Electrification, labor force participation, and perceived social status for women in rural China

ABSTRACT Various studies have found that rural electrification can lead to female empowerment and promote paid work opportunities for women through increased access to, and productive usage of electricity. This study, however, reveals a more complicated story in rural China, where the socioeconomic effect of rural electrification on women remains varied, despite near-universal access to electricity. Using the 2012 China Family Panel Studies survey data, we find that while rural electrification is not associated with an increase in non-agricultural waged labor for women, it has a strong effect on directing them into participating in unpaid, non-agricultural family ventures. Despite its limited effect on encouraging female participation in formal employment, rural electrification still enables women to have stronger and more positive perceptions of their social status.