Left Behind to Farm? Women’s Labor Re-Allocation in Rural China

The transformation of work during China s rapid economic development is associated with a substantial but little noticed re-allocation of traditional farm labor among women, with some doing much less and some much more. This paper studies how the work, time allocation, and health of non-migrant women are affected by the out-migration of others in their household. The analysis finds that the women left behind are doing more farm work than would have otherwise been the case. There is also evidence that this is a persistent effect, and not just temporary re-allocation. For some types of women (notably older women), the labor re-allocation response comes out of their leisure.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Mu, Ren, van de Walle, Dominique
Language:	English
Published:	2009-10-01
Subjects:	AGE GROUPS, AGED, AGED WOMEN, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, ALCOHOL, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, AUTONOMY, BRAIN DRAIN, CHILD CARE, CHILD HEALTH, CHILD REARING, CITIES, CULTURAL CHANGE, DECISION MAKING, DEMOGRAPHY, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DISCRIMINATION, ECONOMIC CHANGES, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ELDERLY, ELDERLY CARE, ELDERLY MEN, ELDERLY WOMEN, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, FAMILIES, FATIGUE, FEMALE CHILDREN, FEMALE EMPLOYMENT, FEMALE MIGRANTS, FEMALE WORK, FEMALES, FERTILITY, GENDER, GENDER ACTION, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER DIFFERENTIALS, GENDER DIMENSIONS, GENDER DIVISION OF LABOR, GENDER GAP, GENDER IMPLICATIONS, GENDER NORMS, GENDER SEGREGATION, HEALTH CARE, HEALTH OUTCOMES, HEALTH PROBLEMS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HOUSEHOLD ASSETS, HOUSEHOLD CHORES, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HOUSEHOLD LEVEL, HOUSEHOLD SIZE, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, HUSBANDS, INEQUALITY, INTERNAL MIGRATION, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, LABOR FORCE, LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOR MARKET, LABOR MARKETS, LABOR MIGRATION, LABOR SUPPLY, LAND TENURE, LEISURE TIME, LEVELS OF EDUCATION, LIVING ARRANGEMENTS, LIVING STANDARDS, MALES, MARITAL STATUS, MARRIED WOMEN, MIGRANT, MIGRANT CHILDREN, MIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS, MIGRANT WOMAN, MIGRANT WOMEN, MIGRANTS, MIGRATION, MIGRATION EXPERIENCE, MIGRATION FLOWS, MIGRATION STATUS, MINORITY, MOTHER, MOTHERS, NUMBER OF GIRLS, NUMBER OF WOMEN, NUTRITION, OLD AGE, OLDER WOMEN, PARENTS, PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN, POLICY REGIME, POLICY RESEARCH, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, POOR HEALTH, POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, POPULATION STRUCTURE, POWER, PRIMARY EDUCATION, PRIMARY SCHOOL, PROGRESS, PROPERTY RIGHTS, PUBLIC POLICY, PUBLIC SERVICES, PUSH FACTOR, REMITTANCES, RESOURCE ALLOCATION, RESPECT, RETURN MIGRATION, RETURNEES, RURAL AREAS, RURAL HOUSEHOLDS, RURAL POVERTY, RURAL WOMAN, RURAL WOMEN, SAFETY NETS, SIBLINGS, SINGLE WOMEN, SMALL ENTERPRISES, SPOUSES, STATE UNIVERSITY, TEMPORARY MIGRATION, TOWNS, URBAN AREAS, URBAN MIGRATION, VILLAGES, WALKING, WOMAN, WORKERS, YOUNG WOMEN,
Online Access:	http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20091031150410 https://hdl.handle.net/10986/4295
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