The Oxford Handbook of Women and the Economy

The Oxford Handbook of Women and the Economy
Author: Susan L. Averett
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 889
Release: 2018-05-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0190878266

The transformation of women's lives over the past century is among the most significant and far-reaching of social and economic phenomena, affecting not only women but also their partners, children, and indeed nearly every person on the planet. In developed and developing countries alike, women are acquiring more education, marrying later, having fewer children, and spending a far greater amount of their adult lives in the labor force. Yet, because women remain the primary caregivers of children, issues such as work-life balance and the glass ceiling have given rise to critical policy discussions in the developed world. In developing countries, many women lack access to reproductive technology and are often relegated to jobs in the informal sector, where pay is variable and job security is weak. Considerable occupational segregation and stubborn gender pay gaps persist around the world. The Oxford Handbook of Women and the Economy is the first comprehensive collection of scholarly essays to address these issues using the powerful framework of economics. Each chapter, written by an acknowledged expert or team of experts, reviews the key trends, surveys the relevant economic theory, and summarizes and critiques the empirical research literature. By providing a clear-eyed view of what we know, what we do not know, and what the critical unanswered questions are, this Handbook provides an invaluable and wide-ranging examination of the many changes that have occurred in women's economic lives.

Girls' Education in the Twenty-first Century

Girls' Education in the Twenty-first Century
Author: Mercy Tembon
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 346
Release: 2008-01-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0821374753

Persuasive evidence demonstrates that gender equality in education is central to economic development. Despite more than two decades of accumulated knowledge and evidence of what works in improving gender equality, progress on the ground remains slow and uneven across countries. What is missing? Given that education is a critical path to accelerate progress toward gender equality and the empowerment of women, what is holding us back? These questions were discussed at the global symposium Education: A Critical Path to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, which was sponsored by the World Bank in October 2007. Girls' Education in the 21st Century is based on background papers developed for the symposium. The book's chapters reflect the current state of knowledge on education from a gender perspective and highlight the importance of, and challenges to, female education, as well as the interdependence of education and development objectives. The last chapter presents five strategic directions for advancing gender equality in education and their implications for World Bank operations. Girls' Education in the 21st Century will be of particular interest to researchers, educators, school administrators, and policy makers at the global, national, regional, and municipal levels.

Critical Perspectives on Schooling and Fertility in the Developing World

Critical Perspectives on Schooling and Fertility in the Developing World
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 333
Release: 1999-01-11
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0309061911

This volume assesses the evidence, and possible mechanisms, for the associations between women's education, fertility preferences, and fertility in developing countries, and how these associations vary across regions. It discusses the implications of these associations for policies in the population, health, and education sectors, including implications for research.

Investing in All the People

Investing in All the People
Author: Lawrence H. Summers
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 42
Release: 1994-01-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9780821323236

World Bank Technical Paper 244. This report on the experiences of several Pacific island nations indicates that in remote villages, solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies are supplying reliable power at costs lower than those of the more commonly used diesel systems. Although the supply of electricity to households is limited, PV does provide isolated peoples with access to light and to information through television and VCRs. The study shows that the success of these programs depends not only on the technology itself but on personnel training, good fee collection systems, and careful financial management. Where managerial and technical expertise was lacking, maintenance by local, cooperatively owned utilites proved to be the best option. The authors present a case study from Tuvalu, where the solar PV system exemplifies the program's effectiveness in serving remote areas. The successful Tuvalu Solar Electric Cooperative Society (TSECS), formed in 1984, has been maintained by a well-trained technical staff with local and visiting technicians. It has also benefited from fee collection through an outside agency that prevents diversion of funds to other projects, local user committees to communicate with the utility, and an exclusive focus on PV systems. Environmentally attractive at both the global and local levels, PV solar technology appears highly promising for small-scale applications in developing countries.

