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Does Gender Inequality Reduce Growth in Sub‐Saharan African and Arab Countries? *
Author(s) -
BaliamouneLutz Mina,
McGillivray Mark
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
african development review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.654
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 1467-8268
pISSN - 1017-6772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8268.2009.00209.x
Subject(s) - openness to experience , inequality , gender inequality , panel data , economics , demographic economics , gender equality , literacy rate , literacy , development economics , econometrics , economic growth , psychology , sociology , mathematics , gender studies , mathematical analysis , social psychology
: This paper uses 1974 to 2001 panel data for 31 sub‐Saharan African and 10 Arab countries and Arellano–Bond estimations to empirically assess the impact on growth of an important indicator associated with MDG 3; namely the ratio of 15–24‐year‐old literate females to males. Our findings indicate that gender inequalities in literacy have a statistically significant negative effect that is robust to changes in the specification. In addition, it seems that gender inequality has a stronger effect on growth in Arab countries. Interestingly, we find that the interaction between openness to trade and gender inequality has a positive impact. This result suggests that trade‐induced growth may be accompanied by greater gender inequalities.