Investing in all the people

Lawrence H. Summers

No 905, Policy Research Working Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Recent research has convinced the author that once all the benefits are recognized, investment in the education of girls may be the highest return of investment available in the developing world. The author stresses five major points: (1) higher death rates are symptomatic of the more general pattern of female deprivation in the developing world; (2) underinvestment in girls is an economic problem resulting from a vicious cycle caused by distorted incentives; (3) educated women choose to have fewer children and can provide more for those they do have; (4) the social benefits alone of increased female education are more than sufficient to cover its costs; and (5) priorities should be to reduce the cost of schooling for girls and make special efforts to accommodate parent's practical needs. Major initiatives to increase female education can transform society over time. If more girls had gone to school a generation ago, millions of infant deaths could have been averted each year, and tens of millions of families could have been healthier and happier.

Keywords: Health Monitoring&Evaluation; Primary Education; Gender and Education; Adolescent Health; Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1992-05-31
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