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Closing the gender gap in Bangladesh: inequality in education, employment and earnings

Author

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  • Mohammad A. Hossain
  • Clement A. Tisdell

Abstract

Purpose - To provide and assess trends on the status of women in Bangladesh in terms of key macro level indicators namely, women's labour force participation, educational attainments and earningsvis‐à‐vismen. Design/methodology/approach - The trends in women's workforce participation, educational attainments and earnings compared with those of men are evaluated on the basis of descriptive statistics. Correlation and regression techniques are used to examine the relationship between women's education and workforce participation, and to predict the equalisation of female‐male educational attainment. Findings - The study finds evidence of growing commercialisation of women's work in Bangladesh. Although most women in the workforce are self‐employed or employed in low‐skill jobs, their participation in high skill and entrepreneurial jobs as well as policy‐making bodies is on the rise. While gender wage differentials have been considerably reduced in many industries, in general, women tend to be paid less than men. There have been remarkable improvements in women's educational attainments. Further, female education is found to be positively correlated with their workforce participation. Overall, the findings indicate an improvement in women's status in Bangladesh. Research limitations/implications - The suggested relationship between women's education and employment needs to be further investigated using rigorous econometric techniques in order to distinguish between productivity‐enhancing effects of education and other determinants of increased female employment (FEMPL). Practical implications - The research should be a useful reference to international and domestic policy‐makers as well as members of the academia and future researchers on the issue. Originality/value - This study represents the first of its kind in the Bangladesh context. It provides valuable information about, and an independent assessment of, women's status in Bangladesh at the national level.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad A. Hossain & Clement A. Tisdell, 2005. "Closing the gender gap in Bangladesh: inequality in education, employment and earnings," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(5), pages 439-453, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:ijsepp:03068290510591281
    DOI: 10.1108/03068290510591281
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Small, Sarah F. & van der Meulen Rodgers, Yana, 2023. "The gendered effects of investing in physical and social infrastructure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    2. Chicha, Marie-Thérèse., 2006. "Analyse comparative de la mise en oeuvre du droit à l'égalité de rémunération : modèles et impacts," ILO Working Papers 993920333402676, International Labour Organization.
    3. Kennedy, Tom & Rae, Maria & Sheridan, Alison & Valadkhani, Abbas, 2017. "Reducing gender wage inequality increases economic prosperity for all: Insights from Australia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 14-24.
    4. Kapsos, Steven., 2008. "The gender wage gap in Bangladesh," ILO Working Papers 994134173402676, International Labour Organization.
    5. Tisdell, Clem & Svizzero, Serge, "undated". "The Malthusian Trap and Development in Pre-Industrial Societies: A View Differing from the Standard One," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 197551, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    6. Tisdell, Clement A. & Regmi, Gopal, 2004. "Economic Social and Cultural Influences on the Status and Wellbeing of Indian Rural Wives," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 106952, University of Queensland, School of Economics.
    7. Ahmed, Salma & Feeny, Simon & Posso, Alberto, 2015. "What firm characteristics determine women’s employment in manufacturing? Evidence from Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 84492, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Mohammad A. Hossain & Clement A. Tisdell & Tonmoyee Hasan Ayon, 2012. "Does Workforce Participation Empower Women? Micro-Level Evidence from Urban Bangladesh," Bangladesh Development Studies, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), vol. 35(3), pages 51-78.
    9. Zhou, Mo & Nelson, Robert, 2017. "Gender Wage Gap and Discrimination in Developing Countries," 2017 Annual Meeting, February 4-7, 2017, Mobile, Alabama 252727, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    10. Karim, Rashed al, 2014. "Users’ Perception of Internet Banking Service: An Evaluative Study of Private Commercial Banks in Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 91032, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Nov 2014.
    11. Chicha, Marie-Thérèse., 2006. "A comparative analysis of promoting pay equity : models and impacts," ILO Working Papers 993995243402676, International Labour Organization.
    12. Murshed, Rubaiya, 2025. "Are women more or less likely to vote than men? Evidence from rural Bangladesh," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    13. Mingming Li & Yuan Tang & Keyan Jin, 2024. "Labor market segmentation and the gender wage gap: Evidence from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(3), pages 1-28, March.
    14. Muthini, Davis Nguthi, 2015. "An assessment of mango famer's choice of marketing channels in Makueni, Kenya," Research Theses 204866, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    15. Mohammad, Hossain & Tisdell, Clement A., 2003. "Major Demographic Changes in Bangladesh and their Socio-economic Correlates: Analysis of Trends," Social Economics, Policy and Development Working Papers 106950, University of Queensland, School of Economics.

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