Polygynous family system,neighbourhood contexts and under-five mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

Based on the competing theories regarding the relationship between family structure and child health outcomes, this article examined the effects of polygynous family system (PFS) on under-five mortality (U5M) across different socio-economic and neighbourhood contexts in selected sub-Saharan African countries. Cox proportional regression analysis was performed on pooled data of children (n?=?54 842) born in the five years before the Demographic and Health Surveys of selected countries. Results indicated differential effects of PFS on U5M across varying contexts, because risks of U5M were significantly higher for children of polygynous mothers in poor communities (hazard ratio: 2.98, 95% confidence interval: 2.23 to 3.95, p?<?0.001) and children of monogamists in poor communities (hazard ratio: 2.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.69 to 2.98, p?<?0.001) compared with the children of monogamists in rich communities. Given the worsening effects of polygyny on childhood survival across different contexts, this study stressed the need for marriage reforms and enforcement of a monogamous family system if significant U5M reduction would be achieved in sub-Saharan African countries during the post-2015 development era.     

Dynamics of maternal union dissolution and childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

The family setting has implications for child survival. In this study, the dynamics of maternal union dissolution and childhood mortality were investigated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Birth history data of 235 454 children from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 23 SSA countries were analysed using life table techniques and piecewise exponential hazards models. The results revealed that the childhood mortality rates were 35 vs 32 per 1000 live births (one month), 61 vs 54 per 1000 (11 months) and 95 vs 86 per 1000 (48 months) for children of women in marital dissolution compared with those with intact marriages. Despite controlling for background variables, the risk of under-five mortality was significantly higher among children of women in marital dissolution (relative risk?=?1.35, confidence interval: 1.30–1.40). The effect of dissolution on childhood mortality has not changed since the 1990s. Marital stability is an important social structure for child survival.     

Contextual determinants of family dissolution in sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT

The question of family dissolution has been widely debated by demographers, economists and health experts in developed countries. However, there appears to be a dearth of research on the contextual determinants of family dissolution in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the variations that exist within regions. This article is stimulated by the recognition that family dissolution is associated with negative consequences both for adults and for children. Using pooled data from the recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 16 SSA countries with a weighted sample of 51 474 (Central Africa), 61 069 (East Africa), 42 247 (Southern Africa) and 83 187 (West Africa) women, the article examines the contextual determinants of family dissolution in SSA. Dissolution rates ranged from 12% in East Africa to 20% in Central Africa. Socio-economic variables were strong predictors of dissolution in all of the regions although direction of association differed. This article adds to the body of knowledge of family dissolution in SSA.     

Democracy and growth: The Sub-Saharan African case, 1960–1992

This article conducts a cross-national analysis of forty sub-Saharan African countries during the years 1960–1992. It examines the longrun relationship between political democracy and economic growth, taking advantage of the availability of large economic and political data sets. The conclusion from this study is that the economy grows faster under a regime that enjoys a higher level of institutionalized democracy. It is also found that a positive feedback relationship exists between democracy and growth; while democracy promotes growth, growth leads to a higher level of democratization. In addition, it is found that the duration of authoritarian rule decreases economic growth, while growth shortens the tenure of an autocratic government. Other factors that account for growth in sub-Saharan African countries include the initial size of the economy, human capital stocks, domestic investment share, and international trade.     

Comparing family changes in two rural areas of Kenya: Past legacies and present realities

ABSTRACT

Fertility in Kenya declined from total fertility rate (TFR) 6.7 to 4.6 between 1989 and 2008/09. Initially, Western and Coast Provinces returned figures above and below the national average with TFR 8.1 and 5.4 respectively. Then fertility in Western Province declined substantially to TFR 5.6 while in Coast Province the decline was modest to TFR 4.8, above the national average in both provinces. I shall scrutinise this development by examining two rounds of qualitative case studies in rural villages in the two provinces, first in 1988–90 with a follow up in 2011. The analysis revealed that over time fewer children were born in the Western villages, but more in the Coast villages. The hypothesis is that differences in cultural (patriarchy and a mix of matriarchy and patriarchy) and religious (Christian and Muslim) legacies are crucial to understanding such disparities in childbearing. Attention is given to marriage, gender relations and female education.     

Same‐sex relationship escalation with uncertain marriage legality: Theory and empirical implications

We develop a strategic model of same‐sex dating, cohabitation, and potential marriage with location‐specific marriage legality. With an initial illegal location, couples bargain over a relationship path that internalizes the probability of future legalization and potential migration‐for‐marriage. Our model generates testable, empirical implications on relationship hazard rates, migration, and utility due to changes in migration costs and legalization probabilities. Specifically, we show that decreased migration costs or increased legalization probabilities will increase relationship hazard rates (dissolution) for both daters and cohabitators. These changes will also decrease utility for an identifiable segment of the relationship quality distribution.     

