Pub Date : 2025-09-30DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100722
Emmanuel Y. Gbolonyo , Bright Tetteh
This paper extends the energy − gender literature by re-examining the effect of energy access on multidimensions of gender gaps in 32 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The study further explores the mediating effect of institutional quality on the relationship between access to clean energy and gender gaps using World Economic Forum’s newly developed global gender gap index data. We apply the dynamic system GMM and the Driscoll Kraay standard error techniques to show that (1) access to clean cooking fuels and technologies and electricity reduces gender gap and all its dimensions, and (2) the effect of rural energy access mostly yields a greater gender equalization effect compared to urban access. The moderation effects show that improvements in quality institutional frameworks in SSA enhance energy access towards gender equality. Policy implications are also discussed.
{"title":"Energy access and gender gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of institutional quality","authors":"Emmanuel Y. Gbolonyo , Bright Tetteh","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper extends the energy − gender literature by re-examining the effect of energy access on multidimensions of gender gaps in 32 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. The study further explores the mediating effect of institutional quality on the relationship between access to clean energy and gender gaps using World Economic Forum’s newly developed global gender gap index data. We apply the dynamic system GMM and the Driscoll Kraay standard error techniques to show that (1) access to clean cooking fuels and technologies and electricity reduces gender gap and all its dimensions, and (2) the effect of rural energy access mostly yields a greater gender equalization effect compared to urban access. The moderation effects show that improvements in quality institutional frameworks in SSA enhance energy access towards gender equality. Policy implications are also discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100722"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-30DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100734
Fekadu Nigussie Deresse , Carlos Oya , Christian Samen Otchia
The study examines the drivers of job switching and its effects on wages, and evaluates the effectiveness of a wage cartel in mediating job switching, thereby showing the paradox of switching, wage outcomes and cartel aims, in the context of Ethiopia’s light manufacturing. Main drivers of job switching are found to be social network density, experience, and initial skill grading status. Job switching leads to lower earnings compared to staying, as workers hopped in a wage cartel environment with limited wage variation. This wage effect is associated with the loss of seniority with the job change and the way the wage cartel system works. However, job switchers continue to change jobs, suggesting the firm’s cartel-based wage setting does not prevent labour turnover, but limits wage gains from job switching.
{"title":"Switching or staying? Exploring the dynamics and impacts of job switching in a wage setting cartel in Ethiopia","authors":"Fekadu Nigussie Deresse , Carlos Oya , Christian Samen Otchia","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study examines the drivers of job switching and its effects on wages, and evaluates the effectiveness of a wage cartel in mediating job switching, thereby showing the paradox of switching, wage outcomes and cartel aims, in the context of Ethiopia’s light manufacturing. Main drivers of job switching are found to be social network density, experience, and initial skill grading status. Job switching leads to lower earnings compared to staying, as workers hopped in a wage cartel environment with limited wage variation. This wage effect is associated with the loss of seniority with the job change and the way the wage cartel system works. However, job switchers continue to change jobs, suggesting the firm’s cartel-based wage setting does not prevent labour turnover, but limits wage gains from job switching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100734"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100739
Brandon Parsons , Ayoub Rabhi
Amid growing conflict in developing countries, this study investigates the effect of income redistribution on internal conflict across 93 developing countries. The study analyzes panel data from 1990 to 2021. The study explores whether absolute redistribution effectively reduces instances and risks of civil disorder, political violence, terrorism, and civil wars. Findings reveal that greater market income inequality is associated with heightened internal conflict, whereas enhanced income redistribution leads to diminished internal conflict levels. However, the study identifies a non-linear pattern where the benefits of redistribution decrease beyond certain thresholds, suggesting the potential of diminishing returns. Granger causality tests further indicate a bidirectional relationship between income redistribution and internal conflict, suggesting a potentially vicious circle where each variable exacerbates the other. The findings highlight the need for redistributive economic policies to foster societal peace in developing countries.
