Digital Payments and Gendered Labor Reallocation

Abstract:-
This study examines how digital payments (DP) drive labor reallocation in India, leveraging nationally representative data and a two-stage least squares approach. For men, DP facilitates a shift from agricultural self-employment to formal wage employment. For women, it reduces unpaid labor, promoting entry into formal work and increasing financial autonomy through expanded access to banking, mobile money, and the internet. Both genders experience increased time spent in paid work and earnings. Our findings demonstrate the critical role of DP in transforming labor markets and advancing gender equity.

There is no conflict of interest in this study. No funding was received for this study.

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