Are There Gender-Separate Human Capital Effects on Growth? A Review of the Recent Empirical Literature

Abstract

This paper provides a review of the recent empirical growth literature which includes human capital as a determinant of economic growth; special attention is given to the studies which investigate gender-separate human capital effects. While there is a general consensus regarding the role of (gender-neutral) human capital in the growth process - increasing educational attainment and health status increases labour productivity resulting in greater economic growth - there is a great deal of contradictory evidence regarding the effect of gender-separate human capital on economic growth. For example, in their seminal article, Barro and Lee (1994) find that, while growth is positively related to male education, it is negatively related to female education; Caselli, Esquivel and Lefort (1996), however, find the opposite, while Birdsall, Ross and Sabot (1997) report no significant difference between the genders. This article attempts to appraise and critique this confusing literature, and in the process, resolve many of the existing ambiguities.

Keywords: Gender, human capital, growth, literature review

JEL Classification: O11, O15