Full Citation

Title: Female labor force participation in sub-Saharan Africa: A cohort analysis

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2022

ISBN:

ISSN:

DOI: 10.1111/padr.12492

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: Female labor force participation rates have been stagnating despite rising female education in sub-Saharan Africa since the turn of the millennium. Using representative and repeated census data from a heterogeneous sample of 13 sub-Saharan African countries, this paper analyzes female labor force participation from a demographic perspective. We show that enrollment in education is substantially higher among the most recent female cohorts than among the earlier-born ones. The higher enrollment mechanically depresses female labor force participation, weakening the relationship between female labor force participation and education. After taking this cohort trend into account, we find a strong and positive association between female labor force participation and female education. We further find a cohort trend toward higher female employment in the nonprimary sector and a positive association between female employment in the nonprimary sector and female education. The higher investments in education by younger female cohorts, together with the demographics of sub-Saharan African countries, have implications for a potentially arising “demographic dividend”.

Url: https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12492

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Authors: Backhaus, Andreas; Loichinger, Elke

Periodical (Full): Population and Development Review

Issue: 2

Volume: 48

Pages: 379-411

Data Collections: IPUMS International

Topics: Education, Gender, Labor Force and Occupational Structure

Countries: Benin, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia