Export Sector Female Labor Empowerment
Observational StudyReview
Women in lower-income countries often face limited formal employment options, economic dependence within households, and high rates of domestic violence due to structural labor market barriers.
Picture this
Imagine a rural town where women previously had no independent income until a foreign-owned clothing factory opens nearby and hires local female workers at competitive formal wages. Earning their own steady paycheck raises women's financial autonomy and household decision-making power, while lowering domestic conflicts.
What the evidence says
Expansion of garment export manufacturing created formal female employment opportunities, which enhanced female empowerment and resulted in statistically significant reductions in domestic violence across surrounding communities.
- Who was studied
- Female workers and households in surrounding communities of garment export manufacturing factories in Myanmar.
- How
- Quasi-experimental study analyzing female employment trends and household welfare metrics.
What to do
Promote foreign direct investment and market access interventions in female-labor-intensive export manufacturing sectors to expand formal economic opportunities for women.
From the source
"In a quasi-experimental study in Myanmar, exporting also increased female empowerment as more jobs became available for women and domestic violence dropped in nearby communities."
Market Access: Connecting Firms and Entrepreneurs to Markets to Spur Business and Job Growth