Opportunity, Social Mobility, and Women’s Views on Gender Roles in Central Asia

Abstract

Abstract Central Asian countries represent an important context for understanding intersections between Islam, patriarchy, and women’s well-being. In recent decades, challenges and opportunities resulting from transitions to a market economy exacerbated gender imbalances in labor markets and opportunity structures of the region. Women of the region are highly educated and make significant economic contributions to support their families through employment. However, their views about gender roles remain unclear, and it is also uncertain whether opportunity structures and social mobility have influenced these views. The current study addresses these gaps using probability-based survey data (N = 3,405) from four Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Latent class analysis reveals three latent profiles of women’s views on gender roles: traditional views, egalitarian views, and dual views. Religious identity, education, opportunity structure, and social mobility intersect with women’s ideas about gender roles.