The Effect of Globalization on Gender Equality within Welfare and Work Life

The aim of this thesis is to analyze what effect different aspects of globalization have had on gender equality in welfare and work life during the period 1970-2012 using data for up to 171 countries. The KOF index of globalization is used as a proxy to include social, political and economic globalization. Furthermore, gender equality is measured by relative changes in health, education and workforce participation. In general the results indicate that globalization has a positive effect on female relative to male secondary and tertiary schooling as well as labor force participation; strengthening gender equality. Conversely, the relative labor force participation in the industry sector shows a negative trend with more inequality as a result