Natural Resources and the Gender Gap in Azerbaijan

Abstract

'Resource curse' scholars have suggested not only that oil wealth may be disastrous for the political and economic fabric of a country but that its impact is gendered. They have observed that oil harms, rather than helps, women in becoming integrated into the workforce and wider society. This is because instead of unleashing the economic forces that dilute patriarchal norms, oil booms leave these norms in place and constrain womens' opportunities for economic and political empowerment. These scholars, however, have singled out post-Soviet countries as exceptions to the rule, due to the legacy of the nominal commitment to gender equality handed down from their Soviet past. Here, I will explore how this may not be the case in Azerbaijan and how women have missed out on the dividends of Azerbaijan's latest oil boom.