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Economic Development and Female Labor Participation in the Middle East and North Africa : A Test of the U-Shape Hypothesis

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dc.contributor.authorVerme, Paolo
dc.date.accessioned2014-06-26T20:15:53Z
dc.date.available2014-06-26T20:15:53Z
dc.date.issued2014-06
dc.description.abstractThe Middle East and North Africa region is known for having low female labor market participation rates as compared with its level of economic development. A possible explanation is that these countries find themselves at the turning point of the U-shape hypothesis when countries transition from declining to rising female participation rates. This paper tests the U-shape hypothesis in countries in the Middle East and North Africa. It finds that the region has outperformed other world regions in terms of the main drivers of the U-shape hypothesis, including gross domestic product per capita, economic transformation away from the agricultural sector, female education, and fertility rates. These facts are consistent with nonparametric evidence that shows countries in the region are distributed over a U-shaped curve. However, parametric tests of the hypothesis point in a different direction. The region shows an inverted U-shape overall and great heterogeneity across countries and age cohorts that defies any law on the relation between gross domestic product and female participation rate. The explanation behind these findings may be economic and cultural. Jobless growth and the lack of growth in employment sectors such as manufacturing and services, which proved critical for female employment in other countries, weaken labor demand and strengthen the role of institutions that may discourage female participation, such as marriage, legislation, and gender norms.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/19686510/economic-development-female-labor-participation-middle-east-north-africa-test-u-shape-hypothesis
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6927
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/18783
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 6927
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectADULT WOMEN
dc.subjectAGE GROUP
dc.subjectAGE GROUPS
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL OUTPUT
dc.subjectAGRICULTURAL SECTOR
dc.subjectAGRICULTURE
dc.subjectBARGAINING
dc.subjectBENEFICIAL EFFECTS
dc.subjectCHANGES IN FERTILITY
dc.subjectDECLINE IN FERTILITY
dc.subjectDEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES
dc.subjectDEVELOPING COUNTRIES
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT POLICY
dc.subjectDIVERSIFICATION
dc.subjectDIVISION OF LABOUR
dc.subjectDRIVERS
dc.subjectECONOMETRICS
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC HISTORY
dc.subjectECONOMIC SHOCKS
dc.subjectEDUCATED WOMEN
dc.subjectEDUCATION OF WOMEN
dc.subjectEQUATIONS
dc.subjectFAMILY FARMS
dc.subjectFAMILY SIZE
dc.subjectFEMALE EDUCATION
dc.subjectFEMALE EMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectFEMALE LABOR
dc.subjectFEMALE LABOR FORCE
dc.subjectFEMALE PARTICIPATION
dc.subjectFERTILITY
dc.subjectFERTILITY RATE
dc.subjectFERTILITY RATES
dc.subjectFUTURE RESEARCH
dc.subjectGDP
dc.subjectGDP PER CAPITA
dc.subjectGENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectGENDER GAP
dc.subjectGENDER NORMS
dc.subjectGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
dc.subjectGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT PER CAPITA
dc.subjectHOUSEHOLD CHORES
dc.subjectHUMAN CAPITAL
dc.subjectINCOME EFFECT
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION
dc.subjectJOBLESS GROWTH
dc.subjectJOBS
dc.subjectLABOR DEMAND
dc.subjectLABOR FORCE
dc.subjectLABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
dc.subjectLABOR MARKET
dc.subjectLABOR MOBILITY
dc.subjectLABOR SUPPLY
dc.subjectLABORERS
dc.subjectMACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectMARRIAGE AGE
dc.subjectMARRIED WOMEN
dc.subjectMORTALITY
dc.subjectNATURAL RESOURCE
dc.subjectNATURAL RESOURCES
dc.subjectOCCUPATIONS
dc.subjectOUTPUTS
dc.subjectPER CAPITA INCOME
dc.subjectPOLICY DISCUSSIONS
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER
dc.subjectPOVERTY REDUCTION
dc.subjectPREGNANCIES
dc.subjectPREVIOUS RESULTS
dc.subjectPREVIOUS SECTION
dc.subjectPROGRESS
dc.subjectPURCHASING POWER
dc.subjectPURCHASING POWER PARITY
dc.subjectREGIONAL FACTORS
dc.subjectREGIONAL GROUPING
dc.subjectREGIONAL LEVEL
dc.subjectREGIONAL PATTERN
dc.subjectREGIONAL PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectRURAL AREAS
dc.subjectSECONDARY EDUCATION
dc.subjectSOCIAL SCIENCE
dc.subjectSTRUCTURAL CHANGE
dc.subjectSTRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION
dc.subjectSUBSTITUTION EFFECT
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYED
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYED FEMALES
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT RATES
dc.subjectUNPAID WORKERS
dc.subjectURBAN AREAS
dc.subjectVALUE ADDED
dc.subjectWAGES
dc.subjectWEALTH
dc.subjectWOMAN
dc.subjectWORKER
dc.subjectWORLD REGIONS
dc.titleEconomic Development and Female Labor Participation in the Middle East and North Africa : A Test of the U-Shape Hypothesisen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crosscuttingsolutionareaJobs
okr.crossref.titleEconomic Development and Female Labor Participation in the Middle East and North Africa: A Test of the U-Shape Hypothesis
okr.date.disclosure2014-06-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T10:14:00.823384Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/19686510/economic-development-female-labor-participation-middle-east-north-africa-test-u-shape-hypothesis
okr.globalpracticeMacroeconomics and Fiscal Management
okr.globalpracticeSocial Protection and Labor
okr.globalpracticeHealth, Nutrition, and Population
okr.guid184611468278682448
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6927
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20140617090436
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum19686510
okr.identifier.reportWPS6927
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2014/06/17/000158349_20140617090436/Rendered/PDF/WPS6927.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeMiddle East and North Africa
okr.region.geographicalNorth Africa
okr.region.geographicalMiddle East
okr.topicHealth, Nutrition and Population::Population Policies
okr.topicMacroeconomics and Economic Growth::Regional Economic Development
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Labor Markets
okr.topicSocial Protections and Labor::Labor Policies
okr.topicEconomic Theory and Research
okr.unitPoverty Reduction and Economic Management Department, Middle East and North Africa Region
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationc0b4c90d-8da0-5e41-b52e-aaa2bcb4c18e
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryc0b4c90d-8da0-5e41-b52e-aaa2bcb4c18e
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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