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Gender Gaps in Unemployment Rates in OECD Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Ghazala Azmat

    (Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics)

  • Maia Güell

    (Universitat Pompeu Fabra, CREA, Centre for Economic Performance, CEPR, and IZA)

  • Alan Manning

    (Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics)

Abstract

In some OECD countries the male and female unemployment rates are very similar but in others (notably the Mediterranean countries) the female unemployment rate is much higher than the male. Explaining these cross-country differences is the subject of this article. We show that, in countries where there is a large gender gap in unemployment rates, there is a gender gap in both flows from employment into unemployment and from unemployment into employment. We conclude that differences in human capital accumulation between men and women interacted with labor market institutions is an important part of the explanation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghazala Azmat & Maia Güell & Alan Manning, 2006. "Gender Gaps in Unemployment Rates in OECD Countries," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 24(1), pages 1-38, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlabec:v:24:y:2006:i:1:p:1-38
    DOI: 10.1086/497817
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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