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Closing the gender gap in Bangladesh: inequality in education, employment and earnings

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  • Mohammad A. Hossain
  • Clement A. Tisdell

Abstract

Purpose - To provide and assess trends on the status of women in Bangladesh in terms of key macro level indicators namely, women's labour force participation, educational attainments and earningsvis‐à‐vismen. Design/methodology/approach - The trends in women's workforce participation, educational attainments and earnings compared with those of men are evaluated on the basis of descriptive statistics. Correlation and regression techniques are used to examine the relationship between women's education and workforce participation, and to predict the equalisation of female‐male educational attainment. Findings - The study finds evidence of growing commercialisation of women's work in Bangladesh. Although most women in the workforce are self‐employed or employed in low‐skill jobs, their participation in high skill and entrepreneurial jobs as well as policy‐making bodies is on the rise. While gender wage differentials have been considerably reduced in many industries, in general, women tend to be paid less than men. There have been remarkable improvements in women's educational attainments. Further, female education is found to be positively correlated with their workforce participation. Overall, the findings indicate an improvement in women's status in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications - The suggested relationship between women's education and employment needs to be further investigated using rigorous econometric techniques in order to distinguish between productivity‐enhancing effects of education and other determinants of increased female employment (FEMPL). Practical implications - The research should be a useful reference to international and domestic policy‐makers as well as members of the academia and future researchers on the issue. Originality/value - This study represents the first of its kind in the Bangladesh context. It provides valuable information about, and an independent assessment of, women's status in Bangladesh at the national level.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad A. Hossain & Clement A. Tisdell, 2005. "Closing the gender gap in Bangladesh: inequality in education, employment and earnings," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(5), pages 439-453, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:ijsepp:03068290510591281
    DOI: 10.1108/03068290510591281
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    1. Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Globalisation, Development and Poverty in the Pacific Islands: The Situation of the Least Developed Pacific Island Nations," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100208, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    2. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C. & Ghose, Ananda, 2002. "A Report on Socioeconomic Attributes and Gender Inequality in Kondh-Dominated Villages: A Comparative Analysis of Tribals and Non-Tribals in the Phulbani District, Orissa, India," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100213, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    3. Clem Tisdell & Gopal Regmi, 2005. "Prejudice against female children: economic and cultural explanations, and Indian evidence," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(6), pages 541-553, June.
    4. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C. & Regmi, Gopal, 2000. "Socioeconomic Determinants of the Intra-family Status of Wives in Rural India: Analysis and Empirical Evidence," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100206, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    5. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "Gender Inequality in India: Evidence from a Rural Survey in West Bengal," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100037, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    6. Tisdell, Clement A., 1999. "Poverty and Economically Deprived Women and Children: Theories, Emerging Policy Issues and Development," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 90632, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    7. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2001. "Migration of Husbands, Remittances and Agricultural Production: Impacts when Wives Head Households in Rural Kenya," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100211, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    8. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Gender Inequality, Poverty and Human Development in Kenya: Main Indicators, Trends and Limitations," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 105587, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    9. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "The Development of Samoa: An Analysis of Trends, Issues and Policies," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100032, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    10. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C., 2000. "The Socio-Economics of Gender Issues in Rural India: Results of Interviews in Three Villages and a Forest Meeting in Eastern India," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100030, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    11. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "The Relationship between Commercial Agriculture and Food Availability to Kenyan Farm Families: A Case Study," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 105585, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    12. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Commercialisation of Agriculture in Kenya: Case Study of Policy Bias and Food Purchases by Farm Households," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 105584, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    13. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "The Development of Tuvalu: An Analysis of Trends, Issues and Policies," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100034, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    14. Tabitha W. Kiriti, Clem Tisdell, Kartik C. Roy, 2003. "Female participation in decision making in agricultural households in Kenya: empirical findings," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(2), pages 103-124.
