FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION AND DEVELOPMENT DYNAMICS: EVIDENCE FROM A PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

Öz

This study analyzes the relationship between female labor force participation rates and socioeconomic and demographic factors in low- and middle-income countries. The analysis is based on annual panel data covering the period from 1997 to 2024. Cross-sectional dependence tests, the CIPS unit root test, the Pedroni panel cointegration test, and the panel ARDL approach based on the Mean Group (MG) and Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimators were employed. A majority of studies in the literature are based on homogeneous assumptions that disregard structural differences across countries. This situation may lead to misleading generalizations in empirical analyses and limit policy outcomes. Unlike the homogeneity assumption frequently used in the literature, this study takes structural differences across countries into account. The empirical findings does not support the existence of a common and homogeneous long-term relationship across countries, indicating that long-term effects may vary across countries. Furthermore, the results of the Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test indicate bidirectional causal relationships between female labor force participation and the fertility rate, urbanization rate, age dependency ratio, per capita income, and female unemployment rate. In addition, a unidirectional causal relationship is identified from the value added of the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector to female labor force participation, while no causal relationship is found in the reverse direction. Overall, these findings suggest that policies aimed at increasing female labor force participation should take into account the specific dynamics of each country.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Women's Labor Force Participation
• Development Economics
• Panal Data Analsis

KADINLARIN İŞGÜCÜNE KATILIMI VE KALKINMA DİNAMİKLERİ: PANEL VERİ ANALİZİNDEN KANITLAR

Öz

Bu çalışma düşük ve orta gelirli ülkelerde kadın işgücüne katılım oranı ile sosyoekonomik ve demografik faktörler arasındaki ilişkiyi analiz etmektedir. Analiz, 1997-2024 dönemine ait yıllık panel veriler kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Yatay kesit bağımlılığı testleri, CIPS birim kök testi, Pedroni panel eşbütünleşme testi ile Ortalama Grup (MG) ve Havuzlanmış Ortalama Grup (PMG) tahmincilerine dayalı panel ARDL yaklaşımı kullanılmıştır. Literatürdeki çalışmaların büyük bir kısmı ülkelerarası yapısal farklılıkları göz ardı eden homojen varsayımlara dayanmaktadır. Bu durum ampirik analizlerde yanıltıcı genellemelere yol açmakta ve politika sonuçlarını sınırlayabilmektedir. Bu çalışma ise literatürde sıklıkla kullanılan homojenlik varsayımının aksine, yapısal farklılıkları dikkate almaktadır. Ampirik analiz, ülkeler arasında ortak ve homojen bir uzun dönem ilişkisinin varlığını desteklememekte, uzun dönem etkilerin ülkelere göre değişiklik gösterebileceğine işaret etmektedir. Ayrıca, Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel nedensellik testi sonuçları, kadın işgücüne katılım oranı ile doğurganlık oranı, kentleşme oranı, yaş bağımlılık oranı, kişi başına gelir ve kadın işsizlik oranı arasında çift yönlü nedensel ilişkilerin varlığını göstermektedir. Buna ek olarak, tarım, ormancılık ve balıkçılık sektörünün katma değerinden kadın işgücüne katılım oranına doğru tek yönlü bir nedensel ilişki tespit edilirken, ters yönde herhangi bir nedensel ilişkiye rastlanmamıştır. Genel olarak elde edilen bu bulgular, kadın işgücüne katılımı artırmaya yönelik politikaların ülkelerin kendilerine özgü dinamikleri dikkate alınarak uygulanması gerektiğine işaret etmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Kadın İşgücüne Katılım
• Kalkınma Ekonomisi
• Panel Veri Analizi

Kaynakça

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