Intergenerational Social Mobility in Africa Since 1920

IMF Working Papers, August 6, 2021

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Intergenerational Social Mobility in Africa Since 1920

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Bibliographic details

• Authors: Rasmané Ouedraogo, Nicolas Syrichas
• Published: August 6, 2021
• Series: IMF Working Papers
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513593807.001

Summary

• The COVID-19 crisis has a severe impact on education and employment and exposed the many social inequities that make some populations more vulnerable to shocks.
• Using a large harmonized dataset of more than 72 million individuals, the study examines socioeconomic status mobility across generations, measured by educational and occupational attainment.
• The analysis uncovers substantial geographical variations in the degree of upward/downward educational and occupational mobility across and within African countries, and the gender and rural/urban divide.
• The study explores determinants of social mobility in the African region and identifies several strong predictors.

Key findings: mobility patterns

• Substantial geographical variations in upward/downward educational mobility across and within African countries.
• Substantial geographical variations in upward/downward occupational mobility across and within African countries.
• Pronounced gender divide in social mobility.
• Pronounced rural/urban divide in social mobility.
• Educational mobility is a driver of occupational mobility.

Key findings: determinants and predictors

• Social mobility in Africa can be partly explained by observable individual characteristics (gender, marital status, age, etc.).
• The following country-level factors are identified as strong predictors of social mobility in Africa:
  • The quality of institutions
  • The level of public spending on education
  • Social protection coverage
  • Natural resource endowments
  • Countries' fragility

Policy-relevant implications (as reported)

• Strengthening the quality of institutions may support higher social mobility.
• Increasing public spending on education is associated with higher social mobility.
• Expanding social protection coverage is associated with higher social mobility.
• Natural resource endowments and countries' fragility are important contextual factors shaping social mobility outcomes.
• Because educational mobility drives occupational mobility, policies that improve access to and quality of education can have downstream effects on occupational outcomes.

IMF Working Paper: "Intergenerational Social Mobility in Africa Since 1920", Rasmané Ouedraogo and Nicolas Syrichas, Working Paper No. 2021/215.

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