Using historical census data and the latest household surveys, the authors investigate changes in female employment in Latin America, the factors that determine women's participation in the labor force, and the reasons for the gap between men's and women's earnings. The authors find, to their...

In most economies women are less attached than men to the labor force. This has important implications for development. This article examines definitions and theories of female labor supply and relates them to statistical evidence from 136 countries in the early 1980s. The findings support the...