Essays on poverty and economic development

On Monday 10 June 2024 Arne Nasgowitz will hold a trial lecture on a prescribed topic and defend his thesis for the PhD degree at NHH.

This thesis explores the importance of time and capital constraints for women’s labor supply, business development and households’ transition out of poverty in a developing-country context.

Janet Currie to speak on child mental health

`The belief that mental health problems are suddenly skyrocketing, tends to overshadow the fact that these problems have always been common´, Professor Janet Currie says. She gives the Sandmo Lecture at NHH 28 May.

The first chapter focuses on mothers of pre-school children in Uganda who are provided with either a cash transfer, free childcare, or both. We find that the cash transfer allowed the women to start their own business, while free access to childcare increased the labor supply of single women and, in households with couples, the father. In addition, access to childcare improved child development. Our study thus shows that. Our study suggests that subsidizing childcare can be a cost-effective way to improve household economics status and child development.

The second chapter investigates the effects of cash transfers before and during the COVID19-pandemic in Uganda. The study starts by documenting a large drop in incomes at the onset of the pandemic, and a relatively quick recovery. It then shows that cash transfers shielded incomes and businesses, as well as increased food security during the pandemic. The effects on business incomes persist after the pandemic and are accompanied by a reduction of violence against children in the long run. This paper shows that cash transfers were and can be a successful tool to assist households in times of crises.

Essays on Staffing and Transportation

On Monday 27 May 2024 Christian Braathen will hold a trial lecture on a prescribed topic and defend his thesis for the PhD degree at NHH.

The last chapter discusses a refined measurement of poverty that considers not only the standard monetary dimension but also time. This measure would include individuals who are not monetarily poor simply because they are working very long hours. Following households over time suggests that such time-constrained households are particularly vulnerable to fall into income poverty. Considering the time people spend working is therefore important to get a more comprehensive understanding of poverty and to provide appropriate advice on the design of anti-poverty policies.