蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Filling the Gaps: Childcare Laws for Women's Economic Empowerment
蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings
vol. 115,
May 2025
(pp. 689–94)
Abstract
This paper investigates the effects of legislation governing the availability, affordability, or quality of center-based childcare services on women's labor market outcomes around the world. Using a difference-in-difference design, we find that childcare laws increase female labor force participation (FLFP) by up to 2.2 percent. Affordability has the largest positive impact, followed by availability and quality. Results indicate gradual improvements in FLFP post-law enactment, highlighting the role of legislation in addressing gendered caregiving burdens and enhancing women's economic opportunities. These findings underscore the importance of how childcare laws offer instrumental returns in other dimensions of gender equality and economic development.Citation
Anukriti, S, Lelys Dinarte-Diaz, Maria Montoya-Aguirre, and Alena Sakhonchik. 2025. "Filling the Gaps: Childcare Laws for Women's Economic Empowerment." 蝌蚪网 Papers and Proceedings 115: 689–94. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20251131Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply
- J32 Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
- K31 Labor Law