Economic Development and Women’s Empowerment: Theory from the Comparison of Two Case Studies in China and Its Application in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

It is well known that women are in a subordinate and inferior position compared to men in many aspects of social life, and “women’s empowerment” is one of the most concerning issues in the current international society. From a worldwide point of view, the statuses of women are quite different across various areas, but regions with good economic conditions seem to do better in women’s empowerment. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between economic development and women’s progress. By comparing two individual Chinese provinces, this article finds that economic development plays a central role in improving women’s status. This argument could also be applied to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) context.