Gender, Work and Structural Transformation
Type
presentation
Author(s)
Abstract
We document patterns of labor provision in relation to structural transformation, paying particular attention to the ways in which men and women supply labor to different sectors of the economy and in different types of employment. We show that across countries and over the course of the development trajectory, female employment follows a U-shaped pattern that has previously been described in the historical experience of today’s rich countries. We further show that this U shaped pattern corresponds to an important shift in the nature of women’s employment. In poor countries, women work as self-employed in agriculture; in middle-income countries, they drop out of the labor force; and in higher-income contexts, they return to the labor force as wage workers, primarily in services. Guided by these new stylized facts, we discuss potential mechanisms and study their implication for structural transformation.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SEPS - Economic Policy
Event Title
American Economic Association (AEA) Meetings
Event Location
online
Event Date
January 2021
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
262458