Engendering Labour Statistics: A Cross-country Comparison of Gender Differentiated Statistics

Abstract

Women’s employment and effective labour market participation are important challenges before policy-makers to address various issues related to the overall socio-economic development of a country. The underestimation of women’s work in the national statistical system has been a debatable issue for a long time. In order to understand changes in women’s employment pattern, country-specific institutional structures and changes therein are likely to be crucial as institutional structures may encourage or discourage labour force participation and specific patterns of employment. The present article explores gender differentiated statistics in India and tries to draw a comparison with two countries, namely, Sweden and Bangladesh. The article also tries to address various issues like difference between male and female employment rates, labour force participation, etc., in these countries and also tries to locate gender statistics in surveys. Finally, the article explores certain policy concerns in terms of gender mainstreaming in surveys.