How Does Social Protection Affect Labor Force Participation in Bangladesh?

Abstract

Social protection programs in Bangladesh have primarily targeted at reduction of poverty in the country. Various social protection programs address the issues related to basic needs of the people. There are some programs which are directly linked to the recipient of social protection and his or her participation in the labor force. However, experiences from different countries show that different social protection programs, even if they are not directly linked to any employment activities, can have important implications for labor force participation of the individuals of the households under the coverage of any of those programs. In context of labor force participation (LFP), the scenarios for male individuals are different than that of female ones. Over the last few decades, the male labor force participation has been observed well above 80%. Along with the economic growth, female labor force participation has also increased to around 36% in 2010 (Labor Force Survey). However, the growth in female LFP is still very low. The study allows the scope to find the potential for the rise in female LFP in Bangladesh. Increased LFP can have significant implications for economic growth and poverty alleviation. Among different policies, programs and economic activities that can improve female LFP, association with any social protection programs is a significant factor.