Religion and Educational Attainment in East Asia: First Evidence from the East Asian Social Survey

Abstract

In this research note, I analyse the effects of religion on educational attainment in four East Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan) using the East Asian Social Survey. Controlling for a host of background variables, ordinary least squares (OLS) estimates of educational attainment show that Catholics and Orthodox Christians have on average more education than those with no religious affiliation, while the followers of other Eastern religions (including, among others, Taoism and syncretistic beliefs) have on average less education. The effects for Protestantism and Buddhism differ across the four different countries, probably because they both include various denominations and schools.     

REVISITING THE EFFICIENT MARKET HYPOTHESIS FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES: PANEL SURKSS TEST WITH A FOURIER FUNCTION

This study applies the panel seeming unrelated regression of the Kapetanios‐Shin‐Snell (SURKSS) test with a Fourier function to investigate the time‐series properties of stock prices in five African countries (i.e. Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia) over the period of January 2000–April 2011. The empirical results from the univariate unit root and panel‐based unit root tests indicate that unit root hypothesis can not be rejected for these five countries under study. However, results from the panel SURKSS test with a Fourier function indicate that unit root hypothesis can be rejected for Egypt and Morocco, two countries under study. Our results indicate that the weak‐form efficient market hypothesis holds in the other three countries, namely, Kenya, South Africa and Tunisia.     

Is There any Threshold in the Relationship Between Mother's Education and Child Health? Evidence from Nigeria

The literature on mother's education and child health casually observes some nonlinearities and also a threshold in the relationship. Even though this nonlinearity or threshold has significant bearing on policy matters such as quality of education, any rigorous attempt to address this issue is missing in the literature. With height for age z‐score as a proxy for long‐run child health capital, regression results reveal that there are significant effects of mother's education on child health if mothers do not continue past primary school. Rather, poor quality of education at the primary level, especially literacy, is argued to have given rise to this threshold. It indicates that greater public investment in improving quality of education at the primary level is essential for maximizing the nonmarket outcomes of girls’ education in developing countries.     

Love,life, and “leftover ladies” in urban China: Staying modernly single in patriarchal traditions

The population in urban China has shown rising age at first marriage and declining marriage rates, especially among college educated professional women who are in their late 20s or their 30s. We investigate the determinants of marriage formation for urban women aged 27 or above who tend to be termed “leftover ladies”. We estimate a recursive mixed-equation model to describe correlated profiles of career, education and marriage. Conventional social norms on gender, especially patriarchy, still prevail. Factors that are not favorable for a conventionally wifely role reduce women's likelihood of marriage. In particular, we reveal a “marital college-discount” of college education. It reduces the probability of marriage by 2.88%–3.6% and a postgraduate degree further oppresses it by 8.4%–10.4%. Favorable characteristics such as facial attractiveness only raises the likelihood of marriage formation for non-college educated women, while pushing up non-marriage probabilities for women with at least college degrees.     

The family circumstances of women migrating permanently or temporarily to Sundsvall in the nineteenth century

Abstract

The aim of this article is to identify the factors which lead some women to migrate to the town of Sundsvall in northern Sweden. Analysis of the life histories of a cohort of women bom between 1815 and 1819 in parishes close to Sundsvall revealed that even before the middle of the nineteenth century, Sundsvall was beginning to emerge as an important destination but that it was service, rather than marriage, that motivated migration.

It was also established that the social position of the woman's father was one of the important determinants of her migration, service and marriage histories. Daughters of farmers were more likely to marry than the daughters of non-farmers. They would also marry earlier. In respect of their record as a servant, daughters of farmers would enter service later, work for fewer employers and be less likely to re-enter the parental home having once left for a service post. Daughters of non- farmers were, however, more likely to move to Sundsvall implying that the weakness of the parental family economy may have fostered such migration.

Inter-acting with social position was the place of the woman within the sibling set. Daughters who were the first or second born children of farmers, for example, were less likely to become servants but more likely to spend part of their adulthood in the town of Sundsvall. However, the departure of daughters from the parental household rarely resulted in a childless parental household. A number of (generallyyounger) siblings remained while many of the daughters, particularly of non-farmers, returned to their parents after a number of spells of service.     

Education expansion,assortative marriage,and income inequality in China

In this paper, we study the pattern of assortative marriage in China since 1990 and its impact on income inequality. The results indicate that men in China are increasingly likely to marry women of similar education levels. We calculate the counterfactual income inequality that would prevail if marriages were randomly matched in terms of education. In 2005, China's overall Gini coefficient of household income per capita would decline from 0.512 to 0.476 if marriages were randomly matched. In urban areas, assortative marriage in education increased the Gini coefficients from 0.321 to 0.338 in 2009. The decomposition exercise shows that the rising returns to education contribute most to the increase in income inequality in urban areas between 1990 and 2009, while the change in marriage assortativeness plays a minor role.     

