Speaker
Description
Climate shocks can significantly reshape employment patterns in low- and middle-income countries. Given persistent structural, social, and economic gender disparities, women are likely to experience these effects more acutely, yet existing evidence remains inconclusive. This study examines how droughts influence female employment in India, where many women face systemic barriers to labor market participation. Using individual-level data from the Demographic and Health Survey (2005–2019), we exploit district-level variations to assess the impact of droughts on women’s employment. Our findings indicate that droughts increase female employment by six percentage points, but this rise is driven by economic distress rather than expanded opportunities. Women predominantly enter low-skilled and informal occupations, while simultaneously facing heightened social constraints. We document a reinforcement of gender-biased norms during droughts, including stronger son preference, lower female migration, and declining female educational enrollment. Further analysis reveals that employment gains are concentrated in informal, seasonal, and family-based labor, with a nine percentage-point increase in low-skilled occupations. These results suggest that climate shocks exacerbate gender inequalities in labor markets in India. Our findings underscore the urgent need for policies that not only enhance climate resilience but also promote gender-equitable labor opportunities to prevent the entrenchment of precarious employment patterns in similar contexts.
| Keyword | Labor Economics |
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