To work or not to work? Child stunting and maternal labour force participation in South Africa

Abstract

Stunting, which affects about one-quarter of South African children below five years, has a long-term effect on a child's development and a potential economic cost to mothers. A stunted child necessitates more attention, thereby reducing the time a mother, especially if she is the primary caregiver, has available to seize labour market opportunities. This study investigated the relationship between child stunting and maternal labour force participation (MLFP) in South Africa, using a bivariate probit regression model. Data was sourced from the 2017 South African National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). Using maternal height and improved water supply at home as instrumental variables to control for potential endogeneity, the average marginal effect model indicates that caring for a stunted child is associated with a 20 % reduction in MLFP, on average, at a 1 % statistical significance level. In addition to mothers' intrinsic merit of protecting their children, measures to prevent childhood stunting, such as nutrition education and promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, can improve MLFP. A more flexible working arrangement could facilitate mothers' engagement in the labour force while caring for their stunted children.