Women at Work and Economic Development: Who's Pushing What?

Abstract

The Portuguese female labor force participation rate is one of the highest among European Union countries. This study seeks to explain why. After a brief look at the sharp contrast between the situation in the 1980s and that of the 1960s, it sets out to answer the question: What motivates women to participate, and why is the Portuguese economy so receptive to female participation? An option and a necessity coexist, motivating women to produce for the market - higher levels of human capital generate a stronger will to join the labor market and facilitate integration, whereas the need to overcome poverty is a major constraint faced by some women. On the demand side, support is found for the idea that the concentration of female employment in certain low-paid segments of the market constitutes an important foundation for international economic competitiveness. Also, women have been carrying most of the burden of the strategy of labor market flexibility, an issue central to the debate and economic policy regarding the labor market during the 1980s.

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