{"title":"Redistribution, income inequality, and conflict in developing countries: Is there any causality?","authors":"Brandon Parsons , Ayoub Rabhi","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Amid growing conflict in developing countries, this study investigates the effect of income redistribution on internal conflict across 93 developing countries. The study analyzes panel data from 1990 to 2021. The study explores whether absolute redistribution effectively reduces instances and risks of civil disorder, political violence, terrorism, and civil wars. Findings reveal that greater market income inequality is associated with heightened internal conflict, whereas enhanced income redistribution leads to diminished internal conflict levels. However, the study identifies a non-linear pattern where the benefits of redistribution decrease beyond certain thresholds, suggesting the potential of diminishing returns. Granger causality tests further indicate a bidirectional relationship between income redistribution and internal conflict, suggesting a potentially vicious circle where each variable exacerbates the other. The findings highlight the need for redistributive economic policies to foster societal peace in developing countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100739"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100736
Julia Bello-Bravo , Peter Neuenschwander
The preservation of forests is critical for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the sustainable use of land. Building on previous research, this study explores the interplay of local beliefs, cultural practices, and ecosystem services around a restored sacred forest in southern Benin. Utilizing Raymond Williams’ concept of structures of feeling, it investigates how local stakeholders’ beliefs and actions influence the forest’s restoration and maintenance. Findings include (1) a consensus that forests exist for human use despite differing perspectives on what constitutes appropriate use, (2) concerns about the ongoing loss of traditional knowledge and practices related to forest use, (3) challenges posed by modernizing perspectives that view traditional practices as backward, contrasting them with the cultural and spiritual values associated with the forest, and (4) beliefs about the forest’s role for human well-being. The study shows how structures of feeling can underpin successful negotiations and compromise support for the project’s continuing success and SDG goals around sustainable land use. Further research is needed to understand the intricate web of social, environmental, and economic structures of feeling around sacred forests, particularly aesthetic, spiritual, and social dimensions that address the erosion of indigenous knowledge and practices.
{"title":"“The children don’t want to listen, the fathers need to be ready”: Perceptions and belief systems connected to the restoration and preservation of a sacred forest in Benin","authors":"Julia Bello-Bravo , Peter Neuenschwander","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The preservation of forests is critical for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the sustainable use of land. Building on previous research, this study explores the interplay of local beliefs, cultural practices, and ecosystem services around a restored sacred forest in southern Benin. Utilizing Raymond Williams’ concept of <em>structures of feeling</em>, it investigates how local stakeholders’ beliefs and actions influence the forest’s restoration and maintenance. Findings include (1) a consensus that forests exist for human use despite differing perspectives on what constitutes appropriate use, (2) concerns about the ongoing loss of traditional knowledge and practices related to forest use, (3) challenges posed by modernizing perspectives that view traditional practices as backward, contrasting them with the cultural and spiritual values associated with the forest, and (4) beliefs about the forest’s role for human well-being. The study shows how structures of feeling can underpin successful negotiations and compromise support for the project’s continuing success and SDG goals around sustainable land use. Further research is needed to understand the intricate web of social, environmental, and economic structures of feeling around sacred forests, particularly aesthetic, spiritual, and social dimensions that address the erosion of indigenous knowledge and practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100736"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper examines circular intra-rural migration in Northwestern Benin, focusing on labor selectivity, prevalence, determinants, and socio-ecological dynamics within households. Using mixed-methods survey data and key informant interviews, we compare households with migration participants to those without. Our findings show that migrants are predominantly young men, and that education, landholding, and off-farm income significantly affect household labor decisions. We also find no statistically significant effect of either household head or member migration on asset accumulation, suggesting that migration primarily functions as a coping strategy to address low productivity growth and income instability rather than as a pathway to long-term wealth creation. By highlighting how circular intra-rural migration operates as a household strategy to manage labor, income, and risk, our study underscores its complex role in rural livelihoods. These insights have important implications for rural development policy, particularly for designing interventions that strengthen local livelihood opportunities while recognizing migration as an embedded dimension of rural economies.
