By Vidhu Priya Mukundan In 2020, the World Health Organization reported that out of the 1.9 billion women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in the world, 1.1 billion women have a need for family planning. However, only 842 million women who report a need for family planning are using contraception, leaving 270 million women with […]
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 […]
Previous research by Rachel Brulé has demonstrated the powerful effects quotas for women in government can have on women’s property rights and economic standing. Women who assume elected office through quota systems can support their female constituents by advocating for gender equality in land reform and inheritance. Conversely, Brulé and colleagues have identified significant backlash […]
Studies have quantified excess mortality in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic relative to pre-COVID-19 US death rates. However, even before the pandemic, US residents died at younger ages than people in other wealthy nations, particularly from drug overdoses, suicides and cardiometabolic disorders. In a new working paper published in medRxiv, Jacob Bor and […]
Social networks are a key ingredient in the process of economic development. A large literature has established that social networks influence individual behavior and outcomes in myriad ways, but the bulk of this literature has focused on social interactions in the context of microfinance groups. To date, little is known about how social networks can […]
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 Vidhu Priya Mukundan This month, the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) annual meeting will gather in-person for the first time in in Davos, Switzerland since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forum’s aim of leading the world towards sustainability and inclusivity has been magnified by the pandemic, the causalities of which are still being […]
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 […]