Estimating the Determinants of Female Labor Force Participation in Pakistan

Abstract

The study estimates the factors affecting female labor force participation (FLFP) in Pakistan.  For this purpose, the study uses Pakistan Social and Living Standard Measurement Survey data for the year 2013-14 and employs the logit model because of the binary nature of the dependent variable. The results reveal that FLFPhas a positive relationship with the age of the female. Whereas it has u-shaped relation with the education of the women. Females living in a household whose headsare professional; skilled agriculture, forestry, and fishery;elementary occupations like laborer, hawkers, and masonshave more chancesto enterthe labor market as compared to females whose household heads are managers or executives.There is a negative relationship between FLFP and household size. Poverty and female proportion arepull-factors, whereas wages are pull-factor. Further,the impacts of foreign remittanceson FLFParefavorable.