• Constructs a global novel Women’s Financial Inclusion (WFI) Index integrating traditional and digital finance. • Finds a U-shaped link: early inclusion may weaken, but deeper inclusion strengthens corruption control. • Identifies actionable thresholds, with digital finance delivering earlier governance gains. • Female education, labor force participation, and institutional quality amplify the governance impact of WFI. • Emphasizes policy sequencing: inclusion must align with regulation and empowerment reforms. Financial inclusion is widely promoted as a pathway to transparency and development, yet its gender-specific governance effects remain underexplored. This study examines the impact of women’s financial inclusion (WFI) on corruption control across 150 countries from 2011 to 2023, using a dynamic System-GMM framework to address endogeneity and persistence. We construct a composite Women’s Financial Inclusion Index (WFII) integrating traditional and digital access indicators and assess robustness using alternative measures. Results reveal a statistically significant U-shaped relationship. At low levels, greater WFI is associated with weaker corruption control; beyond a critical threshold of approximately 1.86 (standardized units), deeper inclusion strengthens governance. A complementary Women’s Digital Financial Inclusion Index (WDFII) exhibits a lower turning point, indicating that digital inclusion generates earlier governance gains. The governance-enhancing impact of WFI is amplified by female education, labor force participation, and stronger institutional quality. Income heterogeneity further shows that lower-income countries experience earlier marginal benefits, whereas upper-middle- and high-income countries require deeper inclusion before governance improvements materialize. Overall, WFI acts as an institutional amplifier, strengthening accountability where supportive legal and socioeconomic conditions are present. Its anti-corruption benefits depend on complementary investments in female human capital, regulatory safeguards, and institutional strength. Effective policy must therefore align financial access expansion, particularly through digital channels, with broader empowerment and governance reforms to ensure inclusion translates into sustained corruption control and inclusive development.

This study aims to analyse the spatial dependence of the Human Development Index (HDI) determinants across districts and cities in East Java Province using the Spatial Lag Model (SLM). The research employs a quantitative spatial econometrics approach with secondary data obtained from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) and spatial boundary data in shapefile format. The variables used include HDI as the dependent variable, and population, open unemployment rate (TPT), regional gross domestic product (PDRB), and labour force participation rate (TPAK) as explanatory variables. Spatial dependence was tested using Moran’s I and Lagrange Multiplier tests. The results indicate a significant positive spatial autocorrelation of HDI, implying that regions with high HDI tend to cluster geographically. The estimation of the Spatial Lag Model shows that the spatial lag parameter (ρ) is positive and significant (ρ = 0.4313), revealing strong spatial dependence among neighbouring regions. The SLM also performs better than the classical OLS model, with a lower AIC (193.3610) and higher R-squared (0.7266). These findings suggest that the HDI of a region is influenced not only by socioeconomic factors but also by spill-over effects from adjacent areas. Therefore, spatial-based development policies are recommended to enhance human development more equitably across regions.

Mental health and labour supply: Evidence from China.

ABSTRACT This study explores factors that contribute to female labour participation in Lao PDR and argues that ethnicity is the primary determinant of female labour force participation, conditioning how all other socioeconomic and demographic factors operate within the country’s diverse population. While existing literature emphasises sociodemographic factors that affect female labour outcomes in developing countries, evidence remains scarce for ethnically diverse contexts such as Lao PDR. Using the 2022 Labour Force Survey and a Probit estimation method applied to 13,519 working-age females above the age of 15, we demonstrate that the effects of access to public utilities, urban residence, and household size on female labour participation are neither uniform nor independent in that they are fundamentally mediated by ethnic identity. Specifically, we show that distinct cultural systems embedded within ethnic groups, such as matrilocal versus patrilocal norms, determine the degree to which education, infrastructure, and geography translate into labour market engagement. Educational attainment, public utility access, and urban residence show positive effects on participation overall, while larger household size exerts negative effects, but the magnitude and direction of these relationships vary significantly between ethnic groups. These results suggest that ethnicity is an organising lens through which female labour market outcomes must be understood.

