Gender Parity in Education and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Select Asian Countries

Abstract

Since last few decades, there is a consensus among the academicians and the policy makers that the gender parity in education has positive implications for economic and social development. It has been argued that gender parity in education can contribute significantly to economic growth by expanding the stock of human capital, raising labour productivity, and also by increasing the stock of physical capital. Thus, this paper is an attempt to examine the effects of gender parity in education on the long-run economic growth of selected Asian countries over a period from 2000 to 2014. The long-run impacts of gender parity indicators on economic growth of these countries have been investigated employing Pooled Mean Group estimator based ARDL model in apanel framework. The estimation results provide the evidence of the positive and significant effects of gender parity indicators on the economic growth of Asian countries. This finding is significant for policy makers in formulating strategies and programmes favouring women in these economies.