Name of the Presenting Author:
Abstract Content (not more than 300 word, should include: Introduction, Objective, Methodology, critical findings & Conclusion):
This paper evaluates the causal impact of women’s age at marriage on their likelihood of using hygienic period products, using the most recent round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) in India. To address potential endogeneity, we exploit exogenous variation in a woman's age at menarche as an instrument for her age at marriage. The instrumental variable (IV) estimation provides robust evidence that a one-year increase in a woman's age at marriage increases, on an average, the likelihood of hygienic product use by 7 percentage points. We also provide suggestive evidence that higher education and increased household decision-making power are potential mechanisms driving this effect. These findings signify the importance of enforcing laws regulating the legal age of marriage, and highlight the broader need for societal shifts that promote later marriage, better menstrual hygiene, and the empowerment of young women.
Mobile number of the Presenting Author:
Address & Pincode of the Presenting Author:
IIT HYDERABAD,
Kalam Hostel ,IITH Road, Near NH-65,
Sangareddy, Kandi,
Telangana 502285