The first months of life are critical for establishing neural connections relevant for social and cognitive development. Yet, the United States lacks a national policy of paid family leave during this important period of brain development. This study examined associations between paid leave and infant electroencephalography (EEG) at 3 months in a…

Research Findings: Driven by the universal two-child policy, the childcare services in China have stepped into a new era after 3-decade of neglect. This national study investigated the accessibility, quality, and administration of childcare services for children under age 3, by establishing a triangulation of survey, interview, and classroom…

The Saudi 2030 vision states it is committed to empowering women through education and employment, but the literature scarcely addresses their everyday realities. This paper utilises a critical realist perspective to examine the mechanisms emerging from the interplay of structural and cultural factors that impact women's empowerment concerning…

This study focuses on the gender dimension of labour market transitions and its implications for policymaking in the areas of active labour market policies, career guidance, and skills development. The ETF initiated this research to map how activation and skills development policies are gaining importance in the neighbouring countries of the…

In the last decades, developed economies have witnessed significant declines in wages for low-skill workers, increases in employment in high-skill occupations, rapid diffusion of new technology, and expanding offshoring opportunities. Labor markets in developed countries have reallocated labor from manual to cognitive jobs and from routine to…

This paper attempts to explore the connections between expanding female education and the participation of women in paid employment in Japan, China and India, three of Asia's largest economies. Analysis based on existing data and literature shows that despite the large expansion in educational access in these countries in the last half century,…

Using demographic and health surveys conducted between 1998 and 2001 from seven countries (Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and Turkey), the study found that acceptance of wife beating ranged from 29% in Nepal, to 57% in India (women only), and from 26% in Kazakhstan, to 56% in Turkey (men only). Increasing wealth predicted…

This paper examines the relationship between income and the extent of material hardship and explores other factors that might affect hardship. Using panel data from the Women's Employment Study, we examine the incidence of material hardship from 1997 to 2003 among current and former welfare recipients. We then consider the extent to which income…

In most countries, girls perform better than boys in reading but worse in mathematics. However, there is much variation between countries. Explanations for the gender gaps include the organisation of the school system, students' expectations and macro-societal factors. The purpose of this paper is to account for gender differences in both reading…

Examined the relationship between the length of time worked by mothers receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children and three categories of variables. Only economic factors appeared to significantly affect the mothers' decision whether to work. (Author)

Because female heads of families tend to have less continuity of employment than their male counterparts do, they are twice as likely to face unemployment without unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. If Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), which is the primary income support program for impoverished single mothers and their children…

The impact of the socialist government on Cuban women is examined. Opportunities for gender equality have been generated, but they can only be realized through policies imposed from above and the expansion of consciousness from below. The interaction of these levels will provide better opportunities and more power for women. (VM)

A review of current programs and the growing crisis in program delivery within New York City's Agency for Child Development demonstrates the special problems of black mothers in the labor force. The New York case study indicates that there are three basic and critical issues currently confronting public policy for the care of young children: (1)…

To facilitate planning of services to low income, single-parent working women with young children, a client impact study was made of former recipients of Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) in Monroe County, New York. Those surveyed had lost their supplementary income and related benefits due to mandated eligibility constraints in the federal Omnibus…

Policy developments resulting from increased women's participation in the labor force are described for each of five European countries. The societal factors that led to the development of alternative policy models in these countries are analyzed. (Author/MC)