The Effect of Fertility on Women’s Labour supply in West Africa

Abstract

This study examines the impact of childbirth on the labor supply of married women with at least one child under 6 years old, addressing endogeneity in fertility decisions by using twins as an instrument. Using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, an instrumented Probit model was estimated. Key findings reveal that (i) the effect of fertility on female labor supply varies across countries, and (ii) the relationship is sensitive to the measure of labor participation used. The study recommends (i) policies to support women’s transition from vulnerable traditional jobs to formal employment, and (ii) measures to reduce the childcare penalty on women’s access to formal jobs.