In Simple Words
Think of a community gym that only offers heavy weightlifting equipment, which mostly attracts young men. If the gym adds cardio machinery and offers specific time slots for women, a whole new group of people starts exercising, driving up the total overall attendance of the facility.
Women in the eastern Congo public works trial
- Study comparison group
- Comparison group
- Public works program
- Employment and hours worked increased
The review reports that women drove the overall employment and hours gains. It does not establish that gender quotas alone caused the improvement.
See source →Research question
In many developing nations, women face severe structural barriers to formal labor force participation, including cultural norms and limited job openings. Public works programs traditionally prioritize heavy physical construction jobs that disproportionately employ men, neglecting female labor potential.
Participants
Low-income men and women across multiple trial sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia.
Study Design
Systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing labor market outcomes between male and female participants in public works programs with female-targeted components.
Results
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, overall public works program increases in participant employment probability and average hours worked were driven primarily by female employment gains.
Takeaway
Design female-focused employment quotas and gender-adapted project tasks within public works initiatives to boost total local labor market participation.