This thesis consists of three chapters in development economics, focusing on households’ labor market responses to various negative shocks. The first chapter, Climate Change, Natural Disasters and Migratory Flows: New Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa examines the impact of droughts on the probability of migration in sub-Saharan Africa. We show that all recent adverse weather shocks that severely disrupt agricultural production increase migration. In addition, as even droughts from up to five years before have a significant impact on migration decisions, considering only recent droughts leads to a serious underestimation of long-term increases in migration. In the second chapter, Safer at Home? Human Capital Decisions in Low-Intensity Conflicts, we explore the impact of high-visibility drug-related crimes on household decisions regarding children’s education and labor market participation in Mexico. In municipalities with high homicide levels, households prioritize less dangerous activities for children, such that more vulnerable children become less likely to work. While high exposure to violence has no direct effect on enrollment, it significantly reduces school performance, especially for already low-performing children. The third chapter, Access to Childcare and Female Labor Market Participation in Mexico evaluates the impact of the discontinuation of a Mexican childcare program that aimed to support mothers’ labor force participation. In absence of state-supported childcare, mothers with young children are less likely to work, more likely to report worse working conditions, and higher care responsibilities within the household.