Gender Differences in Labor Market Decisions: Evidence from Rural Mexico
Author(s)
Pagan, Jose A.; Sanchez, Susana M.
Abstract
The study analyzes two important questions as they relate to gender equality in Mexico’s rural labor markets: (i) What factors help explain the substantial gender differences in workforce participation in rural Mexico? (ii) What influences gender differences in the incidence of self-employment (i.e., self-employment as a proportion of total employment)? Understanding the sources of gender differences in labor market outcomes in Mexico is particularly important given the gradual economic integration occurring between the United States, Canada, and Mexico through, for example, the North American Free Trade Agreement. Not only will comprehending the relative performance of women in the Mexican labor market enable us to better evaluate the overall development process in Mexico, but quantifying female labor market outcomes can help us implement effective economic development policy measures.
