Estimating the Causal Effect of Fertility on Women's Employment in Africa Using Twins

We find that the number of children below age six has a significantly negative effect on the woman's ability to work in the non-farm sector; it reduces the odds of employment of African mothers by 6%. The effects of the number of young children on women's non-farm work are more problematic for older women and for women with more years of education. These findings imply that investments in family planning are likely to enhance the opportunities for women to work for pay and that policies aimed at facilitating the combination of child rearing and paid labor are particularly important for educated and older women.