  Non-unitary household models suggest that enhancing women's bargaining power
can influence child health, a crucial determinant of human capital and economic
standing throughout adulthood. We examine the effects of a policy shift, the
Hindu Succession Act Amendment (HSAA), which granted inheritance rights to
unmarried women in India, on child health. Our findings indicate that the HSAA
improved children's height and weight. Furthermore, we uncover evidence
supporting a mechanism whereby the policy bolstered women's intra-household
bargaining power, resulting in downstream benefits through enhanced parental
care for children and improved child health. These results emphasize that
children fare better when mothers control a larger share of family resources.
Policies empowering women can yield additional positive externalities for
children's human capital.
