Social capital, financial inclusion and human security

The paper investigates the impacts of social capital and financial inclusion on human security in Togo, examining gender and spatial disparities through the lens of pre- and post-COVID-19 shocks. Utilizing data from the Harmonized Living Standard Measure Survey for the periods 2018-2019 and 2021-2022, we use propensity score matching, difference-in-differences, mediation analysis, and instrumental variables methods to assess the causal effects of social capital, financial inclusion, and human security. The results reveal a substantial and positive impact of social capital and financial inclusion on human security, with a more pronounced effect among women. Post-COVID-19 analysis demonstrates that the interaction between social capital and financial inclusion played a moderating role in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic shock on human security. Additionally, the analysis indicates that financial inclusion serves as a partial mediator between social capital and human security, an effect that has strengthened in the aftermath of the pandemic.

本论文以多哥为研究对象，探究社会资本（social capital）与金融普惠（financial inclusion）对人类安全（human security）的影响，并基于新冠疫情前后的冲击视角，考察性别与空间维度的差异。本研究采用2018-2019年与2021-2022年的《统一生活标准测量调查》（Harmonized Living Standard Measure Survey）数据，运用倾向得分匹配（propensity score matching）、双重差分法（difference-in-differences）、中介效应分析（mediation analysis）与工具变量法（instrumental variables methods），对社会资本、金融普惠与人类安全间的因果效应进行评估。研究结果表明，社会资本与金融普惠对人类安全存在显著正向影响，且该影响在女性群体中更为凸显。新冠疫情后的分析显示，社会资本与金融普惠的交互作用在缓解疫情冲击对人类安全的负面影响方面发挥了调节作用。此外，分析表明金融普惠在社会资本与人类安全之间起到部分中介作用，且该效应在疫情后有所增强。