Econ-on-Mics Women in Economics and Policy & International Economic Association

In this episode, Adriana Camacho talks about her work on the Colombian cash transfer program and domestic violence. Interviewed by Santiago de la Cadena, she goes over how a lack of resources could trigger domestic violence, and why the timing, expectation and duration of cash transfers matter when it comes to household behaviours. They discuss how such programs could have positive externalities in terms of investment in human capital, and the need for policymakers to primarily address the issue of scarcityProf. Camacho recommends two books for anyone interested in learning more about scarcity or domestic violence:1. Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan2. Shame by Annie Ernaux

In this episode, Nisha Arunatilake shares her insights on women's access to decent work in Sri Lanka. In conversation with her colleague Lakmini Fernando, she delves into social and legal barriers - including workplace discrimination, maternity leave, and the poor coverage of labour laws - that might restrict women's participation in such work. She discusses how providing access to childcare and public transport, as well as introducing legislature which makes workplaces inclusive of women, can be a step towards facilitating female labour force participation.

Dr Arunatilake's study is part of a group of studies conducted in 6 countries - including Peru, Brazil, Senegal, Kenya, and the Philippines. These studies are available for interested listeners to read and learn more about the issue on a global scale.

In the third episode, Eleni Yitbarek is interviewed by Michelle Pleace about her research on intergenerational mobility in sub-Saharan Africa. The first part of their discussion focuses on the association between social and economic indicators of children and that of their parents. They then delve into comparisons between the mobility of sons and daughters, and the part played by parental bias and women's role in the household.



For those interested in learning more about intergenerational mobility, Prof. Yitbarek recommends looking at work by Raj Chetty and his team in the US, and research by Lambert, Ravallion and van de Walle on mobility in Senegal. She also recommends reading Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century and A Brief History of Equality.

In this episode, Kanika Mahajan discusses her work on gender and labour economics. Interviewed by WiEP Director Anahita Karandikar, she touches upon the stagnation of women's labour force participation in India, exploring both labour supply and demand in light of factors such as social norms and returns to education.

For interested listeners, Prof. Kanika recommends looking at the work on labour and gender by Ashwini Deshpande, Anisha Sharma, and Lisa Ho. She also recommends these must-read books:1. Woman's Role in Economic Development by Ester Boserup: Published in 1970 and using data collected across various developing countries, the book provides insights into how women contribute to the economy in traditional settings and how this role transforms as these countries transition from agrarian societies to industrial and service-led ones.2. Understanding the Gender Gap by Claudia Goldin: While this book is based on the experiences of women in the US, many lessons and patterns discussed are also relevant to the experience of developing countries currently.3. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez: This book weaves the narrative of how women's needs often get neglected in policy-making and even technological development, the primary reason being that the world has been designed to suit the needs of an average male.

Welcome to Econ-on-Mics, a joint production of the International Economic Association’s Women in Leadership in Economics initiative and Women in Econ and Policy.

Join us as we delve into pressing economic questions with six women economists from across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

In our inaugural episode this week, we feature Elisa Belfiori discussing the intersections of Climate, Policy, and Inequality. Interviewed by Maria Alsina-Pujols, Belfiori navigates the complexities of studying climate policy, illuminates the current landscape, and discusses the challenges encountered by developing countries in addressing climate change while fostering development.



Prof. Belfiori recommends these must-read books tailored for climate enthusiasts:


The Economics of Climate Change in Argentina: The book includes research by Argentinean economistson agricultural yields, human health impacts, carbon emissions, climate policy, and economic growth. The book sheds light on the challenges and opportunities for sustainability in the region, appealing to policymakers, academics, and anyone concerned about climate change and its implications in LatinAmerica.
No Brainers and Low-Hanging Fruit in National Climate Policy: This book, with contributions from economists working in more than 18 countries, provides timely and concise recommendations onachievable and efficient climate change policies that can be fast-tracked into implementation.

Dr. Siwan Anderson, Professor of Economics at the University of British Columbia and Ieda Matavelli, PhD candidate of Economics at the Vancouver School of Economics discuss a range of research topics that Dr. Anderson is passionate about and has been researching on since decades. They range from research on missing women - a term coined by Amartya Sen to address the worsening sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) in countries such as India and China, feminization of HIV specifically in Africa and the utmost importance of improving legal rights of women outside of marriage.

Professor Anderson also discusses her super interesting paper Intimate Partner Violence & Female Property Rights in which she parses through data across Sub-Saharan Africa. She also talks at length about her research paper - Legal Origins and Female HIV where she delves deeper to understand the feminization of HIV and the possible reasons of why Africa is the only continent where women tend to die more in number when compared to men due to HIV.

She has some excellent advice for researchers who are starting out on a new idea or subject area and stresses why reading its history and tracing its inception is the best way to understand anything.