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Children's well-being and work in Sub-Saharan-Africa

The majority of children in sub-Saharan Africa are engaged in some form of work, whether paid or unpaid. In Ethiopia, evidence from Young Lives shows that 90 per cent of 8 year olds undertook some form of work. Understanding how work affects children’s development and well-being, including their schooling, is critical for designing more effective child protection policies. We examine how work impacts on children’s opportunities to learn, physical health and subjective well-being.

Key Findings

Children's well-being and work in Sub-Saharan-Africa

The majority of children in sub-Saharan Africa are engaged in some form of work, whether paid or unpaid. In Ethiopia, evidence from Young Lives shows that 90 per cent of 8 year olds undertook some form of work. Understanding how work affects children’s development and well-being, including their schooling, is critical for designing more effective child protection policies. We examine how work impacts on children’s opportunities to learn, physical health and subjective well-being.

Key Findings

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Aspirations, Poverty and Education

While aspirations are receiving increasing attention in the study of poverty, empirical evidence remains limited. Using Young Lives data for Andhra Pradesh, this paper investigates whether mothers' aspirations matter for their children's education outcomes. We observe a strong relationship: aspiring to one additional year of schooling lifts the grade achieved at age 15 by 1.8 years on average. The relationship is, however, non-linear, with low aspirations having low effects, medium aspirations having large effects, and high aspirations having slightly lower but still large effects.

Aspirations, Poverty and Education

While aspirations are receiving increasing attention in the study of poverty, empirical evidence remains limited. Using Young Lives data for Andhra Pradesh, this paper investigates whether mothers' aspirations matter for their children's education outcomes. We observe a strong relationship: aspiring to one additional year of schooling lifts the grade achieved at age 15 by 1.8 years on average. The relationship is, however, non-linear, with low aspirations having low effects, medium aspirations having large effects, and high aspirations having slightly lower but still large effects.

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Classroom Process, Teacher Ability and Student Performance

There is ample evidence in the existing literature to show increased enrolment in school but mere achieving universalization of education in terms of enrolment may not be sufficient; rather there is a need for the completion of primary education with quality. Understanding the classroom processes is vital for improving the quality of education. It is thus crucial to critically examine the teaching-learning processes and the activities of teachers and children in the classrooms and in the schools for a comprehensive understanding of the quality of education.

Classroom Process, Teacher Ability and Student Performance

There is ample evidence in the existing literature to show increased enrolment in school but mere achieving universalization of education in terms of enrolment may not be sufficient; rather there is a need for the completion of primary education with quality. Understanding the classroom processes is vital for improving the quality of education. It is thus crucial to critically examine the teaching-learning processes and the activities of teachers and children in the classrooms and in the schools for a comprehensive understanding of the quality of education.

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‘Life-course‘ perspectives on child poverty
‘Life-course‘ perspectives on child poverty
New data release: Young Lives Rounds 1-3 Constructed Files, 2002-2009
New data release: Young Lives Rounds 1-3 Constructed Files, 2002-2009

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Beyond Urban Relocation: Expectations and Concerns of Children and Caregivers in Addis Ababa and Hawassa

This paper documents the views of children and their caregivers about an impending relocation (that has been on the cards for a while) in the context of plans for central areas of Addis Ababa and Hawassa to be developed.

Beyond Urban Relocation: Expectations and Concerns of Children and Caregivers in Addis Ababa and Hawassa

This paper documents the views of children and their caregivers about an impending relocation (that has been on the cards for a while) in the context of plans for central areas of Addis Ababa and Hawassa to be developed.

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Reversal of Gender Gaps in Child Development

This paper provides unique evidence of a reversal of gender gaps in cognitive development in early childhood. We find steep caste and gender gradients and few substantive changes once children enter school. The gender gap, however, reverses its sign for the upper caste, with girls performing better than boys at age 5 but thereafter following the general pattern in India of boys performing better.

Reversal of Gender Gaps in Child Development

This paper provides unique evidence of a reversal of gender gaps in cognitive development in early childhood. We find steep caste and gender gradients and few substantive changes once children enter school. The gender gap, however, reverses its sign for the upper caste, with girls performing better than boys at age 5 but thereafter following the general pattern in India of boys performing better.

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Childhood Growth, Schooling, and Cognitive Development

Background: A growing literature has linked early childhood growth to later-life cognition and schooling outcomes in developing countries. Although existing evidence suggests that children's ability to recover from early growth delays in later childhood is limited, longitudinal studies on the persistence and risk of growth faltering beyond age 5 y remain scarce.

Childhood Growth, Schooling, and Cognitive Development

Background: A growing literature has linked early childhood growth to later-life cognition and schooling outcomes in developing countries. Although existing evidence suggests that children's ability to recover from early growth delays in later childhood is limited, longitudinal studies on the persistence and risk of growth faltering beyond age 5 y remain scarce.

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New data release: Young Lives school survey data now publicly archived
New data release: Young Lives school survey data now publicly archived

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Political Violence, Drought and Child Malnutrition

We analyse the combined effect of political violence and adverse climatic shocks on child nutrition. Instrumental variable models using longitudinal data from Andhra Pradesh, India, yield two key results: (i) drought has an adverse effect on child nutrition in Andhra Pradesh only in violence-affected communities, and (ii) political violence has large negative effects on child nutrition through a reduction of the ability of households to cope with drought. FE-2SLS results are complemented by the use of a unique natural experiment created by a ceasefire in 2004.

Political Violence, Drought and Child Malnutrition

We analyse the combined effect of political violence and adverse climatic shocks on child nutrition. Instrumental variable models using longitudinal data from Andhra Pradesh, India, yield two key results: (i) drought has an adverse effect on child nutrition in Andhra Pradesh only in violence-affected communities, and (ii) political violence has large negative effects on child nutrition through a reduction of the ability of households to cope with drought. FE-2SLS results are complemented by the use of a unique natural experiment created by a ceasefire in 2004.

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