Determinants of Urban Labour Force Participation in Kenya

bibliographic database
Line

Periodical article

Title:	Determinants of Urban Labour Force Participation in Kenya
Authors:	Barber, Gerald M. Milne, William J. Ongile, Grace
Year:	1990
Periodical:	Eastern Africa Economic Review
Volume:	6
Issue:	2
Pages:	83-94
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs., ills.
Geographic terms:	Kenya East Africa
Subjects:	labour force employment urban areas Urbanization and Migration Labor and Employment Economics and Trade urbanization Economics, Commerce Labor supply Women's participation
Abstract:	This paper analyses the determinants of labour force participation in Kenya using data from the 1986 Urban Labour Force Survey. The results show that male participation rates in urban Kenya are generally high, approaching 100 percent for prime working ages, and that education is not an important factor, except insofar as it delays the date of entry into or exit from the labour force. Migration is a significant determinant of participation. Finally, male married household heads tend to have higher participation rates. For females, the situation is remarkably different. Once household heads are differentiated from non-household heads, the effect of increasing levels of education is striking in that education has a significant positive impact for women who are not household heads. The implication is that Kenya will have a fast growing urban labour force not only because of rapid population growth but also due to increasing female participation rates. Bibliogr., notes, ref.