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The Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s Employment: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Dong Zhou

    (Department of Cultural Industry and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China)

  • Langchuan Peng

    (Institute of Economics and Finance, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing, China)

  • Shouer Chen

    (Department of Cultural Industry and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China)

Abstract

This paper investigates the impacts of COVID-19 on women’s employment and gender disparity with a longitudinal dataset spanning the pandemic. We exploit the regional intensities of social vulnerability and temporal variation to implement the difference-in-differences (DID) estimation. The results indicate that the pandemic and its associated lockdowns generate a significant and negative impact on women’s employment but not on men’s employment. Moreover, a counterfactual analysis using pre-pandemic data further supports the causal nature of the documented relationships. The evidence suggests that economic downturns caused by public health emergencies, unlike previous economic recessions, have a greater impact on women, and differentiated policies should be designed.

Suggested Citation

  • Dong Zhou & Langchuan Peng & Shouer Chen, 2023. "The Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s Employment: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis Letters, Anser Press, vol. 2(1), pages 57-63, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bba:j00004:v:2:y:2023:i:1:p:57-63:d:80
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Adams-Prassl, Abi & Boneva, Teodora & Golin, Marta & Rauh, Christopher, 2020. "Inequality in the impact of the coronavirus shock: Evidence from real time surveys," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    4. Stefania Albanesi & Jiyeon Kim, 2021. "Effects of the COVID-19 Recession on the US Labor Market: Occupation, Family, and Gender," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(3), pages 3-24, Summer.
    5. Christian Bjørnskov, 2021. "Did Lockdown Work? An Economist’s Cross-Country Comparison," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 67(3), pages 318-331.
    6. Adams-Prassl, A. & Boneva, T. & Golin, M & Rauh, C., 2020. "Inequality in the Impact of the Coronavirus Shock: New Survey Evidence for the US," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2022, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
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