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A Signal to End Child Marriage: Theory and Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Nina Buchmann
  • Erica Field
  • Rachel Glennerster
  • Shahana Nazneen
  • Xiao Yu Wang

Abstract

Child marriage remains common even where female schooling and employment opportunities have grown. We experimentally evaluate a financial incentive to delay marriage alongside a girls' empowerment program in Bangladesh. While girls eligible for two years of incentive are 19 percent less likely to marry underage, the empowerment program failed to decrease adolescent marriage. We show that these results are consistent with a signaling model in which bride type is imperfectly observed but preferred types (socially conservative girls) have lower returns to delaying marriage. Consistent with our theoretical prediction, we observe substantial spillovers of the incentive on untreated nonpreferred types.

Suggested Citation

  • Nina Buchmann & Erica Field & Rachel Glennerster & Shahana Nazneen & Xiao Yu Wang, 2023. "A Signal to End Child Marriage: Theory and Experimental Evidence from Bangladesh," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 113(10), pages 2645-2688, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:113:y:2023:i:10:p:2645-88
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20220720
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Caroline Krafft & Diana Jimena Arango & Amalia Hadas Rubin & Jocelyn Kelly, 2024. "Conflict and Girl Child Marriage: Global Evidence," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(4), pages 1-26, August.
    2. Le, Dung D. & Molina, Teresa & Ibuka, Yoko & Goto, Rei, 2024. "The Intergenerational Health Effects of Child Marriage Bans," IZA Discussion Papers 17089, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Subarna Banerjee & Gitanjali Sen, 2024. "Persistent effects of a conditional cash transfer: a case of empowering women through Kanyashree in India," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(4), pages 1-38, December.
    4. Dan Anderberg & Rachel Cassidy & Anaya Dam & Wendy Janssens & Karlijn Morsink & Anouk van Veldhoven, 2024. "Keeping the Peace while Getting Your Way: Information, Persuasion and Intimate Partner Violence," CESifo Working Paper Series 11133, CESifo.
    5. Kerwin, Jason & Rostom, Nada & Sterck, Olivier, 2024. "Striking the Right Balance: Why Standard Balance Tests Over-Reject the Null, and How to Fix It," IZA Discussion Papers 17217, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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