Corporate Governance and Shareholder Value Maximization: An African Perspective

Abstract: This study looks at corporate governance and its impact on shareholder value maximization in Africa. Data from South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria covering the period 1997–2001 were used and analysis done within the panel data framework. Results show that, though highly dispersed, both within and between firms, corporate boards in the selected countries are relatively not independent. The regression result shows that large board sizes enhance corporate performance and shareholder value maximization. Our study also shows that both sector and country‐specific effects have an impact on shareholder value maximization. While the mining sector is dominant in maximizing shareholder value, it also suffers from higher taxes and interest payments.     

Supply‐leading versus Demand‐following Hypothesis: Empirical Evidence from Three SSA Countries

Abstract: This study investigates empirically the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth in three sub‐Saharan African countries — Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania. The study seeks to answer one critical question: Does financial development in sub‐Saharan African countries exhibit a supply‐leading or demand‐following response? Using three proxies of financial development against real GDP per capita (a proxy for economic growth), the study finds that the direction of causality between financial development and economic growth is sensitive to the choice of measurement for financial development. In addition, the strength and clarity of the causality evidence is found to vary from country to country and over time. On balance, a demand‐following response is found to be stronger in Kenya and South Africa, whilst in Tanzania a supply‐leading response is found to be dominant. The study therefore recommends that for Kenya and South Africa the real sector of the economy should be developed further in order to sustain the development of the financial sector. However, for Tanzania, there is need for further development of the financial sector in order to make the economy more monetized.     

The inversion of married women's labour supply and wage: Evidence from Thailand

This study investigates the labour supply behaviour of married Thai women with reference to their own and their spouse's wages. Controlling for spousal education and number of children, the main findings indicate an inverse relationship between married women's labour supply and wages, contrary to the evidence from developed countries. The estimated own wage elasticity ranges from ?1.70 to ?2.40 and the cross elasticity ranges from ?0.16 to ?0.17, indicating that the impact of own wage on labour supplied is much larger than spouse's wage. The results from disaggregation classified according to different socioeconomic backgrounds also show negative elasticities between own and spouses' wage across all subgroups, except for those with university degrees and higher income.     

Gender inequality in asset ownership and women's food security in sub-Saharan Africa

Unequal asset rights remain an important driver of gender inequality and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using cross-sectional data from 31 SSA countries, this study examines the effect of gender inequality in asset ownership on women's food security in the region. The seemingly unrelated (SUR) bivariate probit framework has been adopted in analysing the data. This approach is used for addressing the possible endogeneity bias that occurs when the dependent variable and regressor are both endogenous and binary. The major finding of this study reveals that gender inequality in asset ownership increases women's risk of facing food insecurity. The aforementioned is more pronounced for women who are undereducated, live in rural areas, and suffer various forms of discrimination. It is therefore important that more egalitarian laws on asset ownership and inheritance be adopted in all SSA countries. This will significantly increase women's specific food security and thus contribute to improving inclusiveness in these countries.     

The Revenue–Expenditure Nexus: The Experience of 13 African Countries

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to investigate the causal relationship between government revenue and government expenditure for 13 African countries within a multivariate framework using a modified version of the Granger causality test due to Toda and Yamamoto (1995) . The empirical evidence suggests that there was a bi‐directional causality running between expenditure and revenue for Mauritius, Swaziland and Zimbabwe; no causality in any direction for Botswana, Burundi and Rwanda; unidirectional causality running from revenue to expenditure for Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mali and Zambia; and a uni‐directional causality running from expenditure to revenue for Burkina Faso only.     

新疆妇女社会地位与受教育程度关系研究

妇女社会地位客观反映了社会和谐、性别平等与妇女发展,研究新疆妇女社会地位与受教育程度关系具有重要的现实意义。本文采用抽样调查的方法,从新疆14个地州市分层随机抽取41个县区（市）的18岁-64岁的社会群体作为调查对象,选用教育、就业、杜会保障、政治参与和政治态度、家庭婚姻、性别认知和态度等方面的14个变量来构建测量妇女社会地位的指数,并依据第三次全国妇女社会地位调查数据分析了新疆妇女社会地位和受教育程度的现状,以及妇女受教育程度对其社会地位的影响。结果表明：第一,新疆妇女受教育水平存在地域、性别、城乡间的差异;第二,新疆妇女受教育年限每增加1％,其劳动收入平均增加0．385％;第三,新疆妇女受教育水平与社会地位呈显著的正相关关系。最后提出了提高新疆妇女社会地位的对策建议。