Rapid population ageing has led many countries to extend statutory retirement ages, yet the mental health implications of post-retirement employment remain inconclusive, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study examines the association between working beyond statutory retirement age and depressive symptoms among older persons in Vietnam, a rapidly ageing middle-income country undergoing retirement-age reform. Using nationally representative data from the 2019 Vietnam National Aging Survey (N = 3,312) and propensity score matching to improve balance in observed characteristics, we compare economically active older persons with observationally similar non-working counterparts. Results show that post-retirement employment was significantly associated with lower depressive symptom scores. Associations were stronger among men and rural residents, while estimates were similar across educational groups. These findings suggest that continued labor force participation is linked to better mental health in later life, although estimates should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.

ABSTRACT Despite growing concerns about technological unemployment, existing evidence remains fragmented, country-specific, and largely silent on whether productivity growth driven by artificial intelligence (AI) can decouple from human labour globally. This paper provides new global evidence on AI-labour substitution using an unbalanced panel of 65 countries over 2013–2023. Building on a task-based theoretical framework, we conceptualize AI as a potentially labour-replacing technology that reallocates economic tasks from humans to machines. We test this framework empirically using AI development, combined with cross-country data on labour force participation, productivity, human capital, and institutional characteristics. The results reveal three main findings. First, AI development is associated with a statistically significant decrease in labour force participation, indicating the presence of labour displacement effects. Second, AI simultaneously raises productivity, pointing to productivity-labour decoupling, whereby output growth becomes less dependent on human labour. Third, human capital and governance quality play crucial moderating roles in weakening labour-displacing effects of AI. Remarkably, dynamic panel estimates suggest that AI induces short-run labour displacement, while long-run outcomes depend on countries’ capacity to adapt through education and institutional quality.

High suicide rates remain a critical public health challenge in the United States. Using census block group‐level data, we examine spatial clustering of suicidal behavior in Salt Lake City (SLC), Utah, and identify key environmental and socioeconomic determinants. We find that green space and walkability are associated with lower suicidal behavior, likely by promoting stress relief, physical activity, and social interaction. In contrast, greater access to hotels is linked to higher risk, as these spaces may offer privacy that limits timely intervention. Neighborhoods with higher incomes and larger families showed greater resilience, consistent with reduced financial strain and stronger emotional support. Areas with higher labor force participation face increased risk, possibly reflecting pressures from job competition and wage stagnation. Contextual factors further moderate these effects. The protective effect of green space is weaker in neighborhoods with larger shares of non‐Hispanic African American residents and in higher‐income or larger‐family areas, but stronger where the jobs–housing mix is higher. Spatial heterogeneity analyses reveal that mixed land use near downtown is associated with higher risk, likely because of traffic noise, waste, and crime. Meanwhile, higher proportions of non‐Hispanic African American residents are associated with lower risk in eastern SLC, where these populations tend to live in higher‐income neighborhoods with better living conditions. Overall, this study highlights the interplay of environmental, socioeconomic, and contextual factors underlying suicidal behavior and offers a comprehensive understanding of how physical settings and neighborhood characteristics shape vulnerability. These insights inform the development of more targeted and effective suicide prevention strategies.

This research, entitled "The Effect of Education Level, Gender Development Index (GDI), and Economic Growth on the Female Labor Force Participation Rate in Jambi Province," aims to analyze the development of education level, Gender Development Index (GDI), economic growth, and the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (TPAKP), as well as the influence of education level, GDI, and economic growth on the TPAKP in Jambi Province. This study uses secondary data in the form of panel data consisting of 11 districts/cities in Jambi Province during the 2020–2024 period. The analytical method used is panel data regression with a Fixed Effects Model (FEM) approach. The results of the study indicate that the development of the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (TPAKP), education level, Gender Development Index (IPG), and economic growth in Jambi Province during the study period tended to fluctuate. Based on the results of panel data regression estimation, the education level variable has a negative and significant effect on TPAKP. The IPG variable has a positive and significant effect on TPAKP. Meanwhile, the economic growth variable has no significant effect on TPAKP. Simultaneously, education level, IPG, and economic growth have a significant effect on TPAKP in Jambi Province

