | Improving women’s labor force
participation and the quality of their employment can boost
economic growth and support poverty and inequality
reduction; thus, it is highly pertinent for the development
agenda. However, most systematic reviews on female labor
market outcomes and childcare, which can arguably improve
these outcomes, are focused on developed countries. This
paper reviews 22 studies that plausibly identify the causal
impact of institutional childcare on maternal labor market
outcomes in lower- and-middle-income countries. All but one
study finds positive impacts on the extensive or intensive
margin of maternal labor market outcomes, which aligns with
findings for developed countries. The paper further analyzes
aspects of childcare design, including hours, ages of
children, and coordination with other childcare services
that may increase the impacts on maternal labor market
outcomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of
directions for future research. |
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