Evolução do desemprego feminino nas áreas metropolitana

This paper discusses the evolution of the feminine unemployment in the main Brazilian metropolitan areas between 1982 and 1998. The approach is highly empirical, based on microeconomic data extracted from the monthly employment survey conducted by IBGE, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Its focus is on the effects of economic growth and of the association of schooling and sector of occupation. The main conclusions are that feminine unemployment increased substantially towards the end of the 90´s, at a larger rate than that of masculine unemployment, and affected women of intermediate schooling level more strongly, specially those employed in the services sector. It is also shown that feminine unemployment is more sensitive to the slowdown of economic activity than masculine unemployment. Finally, a negative correlation between the rates of participation in the labor force of men and women was also uncovered, which signals a strengthening of the gender dispute for the available work offers.