Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/180189 
Year of Publication: 
2017
Series/Report no.: 
ZEF Discussion Papers on Development Policy No. 240
Publisher: 
University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn
Abstract: 
We study the impact of conflict on both the extensive and the intensive margin of child labor in Afghanistan. We identify and test two main mechanisms. First, if conflict reduces a household income through a decline in parent's compensations, child labor may insure against the decrease in consumption (extensive margin). Second, a child may work longer hours if the marginal benefits of working under conflict is greater than its marginal cost, which may depend on the relative compensations between adults and children, and on the alternative activities (e.g. schooling). Using detailed conflict data from the Afghan War Diary we identify the effect of conflict relying on a shift-share IV strategy. We find that conflict increases the probability that girls work, but reduces the number of hours worked. Our results suggest that this is due to a decrease in household income and an increase in the relative compensations of adults.
Subjects: 
Afghanistan
child labor
school attendance
conflict
JEL: 
J13
D74
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
865.69 kB





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