Employment Booms and Infant Health: Evidence from the Ready-Made Garment Sector in Bangladesh

Mahima Vasishth (mahima.vasishth@unibocconi.it)
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Mahima Vasishth: Bocconi University

No 17106, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: In this paper, I estimate the inter-generational health impact of maternal employment opportunities using evidence from the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh. This industry was exposed to a trade liberalization policy in 2005, which generated spatial and temporal variation in the establishment of garment factories and therefore, potential employment opportunities for women. Using a difference-in-difference strategy, I find that the expansion of this sector improved the probability of neonatal survival for children who are born in areas that experience higher growth in employment opportunities post trade liberalization. This is driven by the improved labor market participation by mothers, enabling them to delay childbirth and improve their intra-household bargaining power.

Keywords: neonatal mortality; female labor force participation; ready-made garment sector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 I15 J21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2024-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-hea and nep-lma
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