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Inheritance Rights and Women's Empowerment in the Labor and Marriage Markets

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  • Margaux Suteau

    (Université de Cergy-Pontoise, THEMA)

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that land rights are an e ective means of improving women's conditions. This paper exploits an exogenous change in the possibility of obtaining land rights for women in India and estimates its effects on women's empowerment. In particular, I use the 1976 to 1994 amendments to the Hindu Succession Act (HSA) in five states. I demonstrate that in these states, young women's education increased by approximately one year. I also find that the amendments did not a ect female labor force participation but did increase young women's age at marriage. I replicate this analysis using the 2005 national reform, and I obtain the same results. This finding shows that despite women's empowerment in the marriage market due to their increase in education, there are still many factors preventing them from increasing their labor supply. From a public policy perspective, this paper demonstrates that social norms governing marital behaviors can mitigate the effects of land rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaux Suteau, 2020. "Inheritance Rights and Women's Empowerment in the Labor and Marriage Markets," THEMA Working Papers 2020-17, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    • Handle: RePEc:ema:worpap:2020-17
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hindu Succession Act; Education; Female labor force participation; Marriage market; India.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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