Women's inheritance rights and time use: Evidence from Hindu Succession Act in India

This paper examines the impact of Hindu Succession Act on married women’s time use in India. The was amended between 1976 and 2005 by giving equal inheritance rights to women for inheriting property. To estimate effect reform, I devise a difference-in-difference strategy exploiting features reform. Using nationally representative Time Use Survey 2019, find that exposed reform are investing 46 minutes per day more employment. Moreover, spending 44 less home production, with no change their leisure time. By looking at individual components reduction production is driven account decline spent domestic chores, childcare work. In addition, devote slightly learning. implies has led substitute from market These findings consistent an increase autonomy effect. also evidence intra-household substitution work through sharing burden other household members, especially male members. suggests could be form reversal devaluing reproductive labour.