{"title":"The push and pull of rural-to-rural migration: Insights from Northwest Benin","authors":"Solomon Geleta , David Natcher , Mohamed Nasser Baco , Derek Peak","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines circular intra-rural migration in Northwestern Benin, focusing on labor selectivity, prevalence, determinants, and socio-ecological dynamics within households. Using mixed-methods survey data and key informant interviews, we compare households with migration participants to those without. Our findings show that migrants are predominantly young men, and that education, landholding, and off-farm income significantly affect household labor decisions. We also find no statistically significant effect of either household head or member migration on asset accumulation, suggesting that migration primarily functions as a coping strategy to address low productivity growth and income instability rather than as a pathway to long-term wealth creation. By highlighting how circular intra-rural migration operates as a household strategy to manage labor, income, and risk, our study underscores its complex role in rural livelihoods. These insights have important implications for rural development policy, particularly for designing interventions that strengthen local livelihood opportunities while recognizing migration as an embedded dimension of rural economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100730"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-29DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100737
Júlio Vicente Cateia
A simple choice model of bargaining with bilateral matching and a transferable utility function is developed to empirically analyze the implications of entry into the agricultural market on gender health inequality in Guinea-Bissau, in terms of the probability of access to health services for women relative to men across different kinship systems. We found that agricultural market participation reduced gender health inequality. Women participating in the cashew nuts market are more likely to have access to health services than those not participating in the same household structure. Once entering the agricultural market, they increased healthcare resources. Schooling and access to information and communication technology (ICT) improve opportunities for generating resources and knowledge about their healthcare. The negative effect of education, healthcare expenditures, and access to ICT on gender health inequality is statistically significant at a conventional level. Conversely, the cultural and regional factors of ethnic groups were not statistically significant.
{"title":"Agricultural market participation impact on gender health inequality: Evidence from Guinea-Bissau","authors":"Júlio Vicente Cateia","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A simple choice model of bargaining with bilateral matching and a transferable utility function is developed to empirically analyze the implications of entry into the agricultural market on gender health inequality in Guinea-Bissau, in terms of the probability of access to health services for women relative to men across different kinship systems. We found that agricultural market participation reduced gender health inequality. Women participating in the cashew nuts market are more likely to have access to health services than those not participating in the same household structure. Once entering the agricultural market, they increased healthcare resources. Schooling and access to information and communication technology (ICT) improve opportunities for generating resources and knowledge about their healthcare. The negative effect of education, healthcare expenditures, and access to ICT on gender health inequality is statistically significant at a conventional level. Conversely, the cultural and regional factors of ethnic groups were not statistically significant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100737"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145222793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-19DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100732
Jacob Tche
Keynesian and Post Keynesian Economists have extensively discussed the theory of liquidity preference and the importance of obtaining loan funds from traditional banks. However, there is a distinct lack of theoretical and empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of Keynes’ Finance Motive in stimulating the demand for money and fostering economic growth within the realm of microfinance banks (MFBs) as vital financial institutions in developing countries. This paper endeavors to address the current research gap by examining a modified version of Keynes’ (1936) Finance Circuit, Keynes’ (1936) money demand and economic growth models that incorporates funds from MFBs. The present paper aims to further contribute to the literature through the empirical assessment of the significance of the above theoretical contributions using a sample of 32 African countries covering the time frame from 1990 to 2021. We utilize Granger causality tests in heterogeneous panels, as well as the Fixed Effect Ordinary Least Squares method, the Mean Group Method, and the Generalized Method of Moments. The empirical results confirm the significance of the inclusion of microfinance bank funds in the financial system which lower interest rates and enhance the demand for money and economic growth as illustrated in our theoretical contributions. The policy implications indicate that it is fundamental for regulatory authorities to involve microfinance banks in the financial system and to lower interest rates. This strategy is likely to enhance the demand for money and promote economic growth.
