Demographic conditions and investments in children’s human capital
Résumé
This paper investigates the effects of demographic conditions on investment in children human capital. Using 196 Demographic and Health Surveys collected in 68 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America since the 1990s, we explore the impact of demographic conditions at childhood on children’s health and education. More specifically, micro-level data from the Demographic and Health Surveys are matched with time series data on demographic conditions (fertility rate, mortality rate) for each country of the sample to estimate and quantify the impact of changes in the demographic pressure at childhood on child outcomes (health andeducation).The estimated effects of demographic variables differ across developing regions and overmeasures of human capital accumulation. While a decrease in fertility rate plays an importantrole in improving health status in Africa, Asia and Latin America as well, large differencesbetween the regions are highlighted when we consider education outcomes. Up to today, aneducation dividend can only be observed in Latin America, meaning that only for Latin Americathe demographic transition has led to more education. Africa, being less advanced in itsdemographic transition process, requires more time.