ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general view of the evolution of female labour force participation (LFP) through the twentieth century and explores the forces behind it using macro and micro census data. It provides a broad perspective of Mexican women's participation in the labour force through the twentieth century and finds empirical evidence to explain it. The chapter describes the evolution of female LFP in Mexico, using cohort analysis, and explores the relationship between development and the LFP trend in Mexico. It explains the data and methodology used in the econometric analysis and shows the results using the instrumental variables econometric technique, explaining the fertility changes and how they have shaped LFP in Mexico. The increase of the LFP that can be dated around 1970 can be explained by a decrease in the number of children per woman and an increase in the average years of female schooling.
