THE IMPACT OF GENDER INEQUALITIES IN EDUCATION ON INCOME

Abstract

Gender inequality in education, health, politics and employment is considered as a global problem. The development of human capital thanks to education is expected to increase efficient individuals in quantity and quality. It is stated that as the education rate of women and participation rate of the educated women in the labor force increase, the quality of the labor force and the rate of healthier and well-fed children will increase as well and consequently the human capital of the countries will have a positive effect on the economic development in the long term. In this study, the effect of gender inequality in primary and secondary education on income was investigated by panel data analysis for high and upper-middle-income countries in the period of 1998-2017. According to the results, the effect of capital accumulation and fertility on income was positive and the effect of gender inequality in education on income was negative. It is seen that gender inequality, especially in primary education, has significantly negative effect on income, and that inequality in primary education is transferred to the next education levels and it is important to eliminate inequality of opportunity in terms of income inequality and growth potential in the long term. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the importance of long-term and stable policies, in particular in primary education, and to create the necessary arrangements and awareness to increase the education and job opportunities of women in order to eliminate inequality of opportunity in education.