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Gender Regime and Women’s Employment in Kazakhstan

Author

Listed:
  • Mieke Meurs

    (American University)

  • Maigul Nugmanova

    (Narxoz University)

  • Aizhan Salimzhanova

    (Narxoz University)

  • Stevie Marvin

    (American University)

Abstract

Researchers have analyzed care policies in the wider Europe in order to understand how these may impact labor force decisions of women. We extend this analysis to Central Asia, focusing on the emerging gender regime in Kazakhstan, which has become a leader in announcing policies to facilitate combining family responsibilities with employment. While childcare services have expanded rapidly in Kazakhstan, female labor force participation has not increased as might have been expected based on the European cases. We draw on the data from the EBRD Life in Transition Survey from 2006, 2010 and 2016 to examine how motherhood and the availability of childcare are related to the employment choices of Kazakhstani women. We find that motherhood of very young children is strongly associated with a lower likelihood of employment and that the availability of childcare does not affect this relationship. Considering possible reasons for this and the typology European gender regimes, we suggest that greater availability of quality care for children under 2 and increased support for caring by fathers which would reduce opportunity costs of employment for women and could help Kazakhstan achieve its goal of increasing gender equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mieke Meurs & Maigul Nugmanova & Aizhan Salimzhanova & Stevie Marvin, 2021. "Gender Regime and Women’s Employment in Kazakhstan," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 63(4), pages 603-622, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:compes:v:63:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1057_s41294-021-00173-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41294-021-00173-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Dang, Hai-Anh H. & Hiraga, Masako & Viet Nguyen, Cuong, 2022. "Childcare and maternal employment: Evidence from Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    3. Francesca Bettio & Janneke Plantenga, 2004. "Comparing Care Regimes In Europe," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 85-113.
    4. Connelly, Rachel, 1992. "The Effect of Child Care Costs on Married Women's Labor Force Participation," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(1), pages 83-90, February.
    5. Chris Herbst & Burt Barnow, 2008. "Close to Home: A Simultaneous Equations Model of the Relationship Between Child Care Accessibility and Female Labor Force Participation," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 128-151, March.
    6. Janet C. Gornick & Marcia K. Meyers, 2008. "Creating Gender Egalitarian Societies: An Agenda for Reform," Politics & Society, , vol. 36(3), pages 313-349, September.
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