The World Bank’s Bhutan Labour Market Assessment report has attributed low female labour force participation to a lack of career guidance, mismatched education systems, gender stereotyping, and family constraints. The report also cites that young women are more likely than men to be not in education, employment, or training.
The report shows that between 2013 and 2022, the male labour force participation rate remained constant at high levels as compared to women, which varied across all age groups.
For female age groups between 35 and 49, labour force participation rates dropped by more than 10 per cent between 2021 and 2022.
The World Bank study also shows that although men in both urban and rural areas participate in the labour market in equal numbers, rural women remain more active than urban women.
In 2022, women’s labour supply was 58 per cent in rural areas compared to 47 per cent in urban areas.
The report states that for women, location is a bigger determinant of labour supply than men.
Meanwhile, across all working age groups of men and women, urban women are the group with the lowest labour force participation rate.
The most contrasting figure is in the 40 to 44 age group, where labour force participation difference is over 40 percentage points between urban men and urban women and rural men and urban women.
According to the report, in urban areas, women tend to participate more in the labour force if they have a higher level of education. While in rural areas, education matters less for participation.
About three out of four women participate in the labour market, regardless of the highest degree attained. Whereas for men, education level does not determine male labour force participation.
The report states that women under age 45 who have at least one child under the age of six have lower labour market participation. The participation gap diminishes with age.
The report suggests that career and family are more compatible for older, more educated women than for younger women.
Having school-going children and dependent adults also reduces women’s labour force participation.
The report also states that irrespective of age group and education, if an area has higher female inactivity, the probability of a woman entering the labour market is low.
Meanwhile, young women, aged 15 to 24 are more likely to be not in education, employment, or training due to household responsibilities and local norms
33 per cent of young women are either not employed, attending training or studying due to family duties. Whereas, the number drops down to four per cent for young men.
Kinzang Lhamo (Intern)
Edited by Sherub Dorji
