Firms’ Behavior Under Discriminatory Laws and Women’s Employment in the Democratic Republic of Congo

IF 3.3 2区经济学 Q1 ECONOMICS

Feminist Economics Pub Date : 2022-08-19 DOI:10.1080/13545701.2022.2100444

Marie Hyland, Asif M. Islam, S. Muzi

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Abstract

ABSTRACT This article contributes to better understanding firms’ behavior in the presence of gender discriminatory laws and its linkages with labor market outcomes for women in a developing country setting. Using data collected through the World Bank Enterprise Surveys in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the study documents the existence of nonnegligible employer discrimination in the presence of discriminatory laws. Interestingly, discriminatory behaviors, and the related limitations in women’s autonomy, are more pervasive outside the capital city, Kinshasa, which suggests that differences in enforcement and social norms may be at play. The study also finds that, in those firms that do not enforce discriminatory laws, women benefit from better labor market outcomes, in terms of their representation among the upper echelons of management and their participation in the overall workforce. The positive relationship between nondiscriminatory behaviors and female employment is particularly strong in the manufacturing sector. HIGHLIGHTS In the Democratic Republic of Congo, discriminatory laws are linked to employer discrimination against women. Firms do not follow these laws uniformly, with enforcement varying by geography and type of law. This important nuance helps uncover the interaction between national laws and local norms. Firms that do not impose discriminatory laws have more women employees and managers.

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刚果民主共和国歧视性法律下的企业行为与妇女就业

摘要本文有助于更好地理解在存在性别歧视法律的情况下，企业的行为及其与发展中国家妇女劳动力市场结果的联系。该研究利用世界银行在刚果民主共和国进行的企业调查收集的数据，记录了在歧视性法律存在的情况下存在不可忽视的雇主歧视。有趣的是，歧视行为以及妇女自治方面的相关限制在首都金沙萨以外更为普遍，这表明执法和社会规范的差异可能在起作用。研究还发现，在那些不执行歧视性法律的公司中，女性从更好的劳动力市场结果中受益，因为她们在高层管理层中的代表性和在整个劳动力中的参与度。非歧视行为与女性就业之间的积极关系在制造业尤为明显。亮点在刚果民主共和国，歧视性法律与雇主歧视妇女有关。公司并不统一遵守这些法律，执行情况因地理位置和法律类型而异。这种重要的细微差别有助于揭示国家法律和地方规范之间的相互作用。没有实施歧视性法律的公司有更多的女性员工和经理。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Feminist Economics Multiple-

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

4.30%

发文量

期刊介绍： Feminist Economics is a peer-reviewed journal that provides an open forum for dialogue and debate about feminist economic perspectives. By opening new areas of economic inquiry, welcoming diverse voices, and encouraging critical exchanges, the journal enlarges and enriches economic discourse. The goal of Feminist Economics is not just to develop more illuminating theories but to improve the conditions of living for all children, women, and men. Feminist Economics: -Advances feminist inquiry into economic issues affecting the lives of children, women, and men -Examines the relationship between gender and power in the economy and the construction and legitimization of economic knowledge -Extends feminist theoretical, historical, and methodological contributions to economics and the economy -Offers feminist insights into the underlying constructs of the economics discipline and into the historical, political, and cultural context of economic knowledge -Provides a feminist rethinking of theory and policy in diverse fields, including those not directly related to gender -Stimulates discussions among diverse scholars worldwide and from a broad spectrum of intellectual traditions, welcoming cross-disciplinary and cross-country perspectives, especially from countries in the South