Gender inequality and
fertility
Empirical evidence for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Amra Fetahović, M.A.
B&H Directorate for Economic Planning
Department for Social Inclusion Analysis
Sarajevo, 31.March 2017.
Main definitons
• “The total fertility rate in a specific year is defined as the total number
of children that would be born to each woman if she were to live to the
end of her child-bearing years and give birth to children in alignment
with the prevailing age-specific fertility rates. This indicator is measured
in children per woman” (OECD)
• Gender inequality: For the purpose of the research is observed through
Gender Inequality Index (GII) and gender gap in labor market
participation. GII measures gender inequalities in three important
dimensions (reproductive health, women empowerment in politics and
education and labour force participation rate) (UNDP)
Research motivation and the objective
• The main motive for the research: big disproportion between long term
negative demographic trends and lack of institutional will to solve the
problem. In the same time we have big inactivity of women on LM
• Policies that are aiming at raising the total fertility rate are usually
expensive and they don‘t work every time.
• The consequence of unfavorable demographic conditions can lead to
unsustainable social insurance system (Cutler, et al., 1990; Kotowska,
2006; Prskawetz, et al., 2008)
• The main objective of the research is to examine the possibility of
reducing the gender gap in employment as a measure to increase TFR
Findings: B&H comparative analysis
• TFR in B&H is one of the lowest in the world while GII is considered to
be moderate
• Gender difference in LMPR is one of the lowest 112\155
• Census 2013 more inactive women (housewives) then employed
women
• RS has the lowest TFR but the highest female labor market
participation rate (FLMPR), and BDB&H has the highest TFR but the
lowest female labor market participation rate
Obstacles in reducing gender gap in labor
market participation rate
• High opportunity cost for women to work and have more children
• Mismatch between demand and supply of kindergartens (low
accessibility and affordability)
• Mismatch between kindergartens and labor market (informal
employment, part-time opportunities, wages and prices )
Conclusions
• Based on literature review: more affordability of kindergartens could
increase labor market participation but also increase fertility of
employed women
• Further increase in female labor employment could lower TFR if is not
combined to family friendly policies
Recommendations for improving the statistics
• Data on ideal family size
• Data on maternal employment, unemployment and inactivity rate
depending on the age and number of children