Fertility impact of social transfers in Sub-Saharan Africa – What about pensions?

Göran Holmqvist

Global Development Institute Working Paper Series from GDI, The University of Manchester

Abstract: The potential link between child-related cash transfers and increased fertility is often raised as an issue of concern when debating their use. Old-age pension is a form of cash transfer where theory would suggest the opposite impact, i.e. pensions equal decreasing fertility. A handful of Sub-Saharan African countries have introduced non-contributory social pensions that cover the great majority of the older population. It makes them into a distinct group in relation to the rest of the region where public old-age security arrangements, if existing at all, are largely reserved for the formal sector. This paper attempts to trace any impact these high-coverage pension schemes may have had on fertility. Findings suggest that there has been such an impact, in the range of 0,5 to 1,5 children less per woman depending on model specification.

Date: 2010
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-age and nep-dev
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bwp:bwppap:11910

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