Economics Nobel: Let’s talk gender inefficiency

Source: The post is based on the article “Economics Nobel: Let’s talk gender inefficiency” published in Mint on 10^th October 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Social Issues – Issues associated with Women

Relevance: reasons behind low female workforce.

News: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to discussions about the potential of flexible work to address India’s low female workforce participation.

The Nobel Prize recipient, economist Claudia Goldin, has conducted research on women’s labor market performance in the US. She provided valuable insights into this matter and other gender-related issues.

What were the findings of Claudia Goldin’s research?

U-shaped pattern: Goldin’s research reveals a U-shaped pattern in the labor participation of married women in the U.S. This participation declined as the Industrial Age separated homes and workplaces but increased with the rise of the service sector.

This highlights that economic growth alone is insufficient for achieving gender equality.

Structural Challenges: Globally, only half of women are in paid jobs compared to 80% of men, and women earn less. In the U.S., as more women joined the workforce in the 20th century and the economy improved, the issue of women earning less than men was overlooked.

Therefore, her research underscores the importance of recognizing the challenges women encounter when an economy undergoes structural changes.

Societal Factors: She explored family dynamics and women’s expectations. Factors like marriage and domestic duties, along with unclear career paths after motherhood, influenced women’s choices.

The availability of contraception, like birth control pills, allowed women to delay childbirth and make career choices, promoting investment in women’s education.

However, despite progress, the gender pay gap persists, and Goldin’s research suggests that changing women’s expectations is still essential to achieving equality in the workforce.

How is Claudia Goldin’s research relevant for India?

Although Indian women have different social experiences from the US, it is likely that major factors highlighted by Goldin’s research have contributed to the decline in their workforce participation in India, along with other complex factors.