¿Influyen los centros de desarrollo infantil en la renta salarial de las madres en el Ecuador para los años 2012 y 2018?

Abstract

Programs that provide child care services are the basis for women's economic empowerment. This study evaluates the impact of the Buen Vivir Child Care Centers (CIBV), in Ecuador, on mothers' labor income in the years 2012 and 2018. For this purpose, the quasi-experimental technique Propensity Score Matching (PSM) or matched groups is used based on the socioeconomic information of the beneficiary population, available in the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT). In first instance, the results show that the children who participate in the CIBV program come from mothers who raise their children alone, belong to an ethnic minority, have less education, live in rural areas, especially in the Sierra or Amazon regions, and live under conditions of poverty. In second instance, the results detect a positive impact of the program on the mothers' labor income, in both study periods, but in a higher proportion for mothers from poor households in 2012. In conclusion, the study finds empirical evidence on the existence of self-focusing mechanisms and the success of the implementation of social child care programs on the economic well-being of the most vulnerable population.