The Role of Sibling Sex-Composition in Female Labor Force Participation

Abstract

This paper examines the extent to which sibling sex-composition affects female labor supply in Nepal. Women's economic activity is essential not only to promote economic growth but also to improve women's well-being and empowerment. Nepal seemingly does well on that front with one of the highest female labor force participation rates in the world - at 70\%. This number, however, is driven more by poverty than by choice (Verick 2014). The proportion of women working in non-manual jobs in Nepal - at 13\% - continues to be dismal and it is crucial to understand the constraints faced by these women in order to design policy interventions aimed at promoting their labor supply.