GENDER EQUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE LABOR MARKET DEVELOPMENT: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF OECD AND CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of gender equality and its multidimensional relationship with sustainable labor market development across OECD member states and Central Asian economies, with particular emphasis on Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Drawing on panel data from the World Bank, ILO, OECD Gender Data Portal, and national statistical agencies covering the period 2000–2023, the study employs a mixed-methods framework integrating econometric modeling, the Gender Development Index (GDI), and the E3ME macroeconomic simulation model. The findings reveal statistically significant positive correlations between gender parity indicators and GDP growth, labor productivity, and long-term structural resilience of labor markets. Central Asian countries, despite recording notable improvements in female educational attainment, exhibit persistent gender employment gaps averaging 25–30 percentage points, suppressed female wages (approximately 30% below male counterparts), and systemic occupational segregation. OECD evidence demonstrates that narrowing gender gaps in labor market participation could yield an annual GDP growth increment of 0.23 percentage points, with cumulative gains of up to 9.2% by 2060. The paper identifies institutional barriers, informal employment concentration, and underinvestment in care infrastructure as the primary impediments in Central Asian contexts. Policy implications are outlined for evidence-based gender-responsive labor market reforms aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).