A gender approach on the contribution of the social and solidarity economy to regional employment: The case of the Basque autonomous community

Abstract Academic research on economic issues from a gender approach remains limited, and similarly, few studies and academic papers have addressed the issue of the social and solidarity economy (SSE) from this perspective. The main objective of this paper is to contribute to the academic gap by completing an academic review on the subject and by presenting a panel data analysis of the contribution of the SSE to the evolution of the employment rate in terms of gender in the counties of the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC). Using panel data analysis, this study examines the contribution of the SSE to employment rates by gender across Basque counties. Although a stronger presence of the SSE as a whole positively influences the employment rate of both men and women, a sector‐specific analysis reveals that only the manufacturing sector exhibits a positive relationship with male employment rates. Therefore, further research on the SSE sector from a gender perspective is needed—both to determine whether the observed differences between men and women persist in this field and to explore the underlying reasons. This is particularly relevant in a context where the principles of equality and equity should be inherent to the very nature of the SSE organizations.