Volume 25, Issue 98 (10-2025)
refahj 2025, 25(98): 9-36 |
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Razeghi N, Rezaei Roshan H. (2025). The relationship between selected economic and social indicators and female's labor force participation in Middle Eastern countries. refahj. 25(98), : 1 doi:10.32598/refahj.25.98.1102.3
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4453-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4453-en.html
Keywords: Female labor force participation rate, Access to basic knowledge, Access to information and communication, Access to justice, Property rights for women, Share of value added of the industrial sector
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Extended Abstract
Introduction:
Many scholars argue that in the process of economic development, capital and material resources play a secondary role, whereas human resources constitute the primary driver, as they ultimately determine the nature and depth of economic and social progress. Within this context, women’s participation is essential for achieving both political and economic development. The status of women in societies is strongly influenced by the level of national development; the more developed a country is, the smaller the gap between men and women tends to be. Without addressing women’s conditions and rights, no country can fully achieve sustainable development. Moreover, evidence from many societies shows that despite international declarations, institutional initiatives, and substantial investments aimed at realizing women’s rights, women still face challenges rooted in economic and cultural deprivation. One of the key factors affecting women’s political and economic participation is their education and empowerment. The extent to which women’s education and skills training are planned and supported has both direct and indirect effects on the economic and political participation of societies.
Method:
This study first reviews the theoretical and empirical foundations using library and documentary research methods. Subsequently, the effects of variables related to access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, gross domestic product (GDP), and the share of industrial value added on women’s labor force participation rate are examined using statistical and econometric analysis. The analysis employs Hadri’s unit root tests, F-Limer, Hausman, Breusch–Pagan tests, LR test for heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation tests, and the fixed effects model, implemented in EViews12 software. Since the data are secondary, all required information was collected from library sources and electronic databases. Data on access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, and property rights for women were obtained from the Social Progress Index (SPI), while data on GDP, the share of industrial value added, and female labor force participation rate were obtained from the World Bank. Based on data availability, 12 Middle Eastern countries with the most complete time series from 2011 to 2021 were included in the study. According to theoretical and empirical foundations, seven variables were considered: the dependent variable is the female labor force participation rate, and the independent variables include access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, GDP, and the share of industrial value added.
Findings:
The analysis confirms a positive and significant relationship between access to basic knowledge and women’s labor force participation rate at the 95% confidence level. Similarly, access to information and communication also has a significant positive effect on female labor force participation at the 95% confidence level. Access to justice demonstrates a significant positive impact at the 99% confidence level, as do property rights for women, which also significantly enhance women’s labor force participation at the 99% confidence level. GDP per capita exhibits a strong positive effect, with a regression coefficient of 5.826, indicating its substantial influence on female labor force participation during the study period (99% confidence level). Finally, the share of value added in the industrial sector shows a direct and significant positive effect on women’s labor force participation at the 99% confidence level.
Discussion:
This study examined the effects of access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, GDP per capita, and the share of industrial value added on women’s labor force participation in Middle Eastern countries. Based on the fixed effects panel data model, all variables were found to have positive and significant impacts on women’s labor force participation, confirming all research hypotheses. Among these factors, GDP per capita exerts the strongest influence, as indicated by the regression coefficient, highlighting its critical role in enhancing female labor force participation. Overall, the findings suggest that improving access to knowledge, information and communication, justice, property rights, industrial value added, and especially GDP per capita can significantly increase women’s participation in the labor force. Therefore, policy measures aimed at promoting these factors are essential to achieving higher rates of female labor force participation in the region.
Ethical Consideration
Authors’ Contributions: All authors made significant contributions to this study.
Funding: This research was supported by a research grant from the University of Mazandaran (No. 33/26383).
Conflict of Interest: There was no conflict of interest among the authors in this article.
Introduction:
Many scholars argue that in the process of economic development, capital and material resources play a secondary role, whereas human resources constitute the primary driver, as they ultimately determine the nature and depth of economic and social progress. Within this context, women’s participation is essential for achieving both political and economic development. The status of women in societies is strongly influenced by the level of national development; the more developed a country is, the smaller the gap between men and women tends to be. Without addressing women’s conditions and rights, no country can fully achieve sustainable development. Moreover, evidence from many societies shows that despite international declarations, institutional initiatives, and substantial investments aimed at realizing women’s rights, women still face challenges rooted in economic and cultural deprivation. One of the key factors affecting women’s political and economic participation is their education and empowerment. The extent to which women’s education and skills training are planned and supported has both direct and indirect effects on the economic and political participation of societies.
Method:
This study first reviews the theoretical and empirical foundations using library and documentary research methods. Subsequently, the effects of variables related to access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, gross domestic product (GDP), and the share of industrial value added on women’s labor force participation rate are examined using statistical and econometric analysis. The analysis employs Hadri’s unit root tests, F-Limer, Hausman, Breusch–Pagan tests, LR test for heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation tests, and the fixed effects model, implemented in EViews12 software. Since the data are secondary, all required information was collected from library sources and electronic databases. Data on access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, and property rights for women were obtained from the Social Progress Index (SPI), while data on GDP, the share of industrial value added, and female labor force participation rate were obtained from the World Bank. Based on data availability, 12 Middle Eastern countries with the most complete time series from 2011 to 2021 were included in the study. According to theoretical and empirical foundations, seven variables were considered: the dependent variable is the female labor force participation rate, and the independent variables include access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, GDP, and the share of industrial value added.
Findings:
The analysis confirms a positive and significant relationship between access to basic knowledge and women’s labor force participation rate at the 95% confidence level. Similarly, access to information and communication also has a significant positive effect on female labor force participation at the 95% confidence level. Access to justice demonstrates a significant positive impact at the 99% confidence level, as do property rights for women, which also significantly enhance women’s labor force participation at the 99% confidence level. GDP per capita exhibits a strong positive effect, with a regression coefficient of 5.826, indicating its substantial influence on female labor force participation during the study period (99% confidence level). Finally, the share of value added in the industrial sector shows a direct and significant positive effect on women’s labor force participation at the 99% confidence level.
Discussion:
This study examined the effects of access to basic knowledge, access to information and communication, access to justice, property rights for women, GDP per capita, and the share of industrial value added on women’s labor force participation in Middle Eastern countries. Based on the fixed effects panel data model, all variables were found to have positive and significant impacts on women’s labor force participation, confirming all research hypotheses. Among these factors, GDP per capita exerts the strongest influence, as indicated by the regression coefficient, highlighting its critical role in enhancing female labor force participation. Overall, the findings suggest that improving access to knowledge, information and communication, justice, property rights, industrial value added, and especially GDP per capita can significantly increase women’s participation in the labor force. Therefore, policy measures aimed at promoting these factors are essential to achieving higher rates of female labor force participation in the region.
Ethical Consideration
Authors’ Contributions: All authors made significant contributions to this study.
Funding: This research was supported by a research grant from the University of Mazandaran (No. 33/26383).
Conflict of Interest: There was no conflict of interest among the authors in this article.
Type of Study: orginal |
Received: 2025/03/27 | Accepted: 2025/09/7 | Published: 2025/10/4
Received: 2025/03/27 | Accepted: 2025/09/7 | Published: 2025/10/4
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