Incluye bibliografía.

1. Introduction and summary -- 2. Trends and patterns in female labor force participation 1950-1985 -- 3. The industrial and occupational distribution of female employment -- 4. Potential gains from the elimination of labor market differentials -- 5. Gender differences in the labor market: analytical issues -- 6. Summary of empirical findings and implications -- References.

Women ' s role in economic development can be examined from many different angles, including feminist, anthropological, sociological, economic, and legislative perspectives. This study employs an economic perspective and focuses on how women behave and are treated in the work force in a number of Latin American economies. It specifically considers the determinants of women ' s labor force participation and male-to-female earnings differentials. Understanding the reasons for " low " labor market participation rates among women, or " high " wage discrimination against women, can lead to policies that will improve the efficiency and equity with which human resources are utilized in a particular country. The study is in two volumes. This volume presents aggregate data on the evolution of female labor force participation in Latin America over time. It shows that in some countries twice as many women (of comparable age groups) work in the market relative to twenty years ago. The companion volume uses household survey data to analyze labor force participation rates and wages earned by men and women in similar positions. It pays special attention to the role of education as a factor influencing a woman ' s decision to work. The results show that, overall, the more years of schooling a woman has, the more likely she is to participate in the labor force. In addition, more educated women earn significantly more than less educated women. The book also attempts to analyze the common factors which determine salaries paid to men and women in a effort to identify what part of the male/female earnings differential can be attributed to different human capital endowments between the sexes, and what part is due to unexplained factors such as discrimination. Differences in human capital endowments explain only a small proportion of the wage differential in most of the country studies. The remaining proportion thus represents the upper bound to discrimination. It is our hope that this work will be followed up by a more careful look at labor legislation and the role it plays in preventing women from reaching their full productive potential.