Do gender inequalities in education perpetuate gender inequalities in the labour market?

Sohan Clarisse Dembele and Patrice Rélouendé Zidouemba

International Journal of Education Economics and Development, 2026, vol. 17, issue 2, 232-246

Abstract: This paper investigates whether gender disparities in education perpetuate gender inequalities in labour market participation, using panel data from 32 developing countries over the period 2000-2019. While gender inequality in education and employment has been widely studied independently, their dynamic interrelationship remains underexplored. Using fixed-effects panel regressions with lagged educational gender gaps, the study uncovers a strong and statistically significant association between gender disparities in basic and intermediate education and subsequent inequalities in labour market participation. However, no significant effect is found for advanced education, suggesting that early-stage educational inequalities generate structural disadvantages that persist into the labour market. These findings reinforce the importance of promoting gender parity in primary and secondary education as a lever for inclusive labour market outcomes. Additionally, fertility-related constraints are shown to significantly exacerbate employment inequalities, underscoring the need for family-friendly policies.

Keywords: gender inequality; education; labour market; developing countries. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijeded:v:17:y:2026:i:2:p:232-246

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