We exploit exogenous variation in the risk of waterborne disease created by implementation of a major water reform in Mexico in 1991 to investigate impacts of infant exposure on indicators of cognitive development and academic achievement in late childhood. We estimate that a one standard...

We exploit exogenous variation in the risk of waterborne disease created by implementation of a major water reform in Mexico in 1991 to investigate impacts of infant exposure on indicators of cognitive development and academic achievement in late childhood. We estimate that a one standard...

We evaluate the long-term impact of treating maternal depression on women’s financial empowerment and parenting decisions. We leverage experimental variation induced by a cluster-randomized control trial that provided psychotherapy to perinatally depressed mothers in rural Pakistan. It was one...

We study the formation of social and emotional skills in the first three years of life, and investigate the impact of a cluster-randomized peer-led psychosocial intervention targeting perinatally depressed mothers in rural Pakistan. The intervention significantly improved maternal mental health,...

While land reforms are typically pursued in order to raise productivity and reduce inequality across households, an unintended consequence may be increased within-household gender inequality. We analyse a tenancy registration programme in West Bengal, and find that it increased child survival...

The Covid-19 outbreak has led to extensive declines in international commodity prices. The outbreak as well as measures fashioned to contain it has been weighing down on global supply chains and commodity prices. The pandemic has been accompanied with unprecedented shock that has disrupted both...

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to extensive declines in international commodity prices. The outbreak as well as measures fashioned to contain it has been weighing down on global supply chains and commodity prices. The pandemic has been accompanied with unprecedented shock that has disrupted both...

IVF allows women to delay birth and pursue careers, but IVF massively increases the risk of twin birth. There is limited evidence of how having twins influences women's post-birth careers. We investigate this, leveraging a single embryo transfer (SET) mandate implemented in Sweden in 2003,...

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has allowed women to delay birth and pursue a career, but it massively increasesthe risk of twin birth. We investigate the extent to which having twins hampers women's careers after birth. To do this, we leverage a single embryo transfer (SET) mandate for IVF...

This paper investigates the potential of an infant intervention to improve life expectancy, contributing to emerging interest in the early life origins of chronic disease. We analyse a pioneering program trialled in Sweden in the 1930s, which provided information, support and monitoring of...