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Local Leadership Boosts Infant, Maternal Health: IIM Study

A study led by IIM Lucknow researchers reveals that affirmative action in local government leadership significantly improves infant and maternal health outcomes in Indian villages. The research, published in PNAS, found lower infant mortality and better prenatal care in village clusters with Scheduled Caste-reserved leadership. However, the study recorded no corresponding improvement in education outcomes, as test scores showed no significant difference. The findings highlight how local leadership from disadvantaged groups can address health inequalities, though persistent social barriers may limit impact in other sectors like education.

Key Points: Local Leadership Improves Infant & Maternal Health: Study

  • Lower infant mortality in SC-led villages
  • Better maternal prenatal care & vaccinations
  • No significant improvement in education outcomes
  • Leaders faced difficulties working with teachers
  • Study compared 120 village clusters
2 min read

Local leadership key to improving infant, maternal health: IIM Lucknow study

IIM Lucknow study finds affirmative action in local leadership significantly improves infant survival and maternal prenatal care in Indian villages.

"Our study found that local leaders from historically disadvantaged groups made decisions... that appear to address some structural inequalities - Prof. K. G. Sahadevan"

New Delhi, Jan 20

Affirmative action in local government leadership can significantly help improve health outcomes, particularly infant survival and maternal prenatal care, in India, according to a study, led by researchers at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow on Tuesday.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal, offers important insights into how structural interventions can address long-established social and health inequities.

The findings showed that village clusters with affirmative action in local leadership recorded significantly better health outcomes.

Infant mortality rates were significantly lower in villages led by local representatives.

Maternal health indicators also improved, including higher odds of receiving at least two prenatal visits, tetanus vaccinations, and prenatal supplements by the second trimester.

"Our study found that local leaders from historically disadvantaged groups made decisions on health and education spending that appear to address some structural inequalities in local communities," said Prof. K. G. Sahadevan from the varsity.

By using a quasi-experimental design, the research team focussed on the impact of leadership reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) in India's local governments, the smallest units of governance responsible for delivering essential public services such as health and education.

The study compared 60 village clusters with SC-reserved leadership to 60 village clusters without such reservations in 2021.

The team used a rich mix of data sources, including administrative health records, primary data collected in schools, and in-depth interviews with local leaders.

While the study recorded an increase in health outcomes in villages with affirmative action in local leadership, no corresponding improvement was recorded in the education sector.

The research team did not find any statistically significant difference in the test scores between the two groups.

Further, it showed that Scheduled Caste leaders experienced difficulties in working with teachers, implying that persistent social inequalities may limit the effectiveness of improved education outcomes. It also discouraged potential SC leaders from stepping forward.

The research provides notable insights for policymakers in low- and middle-income countries seeking to advance human development outcomes.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good to see data backing up what many of us have observed. When leadership comes from the community, they are more accountable and know where the gaps are. The health improvements make sense. Shame about the education part not showing similar gains – that needs more focus.
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Arjun K
Respectfully, while the intent of reservation is noble, we must also ensure these leaders get the full administrative support and budget autonomy to function. The study mentions difficulties with teachers – without tackling these deep-seated social biases, any policy will have limited success.
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Sarah B
Fascinating research from IIM Lucknow. It shows targeted local governance can be a powerful tool for development. The quasi-experimental design makes the findings on infant mortality very compelling. Hope policymakers are paying attention.
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Meera T
Maternal health is so crucial for our country's future. If having a leader from a similar background encourages more women to go for prenatal visits and take supplements, that's a huge win. We need to scale up these findings and support our grassroots leaders better. 🙏
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David E
The disconnect between health and education outcomes is interesting. It suggests that improving tangible services like health camps is easier than changing pedagogical outcomes or teacher attitudes, which are more complex. A very nuanced finding.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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