{"title":"Keynes’ theory of liquidity preference and microfinance banks in Africa","authors":"Jacob Tche","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Keynesian and Post Keynesian Economists have extensively discussed the theory of liquidity preference and the importance of obtaining loan funds from traditional banks. However, there is a distinct lack of theoretical and empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of Keynes’ Finance Motive in stimulating the demand for money and fostering economic growth within the realm of microfinance banks (MFBs) as vital financial institutions in developing countries. This paper endeavors to address the current research gap by examining a modified version of <span><span>Keynes’ (1936)</span></span> Finance Circuit, <span><span>Keynes’ (1936)</span></span> money demand and economic growth models that incorporates funds from MFBs. The present paper aims to further contribute to the literature through the empirical assessment of the significance of the above theoretical contributions using a sample of 32 African countries covering the time frame from 1990 to 2021. We utilize Granger causality tests in heterogeneous panels, as well as the Fixed Effect Ordinary Least Squares method, the Mean Group Method, and the Generalized Method of Moments. The empirical results confirm the significance of the inclusion of microfinance bank funds in the financial system which lower interest rates and enhance the demand for money and economic growth as illustrated in our theoretical contributions. The policy implications indicate that it is fundamental for regulatory authorities to involve microfinance banks in the financial system and to lower interest rates. This strategy is likely to enhance the demand for money and promote economic growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 100732"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145108251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Communities in urban slums that are in dire need of uplifting from poverty are often overlooked in favor of countrywide macroeconomic initiatives to alleviate poverty. The poverty metrics utilized are generally based on income and expenditure. Nevertheless, poverty has a multifaceted nature with absolute and relative components. This paper examines the determinants of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in the urban slum areas, utilizing a household questionnaire survey conducted in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. We use the ordered probit regression method, a binary response model, to identify socio-economic, environmental, and climate-change-induced factors affecting different categories of poverty. Our estimation results show that child school attendance, structural vulnerability, use of shared toilets, and the household head’s education level have the most statistically significant impact on the MPI. While the findings from this paper can induce policymakers to take a community-specific approach in the urban slums of Dhaka city, the MPI’s shortcomings in capturing environmental factors increasing the vulnerability of communities to external shocks should not be overlooked.
{"title":"The determinants of multidimensional poverty in the urban slums of Dhaka city","authors":"S.M. Asif Ehsan , Mazharul Hoque Bhuiyan , Mashnur Rahman , Md Saifur Rahman Sayeef , Marufa Ferdausi , Md Sajadul Alam , Abdul Hannan Chowdhury , Md. Jakariya","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Communities in urban slums that are in dire need of uplifting from poverty are often overlooked in favor of countrywide macroeconomic initiatives to alleviate poverty. The poverty metrics utilized are generally based on income and expenditure. Nevertheless, poverty has a multifaceted nature with absolute and relative components. This paper examines the determinants of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) in the urban slum areas, utilizing a household questionnaire survey conducted in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. We use the ordered probit regression method, a binary response model, to identify socio-economic, environmental, and climate-change-induced factors affecting different categories of poverty. Our estimation results show that child school attendance, structural vulnerability, use of shared toilets, and the household head’s education level have the most statistically significant impact on the MPI. While the findings from this paper can induce policymakers to take a community-specific approach in the urban slums of Dhaka city, the MPI’s shortcomings in capturing environmental factors increasing the vulnerability of communities to external shocks should not be overlooked.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100725"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145049344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100727
Faisal Jamil, Mayira Sabir
The study examines the impact of fiscal policy by identifying the effect of government military spending on aggregate economic activity. The analysis utilizes panel data from 30 countries spanning the period 2000–2018. We checked the impact of military expenditures on the real effective exchange rate, current account balance, and private consumption. Our sample comprises peaceful and war-ridden countries from the Asian and African continents. The empirical models are estimated separately for Asia and Africa, as well as for countries experiencing both peace and war. The results suggest that military spending shocks have a significant impact on the real exchange rate and current account in peaceful countries. In contrast, the shock has a significant effect on private consumption in war-ridden countries. The military expenditure shock is more detrimental to the current account in Asian countries than in African countries. Military spending is import-based, primarily in developing countries, and is financed through external debt or assistance, which in turn influences exchange rates, private consumption, and the current account balance. For sustained economic growth, the share of military spending needs to be phased out and replaced with civil spending that requires strengthening diplomatic channels and engaging in multilateral trade agreements.
