Work

Does Female Schooling Reduce Fertility? Evidence from Nigeria

Year: 2007

Type: report

Abstract: The literature generally points to a negative relationship between female education and fertility.Citing this pattern, policymakers have advocated educating girls and young women as a means to reduce population growth and foster sustained economic and social welfare in developing countries.This paper tests whether the relationship between fertility and education is indeed causal by investigating the introduction of universal primary education in Nigeria.Exploiting differences by region and age, the paper uses differences-in-differences and instrumental variables to estimate the role of education in fertility.The analysis suggests that increasing education by one year reduces fertility by 0.26 births.

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research

DOI: 10.3386/w13070

Authors: Una Okonkwo Osili, Bridget Terry Long

Institutions: National Bureau of Economic Research, Harvard University, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

Language: English

Topic: Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Quality education, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2006705160

Cites: 45

Cited by: 101

Related to: 10