The Effect of Economic Development on Women’s Well-Being in the Developing Economies

Abstract

Abstract This study aims to investigate the effect of economic development, measured by per capita incomes, on women’s well-being by relating a country’s per capita GDP with several dimensions that affect women’s affluence and well-being within the economic, social, and political context. The analysis is based on the theoretical framework of the modernisation-neoclassical approach. Regression analysis is conducted on data from a sample of the countries in the low- and middle-income category to determine the effect of economic development on several indicators of women’s well-being. The results provide strong evidence that economic growth was associated with improvements in some economic and social indicators of women’s well-being in low- and middle-income countries. However, the results do not reveal any strong association between economic development and women’s political participation. Some policy implications are drawn.