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Socioeconomic and cultural drivers of women's formal work in rural Ghana

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  • Elena Gross
  • Raymond Boadi Frempong

Abstract

We study socioeconomic indicators of female labour force participation in off-farm formal employment in a subsistence agriculture setting in northern Ghana, where a new commercial farm provides a positive demand shock for low-skilled labour. We use a set of quantitative and qualitative data examining determinants of female labour force participation, the social effects arising from it, and the influence on female decision-making power in their households. In line with other micro-studies, we find that education is not a driver of female labour participation in low-skilled jobs.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Gross & Raymond Boadi Frempong, 2021. "Socioeconomic and cultural drivers of women's formal work in rural Ghana," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2021-22, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2021-22
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David Bloom & David Canning & Günther Fink & Jocelyn Finlay, 2009. "Fertility, female labor force participation, and the demographic dividend," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 79-101, June.
    2. Palacios-Lopez, Amparo & Christiaensen, Luc & Kilic, Talip, 2017. "How much of the labor in African agriculture is provided by women?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 52-63.
    3. Francisca M. Antman, 2014. "Spousal employment and intra-household bargaining power," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(8), pages 560-563, May.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female labour force participation; Ghana; Decision making; Households; off-farm work; Polygyny; Rural households;
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