Female employment jacks up GDP growth: Sanem

A 1 per cent increase in female employment can effectively increase economic growth by 0.31 per cent, according to a study by South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem) unveiled yesterday.

This means that if Bangladesh can eventually increase female employment by just 10 percentage points, it will add as much as 3.1 per cent to the GDP," said Sanem Research Economist Mahtab Uddin while presenting their findings at a webinar jointly  organised by Sanem and World Vision Bangladesh.

He went on to say that if the GDP data of 2021 is taken into consideration, such an increase would have resulted in an additional $11.3 billion in the economy.

"However, no significant relationship between GDP growth and female (or male employment) is found in the short run," he added.

Uddin, also a lecturer of economics at the University of Dhaka, said female employment has a significant and positive relationship with economic growth in the long-run.

Co-authored by Sanem Research Director Sayema Haque Bidisha, the study was carried out by following both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection.

Researchers conducted a survey among women aged 15 years and above across 850 households in various districts. The study also carried out focus group discussions and interviewed key informants.

Bidisha, also professor of economics at the University of Dhaka, said that given the context of Covid-19, a strong measure is needed from the government to contain the number of school dropouts.

"An increase in the primary and secondary school stipend rates could work as an effective tool to this end," she said.