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Women in Transition: Changes in Gender Wage Differentials in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union

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  • Elizabeth Brainerd

Abstract

Under socialism, women in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union fared relatively well in the labor market: female-male wage differentials were similar to those in Western Europe and the United States, and female labor force participation rates were among the highest in the world. Have women in these countries maintained their relative positions since the introduction of market reforms in the early 1990s? This question is investigated using household survey data from three former Soviet republics and six East European countries. The results indicate a remarkable increase in female relative wages in Russia and Ukraine.

Suggested Citation

  • Elizabeth Brainerd, 1997. "Women in Transition: Changes in Gender Wage Differentials in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union," LIS Working papers 171, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    • Handle: RePEc:lis:liswps:171
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