The Short-Term Impacts of as Schooling Cash Transfer Program on the Sexual Behavior of Young Women

Sarah Baird (), Ephraim Chirwa (), Craig McIntosh () and Berk Özler
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Sarah Baird: Center for Global Health/ Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University
Ephraim Chirwa: Deparment of Economiccs/ Chancellor College, University of Malawi
Craig McIntosh: Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies (IRPS), University of California San Diego

Working Papers from The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy

Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that conditional cash transfer programs for schooling are effective in raising school enrollment and attendance. However, there is also reason to believe that such programs can affect other outcomes, such as the sexual behavior of their young beneficiaries. Zomba Cash Transfer Program is a randomized, ongoing conditional cash transfer intervention targeting young women in Malawi that provides incentives (in the form of school fees and cash transfers) to current schoolgirls and recent dropouts to stay in or return to school. An average offer of US$10/month conditional on satisfactory school attendance ? plus direct payment of secondary school fees ? led to significant declines in early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and self-reported sexual activity among program beneficiaries after just one year of program implementation. For program beneficiaries who were out of school at baseline, the probability of getting married and becoming pregnant declined by more than 40 percent and 30 percent, respectively. In addition, the incidence of the onset of sexual activity was 38 percent lower among all program beneficiaries than the control group. Overall, these results suggest that conditional cash transfer programs not only serve as useful tools for improving school attendance, but may also reduce sexual activity, teen pregnancy, and early marriage.

Keywords: Population Policies; Adolescent Health; Education For All; Primary Education; Disease Control & Preventon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I10 I20 J10 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 32 pages
Date: 2009-10
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

Published in Health Economics, Volume 19, Issue Supplement 1

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gwi:wpaper:2010-10

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