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on Gender |
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Issue of 2025–03–03
eight papers chosen by Jan Sauermann, Institutet för Arbetsmarknads- och Utbildningspolitisk Utvärdering |
| By: | Rachel Cassidy; Smita Das; Clara Delavallade; Kipchumba, Elijah; Komba, Julietha |
| Abstract: | Individuals’ socio-emotional skills (SES), and their perceptions of their skill levels, matter for labor market outcomes and other welfare outcomes. Men appear to have higher levels of SES than women, but this gender gap is typically documented in self-reported measures. Few studies use measures beyond self-reports—or seek to measure SES granularly and rigorously in large samples, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This paper deploys novel sets of self-reported and behavioral measures of 14 SES in a sample of more than 4, 000 male and female youth not in full-time education, employment or training, in urban and peri-urban Tanzania. The findings show that men score higher than women on all 12 positively-worded self-reported measures. In contrast, gender gaps in behavioral measures are only observed for a few skills, and are far smaller in magnitude. The paper provides suggestive evidence that this pattern reflects men’s overestimation of their own skills, rather than women’s underestimation. In particular, there is a larger gap between self-reported and behavioral measures among men. Men’s self-reports, and the gap between their self-reported and behavioral measures, are strongly correlated with measures of their social desirability and gendered beliefs about abilities—but this does not hold for women. |
| Date: | 2024–08–20 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10873 |
| By: | Ras-Carmona, Alvaro; Lafuente, Esther M.; Reche, Pedro A |
| Abstract: | xPromoting gender equality and excellence are key policies in academia. In this work, we studied scientific output and potential gender disparities in faculty positions at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), the largest academic institution in Spain. We found that women are clearly underrepresented in full professor positions despite being a majority in lower academic ranks. This gender disparity in full professor positions is however narrowing down in recent years. The scientific output of researches, as judged by the h-index, varied greatly between Faculties, but overall, correlated positively with the academic rank and no significant differences were detected between women and men, although exceptions were noted. Judging by the m-index, the scientific output of women and men in full professor positions were also alike. In sum, there is effective equality between genders within UCM faculty ranks. |
| Date: | 2025–01–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:gfecv_v1 |
| By: | Elacqua, Gregory; Pérez-Nuñez, Graciela; Cubillos, Pedro P.; Iglesias Velasco, Juliana |
| Abstract: | In Colombia, women represent 65% of the teacher workforce but only 34% of school principals, reflecting a significant gender gap in leadership. This study examines two centralized principal selection processes implemented by Colombias National Civil Service Commission: the 2016 nationwide process and the 2018 process targeting disadvantaged PDET regions (Development Programs with a Territorial Focus). Both processes evaluated candidates through standardized tests, minimum requirements, and assessments of education and experience, determining eligibility for leadership vacancies. Our descriptive analysis shows how selection criteria influence gender representation. In 2016, standardized testing dominated, resulting in 45% of applicants being women but only 20% qualifying, with an overall eligible-to-vacancy ratio of just 0.7%. In contrast, the 2018 PDET process prioritized context-specific competencies and practical experience, yielding 35% female eligibility despite women comprising only 38% of applicants (likely due to challenging conditions in PDET regions). Moreover, eligible candidates of both genders outnumbered vacancies by 4.5 times. These findings underscore the critical role of selection design in shaping gender representation in school leadership. However, structural barriers, such as inadequate childcare and rigid work schedules, persist as obstacles to womens participation. |
| Keywords: | Educational leadership;school management;Recruitment Process;Diversity in leadership |
| JEL: | I21 I24 J71 J16 M51 O15 |
| Date: | 2025–01 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:idb:brikps:13985 |
| By: | Johanna Fajardo-Gonzalez; Hasanbasri, Ardina; Rios-Avila, Fernando |
| Abstract: | This paper investigates the parenthood penalty in Indonesian labor markets, with a focus on gender disparities. It uses longitudinal data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey from 1993 to 2014 and employs a difference-in-differences approach with staggered adoption to estimate the impact of parenthood on labor market participation for both men and women. The results reveal that the birth of a child has a significant and persistent negative effect on women’s employment, with the penalty extending up to six years after childbirth. In contrast, men experience only short-lived and insignificant changes in employment after fatherhood. The analysis further identifies substantial heterogeneity across different subgroups. Women in urban areas and those with higher levels of education experience larger and more prolonged penalties, while rural women, those with lower levels of education, and those with extended family support recover more quickly. The findings highlight the role of socioeconomic factors in moderating the parenthood penalty and offer critical insights for policies aimed at promoting gender equality in the labor market. |
