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Childcare and Maternal Employment: Evidence from Vietnam

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  • Hai-Anh Dang

    (World Bank)

  • Masako Hiraga

    (World Bank)

  • Cuong Viet Nguyen

    (Vietnam National University)

Abstract

Little literature currently exists on the effects of childcare use on maternal labor market outcomes in a developing country context, and the few recent studies offer mixed results. We attempt to fill these gaps by analyzing several latest rounds of the Vietnam Household Living Standards Survey spanning the early to mid-2010s. Addressing endogeneity issues with a regression discontinuity estimator based on children’s birth months, we find sizable and positive effects of childcare on women’s own labor market outcomes and their household income and poverty status. The effects of childcare differ by women’s characteristics and are stronger for more educated women. These effects are also somewhat larger for younger children and areas with higher income levels. Furthermore, we also find that some positive effects last after two years.

Suggested Citation

  • Hai-Anh Dang & Masako Hiraga & Cuong Viet Nguyen, 2021. "Childcare and Maternal Employment: Evidence from Vietnam," Working Papers 584, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    • Handle: RePEc:inq:inqwps:ecineq2021-584
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    Cited by:

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    2. Semih Tumen & Belgi Turan, 2023. "The effect of fertility on female labor supply in a labor market with extensive informality," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(4), pages 1855-1894, October.
    3. Sinha, Aashima & Kumar Sedai, Ashish & Bahadur Rahut, Dil & Sonobe, Tetsushi, 2024. "Well-being costs of unpaid care: Gendered evidence from a contextualized time-use survey in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    4. Nguyen, Cuong, 2019. "Simulation of the Costs and Benefits of Delayed Retirement: Evidence from Vietnam," MPRA Paper 106180, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Nguyen, Cuong Viet & Tarp, Finn, 2023. "Cash Transfers and Labor Supply: New Evidence on Impacts and Mechanisms," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1243, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    6. Balasubramanian, Pooja & Ibanez, Marcela & Khan, Sarah & Sahoo, Soham, 2024. "Does women's economic empowerment promote human development in low- and middle-income countries? A meta-analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    7. Cuong Viet Nguyen, 2022. "The effect of preschool attendance on Children's health: Evidence from a lower middle‐income country," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(8), pages 1558-1589, August.
    8. Anh Thu Quang Pham & Pundarik Mukhopadhaya & Ha Vu, 2021. "Estimating poverty and vulnerability to monetary and non-monetary poverty: the case of Vietnam," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 61(6), pages 3125-3177, December.
    9. Kozhaya, Mireille, 2022. "The double burden: The impact of school closures on labor force participation of mothers," Ruhr Economic Papers 956, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    10. Fang, Guanfu & Miao, Liya, 2024. "Expanding boundaries: The Impact of kindergarten availability on women's employment in China," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    11. Mieke Meurs & Maigul Nugmanova & Aizhan Salimzhanova & Stevie Marvin, 2021. "Gender Regime and Women’s Employment in Kazakhstan," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 63(4), pages 603-622, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender equality; childcare; preschool; women’s empowerment; RDD; Vietnam;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H4 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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