Catherine Guirkinger (University of Namur ): ''Height, parental investments and marriage payments in sub-Saharan Africa"

Abstract:

This paper examines the relationship between the institution of bride price and parental investments in children's health, focusing on gender disparities in sub-Saharan Africa. While previous studies highlight limited son preference in the region, little is known about how cultural practices, such as bride price, influence resource allocation towards sons versus daughters. We hypothesize that bride price incentivizes parents to invest more in daughters' health, as taller daughters may command higher marriage payments. Using data from demographic health surveys and ethnographic sources, we investigate height dimorphism—a proxy for childhood resource allocation—across bride price and non-bride price groups. We find that bride price groups exhibit significantly lower height dimorphism, indicating relatively better nutritional outcomes for girls. This female advantage is present across childhood and adolescence and women height appear unaffected by climatic shocks in bride price groups, suggesting parents in bride price groups shield daughters more effectively from adverse conditions. These findings, supported by a theoretical model of health investments, highlight the importance of cultural institutions in shaping gendered resource allocation. Our study contributes to the literature on human capital formation and the role of traditions in gender inequality, offering novel insights into the interplay between marriage customs and intrahousehold dynamics.