| Date: | 2024–11–12 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10973 |
| By: | Devoto, Florencia; Emanuela Galasso; Kathleen G. Beegle; Stefanie Brodmann |
| Abstract: | In some developing countries, women’s labor force participation remains persistently low. This gives rise to questions regarding what types of employment opportunities or interventions can draw women into work in such contexts. In this study in urban Djibouti, with restrictive gender norms and very low female employment rates, women were randomly offered the opportunity to be employed in a public works program designed specifically to facilitate their participation. Program take-up is very high, and most participants do not delegate their work opportunity to another adult. However, in the medium term after the program ends, women who receive the temporary employment offer revert back to non participation in the labor market. These results suggest that while social norms can be a deterrent to women’s work in settings with very low employment rates, women will participate in work opportunities when they are offered and suitable. |
| Date: | 2024–09–16 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10906 |
| By: | Bruno Merlevede (-) |
| Abstract: | This paper builds a large pan-European panel dataset of firm-level senior management gender composition. We focus the dataset on firms in the business economy that file unconsolidated accounts and report both total assets and strict positive employment throughout their existence. We have management information for 9 million firms for the period 2005-2020 resulting in 60 million firm-year observations. Overall 40% of observations concerns firms with at least one female manager and 60% are led only by male managers. For (predominantly micro) firms with a single manager that account for 53.5% of observations, we find that only 23% are female-managed. 59.5% of firms with two or more managers have at least one female manager. Across countries between 14% and 66% of observations refer to firms where at least half of the managers are female, across industries variation is more limited and ranges between 20% and 53%. We find that within tight countryindustry- year cells women-led SMEs are smaller and less productive and show lower leverage. Real performance differences are sustained in an event study analysis of switching firms, financial performance differences are not. Female-managed firms show lower short and medium-run growth rates. These effects are small and remain unchanged (also in magnitude) when controlling for leverage. Female-managed firms do not differ in terms of exporting behaviour and responses to import shocks. We find indications that female-managed firms show lower future growth in very uncertain environments, but higher growth in environments characterized by low uncertainty. |
| Date: | 2025–02 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:rug:rugwps:25/1110 |
| By: | Gabriela Inchauste; Mariel Cecilia Siravegna |
| Abstract: | This paper studies telework as an opportunity to increase women’s labor force participation in Mexico. Using data on the availability and use of information technology in households, the paper models women’s labor force participation and worksite choice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show that telework can potentially increase female labor force participation, particularly among college-educated women. Although this is not the largest segment of women out of the labor force, as many as one in five women with higher education remain outside the labor market in Mexico. In addition, the findings show that family conditions are a clear divide in labor force status between men and women, whereas age, education, and socioeconomic status are not. Caring for children and looking after their husbands or partners seems to be a responsibility that affects women’s decision to work. To promote female workers’ engagement in the workforce, policies that encourage part-time and hybrid work arrangements, along with well thought out child and senior care programs and access to internet infrastructure need to be considered. Overall, bringing these workers into the labor force would result in productivity and growth gains for the country. |
| Date: | 2024–09–03 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:10889 |
| By: | Nolan, Brian; C. Palomino, Juan |
| Abstract: | Research on gender wealth gaps is hampered by the fact that most surveys gather information on wealth at the household or family level rather than for individuals. It is also limited in coverage, often not including pension wealth. Here we exploit the rich data on individual wealth including pension wealth obtained by the British Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) to assess the gender wealth gap in Great Britain between 2006-08 and 2018-20, with a particular focus on the prominent role of private pension wealth. We find that in 2018-20 mean wealth for women was 29.5% lower than for men when pension wealth was included versus only 12.6% lower when it was not. Decomposition analysis shows that differences between men's and women's observed socioeconomic characteristics account for about 45% of the private pension wealth gap, with differences in labour market experiences (labour income, career gaps and part-time jobs) playing a key role. We also find an increase in the gender pension gap over time that is associated with the increasing proportion of pension wealth in Defined Contribution rather than Defined Benefit schemes. Financial and business wealth is also an important contributor to the overall wealth gap, and like pension wealth its contribution increases towards the top of the distribution. |
| Keywords: | wealth, gender gap, pension |
| JEL: | D31 D63 D64 |
| Date: | 2024–05 |
| URL: | https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:amz:wpaper:2024-03 |