Social barriers to female migration: Theory and evidence from Bangladesh

Traditional gender norms can restrict independent migration by women, thus preventing them from taking advantage of economic opportunities in urban areas. To explore this phenomenon, we develop a model which women make marriage and decisions jointly. The shows that, response to decline the cost migration, may use marital circumvent social barriers female migration. test related hypotheses, construction major bridge Bangladesh – dramatically reduced travel times between economically deprived north-western region capital city Dhaka as source variation costs. Consistent with predictions model, find among rural wealthier families, increased schooling, dowry payments, work manufacturing sector, but had no effect on