"Gender Inequality, Employment, and Economic Development: A Panel Quantile Regression Analysis of Selected Asian Countries"

This study examines the impact of gender inequality on economic development across 24 Asian countries from 1997 to 2021, utilizing panel quantile regression analysis. Employing GDP (constant 2015 US$) as a proxy for economic development, the research incorporates variables such as gender parity indices in primary and secondary education, female-male labour force participation ratio, foreign direct investment inflows and outflows, overall labour force participation, percentage of female employers, female employment in industry, and population growth rate. To ensure robustness, the study applies dynamic panel data models addressing endogeneity, including Panel Unit Root Test, descriptive statistics, correlation matrix, cross-sectional dependency, Variance Inflation Factor, Pedroni test, Westerlund test, and Quantile Regression. Short-run quantile regression results indicate that total labour force participation, FDI inflows, and female employment rates positively and significantly influence GDP growth. Conversely, population growth rate, FDI outflows, and gender parity in primary education also show significant positive effects on GDP. In the long run, labour force participation, FDI net inflows, gender parity in primary education, and female employment rates maintain a significant positive impact on GDP growth. However, population growth rate, female employment in the industrial sector, and FDI outflows exhibit a significant negative impact in the long term. The findings underscore that enhancing gender equality in primary education and employment sectors fosters economic development in Asian countries. Implementing policies aimed at generating productive employment and reducing gender disparities in education may prove beneficial in achieving sustained economic growth.