Women at work: decoding the economic and demographic drivers in ASEANWomen at work: decoding the economic and demographic drivers in ASEAN
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Abstract
Throughout history, women have faced significant challenges in achieving equal representation in the workforce, often dealing with lower wages and limited opportunities. In ASEAN countries, female labor force participation is vital for economic growth, yet it remains much lower than that of men. This study explores the factors affecting women’s participation in the labor force across ASEAN nations, focusing on education, GDP per capita, fertility rates, and the old-age dependency ratio. Using data from 1990 to 2021, panel data analysis was conducted with a fixed effects model, and Clustered Robust Standard Errors were applied to address issues of heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation. The findings indicate that GDP per capita has a positive and significant impact on women’s labor force participation, while the old-age dependency ratio has a negative but insignificant effect. Education and fertility rates, however, do not show significant results, suggesting the need for further research. These results highlight the importance of economic and demographic factors in shaping women’s participation in the labor market, which is crucial for the economic development of ASEAN countries.
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