Entitled to Property: How Breaking the Gender Barrier Improves Child Health in India

TL;DR

This paper investigates how granting inheritance rights to women through the Hindu Succession Act Amendment improved child health in India by increasing women's bargaining power and enhancing parental care.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence that policy-driven increases in women's bargaining power positively impact child health outcomes in India.

Findings

HSAA improved children's height and weight

Women's increased bargaining power led to better parental care

Empowering women yields benefits for children's human capital

Abstract

Non-unitary household models suggest that enhancing women's bargaining power can influence child health, a crucial determinant of human capital and economic standing throughout adulthood. We examine the effects of a policy shift, the Hindu Succession Act Amendment (HSAA), which granted inheritance rights to unmarried women in India, on child health. Our findings indicate that the HSAA improved children's height and weight. Furthermore, we uncover evidence supporting a mechanism whereby the policy bolstered women's intra-household bargaining power, resulting in downstream benefits through enhanced parental care for children and improved child health. These results emphasize that children fare better when mothers control a larger share of family resources. Policies empowering women can yield additional positive externalities for children's human capital.