Entitled to Property: Inheritance Laws, Female Bargaining Power, and Child Health in India

Child height is a significant predictor of human capital and economic status throughout adulthood. Moreover, non-unitary household models family behavior posit that an increase in women’s bargaining power can influence child health. We study the effects inheritance law change, Hindu Succession Act Amendment (HSAA), which conferred enhanced rights to unmarried women India, on height. find robust evidence HSAA improved weight children. In addition, we consistent with channel policy intrahousehold within household, leading parental investments for These findings are also compatible notion children do better when their mothers control more fraction resources. Therefore, policies empower have additional positive spillovers children’s capital.