Does Gender Inequality Hinder Development and Economic Growth? Evidence and Policy Implications

Does the existing evidence support policies that foster growth by reducing gender inequality? The authors argue that the evidence based on differences across countries is of limited use for policy design because it does not identify the causal link from inequality to growth. This, however does not imply that inequality-reducing policies are ineffective. In other words, the lack of evidence of a causal link is not in itself evidence that the causal link does not exist. Detailed micro studies that shed light on the mechanisms through which gender inequality affects development and growth are needed to inform the design of effective policies.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bandiera, Oriana, Natraj, Ashwini
Format: Policy Research Working Paper biblioteca
Language:English
en_US
Published: World Bank, Washington, DC 2013-02
Subjects:ACCESS TO LAND, ACCESS TO LOANS, AID, AVERAGE LEVEL, BIRTHS, CAPACITY BUILDING, CAPITAL INVESTMENT, CASH CROPS, CHILD CARE, CHILD REARING, CIVIL LIBERTIES, COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, CORRUPTION, COUNTRY DATA, COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, COUNTRY REGRESSIONS, CROSS-COUNTRY ANALYSIS, CUSTODY, DATA SETS, DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, DEVELOPING WORLD, DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS, DEVELOPMENT POLICY, DEVELOPMENT REPORT, DISCRIMINATORY CUSTOMS, DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES, DOMESTIC SAVINGS, DRUGS, EARLY MARRIAGE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC GROWTH, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC POLICY, EDUCATED WOMEN, EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, EDUCATIONAL GENDER, EDUCATIONAL GENDER GAPS, EFFECTIVE POLICIES, EFFECTS OF GENDER, EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE, EMPOWERMENT, EQUAL RIGHTS, ESTIMATED COEFFICIENT, FAMILIES, FATHERS, FEMALE, FEMALE EDUCATION, FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, FEMALE LABOR, FEMALE LABOR FORCE, FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, FEMALE LITERACY, FEMALE POPULATION, FEMALES, FEMINIST, FEMINIST ECONOMICS, FERTILITY, FERTILITY LEVELS, FERTILITY RATE, FERTILITY RATES, FIXED EFFECTS, FUTURE GENERATIONS, GENDER, GENDER DIFFERENCES, GENDER DIFFERENTIALS, GENDER DISCRIMINATION, GENDER DISPARITIES, GENDER DIVISION OF LABOR, GENDER EQUALITY, GENDER GAP, GENDER GAP IN EDUCATION, GENDER GAP IN PRIMARY, GENDER GAPS, GENDER INEQUALITY, GENDER PARITY, GENDER ROLE, GENDER ROLES, GENDER STEREOTYPES, GENDERS, GIRLS, GLOBAL ECONOMY, GOOD GOVERNANCE, GROWTH RATE, GROWTH RATES, GROWTH REGRESSION, GROWTH REGRESSIONS, HEALTH STATUS, HUMAN CAPITAL, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT, HUMAN RESOURCES, HUSBANDS, IMPORTANT POLICY, INCOME DATA, INCOME GROWTH, INCOME REDISTRIBUTION, INDIVIDUAL WOMEN, INDUSTRIALIZATION, INEQUALITIES, INHERITANCE, INHERITANCE RIGHTS, LABOR FORCE, LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOR MARKET, LABOUR FORCE, LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION, LABOUR MARKET, LAND PRODUCTIVITY, LAND TENURE, LAWS, LEGAL RIGHTS, LEVEL OF EDUCATION, LIBERTIES, LIFE EXPECTANCY, LITERACY RATES, LONG-RUN GROWTH, MARRIED WOMEN, MATERNAL MORTALITY, MIGRANTS, MODERN MEDICINE, MONETARY ECONOMICS, MOTHER, MOTHERHOOD, MUSLIM WOMEN, NEGATIVE EFFECT, NEWBORNS, 0 HYPOTHESIS, PANEL REGRESSIONS, PER-CAPITA INCOME, PILL, POINT ESTIMATES, POLICY CONCERN, POLICY DEBATE, POLICY DISCUSSIONS, POLICY GUIDANCE, POLICY IMPLICATIONS, POLICY RESEARCH, POLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER, POLITICAL ECONOMY, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, POLITICAL RIGHTS, POLYGAMY, POOR COUNTRIES, POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTIVITY, PROGRESS, PROPERTY RIGHTS, PUBLIC POLICY, REDUCED INEQUALITY, REDUCING GENDER INEQUALITY, REDUCING INEQUALITY, RELATIVE PRICES, RELATIVE WAGE, RICHER COUNTRIES, RIGHTS FOR WOMEN, RULE OF LAW, SECONDARY EDUCATION, SECONDARY ENROLLMENT, SECONDARY SCHOOL, SEX, SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION, SINGLE WOMEN, SOCIAL CUSTOMS, SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS, SOCIAL NORMS, SURVIVAL RATE, TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS, TRADE LIBERALIZATION, TRADITIONAL FAMILY, UNITED NATIONS, UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, VIOLENCE, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, WAGE DISCRIMINATION, WAGE GAP, WAR, WELFARE STATE, WIDOWS, WILL, WIVES, WORKFORCE,
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/02/17369928/gender-inequality-hinder-development-economic-growth-evidence-policy-implications
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/13170
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Summary:Does the existing evidence support policies that foster growth by reducing gender inequality? The authors argue that the evidence based on differences across countries is of limited use for policy design because it does not identify the causal link from inequality to growth. This, however does not imply that inequality-reducing policies are ineffective. In other words, the lack of evidence of a causal link is not in itself evidence that the causal link does not exist. Detailed micro studies that shed light on the mechanisms through which gender inequality affects development and growth are needed to inform the design of effective policies.