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Decomposing ethnic gaps in women’s labour force participation: evidence from the UK

Cigdem Gedikli Orcid Logo, Gurleen Popli, Okan Yilmaz Orcid Logo

Oxford Economic Papers

Swansea University Authors: Cigdem Gedikli Orcid Logo, Okan Yilmaz Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1093/oep/gpag019

Abstract

Despite substantial increases in women’s labour force participation in the UK, large disparities remain across ethnic groups. This article examines the sources of these gaps, assessing the relative importance of individual, household, structural, and cultural factors. Beyond the well-established rol...

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Published in: Oxford Economic Papers
ISSN: 0030-7653 1464-3812
Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2026
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71921
Abstract: Despite substantial increases in women’s labour force participation in the UK, large disparities remain across ethnic groups. This article examines the sources of these gaps, assessing the relative importance of individual, household, structural, and cultural factors. Beyond the well-established role of human capital, we find that integration-related factors, household composition, family structure, and gender norms play a significant role, particularly for South Asian women. In contrast, over and above structural elements, more egalitarian gender attitudes help explain higher participation among Caribbean women. We also find that the influence of gender norms varies depending on economic constraints. These findings emphasize the need for targeted, group-specific policies to reduce persistent ethnic gaps in women’s employment and promote more inclusive labour markets. By focusing on participation as the first barrier, the article sheds light on the entry point for ethnic minority women, informing future research and policy on broader labour market inequalities.
Keywords: ethnicity, female, labour force participation, gender norms, Gelbach decomposition
College: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Funders: This work was supported by the Leverhulme Trust in the form of the Research Fellowship awarded to Gurleen Popli (grant number: RF-2020–225\7).

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