Experts at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government Investigate Parental Influence on Female Vocational Decision-Making

• Research Indicates Women Most Likely to Mirror Parents' Employment Choices
• Finds Parental Support Reduces Socio-cultural Employment Barriers for Women

Dubai-UAE: 29 January 2014–The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government (MBRSG) hosted a seminar entitled‘Parental Influence on Female Vocational Decisions in the Arabian Gulf' as part of its ongoing Gender and Public Policy Program Seminar Series.

The seminar included the presentation of a research paper by DrEmilie Rutledge, Associate Professor of Economics atUAE University in Al Ain,which she co-authored withUAEU colleague ProfessorMohamed Madi, and Dr Ingo Forstenlechner from the UAE Cabinet's Federal Demographic Council.

The research paper investigated the post-graduation vocational intentions of females studying at secondary and tertiary level in the UAE. Due to the nation's youthful population profile and pronounced reliance on expatriate labour, policymakers are giving considerable attention to local human capital and are actively seeking to increase national female labour market participation.

Specifically, this project investigated the extent to which parental influence impacts on these intentions. Dr Emile Rutledge said: “Using a survey of 335 Emirati females, we measured (1) the likelihood of seeking formal employment per se (2) the perceptions of socio-cultural barriers and (3) public sector preferences against three Parental Career-related Behavior criteria: parental support, engagement and interference.”

Research findings showed that parental support reduces socio-cultural barriers while interference amplifies these and also reduces the likelihood of actually seeking employment.Findings also showed that women with fathers who have attended university are more likely to seek employment, and private-sector roles are more attractive to women whose parents are working in the sector.

A specialist on Arabian Gulf economic diversification strategies who has published extensively on regional labour market reforms, Dr. Rutledge stresses the importance of investigating female labor force participation. “The number of women graduating from college has multiplied exponentially and they are increasingly entering the workforce. Examining female employment preferences and choices is imperative to fully understanding the region's labor market trends and identifying effective reforms and policies.”

Ghalia Gargani, Acting Director, Gender and Public Policy Program, MBRSG, said: “The region's unique demographic makeuphas placed labor force nationalization- particularly in the private sector- high on the policy agenda in the UAE and GCC more broadly. Informing such policies through evidence based research is important to ensure that private sector labour force nationalisation can be implemented in a sustainable and productive manner.”

She added: “This research is particularly interesting because it considers women as a crucial part of the equation.It is very much in line with one of the Gender Program's core goals oflinking theoretically and methodologically rigorous research on a variety of gender issues specific to the region, to agendas and instruments for informed policy action.”

“Through our seminar series, we provide a platform for prominent researchers, scholars, and practitioners to share their research findings and opinions on the challenges and opportunities faced by women in the region.”

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