What Drives Female Labour Force Participation in Indonesia? A Systematic Literature Review

Female labour force participation (FLFP) in Indonesia remains stagnant despite educational progress and economic development. Studies about FLFP determinants in Indonesia exist, but their findings are scattered, making it difficult to establish a definitive conclusion. Therefore, this study aims to synthesise previous studies and map the factors that affect FLFP in Indonesia through systematic literature analysis. Guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework, this study reviewed 20 selected studies without restriction on publication year, covering peer-reviewed and grey literature up to April 2025. This study categorised determinants of FLFP into four groups: personal characteristics (age, marital status, and residential location), family characteristics (children's presence, household headship, household income, family size, and elderly members), educational attainment, and traditional gender norms. This study found that existing literature exhibited a linear and non-linear pattern between age and FLFP, while married status and childcare responsibilities decreased female participation rates. As a crucial factor, most studies have consistently found that higher education significantly increases FLFP. Moreover, traditional gender norms and specific religions prevent women from entering the labour market. Based on the findings, providing employees with better access to affordable child care and flexible work arrangements is required to support women's employment. The long-term recommendation requires comprehensive and supportive strategies, including increasing tertiary education access for women and labour law reform, such as maternity and paternity leave and social protections for women in the informal sector. Future research needs to study how gender, household dynamics, religion, and geography influence women's labour force participation through an intersectional and longitudinal perspective.