Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/319106 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 17837
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We examine gender gaps in early childhood cognitive and social-behavioral skills across several Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. Our study complements previous research focused on older children by analyzing the preschool period, a critical stage for lifelong human capital formation. We find that the female advantage commonly observed in school-aged children's achievement, as well as in high school enrollment and completion in both high-income and LAC countries, is also frequently evident in early childhood within our sample of LAC countries. On average, girls outperform boys in various developmental measures and are less likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, these gender gaps generally remain stable across the distributions of developmental outcomes. Unlike findings for older children in high-income countries, our results suggest that during early childhood in LAC, boys and girls do not show differential benefits from socioeconomic status or a more favorable home environment.
Subjects: 
parental investments
gender
early childhood development
family disadvantage
JEL: 
I24
I25
J13
J16
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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