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| CIDR Seminar Series: Shelley Clark "Can Subsidized Early Child Care Promote Women’s Employment? Evidence from a Slum Settlement in Africa" |
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| Start Date: | 10/19/2018 | Start Time: | 12:30 PM |
| End Date: | 10/19/2018 | End Time: | 2:30 PM |
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Event Description:
The CUNY Institute for Demographic Research (CIDR) presents the first lecture in our 2018/19 series of demography seminars.
Shelley Clark
McGill University, James McGill Professor of Sociology
"Can Subsidized Early Child Care Promote Women’s Employment? Evidence from a Slum Settlement in Africa"
Abstract: Studies from North America, Europe, and Latin America show that women’s disproportionate child care responsibilities significantly impede their labor force participation. Yet, some have questioned whether similar barriers exist in sub-Saharan Africa, where women primarily work in the informal sector and may receive extensive kin support. To test whether child care obligations limit African women from engaging in paid work, we conducted a randomized study which provided subsidized early child care (ECC) to selected mothers living in a slum area of Nairobi, Kenya. We found that mothers are eager to send their children to ECC centers and that women who were offered vouchers for subsidized ECC were, on average, 8.5 percentage points (or over 17%) more likely to be employed than those who were not given vouchers. This effect rose to over 30 percentage points among women who actually used the ECC services. Furthermore, working mothers who received subsidized ECC were able to work about five fewer hours per week than those not given vouchers without any loss to their earnings. These findings provide strong evidence that subsidizing child care for women in poor urban settings could be a powerful mechanism to improve female labor outcomes and reduce gender inequalities in Africa.
Pre-Seminar: We will meet at 12:30pm to have lunch with the speaker
Talk will being at 1:00pm
Post-Seminar: CIDR fellows and Demography Certificate students are strongly encouraged to meet with the speaker after the seminar to discuss her work further and consult about graduate school, research, job market, career, etc.
Location:
Newman Hall, Oak Room (room 203)
137 East 22nd Street
Non-Baruch ID holders must RSVP in advance to gain access to the building.
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Schools/Departments:
CUNY Institute for Demographic Research |
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