Gender Norms and Female Labor Supply: Evidence from Export Shocks in Vietnam

Quynh Huynh and Hyejin Ku

No 20251, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We examine the relationship between economic development and female labor force participation, with a focus on the impact of gender norms. Analyzing quasi-random variation in provincial exports in reunified Vietnam from 2002 to 2018, we find that a positive economic shock led to a significant decline in women’s labor market engagement, particularly among married women from wealthier households and those with husbands in more skilled occupations. This trend is more pronounced in the South (formerly capitalist) than in the North (always socialist), and among native Southerners compared to Northerners relocated to the South after the war. Our findings highlight the importance of gender role attitudes in shaping women’s responses to rising incomes.

JEL-codes: J16 J22 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-05
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