Egyptian Men Working Abroad: Labor Supply Responses by the Women Left Behind

39 Pages Posted: 28 Mar 2011

See all articles by Christine Binzel

Christine Binzel

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Ragui A. Assaad

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs

Abstract

Female labor force participation has remained low in Egypt. This paper examines whether male international migration provides a leeway for women to enter the labor market and/or to increase their labor supply. In line with previous studies, we find a decrease in wage work in both rural and urban areas. However, women living in rural areas and affected by migration are much more likely to be employed in non-wage activities (i.e. unpaid family work) and subsistence work compared to women in non-migrant households. Furthermore, we find evidence that this labor supply response is driven by the household's need to replace the migrant's labor rather than by a loosening of a financing constraint on family enterprises made possible by the flow of remittances.

Keywords: migration, remittances, labor supply, gender

JEL Classification: O15, J22, F22, R23

Suggested Citation

Binzel, Christine and Assaad, Ragui A., Egyptian Men Working Abroad: Labor Supply Responses by the Women Left Behind. IZA Discussion Paper No. 5589, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1796584 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1796584

Christine Binzel (Contact Author)

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg ( email )

Erlangen
Germany

Ragui A. Assaad

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities - Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs ( email )

301 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States

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