Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/173214 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
GLO Discussion Paper No. 163
Publisher: 
Global Labor Organization (GLO), Maastricht
Abstract: 
There have been significant changes in both the fertility rates and fertility perception since 1970s. In this paper, we examine the relationship between government policies towards fertility and the fertility trends. Total fertility rate, defined as the number of children per woman, is used as the main fertility trend variable. We use panel data from the United Nations World Population Policies database, and the World Bank World Development Indicators for the period 1976 through 2013. We find significant negative association between a country’s fertility rate and its anti-fertility policy. On the other hand, there is no significant and robust relationship between the fertility rate and a country’s pro-fertility or family-planning policies. In addition we find evidence of spatial autocorrelation in the total fertility rate, and spatial spillovers from government’s policy on fertility.
Subjects: 
fertility rate
population
government policies
JEL: 
H10
H59
J11
J13
J18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.