Oil: a curse for gender equality? Evidence from Latin America

Abstract: Latin America is considered the most unequal region of the world - and also, its second largest oil producer. Using prior research on resource curse and its potential effects on democracy in the mentioned area, combined with research on gender equality in the Middle East - this paper aims to explore the existence of a potential statistical relationship between oil and gender equality. The author uses two dependent variables to measure gender equality: Female Labor Force Participation and Female Political Representation. The paper carries out two sets of estimators, the first one employs a first-difference model along with pooled time-series cross-sectional data for 20 countries between 1970 and 2014. The second one used is a between estimator that examines variations across the states. This cross-national model covers a time period of 16 years, between 1999 and 2014, including the two recent oil shocks.The results suggest that oil rents have no significant effect on Female Labor Force Participation. However, there is a positive correlation established between oil rents and Female Political Representation- unless only high oil dependent countries are accounted for.