For Better or Worse? The Effects of Maternity Leave Provisions across Developing Countries

• In Event: 490 - Regular Session. Development and Gender 2: Women and Work

Abstract

This paper is the first study to examine whether maternity leave policies benefit developing countries cross-nationally and over time. Specifically, using fixed effects panel regression from 1999 until 2012 across 95 countries, we explore whether maternity leave policies affect economic growth, women’s labor force participation, infant mortality rates, and birth rates. Our findings demonstrate that despite the difference of maternity leave application in developing countries (in comparison to developed countries), maternity leave policies do lead to economic growth, but do not improve women’s labor force participation or infant mortality rates. Maternity leave benefits have the greatest effect on economic growth when benefits increase alongside an increase in secondary girls’ enrollment, and have a decreased effect as girls’ enrollment declines.

Authors

• Kathleen M. Fallon, State University of New York-Stony Brook

• Alissa Mazar, McGill University

• Liam Swiss, Memorial University