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Changes in Female Employment in Mexico: Demographics, Economics, and Policies

Author

Listed:
  • Lopez-Acevedo, Gladys

    (World Bank)

  • Freije-Rodriguez, Samuel

    (World Bank)

  • Vergara Bahena, Mexico Alberto

    (World Bank)

  • Cardozo Medeiros, Diego

    (University of Chicago)

Abstract

The unemployment and labor force participation gender gaps narrowed in Mexico after the 2008 global economic crisis, when female labor force participation increased. This paper aims to understand female labor force participation growth and identify its main determinants. For that purpose, the paper estimates a probit model with data from the National Employment Survey of 2007 and 2017, when the unemployment rate returned to the pre-crisis level. Broadly, the results show that increasing labor force participation of women ages 36 to 65 sustained the growth of overall female labor force participation, women's educational attainment can offset any individual or household obstacle to women's employability, and childcare availability significantly supports mothers' employability.

Suggested Citation

  • Lopez-Acevedo, Gladys & Freije-Rodriguez, Samuel & Vergara Bahena, Mexico Alberto & Cardozo Medeiros, Diego, 2020. "Changes in Female Employment in Mexico: Demographics, Economics, and Policies," IZA Discussion Papers 13404, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13404
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Juan Duran-Vanegas, 2022. "Gender Gaps in the Labor Market Effects of COVID-19: Evidence for Mexico," Trinity Economics Papers tep0422, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics, revised May 2022.
    2. Paloma Villagómez-Ornelas & Luis Monroy-Gómez-Franco, 2021. "Economic Inequality meets Social Stratification: An Application of Stratification Economics to Mexico," Papers 2021_03, Centro de Estudios Espinosa Yglesias.
    3. Luis Monroy‐Gómez‐Franco & Paloma Villagómez‐Ornelas, 2024. "Stratification economics in the land of persistent inequalities," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(1), pages 157-175, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    female labor force participation; Mexico; gender gap; female education; childcare services;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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