Our research agenda addresses questions central to the economics of gender: To what extent are gender gaps in labour markets driven by labour demand versus supply? Given weak capacity in developing countries to enforce legislation, can market-based interventions help redirect the search of workers and firms towards more equitable matches? We leverage our research partnership…
Market-Based Solutions to Gender Inequality in Job Search in Pakistan
From Jobs to Careers
Women’s participation in the labour market increases economic growth at both the national and firm level, yet women worldwide still face significant labour market challenges. Current research on women’s labour market experience in developing countries mainly focuses on short-term jobs. We propose shifting the focus from jobs to “careers,” i.e., occupations characterized by a long-term…
Improving Childcare Quality through Social Franchising
Access to high-quality childcare is central to advancing women’s economic and social agency while promoting children’s development. However, in many LMICs, childcare markets are largely informal, with care often provided in unregulated home-based settings. As a result, childcare is often of poor quality, while also being unprofitable and unaffordable. Mothers typically bear the burden of…
Women in Firms
Female labour force participation in developing countries like India is low and has been falling (Klasen and Pieters 2015; Fletcher et al. 2017). Safer workplaces may encourage more women to apply for work (Sudarshan and Bhattacharya 2009; Jayachandran 2020) especially in countries where stigma related to sexual harassment is high (Borker 2017, Sharma 2022). The…
Occupational Segregation and Gender Gaps in Nairobi
We study the interlinked role of beliefs, preferences, and search by workers and firms in driving occupational segregation and wage inequality for women in Nairobi, Kenya. Our project address four questions within this agenda: (1) (How) do employers treat women and men differently in the hiring process? (2) (How) do men’s and women’s preferences over…
Long–Run Social Norms and Female Labour Force Participation in India
India’s gender inequality and low female labour force participation rate (FLFP) are in stark contrast to its position as the fifth-largest economy in the world. Fewer than 25% of women work outside the home, and historical patriarchal norms are widely believed to be a factor. However, research on the impact of social norms on female…
Women’s Employment and Family Decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa
Our project studies the role of the public sector and the opportunities it can provide for women’s employment and the gender pay gap in low-income countries (LICs). Using the preliminary evidence from microdata for a number of SSA countries, we show that the public sector in poor economies behaves very differently from private firms: it…
LinkinOut Harassment
The issue of sexual harassment in the workplace remains pervasive, despite being illegal and a violation of human rights. Approximately one in two women experience sexual harassment during their work lives, with half of them experiencing three or more incidents. However, reporting of harassment is often hindered by stigma, psychological costs, and fear of retaliation.…
Studying the Latent Demand for Female Labour in Rural India
In lower-middle-income countries, it is estimated that 35.5% of women over 15 participated in the labour force in 2018. Despite India’s rapid economic growth and increasing educational attainment, female labour force participation (FLFP) continues to lag behind, where the figure stands at a mere 29.4% (PLFS, July 2021-June 2022). There has been a burgeoning body…
Depression Treatment and Female Performance in the Labour and Marriage Markets in India
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with a lifetime prevalence of 15-20% and a higher prevalence among the poor. Depression symptoms include anhedonia, impaired attention, and fatigue. People with depression and their families also face pervasive stigma and discrimination, particularly in India and other LMICs. Impacts are felt through the household by requiring…