Inequality and female labour force participation in West Africa

This study examined the impact of income inequality on female labour force participation in West Africa for the period 2004 to 2016. The study employed the Gini coefficient, the Atkinson index and the Palma ratio as measures of income inequality. For robustness, the study also utilises female employment and female unemployment as measures of female labour force participation. The study employed the instrumental variable fixed effects model with Driscoll and Kraay standard errors to account for simultaneity/reverse causality, serial correlation, groupwise heteroskedasticity and cross-sectional dependence. The empirical results reveal that the three measures of income inequality significantly reduce the participation of women in the labour force in West Africa. The study also revealed that domestic credit, remittances and female education are positively associated with female labour force participation in the sub-region. Further findings reveal that economic development reduces the participation of women in the labour force in West Africa with the U-shaped feminisation theory not valid for the West African region. The study, however, revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship between inequality and female unemployment. Policy recommendations based on these findings are discussed

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Effects of polygyny on child health and determinants of birth registration : the case of Nigerian children

This thesis contains three empirical essays focused on the impact of parental socioeconomic characteristics on early childhood outcomes, namely health and birth registration in Nigeria. The focus is motivated by the growing body of literature showing the crucial role the former play in shaping early childhood outcomes. Nigeria is of utmost concern because of the significant differences in parental socioeconomic characteristics (e.g. polygyny is widespread) and high rates of poor child outcomes (poor health and low birth registration). Identifying the impact of parental socioeconomic characteristics can allow more effective policy interventions for achieving sustainable development goals: health (SDG target 2.2) and birth registration (SDG target 16.9), respectively. The first essay examines the effects of polygyny on a child’s health measured by growth and survival outcomes. I use a sample of 43108 children (growth) and 54859 children (survival) under-5 years of age drawn from three rounds of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) dataset. The results of the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and district fixed-effects regression techniques show a strong negative relationship between polygyny and child health. However, I identify evidence of self-selection into polygyny by young and poorly educated women, which is addressed using the Lewbel Heteroskedasticity-based Instrumental Variable approach. The results of the instrumental variable analysis suggest that only the effects on child mortality can be defined as causal. Investigation into mechanisms suggest poor parental investments as a possible explanation. For instance, polygynous children are less likely to be delivered in health facilities, with skilled birth attendants or be vaccinated. They are less likely to use treated bed nets (anti-malaria) or proper treatments for diarrhea or fever/cough. Their households are also more likely to be crowded and their mothers are also more likely to experience high-levels of control and domestic abuse. These factors can impact child health negatively despite the protective behaviors of longer birth-intervals. The second essay examines the determinants of birth registration using a sample of 38652 children under-five years of age, drawn from the 2008 and 2013 Nigeria DHS data. Using OLS and district fixed-effects regression models, I find that children with more educated and richer parents are less likely to be non-registered nor non-certified. Their level of health service utilization (prenatal visits, skilled attendants at birth and vaccination), and higher birth rank also improve their registration chances. Finally, the third essay examines the effect of place of birth on birth registration with a two-part research objective. First, I examine equity in the distribution of registration centers. Second, I examine whether the distribution for birth non-registration and non-certification status are spatially correlated. Descriptive analysis techniques suggest inequity in the distribution of registration, and exploratory spatial regression methods (Moran’s I) suggest moderate spatial clustering of the distribution. In summary, the essays show that the differences in parental socioeconomic characteristics translate to inequalities in early childhood. To achieve the health and birth registration targets, these differences need to be incorporated into already existing or future health and birth registration policies, to ensure that no children are left behind

The prevailing social attitudes towards child discipline in Zimbabwe

Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries have made strides towards the realisation of children’s rights since the signing of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990). Zimbabwe has also worked to promote child welfare and protection. Child discipline practices are a crucial component of child protection, particularly when discipline becomes violent. In Zimbabwe, the High Court recently declared the corporal punishment of juvenile offenders as unconstitutional. However, the physical punishment of children in the home was traditionally regarded as culturally acceptable and seen as a way to guide children in the right direction in life. While there existed several studies on corporal punishment in schools, there is a dearth of studies focusing on parents’ disciplinary practices. The paper presents findings from a qualitative study conducted with forty-one parents living in both rural and urban areas of Zimbabwe. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) were employed to collect data. The findings suggested that Zimbabwean parents still largely believe in physical punishment as the main method of disciplining children. While few parents reported using a combination of alternative disciplining practices with physical beating, most parents did not believe in doing away with physical punishment altogether. Physical punishment was justified by certain social attitudes, including cultural and religious beliefs. The study has implications for the global initiative towards outlawing corporal punishment for children and provides evidence for more community sensitisation on positive parenting practices, in both urban and rural areas

Psychological wellbeing in diaspora space : a study of African economic migrants in Hong Kong. Asian Ethnicity

Abstract:African migrants in Hong Kong and the rest of Greater China are often confronted with numerous social and economic constraints which complicate their lives. Extant studies have not adequately examined how these challenges affect the psychological wellbeing of Hong Kong’s African economic migrants specifically. Using a qualitative research design underpinned by the concept of diaspora space, this article discusses the social aspects of psychological wellbeing among African economic migrants in Hong Kong. Specifically, it shows how the attitudes of local Hong Kongers ( 本地人) towards African economic migrants affect the psychological distress experienced by these African migrants. These attitudes influence the psychological distress in three non-exclusive ways, namely confusion (identity as black people) of personal and social identity; perceived discrimination; and difficulty in forming lasting relationships with the locals. The findings are discussed within the broader discourse of diasporic migration and wellbeing