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Gender Disparities and Economic Growth in Kenya: A Social Accounting Matrix Approach

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  • Bernadette Mukhwana Wanjala
  • Maureen Were

Abstract

Realizing high economic growth and generating gainful employment present major challenges for Kenya. This paper analyzes the gendered employment outcomes of various investment options in Kenya using Social Accounting Matrix multiplier analysis. Results reveal that Kenya's agriculture sector accounts for the highest increase in employee compensation (mainly benefiting skilled labor and disproportionately benefiting men), while its manufacturing sector accounts for the largest share of job creation. Although women stand to benefit more from employment creation, most of these new jobs are informal with low wages. Kenya's gender disparities are a reflection of existing disparities in its labor market and socioeconomic structure. Therefore, policies aimed at addressing the constraints that limit women's effective participation in the Kenyan labor market, including increasing productivity and raising women's skills, are important for allowing men and women to benefit equally from employment and growth-promoting opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernadette Mukhwana Wanjala & Maureen Were, 2009. "Gender Disparities and Economic Growth in Kenya: A Social Accounting Matrix Approach," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 227-251.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:15:y:2009:i:3:p:227-251
    DOI: 10.1080/13545700902893114
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Francis Teal & Rosemary Atieno, 2006. "Gender, Education and Occupational Outcomes: Kenya`s Informal Sector in the 1990s," Economics Series Working Papers GPRG-WPS-050, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    5. Gordon, Robert J, 1995. "Is There a Trade-off between Unemployment and Productivity Growth?," CEPR Discussion Papers 1159, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
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    7. Amanda Ellis & Jozefina Cutura & Nouma Dione & Ian Gillson & Clare Manuel & Judy Thongori, 2007. "Gender and Economic Growth in Kenya : Unleashing the Power of Women," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 6810, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mbanda, Vandudzai & Bonga-Bonga, Lumengo, 2018. "Impacts of Public Infrastructure Investment in South Africa: A SAM and CGE-Based Analysis of the Public Economic Sector," MPRA Paper 90613, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Muriithi, Moses K. & Mutegi, Reuben G. & Mwabu, Germano, 2020. "Counting unpaid work in Kenya: Gender and age profiles of hours worked and imputed wage incomes," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment; gender analysis; social accounting; JEL Code: J16;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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