Determinants of the distribution of gender (In)equality among Brazilian States

Abstract

Gender equality is crucial for sustainable economic development. Brazil, despite being one of the largest economies in the world, is far from being considered an egalitarian society between men and women when compared to the same economic size countries.
This study analyzes the evolution of gender equality in Brazil between 1997 and
2012 and the impacts of globalization, economic development and welfare measures on the distribution of gender equality among States. In order to reach this goal, we used the econometric methodology of panel data. The results show that gender equality has increased over the period and that globalization, measured based on foreign direct investment and on the population’s access to television sets, raised the gender equality in Brazil.