{"title":"Military expenditures and macroeconomic indicators in selected countries of Asia and Africa","authors":"Faisal Jamil, Mayira Sabir","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study examines the impact of fiscal policy by identifying the effect of government military spending on aggregate economic activity. The analysis utilizes panel data from 30 countries spanning the period 2000–2018. We checked the impact of military expenditures on the real effective exchange rate, current account balance, and private consumption. Our sample comprises peaceful and war-ridden countries from the Asian and African continents. The empirical models are estimated separately for Asia and Africa, as well as for countries experiencing both peace and war. The results suggest that military spending shocks have a significant impact on the real exchange rate and current account in peaceful countries. In contrast, the shock has a significant effect on private consumption in war-ridden countries. The military expenditure shock is more detrimental to the current account in Asian countries than in African countries. Military spending is import-based, primarily in developing countries, and is financed through external debt or assistance, which in turn influences exchange rates, private consumption, and the current account balance. For sustained economic growth, the share of military spending needs to be phased out and replaced with civil spending that requires strengthening diplomatic channels and engaging in multilateral trade agreements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100727"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145095296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100723
Yemareshet Hailu Demeke , Dainn Wie
The Eritrean–Ethiopian War (1998–2000), triggered by a border dispute in Badme, caused thousands of deaths and widespread disruption. This study investigates whether in utero exposure to the conflict has long-term effects on young adult health outcomes, focusing on height and BMI measured 16 years after the war. We identify these effects based on individuals’ birth cohorts and their proximity to major conflict sites, using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Difference-in-differences estimates reveal a significant and negative impact of in utero conflict exposure on adult height, while effects on BMI are smaller and less consistent. The height effect remains robust to socioeconomic controls, supporting the critical period programming hypothesis. Higher parental socioeconomic status mitigates the adverse effects, suggesting that access to resources offers a protective buffer. We test robustness across alternative conflict measures and functional forms and find little evidence of selective fertility or mortality, though some caution is warranted due to possible selection that remains uncaptured.
{"title":"Long-term health impacts of the Eritrean-Ethiopian war on young Ethiopian adults","authors":"Yemareshet Hailu Demeke , Dainn Wie","doi":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.wdp.2025.100723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Eritrean–Ethiopian War (1998–2000), triggered by a border dispute in Badme, caused thousands of deaths and widespread disruption. This study investigates whether in utero exposure to the conflict has long-term effects on young adult health outcomes, focusing on height and BMI measured 16 years after the war. We identify these effects based on individuals’ birth cohorts and their proximity to major conflict sites, using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). Difference-in-differences estimates reveal a significant and negative impact of in utero conflict exposure on adult height, while effects on BMI are smaller and less consistent. The height effect remains robust to socioeconomic controls, supporting the critical period programming hypothesis. Higher parental socioeconomic status mitigates the adverse effects, suggesting that access to resources offers a protective buffer. We test robustness across alternative conflict measures and functional forms and find little evidence of selective fertility or mortality, though some caution is warranted due to possible selection that remains uncaptured.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37831,"journal":{"name":"World Development Perspectives","volume":"39 ","pages":"Article 100723"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145048574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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