The Perceived Marital Returns to Education and the Demand for Girls' Schooling

Rossella Calvi, Hira Farooqi and Eeshani Kandpal

No 19694, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We study how marriage market considerations influence parental investments in daughters' education in Pakistan. Using a hypothetical choice methodology, we estimate parents' preferences and willingness-to-pay for marital customs and daughters' marital and post-marital outcomes. Our findings highlight considerable heterogeneity between mothers and fathers, even within the same family. On average, fathers prioritize adherence to traditional customs, while mothers emphasize daughters' post-marital agency. Using a model of schooling decisions that incorporates these preferences, perceived costs, and parental beliefs about marital returns to education, we examine educational investments. Counterfactual simulations show that belief-targeting campaigns and policies boosting mothers' decision-power could significantly improve girls' education.

Keywords: Pakistan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D13 I31 J12 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-11
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