Gifting Relationships and School Dropout in Rural Malawi: Examining Differences by Gender and Poverty Level.
1Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), Geneva, Switzerland.
Studies in Family Planning
|March 1, 2022
Summary
Gift-giving sexual relationships increase school dropout risk for all students, regardless of poverty. These relationships erase poverty
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Education
- Development Studies
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Sexual relationships are linked to higher school dropout rates among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, especially girls.
- Limited understanding exists on how gift exchange within these relationships and poverty levels influence dropout risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between gifting sexual relationships, poverty, and school dropout among primary school students in rural Malawi.
- To examine gender differences in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal survey data from primary school students in rural Malawi.
- Analysis of school dropout risk based on relationship type (gifting vs. non-gifting sexual relationships), poverty status, and gender.
Main Results:
- Gifting sexual relationships significantly increase school dropout risk for both boys and girls.
- These relationships negate the protective effect of being non-poor against school dropout.
- Non-gifting sexual relationships also eliminate the poverty protection for girls, but not for boys.
Conclusions:
- Gift exchange in adolescent sexual relationships is a critical factor exacerbating school dropout risk.
- Understanding poverty-gender interactions is crucial for nuanced insights into adolescent educational trajectories.
- Interventions should consider the role of material exchanges in sexual relationships and their impact on education.
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