The relation between child work and the employment of mothers in India

Francavilla, F. and Giannelli, G.C. 2010. The relation between child work and the employment of mothers in India. International Journal of Manpower. 31 (2), pp. 232-257. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437721011042287

TitleThe relation between child work and the employment of mothers in India
AuthorsFrancavilla, F. and Giannelli, G.C.
Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to study the relation between the employment of mothers and the activities of children with the aim of contributing to the understanding of child work in India.

Design/methodology/approach – Multinomial logit specifications of children's activities and mothers' employment are estimated on survey data drawn from the National Family Health Survey 1998-1999 for all India. The joint specification combines four states of children aged 6-14 (studying, working in the market, working for the family or being inactive) with the employed/not employed status of mothers.

Findings – The results show that the mother's preferred choice is not working and sending children to school. This is especially true for more educated mothers. Also the father's education is positively (negatively) related to child schooling (work), but the effect is smaller as compared to that of mothers. All specifications yield the result that the probability of children working increases if their mothers work. Higher levels of household wealth play a fundamental role in lowering the risk of child work.

Research limitations/implications – This empirical model does not take into account the unobserved heterogeneity of two types – namely, the residual correlation among the outcomes of mothers and children, and the residual correlation among children of the same mother.

Practical implications – The evidence that children of employed mothers have a higher risk of working suggests that the problem may be related to the low quality and pay of jobs accessible to women in India, especially in rural areas. The policy indication would then be to improve the condition of women in the labour market and also to improve the welfare of their children.

Originality/value – While women's and children's time allocation has been studied in separate settings, in this paper these two aspects are analysed together for the first time.

JournalInternational Journal of Manpower
Journal citation31 (2), pp. 232-257
ISSN0143-7720
Year2010
PublisherEmerald Publishing Limited
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1108/01437721011042287
Publication dates
Published2010

Related outputs

Provider-led Pathways to Work: Net impacts on employment and benefits, Working Paper No 113
Knight, G., Salis, S., Francavilla, F., Radu, D., Hevenstone, D., Mocca, E. and Tousley, B. 2013. Provider-led Pathways to Work: Net impacts on employment and benefits, Working Paper No 113. London A report of research carried out by Policy Studies Institute on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Mothers’ employment and their children’s schooling: a joint multilevel analysis for India
Francavilla, F. 2013. Mothers’ employment and their children’s schooling: a joint multilevel analysis for India. World Development. 41, pp. 183-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2012.05.031

Adult health and health equity in times of fast economic growth in Albania(2002–2005)
Francavilla, F. and Suhrcke, M. 2012. Adult health and health equity in times of fast economic growth in Albania(2002–2005). Copenhagen, Denmark WHO Regional Office for Europe.

Unpaid work in Europe: gender and country differences
Francavilla, F., Giannelli, G.C., Mancgiavacchi, L. and Piccoli, L. 2012. Unpaid work in Europe: gender and country differences. in: Bettio, F., Plantenga, J. and Smith, M. (ed.) Gender and the European labour market Routledge.

Does family planning help the employment of women? The case of India
Francavilla, F. and Giannelli, G.C. 2011. Does family planning help the employment of women? The case of India. Journal of Asian Economics. 22 (5), pp. 412-426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asieco.2011.06.001

Impact of BIG funding of community enterprise overseas
Smeaton, D., Hudson, M., Deraniyagala, S., Francavilla, F., Ng, M., Phillips, J. and Salis, S. 2011. Impact of BIG funding of community enterprise overseas. Policy Studies Institute and School of Oriental and African Studies.

Use of time and value of unpaid family care work: a comparison between Italy and Poland
Francavilla, F., Giannelli, G.C., Grotkowska, G. and Socha, M.W. 2011. Use of time and value of unpaid family care work: a comparison between Italy and Poland. IZA Discussion Paper No. 5771.

Understanding the worklessness and financial exclusion of Riverside tenants
Francavilla, F., Kasparova, D., Taylor, R.F., Smeaton, D. and Sahin-Dikmen, M. 2010. Understanding the worklessness and financial exclusion of Riverside tenants. London Policy Studies Institute.

Women and unpaid family work in the EU
Francavilla, F., Giannelli, G.C., Grotkowska, G., Piccoli, R. and Socha, M.W. 2010. Women and unpaid family work in the EU. Brussels Policy Department Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament.

Mothers’ employment and their children’s schooling: a joint multilevel analysis for India
Francavilla, F., Giannelli, G.C. and Grilli, L. 2010. Mothers’ employment and their children’s schooling: a joint multilevel analysis for India. Series 07/2010, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche.

Assessing the causal effect of childbearing on household income in Albania
Francavilla, F. and Mattei, A. 2009. Assessing the causal effect of childbearing on household income in Albania. in: Engelhardt, H., Kohler, H.P. and Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, A. (ed.) Causal analysis in population studies: concepts, methods, applications Netherlands Springer.

School attendance of children and the work of mothers: a joint multilevel model for India.
Francavilla, F., Giannelli, G.C. and Grilli, L. 2008. School attendance of children and the work of mothers: a joint multilevel model for India. IZA Discussion Paper No. 3531.

The relation between child labour and mothers' work: the case of India
Francavilla, F. and Giannelli, G.C. 2007. The relation between child labour and mothers' work: the case of India. Bonn, Germany Study of Labor (IZA). https://doi.org/IZADiscussionPapersNo.3099

Do family planning programmes help women's employment? The case of Indian mothers. IZA Discussion Paper No. 2762
Giannelli, G.C. and Francavilla, F. 2007. Do family planning programmes help women's employment? The case of Indian mothers. IZA Discussion Paper No. 2762. Italy Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics. https://doi.org/ChilDn.05/2007

Income mis-measurement and the estimation of poverty rates. An analysis of income poverty in Albania. ISER Working Paper 2006-35
Pudney, S. and Francavilla, F. 2006. Income mis-measurement and the estimation of poverty rates. An analysis of income poverty in Albania. ISER Working Paper 2006-35. Colchester University of Essex. https://doi.org/2006-35

Empirical evidence on job and geographical mobility in the European Union, Geographical and Job Mobility. Project Tender No. VT/2005/0107
Recchi, E., Baldoni, E., Francavilla, F. and Mencarini, L. 2006. Empirical evidence on job and geographical mobility in the European Union, Geographical and Job Mobility. Project Tender No. VT/2005/0107. EU, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

Poverty and fertility dynamics: a comparative analysis
Aassve, A., Engelhardt, H., Francavilla, F., Kedir, A.M., Kim, J., Mealli, F., Mencarini, L., Pudney, S. and Prskawetz, A. 2006. Poverty and fertility dynamics: a comparative analysis. Population Review. 45 (2).

Investment in education versus early entry in the labour market in developing countries
Francavilla, F. 2005. Investment in education versus early entry in the labour market in developing countries. PhD thesis University of Florence Department of Economic Sciences

Household chores and child health: preliminary evidence from six countries. UCW Working Papers
Francavilla, F. and Lyon, S. 2003. Household chores and child health: preliminary evidence from six countries. UCW Working Papers. Rome, Italy Understanding Children’s Work Project.

Children's work in Côte d'Ivoire: an overview. UCW Working Papers
Francavilla, F. and Lyon, S. 2002. Children's work in Côte d'Ivoire: an overview. UCW Working Papers. Rome, Italy Understanding Children’s Work Project.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/905ww/the-relation-between-child-work-and-the-employment-of-mothers-in-india


Share this

Usage statistics

131 total views
0 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.