    15. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "Sustainable Development and Human Resource Capital," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100036, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    16. Hossain, Mohammad & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Fertility and Female Work Force Participation in Bangladesh: Causality and Cointegration," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 106947, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    17. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "The Development of the Solomon Islands: An Analysis of Trends, Issues and Policies," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100033, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    18. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "The Development of Kiribati: An Analysis of Trends, Issues and Policies," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100031, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    19. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2002. "Gender, Marital Status, Farm Size and other Factors Influencing the Extent of Cash Cropping in Kenya: A Case Study," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 102261, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    20. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C. & Ghose, Ananda, 2001. "Villagers and the Use and Conservation of Indian Forests: The Role of Joint Forest Management," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100207, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    21. Tisdell, Clement A., 2000. "The Development of Vanuatu: An Analysis of Trends, Issues and Policies," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100035, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    22. Tisdell, Clement A. & Regmi, Gopal, 2000. "Push-and-Pull Migration and Satisficing versus Optimising Migratory Behaviour: A Review and Nepalese Evidence," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100205, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    23. Tabitha W. Kiriti & Clem Tisdell, 2005. "Family size, economics and child gender preference: a case study in the Nyeri district of Kenya," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(6), pages 492-509, June.
    24. Kiriti, Tabitha & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Marital Status, Farm Size and other Influences On the Extent of Cash Cropping in Kenya: A Household Case Study," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 105586, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    25. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C. & Ghose, Ananda, 2002. "Economic Theories of the Family and Discrimination in a Social Context: Entitlements of Kondh Tribal Females in India," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 100214, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    26. Tisdell, Clement A. & Roy, Kartik C. & Ghose, Ananda, 1999. "Sen's Theory of Entitlement and the Deprivation of Females: An Assessment with Indian Illustrations," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 91375, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hossain, Mohammad A. & Tisdell, Clement A. & Ayon, Tonmoyee Hasan, 2012. "Does Workforce Participation Empower Women? Micro-Level Evidence from Urban Bangladesh," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 35(3), pages 51-78, September.
    2. Muthini, Davis Nguthi, 2015. "An assessment of mango famer's choice of marketing channels in Makueni, Kenya," Research Theses 204866, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    3. Small, Sarah F. & van der Meulen Rodgers, Yana, 2023. "The gendered effects of investing in physical and social infrastructure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    4. Kennedy, Tom & Rae, Maria & Sheridan, Alison & Valadkhani, Abbas, 2017. "Reducing gender wage inequality increases economic prosperity for all: Insights from Australia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 14-24.
    5. Chicha, Marie-Thérèse., 2006. "A comparative analysis of promoting pay equity : models and impacts," ILO Working Papers 993995243402676, International Labour Organization.
    6. Chicha, Marie-Thérèse., 2006. "Analyse comparative de la mise en oeuvre du droit à l'égalité de rémunération : modèles et impacts," ILO Working Papers 993920333402676, International Labour Organization.
    7. Clement Allan Tisdell & Serge Svizzero, 2015. "The Malthusian Trap and Development in Pre-Industrial Societies: A View Differing from the Standard One," Working Papers hal-02152050, HAL.
    8. Ahmed, Salma & Feeny, Simon & Posso, Alberto, 2015. "What firm characteristics determine women’s employment in manufacturing? Evidence from Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 84492, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Karim, Rashed al, 2014. "Users’ Perception of Internet Banking Service: An Evaluative Study of Private Commercial Banks in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 91032, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Nov 2014.
    10. Kapsos, Steven., 2008. "The gender wage gap in Bangladesh," ILO Working Papers 994134173402676, International Labour Organization.
    11. Tisdell, Clement A. & Regmi, Gopal, 2004. "Economic Social and Cultural Influences on the Status and Wellbeing of Indian Rural Wives," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 106952, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    12. Zhou, Mo & Nelson, Robert, 2017. "Gender Wage Gap and Discrimination in Developing Countries," 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama 252727, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    13. Mohammad, Hossain & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Major Demographic Changes in Bangladesh and their Socio-economic Correlates: Analysis of Trends," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 106950, University of Queensland, School of Economics.

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