ABSTRACT Background: Young people with intellectual disabilities experience persistent disadvantages in post-school outcomes. This study examined trends in post-school outcomes for young Australians with intellectual disabilities over a 10-year period, relative to peers with other disability types or no disabilities. Method: Using data from four waves of the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (2012–2022), outcomes were examined for 20–29-year-olds with intellectual disabilities. Outcomes across five domains were examined: school completion, further education, labour force participation, income and government support. Results: Analyses showed a persistent pattern of inequality across all domains. While secondary school completion improved, these gains did not translate to further education or employment – gaps widened in both areas. Economic inequality, including low income and reliance on government support, remained unchanged. Conclusion: Despite major policy investment, outcomes remain poorer for this group. Greater focus on inclusion and coordinated cross-sector support is required to address entrenched inequities.

Poverty is a multidimensional problem that remains a major challenge for North Sumatra despite relatively strong economic growth. This study aims to analyze the effect of the Dependency Ratio, Gini Ratio, and Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) on poverty in North Sumatra Province during the period 2001–2024. Using a quantitative approach with time-series data and the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation method, the results show that the Dependency Ratio has a positive and significant effect on poverty, meaning that each one percent increase in the dependency ratio raises the number of poor people by 31.74 thousand. The Gini Ratio has a negative and significant effect, explained by the Kuznets Hypothesis and the Selective Poverty Exit mechanism. LFPR has a negative and significant effect, with each one percent increase reducing poverty by 16.39 thousand people. Simultaneously, the three variables explain 82.84 percent of the variation in poverty (Adjusted R² = 0.8284), confirming that poverty in North Sumatra is a multidimensional structural phenomenon. Policy implications emphasize the urgency of optimizing the demographic dividend, ensuring inclusive economic growth, and improving the quality of employment.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the MW and assess its role in regional economic development. Research Method: This study uses a quantitative approach with panel data regression. The estimation models used are the Fixed Effects Model (FEM) and the Random Effects Model (REM), with the independent variables being Regional Gross Domestic Product (GDRP), Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Average Years of Education, Open Unemployment Rate (OUR), and Dependency Ratio. Results and Discussion: The results show that GDRP, LFPR, and the dependency ratio have a significant positive effect on the MW, while the LFPR has a significant negative effect. Average years of education has a positive but insignificant effect. Simultaneously, all variables have a significant effect on the Minimum Wage MW. Implications: These findings emphasize that determining the MW requires considering economic, employment, and demographic conditions in proportion. Originality: This study integrates regional economic, employment, and demographic factors to analyze minimum wage determination across 35 regencies/cities in Central Java Province, using panel data for the 2020–2024 period.

A descriptive phenomenological exploration of how people who stutter experience the U.S. labor force.

Policy solutions to ameliorate the negative impact of aging on economic productivity: a systematic review.

Hong Kong SAR is facing a sustained decline in labor force participation rate (LFPR), which accelerated in recent years, driven mainly by population aging and further exacerbated by a drop in participation among youth. While the decline in youth LFPR was partly attributable to the mechanical effect of rising share of non-local students in Hong Kong SAR, it also points to postponed labor market entry among the youth which largely reflects continued education. The underlying motivations may suggest shifting job market landscape and labor skill requirements amid structural sectoral shifts, the emergence of artificial intelligence, and more intense labor market competition with increasing labor force educational attainment.

