Evaluating the Shape of Gender Kuznets Curve—Nexus of Gender Development and Economic Growth

Purpose This article aims to examine whether the exact shape of the gender Kuznets curve (GKC) is linear or non-linear. However, according to the GKC hypothesis, the proportion of female workers is impacted non-linearly by economic progress. Therefore, to ascertain whether the evidence supports a quadratic or a cubic GKC, this study develops a comprehensive panel index based on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for seventeen G20 economies. Design/Methodology/Approach–Findings The evidence is examined by the co-integration method used in the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to find long-run dynamics between variables. After implementing these methods, it is noticeable that GKC is S-shaped for China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, inverted S-shaped for Australia, N-shaped for the USA and South Africa, U-shaped for France and Canada, and inverted U-shaped for Argentina and the UK, and finally, Brazil and Korea have indefinite shapes. Research Implications The study, after analysing the shape of the curves in G20 economies, concludes that it is not possible to regard gender equality as the inevitable outcome of progress. To promote levels of gender equality, governmental measures are necessary, especially during downturns in female employment. Originality This is a comprehensive attempt to examine the exact shape of the GKC in G20 economies. JEL Codes: J 16, O 40, C 22