Occupational Sex Segregation And Economic Development

Abstract

Occupational sex segregation is an important measure of equality between men and women in the labor force.  As men and women share more occupations and increasingly perform the same jobs in the workplace, occupational sex segregation decreases, indicating a more similar work experience between the sexes, as well as an increase in gender equality.  In this paper a cross-national examination of D, an index of dissimilarity, is presented.  Data from the International Labor Organization is used to calculate D for various countries.  Using the United Nations’ classification of countries into least developed, developing, developed, and Eastern European, this paper examines the effect of economic development on occupational sex segregation.