Trade Openness and Women Participation in the Labor Market: Evidence from South Asia

Abstract

This paper seeks to investigate the impact of trade openness on women labor force participation in South Asian countries. The paper also controls GDP per capita, women literacy rate, urban population, unemployment rate, male labor force participation and other attributes. I will check the robustness of a variety of different approaches in dealing with the various models to trade openness. The paper also examines both push and pull factors induced or not women to join the labor force. Thus, a country that is exporting female labor stuff is actually recruiting more female labor and expand employment of female labors. The focus of this paper lies on the effects of trade openness on women’s participation in the labor market.

Keywords: female labor force participation, trade openness, South Asia, international trade

DOI: 10.7176/JCSD/50-02

Publication date:July 31^st 2019