Recent turbulence in East Asian financial markets has already spilled over into the region's real economy, with significant effects on growth and unemployment. The ability of East Asian economies to adjust to the crisis depends critically on labor market flexibility. Specifically, a decline in...

This study examines gender inequality in labor markets in Asia and the Pacific, with a focus on the structural drivers of women's labor force participation. Demographic survey data indicate that in Asia's lower-income countries, economic necessity is an important push factor behind women's...