Parental Education and the Decline of Female Genital Cutting: Evidence from Nigeria.

This thesis examines whether the expansion of primary education contributed to the decline of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) in Nigeria. I exploit the 1976 Universal Primary Education (UPE) reform, which led to a rapid but uneven increase in schooling opportunities, to estimate the causal effect of education on both women’s attitudes toward FGC and their likelihood of circumcising their daughters. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I compare regions and cohorts differentially exposed to the reform. The findings aim to shed light on the potential of education policy to shift harmful social norms and improve outcomes related to women’s autonomy and well-being.