UID:
edocfu_9960178292502883
Format:
1 online resource (47 pages)
ISBN:
1-4843-1182-5
,
1-4843-1184-1
Series Statement:
IMF Working Papers
Content:
How important are female workers for economic growth? This paper presents empirical evidence that an increase in female labor force participation is positively associated with labor productivity growth. Using panel data for 10 Canadian provinces over 1990–2015, we found that a 1 percentage point increase in the labor force participation among women with high educational attainment would raise Canada’s overall labor productivity growth by 0.2 to 0.3 percentage point a year. This suggests that if the current gap of 7 percentage points between male and female labor force participation with high educational attainment were eliminated, the level of real GDP could be about 4 percent higher today. The government has appropriately stepped up its efforts to improve gender equality, as part of its growth strategy. In particular, the government’s plan to expand access to affordable child care is a positive step. However, we argue that to maximize the policy outcome given a budget constraint, provision of subsidized child care—including publicly funded child care spaces—should be better targeted to working parents.
Note:
Cover -- Contents -- ABSTRACT -- I. INTRODUCTION -- II. ANALYZING WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION TO GROWTH -- A. Trends of female labor participation in Canada -- B. Empirics: female labor participation and productivity growth -- Empirical strategy and data -- III. POLICIES TO TAP THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE FEMALE LABOR FORCE -- A. Where are the remaining gaps in family support policies? -- B. A case for enhancing public spending on child care -- C. Tackling longstanding cultural norms to promote gender equality and increase economic growth -- IV. CONCLUSIONS -- References -- Tables -- 1. Labor Participation Trends -- 2. Hours by Education Attainment -- 3. Regression Results -- 4. Canada: Calculations of Growth Impacts -- 5. Population and Participation by Education Achievement -- Figures -- 1. Selected Advanced Economies: Female Labor Force Participation Rate, 1976-2015 -- 2. Canada: Female Labor Force Participation Rate and Labor Productivity -- 3. Growth Decomposition -- 4. Labor Productivity Growth and Female Labor Participation -- 5. OECD Economies: Female Labor force Participation Rates -- 6. Female Participation Rates and Tax Wedges on Secondary Earners -- 7. Canada: Female Labor Participation Rates and Public Spending on Early Childhood Education and Care -- 8. Advanced OECD Economies: Selected Family Policy Indicators -- 9. Canada: Child Care Assistance Program By Province -- 10. Decomposition of Marginal Effective Benefits, Today's Policy -- 11. Female Labor Force Participation Rates in Quebec and Rest of Canada -- 12. Marginal Effective Benefits, No Benefits for Families with a Stay at Home Parent -- 13. Marginal Effective Benefits, Subsidized Child Care Fees -- 14. Summary: Marginal Effective Benefits under Alternative policies -- 15. Percentage of Mothers and Fathers Who Take Parental Leave -- Boxes.
,
Box 1. The Swedish Parental Leave and Child Care System -- Annexes -- I. Data Description -- II. Child Benefit and Day Care Subsidy Programs by Province -- III. Canada: Illustrative Calculations of Marginal Benefit Rates by Province.
Additional Edition:
ISBN 1-4843-0924-3
Language:
English
