Female Genital Mutilation and Migration in Mali: Do Migrants Transfer Social Norms?

Idrissa Diabata and Sandrine Mesplé-Somps
Additional contact information
Idrissa Diabata: INSTAT, Mali
Sandrine Mesplé-Somps: IRD
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Sandrine Mesplé-Somps

Working Papers from Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Migration and Development.

Abstract: In this paper, we investigate how powerful a mechanism migration is in the transmission of social norms, taking Mali and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a case study. Mali has a strong FGM culture and a long-standing history of migration. We use an original household-level database coupled with census data to analyze the extent to which girls living in villages with high rates of return migrants are less prone to FGM. Malians migrate predominantly to other African countries where female circumcision is uncommon (e.g. Côte d’Ivoire) and to countries where FGM is totally banned (France and other developed countries) and where anti-FGM information campaigns frequently target African migrants. Taking a two-step instrumental variable approach to control for the endogeneity of migration decisions, we show that return migrants have a negative and significant influence on FGM. We also show that adults living in villages with return migrants are more in favor of legislation against FGM.

Keywords: Mali (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 F22 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-09
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http://cmd.princeton.edu/sites/cmd/files/working-p ... ine-Mesple-Somps.pdf

Related works:
Working Paper: Female Genital Mutilation And Migration In Mali. Do Migrants Transfer Social Norms? (2017)
Working Paper: Female genital mutilation and migration in Mali. Do migrants transfer social norms? (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pri:cmgdev:15-01e

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