Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analize the role, for the case of Guatemala, that the ratio of female to male employment plays in the mobilization of internal savings, in the trade deficit, as well as in the economic growth constrained by the balance of payments model. The results indicate that said ratio increases savings, reduces the deficit in the trade account and eases the balance of payments constraint on economic growth. It is recommended that Guatemalan authorities undertake extraordinary measures to encourage female participation. The originality of the paper resides in being the first one to highlight the role of the ratio of female to male employment on the reduction of the deficit in the trade account and in showing that this ratio can constitute a constraint to economic growth. The paper concludes stressing the importance of promoting female participation.

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