Women and the Economy

Women and the Economy
Author: Saul D. Hoffman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 416
Release: 2021-03-11
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1352012014

An analysis of the enormous changes in women's economic lives around the world, from the family to the labour market. Hoffman and Averett examine topics such as the effect of rising women's wages and improved labour market opportunities on marriage, the ways in which more reliable contraception has shaped women's adult lives and careers, and the forces behind the phenomenal rise in women's labour force activity. This fourth edition includes brand new chapters on gender in economics and race and gender in the USA. It incorporates the latest research findings throughout, many of which are featured in helpful call-out boxes, and illustrated with new graphs and figures. This is invaluable reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of economics, development and women's studies. The level of economic analysis is suitable for students with basic economics knowledge. New to this Edition: - New chapters on gender in economics and race and gender in economics - Fully updated with new data, policy examples and a new companion website with lecturer resources - Increased pedagogy, with over 30 new boxes

Women's Education in Developing Countries

Women's Education in Developing Countries
Author: Elizabeth M. King
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 356
Release: 1997-07-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9780801858284

Why do women in most developing countries lag behind men in literacy? Why do women get less schooling than men? This anthology examines the educational decisions that deprive women of an equal education. It assembles the most up-to-date data, organized by region. Each paper links the data with other measures of economic and social development. This approach helps explain the effects different levels of education have on womens' fertility, mortality rates, life expectancy, and income. Also described are the effects of women's education on family welfare. The authors look at family size and women's labor status and earnings. They examine child and maternal health, as well as investments in children's education. Their investigation demonstrates that women with a better education enjoy greater economic growth and provide a more nurturing family life. It suggests that when a country denies women an equal education, the nation's welfare suffers. Current strategies used to improve schooling for girls and women are examined in detail. The authors suggest an ambitious agenda for educating women. It seeks to close the gender gap by the next century. Published for The World Bank by The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Social Dynamics of Adolescent Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa

Social Dynamics of Adolescent Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 225
Release: 1993-02-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 0309048974

This examination of changes in adolescent fertility emphasizes the changing social context within which adolescent childbearing takes place.

Getting to Work

Getting to Work
Author: Jennifer L. Solotaroff
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2020-03-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1464810680

Sri Lanka has shown remarkable persistence in low female labor force participation rates—at 36 percent from 2015 to 2017, compared with 75 percent for same-aged men—despite overall economic growth and poverty reduction over the past decade. The trend stands in contrast to the country’s achievements in human capital development that favor women, such as high levels of female education and low total fertility rates, as well as its status as an upper-middle-income country. This study intends to better understand the puzzle of women’s poor labor market outcomes in Sri Lanka. Using nationally representative secondary survey data—as well as primary qualitative and quantitative research—it tests three hypotheses that would explain gender gaps in labor market outcomes: (1) household roles and responsibilities, which fall disproportionately on women, and the associated sociophysical constraints on women’s mobility; (2) a human capital mismatch, whereby women are not acquiring the proper skills demanded by job markets; and (3) gender discrimination in job search, hiring, and promotion processes. Further, the analysis provides a comparison of women’s experience of the labor market between the years leading up to the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war (2006†“09) and the years following the civil war (2010†“15). The study recommends priority areas for addressing the multiple supply- and demand-side factors to improve women’s labor force participation rates and reduce other gender gaps in labor market outcomes. It also offers specific recommendations for improving women’s participation in the five private sector industries covered by the primary research: commercial agriculture, garments, tourism, information and communication technology, and tea estate work. The findings are intended to influence policy makers, educators, and employment program practitioners with a stake in helping Sri Lanka achieve its vision of inclusive and sustainable job creation and economic growth. The study also aims to contribute to the work of research institutions and civil society in identifying the most effective means of engaging more women— and their untapped potential for labor, innovation, and productivity—in Sri Lanka’s future.

Women's Education, Autonomy, and Reproductive Behaviour

Women's Education, Autonomy, and Reproductive Behaviour
Author: Shireen J. Jejeebhoy
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 336
Release: 1995
Genre: Education
ISBN:

This research survey looks at the measurable effects of women's education on fertility and female autonomy. Women's access to education is a fundamental right, empowering women and affecting their demographic behavior. However, there is little consensus on the exact nature of the relationship between education, fertility, and autonomy. This study reviews the evidence from the developing world that has emerged over the last twenty years.

On Norms and Agency

On Norms and Agency
Author: Ana María Muñoz Boudet
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 231
Release: 2013-04-25
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 082139892X

Based on focus groups and interviews with nearly 4,000 women, men, girls, and boys from 20 countries, this book explores areas that are less often studied in gender and development: gender norms and agency. It reveals how little gender norms have changed, how similar they are across countries, and how they are being challenged and contested.