Gender and cash child support in Jamaica

Abstract

Nonresident parents pay a small proportion of the total pecuniary costs of raising children in Jamaica. This paper uses household survey data to identify conditions that promote cash support by absent parents. The paper highlights several ways in which gender influences Jamaican child support decisions. Absent fathers contribute cash support more consistently than absent mothers do, and absent fathers support their daughters more consistently than they support sons. Gendered norms of resource transfer in adult relationships help explain low levels of paternal support for children. But results from Jamaica cast doubt on the argument that male poverty explains most paternal default on child support obligations.

Gender Norms and Family Planning Practices Among Men in Western Jamaica

“…For example the high prevalence (>50%) of multiple sex partners among men in Jamaica (Figueroa et al, 2008; Figueroa, Ward, Walters, Ashley, & Wilks, 2005; Gibbison, 2007; Ishida, Stupp, & McDonald, 2011) and beliefs about fathering a child at an early age to validate manhood and demonstrate to society that they are not homosexuals (P. Anderson, 2012; Chevannes, 2002; Chevannes & Mitchell-Kernan, 1992; Gibbison, 2007; Wyss, 2000) are more likely to result in men fathering children with multiple women.…”

“…Our findings suggest gender ideologies can influence family structure and affect the wellbeing of children. For example the high prevalence (>50%) of multiple sex partners among men in Jamaica (Figueroa et al, 2008;Figueroa, Ward, Walters, Ashley, & Wilks, 2005;Gibbison, 2007;Ishida, Stupp, & McDonald, 2011) and beliefs about fathering a child at an early age to validate manhood and demonstrate to society that they are not homosexuals (P. Anderson, 2012;Chevannes, 2002;Chevannes & Mitchell-Kernan, 1992;Gibbison, 2007;Wyss, 2000) are more likely to result in men fathering children with multiple women. Although our findings contribute to the understanding of the association between gender norms and family planning practices in Jamaica, this study has a number of limitations, which must be taken into consideration when interpreting the results.…”

“…In Jamaica, perception of manhood has been reported to be associated with having multiple sexual partners and fathering children with multiple women (Figueroa et al, 2008). These behaviors among men which are intended to validate manhood and demonstrate to society that they are not homosexuals (P. Anderson, 2012;Chevannes, 2002;Chevannes & Mitchell-Kernan, 1992;Gibbison, 2007;Wyss, 2000) can undermine family planning programs. Forty percent of Jamaican women have been pregnant at least once by age 20 years (Crawford, McGrowder, & Crawford, 2009) and approximately 45% of Jamaican households are headed by females (Dreher & Hudgins, 2010).…”