The Effect of Poverty, Gender Exclusion, and Child Labor on Out-of-School Rates for Female Children

Abstract

In this article, the authors analyze the effect of poverty, social exclusion, and child labor on out-of-school rates for female children. This empirical study is based on a dynamic panel model for a sample of 216 countries over the period 1970 to 2010. Results based on the generalized method of moments (GMM) of Arellano and Bond (1991) and the tests of causality and zero autocorrelation to the panel data show a negative and significant relation between contributing family workers (female) and number of primary school-age children out of school (female) in Europe and Central Asia region. However, the authors cannot find empirical evidence between primary school-age children out of school rates (female) and the variables used to analyze the effect of poverty and social exclusion (poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line and total vulnerable employment). Moreover, the article identifies effects of other variables like proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments. In addition, this article examines geographic regions separately, with the anticipation that differentials in livelihood strategies and opportunities could be reflected in female child schooling decisions.