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Gender Earnings Inequality and Wage Policy: Teachers, Health Care, and Social Workers in Central Asia

Author

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  • Kathryn H. Anderson

    (Vanderbilt University
    Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
    University of Central Asia)

  • Damir Esenaliev

    (International Security and Development Center
    Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ))

Abstract

In 2011, the government of Kyrgyzstan increased the wages paid to teachers, healthcare workers, and social workers (EHS) in response to national strikes from teachers over low wages and working conditions. The EHS wage policy was adjusted between 2012 and 2015. We examine the literature on gender wage inequality and policies to redress inequalities in different countries and specifically in Central Asia. We use data from the Life in Kyrgyzstan panel surveys (2010–2016) and the Kyrgyzstan Labor Force Surveys (2009–2016) to describe the gender gap in wages and hours of work over time for EHS and other workers. We estimate panel models of the impact of the wage reform on monthly wages using LIK data. We find that the wage policy reduced the difference in wages between comparably skilled EHS and other workers, reduced the gender pay gap primarily in the EHS sector, and reduced the overall gender wage gap in Kyrgyzstan. This wage-setting policy targeted rural areas and narrowed the gap in wages paid to rural and urban workers. The policy was an effective mechanism to reduce wage inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Kathryn H. Anderson & Damir Esenaliev, 2019. "Gender Earnings Inequality and Wage Policy: Teachers, Health Care, and Social Workers in Central Asia," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 61(4), pages 551-575, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:61:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1057_s41294-019-00103-1
    DOI: 10.1057/s41294-019-00103-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Victor Agadjanian & Byeongdon Oh, 2020. "Continuities in Transition: Ethnicity, Language and Labour Market Inequalities in Kyrgyzstan," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 51(6), pages 1579-1612, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Wages; Gender; Teachers; Wage policy; Kyrgyzstan; Central Asia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J78 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Public Policy (including comparable worth)
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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