Labour force participation among adults aged 60+ years is rising due to economic and legislative factors. However, older workers face elevated injury risks and are not always covered by workers' compensation, especially those in family businesses or self-employed roles. This study examined work-related injury rates and trends in older workers in Victoria, Australia. Work-related injuries among Victorians aged 60+ years from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2024 were selected as those with an emergency department (ED) presentation or hospital admission for injuries sustained while working for income. Injury rates were calculated using Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data. Analyses were stratified by age, sex, injury type and cause. Poisson regression was used to assess time trends. There were 20 201 ED presentations (591/100 000 employed persons) and 9538 hospital admissions (279/100 000). While case numbers increased over time, ED rates remained stable (incident rate ratios (IRRs)0.998 (95% CI 0.992 to 1.004)) and admission rates showed a slight but statistically significant increase (IRRs 1.014 (95% CI 1.004 to 1.025)), reflecting workforce growth. ED rates were highest in the 60-64 age group; admission rates were highest in those aged 75+ years. Fractures accounted for 40% of older worker injury admissions. Open wounds, dislocations and sprains were common ED presentations. Falls were the leading injury cause. ED and hospital injury counts increased among workers ≥60 years over 10 years, highlighting the need for increased prevention activities to reduce work-related injuries in this population.

This study investigates the determinants of rural female labour force participation rate (RFLFPR) across 24 major Indian states over the period 2017–2023 using a panel data set and fixed-effects regression models. In the study, the Hausman test ( χ ² = 21.88; p < 0.01) has validated the use of fixed-effects model. The results show that the average daily casual wage rate for females (ADCWF) has a statistically significant positive effect on RFLFPR ( β = 0.0598; p < 0.01), the impact being stronger in the empowered action group (EAG) states as captured by the interaction models (interaction coefficient = 0.0462; p < 0.05). The trend analysis has revealed a significant upward trajectory in RFLFPR across the years ( β = 3.19; p < 0.001), with a steeper rise in the EAG states (additional trend coefficient = 1.38; p < 0.01). A simulation exercise has indicated that a 10% increase in median ADCWF could potentially lead to an average RFLFPR increase of 1.86 percentage points in the EAG states and 0.70 percentage points in the non-EAG states. The findings underscore that wage-enhancement policies, especially in the backward regions, would substantially boost women’s participation in the rural labour markets. The policy initiatives aimed at raising rural female wages, reducing female unemployment and addressing state-level structural disparities would meaningfully improve gender equity in India’s labour force. JEL Classification: C33, J16, J31

Subsidizing inequality? The links between fossil fuel consumption subsidies and female labor force participation

Global warming is increasing extreme heat events, directly impacting labour health and economic productivity. High-resolution global reanalysis datasets, such as ERA5-Land, are enabling worldwide and regional assessments of heat-related labour impacts. This study systematically examines the reliability and bias of ERA5-Land-derived labour loss estimates across diverse Köppen-Geiger climate zones (A, C, D) and land cover types (urban and natural land cover) at 37 sites (including 36 WMO stations) in advanced-economy regions of Pacific Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore) from 2014 to 2023. Using the physics-based Liljegren wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) model and established exposure-response functions, we quantified annual cumulative labour loss and productivity loss while accounting for spatial labour distribution. A comparison of WBGT‑derived labour‑loss estimates from 37 ground‑station datasets with ERA5‑Land-driven estimates indicates strong concordance in temperate zones (R2 ≈ 0.85) and urban areas (R2 ≈ 0.94), contrasted by a systematic underestimation in tropical regions (up to ~ 18%, R2 ≈ 0.27). Incorporating a weighting approach that integrates population density and labour force participation rate (LFPR) significantly improves the assessment of the effective labour force scale, with ERA5-Land's R2 in tropical regions increasing from 0.27 to 0.70. Based on our findings, we recommend (1) application of ERA5-Land in temperate and urban local-climate-zone (LCZ)-dominant dominant areas with standard caution, (2) for macro-level, climate- or land-cover-aggregated assessments, a 20% safety margin for tropical climate class (Köppen-Geiger Type A) and a 15% adjustment for natural environments to address underestimation uncertainty; and (3) for fine-scale, coupled climate × land-cover applications, context-specific correction (e.g., 31.55% for tropical natural areas) where localised land-cover data is available. These guidelines refine the operational use of reanalysis data for precise heat-risk assessments, and inclusion of population-density weighting in standard assessments, which improves index performance by 15-50%. While these guidelines refine the use of reanalysis data and offset policy under-protection risks, future applications must still account for microclimatic heterogeneity and the inherent assumptions of uniform sector-specific labour distributions. Ultimately, integrating these safety margins and weighting protocols provides a practical framework for informed public health interventions.

