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<p>Despite high economic growth and structural transformation across many countries, female labor force participation remains persistently low and uneven across regions. The paper analyses 140 countries from 2000 to 2020 to study how economic development, household basic amenities, and employment structure jointly influence female labor force participation. The analysis employs country fixed-effects estimation with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors, while dynamic Generalized Method of Moments estimation is used to examine persistence in participation over time. The results highlight substantial regional heterogeneity. Countries with higher service-sector employment share reported higher female labor force participation, whereas agriculture continues to remain an important employment sector in developing regions. The relationship between economic development and labor force participation also differs across regions, particularly in South Asia and MENA, where higher economic development does not necessarily correspond to a sustained increase in female participation. The Standard of Living Index, constructed using access to clean cooking, electricity, drinking water, and sanitation, remains positively related to participation in several regions even after controlling for economic development and sectoral composition. However, the estimates also indicate that improvements in household amenities alone are insufficient when the labor market does not generate accessible employment opportunities. The study highlights the importance of region-specific labor market and infrastructure policies rather than relying on growth- centred approach to improving female employment participation.</p>

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Basic amenities, economic structure, and female labor force participation: cross-regional panel evidence

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月24日

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  • Meghna Verma,
  • Kalandi Charan Pradhan

摘要

Despite high economic growth and structural transformation across many countries, female labor force participation remains persistently low and uneven across regions. The paper analyses 140 countries from 2000 to 2020 to study how economic development, household basic amenities, and employment structure jointly influence female labor force participation. The analysis employs country fixed-effects estimation with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors, while dynamic Generalized Method of Moments estimation is used to examine persistence in participation over time. The results highlight substantial regional heterogeneity. Countries with higher service-sector employment share reported higher female labor force participation, whereas agriculture continues to remain an important employment sector in developing regions. The relationship between economic development and labor force participation also differs across regions, particularly in South Asia and MENA, where higher economic development does not necessarily correspond to a sustained increase in female participation. The Standard of Living Index, constructed using access to clean cooking, electricity, drinking water, and sanitation, remains positively related to participation in several regions even after controlling for economic development and sectoral composition. However, the estimates also indicate that improvements in household amenities alone are insufficient when the labor market does not generate accessible employment opportunities. The study highlights the importance of region-specific labor market and infrastructure policies rather than relying on growth- centred approach to improving female employment participation.