Together to Work? Role of Kith and Kin on Women's Employment and Mobility

I study whether enabling women to commute to work with other women (“travel buddies”) from their neighborhoods increases their employment. Data and anecdotal evidence suggest that social norms and safety concerns make it impossible for many women to travel alone outside the immediate vicinity of their residence. To conduct an RCT, I partner with an apparel factory in India that predominantly employs women. Women in the treatment branch will be invited in groups to travel to the worksite, while women in the control group will be invited individually. Additionally, to determine if commuting constraints faced by existing workers affect their attendance at work, I will also randomize information to women workers about other women living in the same neighborhoods and encourage them to travel together.