Women's participation in the workforce not only promotes equal opportunity but also contributes to strengthening the social and economic development by addressing declining labour force participation rates linked to population ageing. Women have unique sexual and reproductive health needs, which can hinder their workplace participation and advancement. Therefore, understanding those needs is vital to make a work environment gender-responsive and equitable to ensure that all women can fully engage in social and economic activities. This study aims to provide evidence on the financial burden of productivity loss related to menstruation and menopause. To assess the financial impact of productivity loss due to menstruation- and menopause-related symptoms, we conducted an internet-based, cross-sectional survey in Japan in September 2022. The survey included 10,000 individuals with 4,950 women aged 25-59, of which we analysed 3,046 responses from those in paid work and with necessary information. Using the validated work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire, we assessed the financial burden of productivity loss, focusing on absenteeism and presenteeism, and estimated the national-level cost among working women aged 25 to 59. Results show that approximately 7.0-8.8% of working women experienced absenteeism or reduced working hours because of the symptoms. Specifically, menstruation- and menopause-related absenteeism accounted for 2-3 days off and a reduction of 2-5 working hours in the preceding three months. Additionally, 79.7% of women reported that menstrual or menopausal symptoms impacted their work productivity. Our estimate suggests that the annual financial burden of productivity loss arising from the symptoms at the national level is approximately JPY 2,296.30billion (USD 14.65billion), comprising JPY 323.95billion (USD 2.07billion) from absenteeism and JPY 1,972.35billion (USD 12.59billion) from presenteeism. This study highlights the potential of addressing menstruation- and menopause-related symptoms among working-age women in generating positive economic impacts. These findings underscore the need for workplaces to implement gender-responsive strategies that meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women in order to ensure gender equality and women's empowerment at workplace.

ABSTRACT China’s population growth rate has been consistently below the replacement level. Urbanisation is a key structural factor influencing changes in the fertility rate, so it is particularly urgent to clarify its mechanism of action. Existing studies often rely on conventional measures of urbanisation, which may not fully capture its spatial-economic intensity, and seldom examine its nonlinear dynamics or spatial spillover effects on fertility. To address these gaps, this study develops a spatio-temporal consistent and high-resolution urbanisation index using DMSP/OLS nighttime light data. Employing provincial panel data from 2004 to 2019 and applying both panel and spatial econometric models, this paper assesses the impact of urbanisation on fertility and its mechanisms. The results reveal an ‘inverted S-shaped’ relationship between urbanisation and the fertility rate. Specifically, a one-unit increase in the urbanisation index is associated with an average decline in the birth rate of approximately 0.033 percentage points. While the ‘two-child’ policy raised the fertility rate by about 0.007 percentage points, its effect is negatively moderated by urbanisation, each unit increase in urbanisation weakens the policy’s boost by roughly 0.004 percentage points. Spatial analysis further indicates that urbanisation’s suppressive effect spills over across regions, leading to an additional decrease of about 0.022 percentage points in neighbouring areas through spatial linkages. Additionally, factors such as female labour force participation, educational attainment, and social endowment insurance exhibit significant negative effects on fertility, whereas housing prices show a positive association. This study proposes to implement a regional collaborative policy system, transcending the single encouragement of childbirth and shifting towards a people-centred urbanisation path, emphasising balanced spatial development, and establishing a full life-cycle support system, thereby alleviating the constraint effect of urbanisation on the fertility level.