By Maureen Heydt The Boston University Global Development Policy Center (GDP Center) is pleased to announce the second cohort of Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Core Faculty Program. These seven full-time BU faculty members represent diverse departments across the University, including the Departments of Global Health and Epidemiology, Sociology, Economics, Health Sciences and the Pardee School […]
There are more than 12 million foreign domestic workers in the world today; most of them are women. They represent 7.7 percent of all migrant workers and 17.2 percent of all female migrant workers. These women work in households where they clean, cook and provide childcare and eldercare. In some countries, a large share of […]
Women are the bedrock of the economy and of society in Liberia. As of 2016, women comprise 50 percent of the Liberian labor force, supplying 76 percent of labor for cash crop production and 93 percent of the labor for food crop production. About 80 percent of women own small enterprises, compared to 57 percent […]
By Emanne Khan Trade relations between China and the United States reached a major turning point in 1979 when the two countries signed a trade agreement that provided both with greater access to the other’s markets. Then-US Secretary of Commerce Juanita M. Kreps stated at the signing, “Today we take a major step together in […]
In the United States, the long-time disparity in men’s and women’s average earnings extends across skill levels. To explain why the gender pay gap persists between men and women with similar educational backgrounds and skills, researchers have documented robust differences in risk preferences and overconfidence between men and women, with women exhibiting a greater degree […]
By Emanne Khan Quotas that reserve a certain portion of seats in government for disadvantaged groups are widely utilized across the globe. Over half of all countries—135, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—have targeted women for such programs, including China, Australia, South Africa and much of the European Union. Gender quotas […]
By Emanne Khan Family planning and access to contraception protect the well-being of mothers and children by reducing the risks of unintended pregnancy, infertility, infant mortality and sexually transmitted diseases. Unmet need for family planning is a major issue in low- and middle-income countries, with the Guttmacher Institute estimating that a staggering 225 million women […]
Intervals of less than 24 months between pregnancies and births can adversely affect maternal and child health, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. While studies suggest that improving access to family planning services may also improve women’s contraceptive use and reduce fertility, high-quality evidence of the effect of family planning interventions on longer-term fertility and birth spacing […]
Vaccination against COVID-19, including the recommended booster shot, is a critical line of defense against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Communities with low vaccination rates may be particularly vulnerable to future waves of COVID-19. While vaccine uptake in Massachusetts is high relative to the US average, a number of eligible individuals remain unvaccinated and an […]
By Emanne Khan In Spring 2022, the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) hosted two research seminars with visiting scholars who presented new findings and received feedback from fellow experts on study design and methodology. The mission of HCI is to advance interdisciplinary research on the role of human capital in human development to inform policy solutions […]